Linguistics

• Studying: 19%
• Employed in graduate job: 29%
• Employed in non-graduate job: 34%
• Unemployed: 10%

• Average graduate salary: £17,968
• Average non-graduate salary: £14,706

Studying linguistics provides you with many subject-specific skills. These include the ability to transcribe and analyse language in fine detail, and understand and critique theories and ideas. You also learn how to present linguistic data in different formats, such as tables, graphs, matrices, diagrams and reports. Research skills are also developed, especially regarding the accurate collection of data, research methodology, analysis techniques and statistical analysis, using appropriate IT packages where necessary.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. 

View the best universities for linguistics degrees.

Prospects

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates indicates that six months after graduation just over half of all linguistics graduates were in paid employment in the UK or overseas. Nearly 10% had roles as managers in the public, commercial and industrial sectors, while 8% were working in marketing, sales and advertising. Just over a third of linguistics graduates in employment went into clerical, retail or catering-related roles, gaining transferable skills and work experience.

Where are the jobs?

Common employers of linguistics graduates are the Civil Service, especially on the Civil Service Fast Stream scheme, and overseas language schools looking for teachers of English as a foreign language. Some entering the health sector train as speech and language therapists through an accredited two-year diploma/MSc offered by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).

Jobs directly related to your degree

Studying a linguistics degree will prepare you for some interesting jobs, including:

• Lexicographer
• Speech and language therapist
• English as a foreign language teacher
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader

Jobs where your degree would be useful

The knowledge gained in your linguistics degree will also be useful in jobs such as:

• Translator
• Social researcher
• Information officer
• Public librarian
• Editorial assistant
• Primary school teacher
• Public relations officer

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Included with the permission of AGCAS and Graduate Prospects. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk. We would welcome your comments on this section of The Complete University Guide. Please email us at admin@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.