Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics (0100735)

In the era of globalization, having advanced language skills is becoming increasingly valuable. Organizations need professionals who not only communicate effectively, but also have the multilingual and cross-cultural knowledge that can help them thrive on an international scale.

La Trobe University's Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics introduces students to the foundations of human communication. They will learn about the structure and history of languages, while examining how communication skills are acquired and developed. Students will also select from a range of language majors and explore the culture from which their chosen language emerged.

Students will develop an advanced understanding of linguistics, investigating the sound systems used for communication, how sentences are structured, and the ways people use language and interpret meaning. Students will focus on the language they're passionate about by selecting from Chinese, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Japanese or Hindi. Students will also be able to select a starting point that suits their language proficiency, including beginner, intermediate and advanced studies.

From there, students will investigate a variety of other languages, examining their evolution, structure and use. They will explore the nuances of linguistic variation in communities, looking at the social, ethnic and age factors that influence the variation. Finally, students will enhance their language proficiency by taking advantage of La Trobe University's study abroad opportunities, and immerse themselves in their chosen language and build a greater understanding of its everyday application.

Students will build their communication, team-working, problem-solving and analytical skills, which experts suggest will be highly sought after by the workplaces of tomorrow.