Best Linguistics universities and programs in the world
Linguistics is the study of language as a science. Linguists (linguistic experts) focus on specific languages. Like all other intellectual sciences, the main goal of a linguist is to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world. You will learn about many facets of human language as a linguistics major, including sounds, words, sentences, and meaning. Apart from comprehending the complexities of world languages, this information can be used to improve interpersonal communication, contribute to translation efforts, aid literacy efforts, and treat speech disorders.
The top destinations for studying linguistics are the USA, UK, Belgium, and Germany. The general length of a course is 3 to 4 years and can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000 depending on the University and place of study.
The most popular linguistic programs are a BA or MA in linguistics with the number of linguistic students in the USA being 486,746 in 2018 to 497,149 students in 2019 according to datausa.io.
Some additional facts about this program are:
- Depending on the country, linguistics degrees usually take three or four years to finish.
- Linguistics education is also beneficial for studying and acquiring languages.
- Some of the best Linguistic universities are the University of Amsterdam, Ohio State University, Michigan University, and so on.
Duties of Linguistic Experts
- Interpreters and translators or language professionals convert and transcribe communications from one language to another.
- Linguists also work in the technology field, creating software applications that mimic human communication strategies.
- They also assess the evolution of language in various parts of the world.
- They are also responsible for looking for paradigms in other languages.
- This position’s responsibilities may also include coordinating linguistics presentations and interpreting and transcribing dialogue and material between two parties.
Popular degrees for pursuing a career in Linguistics
History centers, translation and language organizations, development organizations, journalism, writing, publishing, editing, and academia are among locations where graduates with a Bachelor’s in Linguistics can work. Here are some of the most well-known courses for Linguistics:
Popular bachelor’s programs in Linguistics
- BA in Linguistics
- BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics
- Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Literary Studies
- BA in Languages, Civilization and the Science of Language
Popular master’s programs in Linguistics
A master’s degree in linguistics focuses on the systematic study of language as a structure, as well as the numerous sub-fields of linguistics that overlap with other disciplines such as Semiotics, Psychology, Sociology, and Forensics. The following master’s degrees are the most popular:
- MA in Linguistics
- MSc in Digital Linguistics
- Master of TESOL/Applied Linguistics
- Master in Linguistic Data Sciences
Specializations in Linguistics
Students can choose a Specialization field in addition to fulfilling the Common course requirements. They can also select a program of study that represents the student’s personal interests as well as the general field in which the student plans to do dissertation research in the future. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- Specialization in Experimental Linguistics
- Specialization in Phonology and Phonetics
- Specialization in Semantics
- Specialization in Syntax
- Ph.D. specialization in linguistics
- Linguistics (specialization) (MA)
Duration of programs in Linguistics
| Country | Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree |
| the USA and Canada | 3-4 years | 2 years |
| UK | 3-4 years | 1 year |
| Australia | 2-3 years | 2 years |
| Others | 3-4 years | 2 years |
Career opportunities in Linguistics
Bachelor Degree Prospects
Education, publishing, journalism, social services, communication, computer languages, voice analysis research, communicative disorders, and other language-related areas can all be of benefit by having an employee who graduated with a linguistics degree. As a Bachelor’s graduate in languages, you can pursue the following positions:
- Copywriter
- Editor
- Grant / Proposal writer
- Interpreter
- Language Planner
- Lexicographer
- Professor/Instructor/Teacher
Master Degree Prospects
The Linguistics research Master’s degree prepares you for a variety of occupations both inside and outside academia that need academic abilities, research technique, and advanced linguistic knowledge. These are the positions that these graduates can apply for:
- An advisory position in first- and second-language education and policymaking
- A higher education teaching role
- A junior project research post
- An assistant position in a computational and experimental lab
- Psycholinguist
- Public Relations
Average salaries for Linguistic graduates
As a linguist, you will explore the science behind how we speak by studying linguistics. You’ll be involved in language research on both a conceptual and a detailed level of raw linguistic data. Here are some examples of linguistic graduate salaries:
| Country | Average salary in USD*/year |
| Australia | $79025/ year |
| UK | $39114/ year |
| USA | $81,624/ year |
| Germany | $58070/ year |
| Canada | $50610/ year |
(Source: Indeed.com)
*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.
