Career possibilities: Graduates of linguistics at UCT are currently employed in the following fields: advertising, broadcasting, publishing and editing, journalism, computer science, education and literacy development, law, speech pathology, speech science, tourism and marketing.

Linguistics: the study of Language
Language is arguably the most important feature that sets humans as a species apart from the animals. We use it so often and so naturally that we seldom think about what it really is. Linguistics is the study of everything about language as a phenomenon, rather than the study of any particular language. It involves the study of speech sounds, and their production and perception; how language is organised in the brain and how it is related to thought; how we attach meaning to seemingly random speech sequences; how children acquire language, and what the ideal conditions are for language acquisition; how language is lost through illness and injury, and the role of language in society and how it is related to culture.

Because language is such an important feature of so many human activities, the study of linguistics entails a balance between the Arts and Sciences. The abstract, scientific fields of linguistics aid in developing our analytical skills, while the study of creative aspects of language can enhance our creative skills. While Linguistics doesn't offer a professional qualification in itself (except as the basis of an academic career), it is an important complement to any career that involves the use of language (almost all of them!); particularly where language is the defining characteristic: e.g. teaching, writing, advertising, law, public relations, etc. Computer programmes are designed on linguistic principles, and linguistics graduates are sought after in this field.

Requirements for the Major in Linguistics
First year:ELL1032F Linguistics IA and ELL1033S Linguistics IIB
Second Year: ELL2018F Linguistics IIA and ELL2019S Linguistics IIB
Third year: ELL3021F Linguistics IIIA and ELL3022S Linguistics IIIB
For information email ell-linguistics@uct.ac.za