Overview

Course overview

Student testimonial

" I decided to study linguistics because I have always been interested in languages- I have been studying them since 11 years old.

I am surrounded by English and Lithuanian, and I took Spanish and French through both high school and A level. I chose Japanese also because I am intrigued in learning multiple languages and the language and its history is inherently very interesting to me.”

Alicija Kelly / Linguistics and Modern Languages
Student Testimonial

“Manchester is such a diverse city both culturally and linguistically which suits my course

I am able to learn more from the community alongside my degree, and have been able to conduct research better through the local multiculturalism.”

Alice Bull / BA Linguistics and Modern Languages (Spanish)
  • Study the unique human faculty of language, investigate world languages and develop transferable skills in quantitative methods.
  • Explore issues such as how languages arise, change and die, how children acquire their first language and what happens when speakers of different languages come into contact.
  • Choose one language from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. You can choose a language you’ve previously studied or start learning a language as a beginner.
  • This is a 4-year degree with an integrated Residence Abroad year. All languages offer the opportunity to complete a study abroad placement. Work or volunteering abroad is an option for students taking French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish.
  • Study at a university ranked Top 10 in the UK for Linguistics and Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).

Open days

Join us on campus to learn more about your course, grab a chat with current students and academics, and explore our campus with its fantastic facilities.

It’s an invaluable opportunity to explore, discover, and enjoy some of the vibes that attract so many students to Manchester.

Find out more about our - upcoming open days .

Not in the UK or can’t make it? Not a problem. Check out our - virtual open day content .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

A-level

ABB.

All language pathways are available at both Beginners and Advanced level. Applicants offering an A Level in the target language will normally be required to achieve grade B or above and will be placed on the Advanced language pathway. Applicants may enter at Beginners level if they are complete beginners to studying the language, or have studied the target language to GCSE level only.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, any offer will be based on three A Levels, and any additional A Levels won’t be included in your offer. Any offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting and based on your qualification portfolio. Your offer will stipulate which subjects and the grades required.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Duration of A-level study

If you have studied an advanced curriculum, where the examinations are spread over three years or more, please contact the academic School/Department for clarification on acceptability prior to applying. For some courses, offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting (normally within a two-year period).

A-level contextual offer

BBC

All language pathways are available at both Beginners and Advanced level. Applicants offering an A Level in the target language will normally be required to achieve grade B or above and will be placed on the Advanced language pathway. Applicants may enter at Beginners level if they are complete beginners to studying the language, or have studied the target language to GCSE level only.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, any offer will be based on three A Levels, and any additional A Levels won’t be included in your offer. Any offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting and based on your qualification portfolio. Your offer will stipulate which subjects and the grades required.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

  • live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
  • live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
  • have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

UK refugee/care-experienced offer

BBC

All language pathways are available at both Beginners and Advanced level. Applicants offering an A Level in the target language will normally be required to achieve grade B or above and will be placed on the Advanced language pathway. Applicants may enter at Beginners level if they are complete beginners to studying the language, or have studied the target language to GCSE level only.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, any offer will be based on three A Levels, and any additional A Levels won’t be included in your offer. Any offer will normally be based on three A Levels taken in the same sitting and based on your qualification portfolio. Your offer will stipulate which subjects and the grades required.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

  • have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
  • have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects.

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and and 4 or C inMathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.

Other entry requirements

Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.

English language requirements

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

  • GCSE/iGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;
  • IELTS Academic or IELTS UKVI 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component, or;
  • An acceptable equivalent qualification.

Please note we accept in-person IELTS tests taken in official IELTS test centres only. You should review our English Language requirements page for a list of acceptable IELTS tests.

If you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School/Department for clarification.

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found  here .

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Fees and funding

Additional expenses

The Residence Abroad year is an integral part of the course and must be completed. Some costs, such as tuition fees, are substantially lower. Other costs can vary and they are not included in the tuition fee. For example, living costs may be higher or lower than the UK, and there are travel-related costs to consider, such as paying for a passport, visa fees, health insurance, and (if needed) vaccinations. Please visit Residence Abroad for more information and indicative costs.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about - student finance options for UK students .

