Undergraduate Linguistics Programmes

Take a double major in Linguistics and another subject of your choice (we recommend Psychology, Literature, Pacific Vernacular Language, Journalism, History or Computer Science as good combinations with Linguistics). In the eight-course Linguistics major, you will learn about languages from across the region, and tackle topics such as endangered languages, language learning, the relationship between language and the environment, and language technology. Students who enjoy logic puzzles and were good at Maths, Computing and Language subjects at school will particularly enjoy Linguistics! See our careers page for jobs that rely on Linguistics.

If you enjoyed English at school and are not sure whether you prefer the literature part or the language part, you can continue studying both! A major in Literature/Language gives you the opportunity to study four Literature courses and four Linguistics courses (or more if you choose a single major). This combination gives you strong analytical and critical thinking skills, which are valued by employers in all sectors. However, to get the most out of this subject combination, we strongly recommend taking a double major with one major in Linguistics (see above) and one major in Literature.

If you are seeking a professional career in media, marketing or communication roles in a variety of sectors, industries or organisations this prescribed programme of 24 courses (Communication cannot be taken as a major) may be perfect for you. The programme combines Linguistics, Journalism, Marketing and a specialist subject in any area of your choice. This specialist subject enables you to become an expert in a field in which you wish to target communication roles (e.g. Environment or Social Work) or to pick up a range of workplace skills (e.g. Accounting, Management, or an additional language).

If you enrol on a pre-service or in-service programme to become a secondary teacher of English, you will take five Linguistics courses as part of the Literature/Language component of your programme. These courses cover an introduction to how languages work in general, an overview of languages across the Pacific as well as the structure of English, principles of second language learning and teaching, and the role and status of English in the Pacific. These courses will give you a robust training for a career in English teaching, as well as working in curriculum and assessment units.