Top 50 universities in the world for Linguistics based on subject rankings
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor’s Programs | Master’s Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | University of Amsterdam | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 2 | 22 | The Ohio State University – Columbus | USA | Click here | NA |
| 3 | =36 | Michigan State University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 4 | 51 | The University of Texas at Austin | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 5 | 29 | Nanyang Technological University | Singapore | NA | NA |
| 6 | 52 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 7 | 35 | University of Vienna | Austria | NA | NA |
| 8 | 50 | University of California, Santa Barbara | USA | NA | Click here |
| 9 | 16 | University of Pennsylvania | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 10 | 70 | Cornell University | USA | NA | Click here |
| 11 | =73 | Indiana University Bloomington | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 12 | 201-250 | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam | Netherlands | NA | NA |
| 13 | 69 | Pennsylvania State University – University Park | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 14 | 101-150 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 15 | 101-150 | Northwestern University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 16 | 4 | University of Oxford | UK | Click here | NA |
| 17 | 45 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | USA | Click here | NA |
| 18 | 46 | University of Zurich | Switzerland | NA | NA |
| 19 | 67 | University of Southern California | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 20 | NA | University of Munich | Germany | NA | NA |
| 21 | 57 | KU Leuven | Belgium | NA | NA |
| 22 | 301-310 | The University of Georgia | USA | NA | Click here |
| 23 | 101-150 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 24 | 201-250 | University of California, Davis | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 25 | 201-250 | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem | Israel | NA | NA |
| 26 | NA | University of Missouri – Columbia | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 27 | 151-200 | Ghent University | Belgium | NA | NA |
| 28 | NA | London School of Economics and Political Science | UK | Click here | Click here |
| 29 | 151-200 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 30 | =48 | University of Arizona | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 31 | 15 | University of Maryland, College Park | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 32 | NA | University of Utah | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 33 | 76 | University of Washington | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 34 | 151-200 | University of Kansas | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 35 | 7 | Stanford University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 36 | NA | University of Haifa | Israel | NA | NA |
| 37 | 251-300 | University of Iowa | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 38 | NA | University of Mainz | Germany | NA | Click here |
| 39 | 151-200 | University of Antwerp | Belgium | NA | NA |
| 40 | 101-150 | University of Groningen | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 41 | 24 | University of Connecticut | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 42 | 44 | Radboud University Nijmegen | Netherlands | Click here | Click here |
| 43 | NA | University of Mannheim | Germany | NA | Click here |
| 44 | 101-150 | University of Oregon | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 45 | NA | Temple University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 46 | 6 | Harvard University | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 47 | 151-200 | Purdue University – West Lafayette | USA | NA | NA |
| 48 | 251-300 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | USA | Click here | Click here |
| 49 | 47 | University of Helsinki | Finland | NA | NA |
| 50 | NA | University of Gothenburg | Sweden | Click here | Click here |
Top universities in the USA for Linguistics
Nothing beats the United States for studying Linguistics research. When looking for a school to study languages and linguistics in the United States, having an idea of what job route you want to pursue after graduation will help. Depending on what you want to accomplish with your degree, you may have a hard time deciding which university to attend. However, the best schools to study languages and linguistics in the US include Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of California-Berkeley (UCB), etc. Here is a comprehensive list of all of them:
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 2 | 22 | The Ohio State University – Columbus |
| 3 | =36 | Michigan State University |
| 4 | 51 | The University of Texas at Austin |
| 6 | 52 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| 8 | 50 | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| 9 | 16 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 10 | 70 | Cornell University |
| 11 | =73 | Indiana University Bloomington |
| 13 | 69 | Pennsylvania State University – University Park |
| 14 | 101-150 | University of Wisconsin – Madison |
| 15 | 101-150 | Northwestern University |
| 17 | 45 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| 19 | 67 | University of Southern California |
| 22 | 301-310 | The University of Georgia |
| 23 | 101-150 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick |
| 24 | 201-250 | University of California, Davis |
| 26 | NA | University of Missouri – Columbia |
| 29 | 151-200 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities |
| 30 | =48 | University of Arizona |
| 31 | 15 | University of Maryland, College Park |
| 32 | NA | University of Utah |
| 33 | 76 | University of Washington |
| 34 | 151-200 | University of Kansas |
| 35 | 7 | Stanford University |
| 37 | 251-300 | University of Iowa |
| 41 | 24 | University of Connecticut |
| 44 | 101-150 | University of Oregon |
| 45 | NA | Temple University |
| 46 | 6 | Harvard University |
| 47 | 151-200 | Purdue University – West Lafayette |
| 48 | 251-300 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Top universities in the UK for Linguistics
Linguistics is the study of language in the United Kingdom, from how words are produced to how language can influence and guide. As students learn about the sound, syntax, and meaning of various languages spoken by various individuals and cultures, a keen analytical mind is required. Here is a list of all the greatest linguistics universities in the United Kingdom:
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 16 | 4 | University of Oxford |
| 28 | NA | London School of Economics and Political Science |
Top universities in Belgium for Linguistics
Linguistics students in Belgium strive for a scientific understanding of languages. The field is separated into three sub-disciplines: language structure, language meaning, and language context, with all of them attempting to connect sounds to their meaning as a means of communication. Here is a list of all the best Universities in this country:
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 21 | 57 | KU Leuven |
| 27 | 151-200 | Ghent University |
| 39 | 151-200 | University of Antwerp |
Top universities in Germany for Linguistics
Linguistics degrees in Germany mainly concentrate on one or more specific languages (typical programs in Germany include German and English-language linguistics). Furthermore, the relatively young discipline of “computational linguistics” brings classical linguistics along with computer science and artificial intelligence. The best universities in the country are listed below:
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | University |
| 20 | NA | University of Munich |
| 38 | NA | University of Mainz |
| 43 | NA | University of Mannheim |
Academic requirements for studying Linguistics
In order to be eligible for a linguistics degree at a reputable university, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Completion of a bachelor’s/high school level degree from a regionally approved institution or a foreign degree from a recognized school or university that is comparable to a bachelor’s/high school level degree.
- Availability of the necessary documents as required by the chosen university.
Language in English
All international applicants to most universities must provide proof of English language proficiency. The following are the English language requirements for this course:
- IELTS 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in any one component
- Or an acceptable comparable qualification.
You can also apply through the Gyanberry website for easy admission into any college of your choice and a timely application.