Learn more about - fees and finance for international students .

Learn more about your funding support options for Residence Abroad .

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

Home-schooled applicants

If you have followed a non-standard educational route and have been, for example, educated at home, your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course to which you applied. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements as specified for the course. We will also require a reference which should be written by somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information: UCAS reference guidelines

Course details

Course description

Student Testimonial

“The highlight of my course has been a fieldwork project in the first semester of second year, in which I got the opportunity to interview shop owners and customers in 3 different places in Manchester about the multilingual signage on their businesses.

It really reminded me of how much I love Linguistics and my degree.”

Anya Whiting / BA Linguistics and Modern Languages

Linguistics

This course enables you to delve into the science of language - an everyday phenomenon which impacts our lives on an individual and a global scale. You will explore the sounds and structure of languages across the globe, studying topics such as how languages change over time; how children acquire their first language; how language varies between different groups of people and across regions; how we communicate as individuals and within groups; what languages across the world have in common and how they differ; and what happens when speakers of different languages come into contact.

With its diverse local communities, Manchester is an ideal site for carrying out research on linguistic variation and multilingualism. We have two laboratories, where ultrasound imaging, laryngography and eye tracking technology are used for staff and student research projects. You'll also be able to learn quantitative methods and use large language corpora, skills which you'll then be able to apply to other fields throughout your life.

Language learning

You will join a pathway for your chosen language:

The beginner pathway is for students, who do not have any foundation in the language. Some students are complete beginners. Some students may have undertaken some language learning. For example, a UK student who studied a language in Years 7 and 8 at secondary school.

The intermediate pathway is for students, who have a good foundation in the language, and have the equivalent of an A-level in their chosen language.

The advanced pathway is for students, who are already fluent and proficient in their chosen language.

French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish have beginner and intermediate pathways. Arabic has a beginner pathway only. Chinese and Russian have beginner, intermediate, and advanced pathways.

The language you choose will be reflected in your degree title. For example BA (Hons) Linguistics and Modern Languages (Portuguese).

The language learning course units are designed to develop your skills of reception (reading and listening), production (speaking and writing), and translation. For some languages, you will be learning different alphabets and scripts – Modern Standard Arabic, Cyrillic (Russian), Mandarin (Chinese), and Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji (Japanese).

Class sizes are small and led by academics, who are a mix of native speakers, and English speakers who are fluent in the language. Using your language throughout the week really accelerates your learning and we encourage you to use it socially. For example, by joining student societies that enable you to meet students from different countries and following social media influencers and media channels for your chosen language.

World cultures

Alongside your language learning, you’ll also attend lectures and seminars that explore the history, literature, politics, and current affairs of your chosen country. Our students find that this part of their degree really broadens their understanding of where different languages are spoken and their cultural resonance.

Timetable

Each year you take 120 credits of course units. In Year 1, these credits are divided between your chosen language and Linguistics. In Years 2 and 4, you can include 20 credits, per year, as a ‘free choice’. This free choice can be a course unit from another subject area in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the University College of Interdisciplinary Learning.

Year 1: Languages (60 credits); Linguistics (60 credits)

Year 2: Languages (40 or 60 credits); Linguistics (40, 60 or 80 credits); Free choice unit (0 or 20 credits)

Year 3: Residence Abroad year

Year 4: Languages (40 or 60 credits); Linguistics (40, 60 or 80 credits); Free choice unit (0 or 20 credits)

Course Units

Please visit the subject guides for more information about the course units for each year of study.

Residence Abroad

Residence Abroad is Year 3 of the degree and you will live in a country where your chosen language is spoken.

A study abroad placement is an option for all languages. Work or volunteering abroad is an option for students taking French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish. Opportunities vary from year to year, and some opportunities are selective. Please note that in 2025/26 study abroad placements for students taking Russian were in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Estonia.

Please see  Residence Abroad  for information about funding and finance, the support provided to students to find suitable study or work placements, and for videos and blog posts from current students.

Course options

There are also opportunities to study Linguistics as a single honours subject, and to study one or two languages through the BA Modern Languages degree. See our list of courses for 2027 entry.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.