Linguistics is the right course of studies for you if you…

• …enjoy your own language and have the necessary language skills to acquire and use foreign languages.
• …enjoy logical thought and the analysis of (linguistic) structures.
• …are communicative and enjoy talking with others about the act of talking.
• …are open to working with less common languages and language families.
• …are comfortable with written language and enjoy reading (academic) texts.

You must be able to read and understand academic literature in English (the international language of science) in order to pursue your studies. Prior knowledge of other foreign languages can be useful. Prior knowledge is not, however, a requirement, and in fact you will learn foreign languages during the program.

You will study this subject as part of a two-subject bachelor’s degree program. The degree program always consists of an academic major and minor, which can be combined according to your interests or professional goals.

If you choose the subject as a minor, you will generally complete only a portion of the modules and classes taught to students of the major subject. As a result, you will focus on a selection from the content listed below.

Your studies will focus on the following topics and themes:

• Introduction to and fundamentals of
  • Phonetics
  • Phonology
  • Semantics
  • Pragmatics
  • Morphology
  • Syntax
• Introduction to the different language structures of the world
• Linguistic focus courses in one or two foreign languages (such as languages from the fields of African Studies, Slavic Studies, Northern European/Baltic Studies, East Asian Studies, Turkic Studies, or India Studies)
• Linguistic typology
• Psycholinguistics/neurolinguistics

From your very first semester, you can choose between the various required elective courses in our catalog to set your own focus within the various fields.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

No specific semester is recommended for this; you can plan a stay abroad at any time.

Internships

As a student majoring in linguistics, you will complete a three- to four-week long career internship during the semester break either in Germany or abroad. The internship may be completed in an enterprise, organization or also in an academic third-party funded project or in an academic research structure.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Linguists have specialized expertise in the field of languages. They speak foreign languages and have outstanding communication skills. After graduation, you may likely work in fields with an extensive focus on languages, such as:

• Education and research, linguistic research at universities and research institutions
• Adult education centers, language schools
• Publishing, copy editing
• Press, media, PR
• Marketing (e.g. as copywriters)

In addition to these traditional career fields, the program provides you with a wide range of professional opportunities that you can discover during your studies – both in professions related to your field of study and in the general fields of:

• Research
• Politics and social affairs
• Public service and administration
• Media, journalism, and advertising
• Education and culture
• Publishing
• Economics

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.