Psychology and Linguistics Lancaster University

Psychology and linguistics is the study of the human mind and language expression. There are many overlapping questions such as ‘what is the relationship between language and the mind?’. By studying these disciplines, we can learn how the social world and the human mind shapes language (and vice versa). This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) which is essential if you want to take on a career in professional psychology in the UK.

Learn about the main themes of psychology and linguistics

• Brain and behaviour: how the biological functioning of our brain underlies our minds and behaviour

• Cognitive psychology: how we think, including perception, memory, attention and decision making

• Developmental psychology: how we develop throughout our lives and how growing up and ageing affect our experiences and behaviour

• Language and mind: how the language we speak shapes our experiences and understanding of the world

• Language acquisition: how children learn language, how we learn second languages and how language learning can be impaired

• Social psychology: how our thoughts, emotions and behaviours are influenced by others

• Individual differences: how our brains and our environments work together to create a wide diversity of people and languages

What to expect

Our three-year BA Hons Psychology and Linguistics degree starts with a broad overview of the main themes where you will explore theories, evaluate scientific research, and learn to construct formal arguments. Alongside this you will develop practical skills to support research in psychology such as experimental design, data analysis and report writing. In Linguistics you’ll analyse the structures, sounds and variations in language and how patterns in language connect with larger patterns in society. You will also learn about research methods and how linguistics can be applied to areas such as forensic science, computer science, and literacy.

Year 2 is about advancing your knowledge of the main study themes, covering the criteria required to become a BPS accredited psychologist. You will expand your knowledge of research methods and statistics which help us to explore how we investigate and study psychological questions. You will gain fluency in your oral and written language skills through specialised modules. In Linguistics you’ll build on the study of the sounds and structures of the world’s languages.

Your final year provides more freedom with a range of psychology and linguistics topics for you to choose from, all carefully designed and curated by researchers at the cutting-edge of their field. You will also complete your own independent research project.

Personal development

Through both independent and collaborative research opportunities, you will gain a variety of communication tools and learn how to design studies, analyse data, and present your findings through different means. These skills, alongside your ability to analyse language variations and patterns, will enable you to work in a range of environments and research settings.

3 things our Psychology students want you to know:

• The Psychology Employability Programme (PEP) shows you how your studies link to the workplace and what your future might look like. There’s also the Belong, Engage and Employ (BEE) programme which boosts other skills, knowledge and employability

• The University is home to the internationally-leading Infant and Child Development Lab, The Levy Lab, Virtual Reality Suite, Eye Tracking Labs, and EEG Labs so you can gain hands-on research experience. It also gives you a continuous understanding of how your learning can be a driver for positive change in real-world environments

• We’re well supported by a group of lecturers who are world-leading researchers in their fields. Working within this close knit-community really boosts your learning

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.

A levels

AAB

Access to HE Diploma

36 Level 3 credits at Distinction plus 9 Level 3 credits at Merit

Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A level, or equivalent qualification, as long as any subject requirements are met.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD

BTEC in combination with A levels

A level at grade B plus BTEC(s) at DD, or A levels at grade AB plus BTEC at D

International Baccalaureate

35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

We are happy to admit applicants on the basis of five Highers, but where we require a specific subject at A level, we will typically require an Advanced Higher in that subject. If you do not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone, we will consider a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects. Please contact the Admissions team for more information.

T levels

Distinction overall

GCSE requirements

Mathematics grade 5/B, English Language grade 4/C.

We will also look at your overall GCSE profile when considering your application as a whole.

We do have flexibility when considering GCSE requirements. Go to our GCSE information for more details.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component for this programme. English language qualifications for undergraduate study.