How do we learn and use language? What do languages have in common? How and why does language change? Language is central to everything we do and is the essence of who we are as human beings.

Linguistics is the scientific study of language, seeking to understand how it is structured, used and acquired. Discover how spoken and written language is used in various social, political, cultural and philosophical contexts, including the media, literature and everyday conversation; and explore its relationship with the mind. 

Our multidisciplinary focus allows you to study all aspects of language, including its nature, structure and use, and discover how it varies according to person, time and situation. Your knowledge and understanding of how a language works and how we communicate will give you a solid foundation for many careers.

Our degree programme

The course builds from developing core skills in analysis and linguistic investigation, to applying these skills in more advanced modules in your second and third year. 

In your first year, you learn the fundamentals of language. In your second and third years, there are opportunities to customise your programme of study according to your own intellectual interests. You can choose from a broad range of topics focused on language structure, including grammar (morphology, syntax), sound patterns (phonetics, phonology) or meaning (semantics, pragmatics). 

You might also choose to explore the way we learn and understand language (psycholinguistics), the relationship between language and society (sociolinguistics), or between language and literature (stylistics). 

You can also study modules with a more vocational focus, such as language learning and teaching, creative and media writing, and language and media.

Year abroad

It is possible to spend a year or a term abroad at one of our partner institutions in Asia, Europe or North America. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply.

Study resources

The Linguistics Laboratory has facilities for experimental and quantitative research in acoustics, sociophonetics, and speech and language processing and acquisition. This includes a soundproof recording studio and eye-tracking software. You also have access to the School of European Culture and Languages’ recording studio and a multimedia lab.

Extra activities

The English Language and Linguistics Society is based around a common interest in language. It provides excellent networking opportunities and access to valuable knowledge and resources that could enhance your studies.

We also host the Centre for Language and Linguistics, which runs a programme of seminars, lectures and reading groups that you may join.