Modern Languages and Linguistics BA
ABB at A level, a language; graduates earn a median £26,000 three years on.
a language · 80% of entrants came with A levels · 95% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: BBB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1a language
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 32 points32 to include 5 in a Higher Level language. For the 2-language pathway, you must be taking the language chosen as Language 1 (French, German, Italian or Spanish) at Higher Level. | 5 in a Higher Level language |
| BTEC | —We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside an A level in a language; if you select the 2-language pathway, you should have an A Level in your choice of Language 1 (French, German, It | — |
| Advanced Highers | ABAB in two Advanced Highers including a language, where you have achieved BBB in three further Highers subjects. For the 2-language pathway, you must possess an Advanced Higher in your first language c | a language, where you have achieved BBB in three further Highers subjects |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
What do you study?
Compulsory modules this year: language & communication 75% · transversal skills 25%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
- Linguistics: Understanding Language
What you learn (3)
- describe sounds, sound patterns, morphology, syntax and meaning using linguistic terms
- compare similarities and differences across languages
- analyse language data using linguistic theory and support conclusions with evidence
- Language in Society
What you learn (2)
- explain theories and research findings on language use in sociocultural contexts
- identify key issues in intercultural interaction and multilingualism
- Research, Academic and Professional Skills
What you learn (3)
- specify minimum criteria for sound research design
- identify different research approaches and their paradigmatic basis
- state procedures required to meet research ethics requirements
Year 2 · 3 core, 2 optional · 45 credits ≈ 450 hours
- Sociolinguistics
What you learn (3)
- explain how language reflects and conveys social meaning
- evaluate theoretical concepts linking language use to society
- apply sociolinguistic concepts to analyse language practices of different social groups
- Phonetics and Phonology
What you learn (10)
- describe sound patterns found across world languages
- label speech sounds using phonetic transcription symbols
- label phonological features using standard disciplinary terms
- analyse raw language data to identify linguistic features
- classify language change driven by internal linguistic factors
- classify language change driven by external social factors
- identify physiological structures involved in speech production
- identify psychological factors affecting speech perception
- propose suitable methods for documenting and analysing language
- discuss key theories and findings across linguistic subfields
- Morphology and Syntax
What you learn (6)
- describe recurring morphological, syntactic and semantic patterns across world languages
- label morphosyntactic and semantic features using linguistic terminology
- analyse raw linguistic data to identify a language's structural features
- classify language change caused by internal and external factors
- propose suitable methods for documenting and studying languages
- discuss key theories and findings from various linguistic subfields
2 optional modules
- Intercultural Business Communication
What you learn (5)
- explain key theories of intercultural business communication
- apply intercultural communication theories to business situations
- identify cultural differences affecting business communication
- analyse how cultural differences influence communication across varied business contexts
- evaluate established and contemporary research on intercultural communication
- Qualitative Research
What you learn (3)
- apply critical thinking to qualitative research issues in language and culture
- frame social issues using a qualitative research perspective
- plan, conduct and report a qualitative research study
Year 3 · 2 core · 45 credits ≈ 450 hours
- Dissertation
What you learn (3)
- select an original research topic independently
- define the scope and boundaries of a chosen study
- critically evaluate existing research literature in a chosen field
- Communication Modes
What you learn (1)
- identify how different semiotic modes shape meaning-making in communication
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 185 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 23, 24, 13, 12, 22, 14
Half of graduates earned between £21,500 and £30,500. Five years on, the median is £33,500. 90% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 70% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 15% left | 95% | 20 |
| In work or study, 15 months on15% studying | 90% | 10 |
| Professional or managerial job | 70% | 15 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £28,500 | 30 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £26,000 | 185 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £33,500 | 190 |
What does it cost?
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £40,200 in fees over 4 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 100% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 10 students answered
Highest: 100% agreed on question 1; lowest: 40% on question 24.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 100% |
| Question 2 | 82% |
| Question 3 | 100% |
| Question 4 | 91% |
| Question 5 | 82% |
| Question 6 | 73% |
| Question 7 | 73% |
| Question 8 | 55% |
| Question 9 | 91% |
| Question 10 | 82% |
| Question 11 | 82% |
| Question 12 | 82% |
| Question 13 | 82% |
| Question 14 | 64% |
| Question 15 | 100% |
| Question 16 | 91% |
| Question 17 | 55% |
| Question 18 | 89% |
| Question 19 | 100% |
| Question 20 | 100% |
| Question 21 | 91% |
| Question 22 | 91% |
| Question 23 | 82% |
| Question 24 | 40% |
| Question 25 | 70% |
| Question 26 | 73% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.