Undergraduate
Linguistics
Contact us
Address
Student Central
The University of Western Australia(M355) 35 Stirling Highway Perth Western Australia 6009
Telephone
(+61 8) 6488 3939
International
1800 653 050
Hours
Frequently asked questions
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Careers and further study
This major opens up a world of future study pathways and career options.
Career Pathways
Secondary School Teacher
Translator
Further Study
Fees and scholarships
Undergraduate – Commonwealth supported students
The Annual Fee is an estimate only based on a standard annual study load of 48 points.
For Commonwealth Supported Places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit. For an accurate fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”.
For Full Fee Paying places, students are charged an annual course fee. Visit the Fee Calculator and select your course to see the annual and total course fees.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Undergraduate – onshore students
Annual course fees are calculated based on a standard annual study load of 48 credit points.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.
Cost of living
Admission requirements
The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers, mature-age applicants and those with previous tertiary study. If you’re interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.
Minimum entry requirements
- 8
- 525
- 3.3
- 27
- 8
- 66
- 60
- 270
- 75
- 80
- 320
Admission requirements
English competency
How to apply
Ready to apply for this major? Follow the steps and you’ll be on your way to joining us at UWA.
Course details
About the course
Quick details
- Available
- Perth (Crawley campus)
- Full-time
- Part-time
- On-campus
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- 12-15 contact hours, plus at least twice as much of your own study time
- Undergraduate
- MJD-LINGO
- 3 years (BA); 4 years (BPhil [Hons])
Emily Taplin
Emily Taplin
Troy Reynolds
Troy Reynolds
Work integrated learning
You may also be interested in these courses
Communication and Media Studies 
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Course Structure
Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.
Popular combinations
You'll learn to
- understand key focuses of, and key concepts in, core sub-areas of linguistics – phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, discourse analysis, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and historical linguistics
- describe key features of major approaches to language structure, use and variation
- demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of structures across languages
- critically interpret and synthesise the content of scholarly publications in linguistics
Put theory into practice
Current UWA students are eligible to take one of our professional experience units. These units bridge the gap between university and the workplace by providing opportunities to gain hands-on, practical experience. You can master new skills, make connections and network, get a taste of the opportunities in the workforce and add experience to your resume, all before graduating.
Find out more about Work Integrated Learning.
Jessie Gordon
Jessie Gordon
Alumna story
Jessie Gordon
Bachelor of Arts Linguistics and Anthropology graduate, Jessie Gordon, is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award winning musician whose musical passions span across jazz, blues, gospel and roots music. She is a jazz blues vocalist, vintage jazz dancer, raconteur and self-proclaimed cheese enthusiast.
Jessie’s passion for music has taken her around the world, touring Southeast Asia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK. She has won 15 Music and Cabaret awards at FRINGE WORLD Festival and has received 22 nominations. Jessie has collaborated with local Perth bands including Sassafras, Apocalypse Lounge, The Dirty Blues Band, Perth Cabaret Collective, and the Anatomically Incorrect Gentlemen, and recently released two albums with her original music, A Work of Fiction and Best Friends.
My degree
In 2004, Jessie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Linguistics and Anthropology. Following graduation, she undertook an honours year in anthropology and began a PhD which she never completed, having succumbed to the lure of bright stage lights.
Have you ever seen a connection between Linguistics and jazz? As a matter of fact, many singers take a keen interest in the way linguistics helps understand languages. Here’s what Jessie has to say about it:
“For me the intersection of language and music provides a constant tension in performance. There are so many interpretations of a melody that can support the lyric of a tune, or provide a counterpoint to it. I use the skills I learned in my arts degree every day to think analytically about musical and lyrical content and find new ways to interpret and communicate on stage."
Student Exchange & Study Abroad
Your degree options
This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Why study this course?
- Linguistics is a robust educational foundation that equips you with the core skills an employer looks for, in particular, good communication and thorough analysis
- Linguistics is the study of language, and language is key to most human interactions. As such, studying linguistics opens many doors.
Hear about our major
Become a bilingual citizen of the world at the largest language hub in Western Australia
Become a bilingual citizen of the world at the largest language hub in Western Australia
With four European, four Asian and two Classical languages on offer, UWA is the leading institution in WA for language learning.
Immerse yourself in another language. Learn to see the world in a new way. Move between cultures with ease.
With our unique course structure, you can combine a language with your other interests to create your perfect study plan. French and Finance? Chinese and Chemistry? German and Geography? Japanese and Jurisprudence? It’s up to you.
You’ll learn to translate not just words, but ideas.
During your studies you can put your skills into practice by travelling overseas with one of our many global learning opportunities, from short courses to long-term student exchange programs.
After completing an undergraduate major in any of our eight modern languages (Chinese Studies, Indonesian Studies, Japanese Studies, Korean Studies, French Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, and Spanish Studies), you could continue on to our Master of Translation Studies (the only course of its kind in Western Australia) to gain a prestigious professional qualification. Endorsed by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), Master of Translation Studies students may also undertake a work placement in Australia or overseas.
Where could your language studies take you?
Access UWA Language Hub
Why take a second major
- Expand your skills - Taking a second major either in a complementary area or in something like Economics or Business Law will show you have developed transferable skills such as, teamwork, critical thinking, digital literacy and presentation skills – which are highly sought after in the workforce.
- Add it to your resume – Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in a variety of areas. Two majors will expand your career prospects and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
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