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Undergraduate admissions

Linguistics

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Why choose Linguistics at UVic?

Understand how language works — and why it matters

Linguistics helps you explore one of the most uniquely human abilities: our capacity to communicate. At UVic, you’ll study how languages are structured, how speech is produced, how language connects to culture, and how the brain processes meaning. You’ll gain practical, analytical and research skills that prepare you for careers in communication, technology, health, education and more.

Choose your degree path

BA in Linguistics

  • Build a broad foundation in how languages are structured and used.
  • Prepare for careers in speech pathology, audiology, language teaching, translation and more.

BSc in Linguistics

  • Study the scientific side of language, including acoustic, auditory and cognitive processes.
  • Strong pathway to graduate work in psycholinguistics, music acoustics, health sciences and related fields.

Customize your degree

In the optional Language and Speech concentration, you’ll learn about sound patterns, articulation and how people process spoken language. This concentration is especially helpful if you’re considering a future career in speech pathology, audiology or other communication-health fields.

What you will study?

Your first and second years build a foundation in:

  • Phonetics (how speech sounds are produced)
  • Phonology (sound systems)
  • Morphology (word structure)
  • Syntax (sentence structure)
  • Semantics (meaning)
  • Linguistic analysis and research methods

Upper-level courses let you shape your degree toward social, cognitive, biological or technical approaches to language.

Inspiring courses

  • Psycholinguistics
  • Language and Society
  • Global Contexts of Language
  • Sociolinguistic Issues in Japanese

Hands-on learning

Co-operative Education (Co-op)

  • Through UVic’s Co-op program, you’ll apply what you learn in paid, career-related positions that count toward your degree—and give you a head start after graduation.
  • Co-op is available to everyone, including international students with co-op work permits.
  • On average, 70 percent of UVic Co-op students graduate with a job offer already in hand.
  • Unlike at some universities, at UVic, you don’t have to compete for a spot in Co-op.

Student life & community

Join Underlings, UVic’s linguistics student community. UnderLings hosts research talks, social events and academic support activities throughout the year, including game nights, picnics, beach clean-ups and yoga.

Career possibilities

  • Curriculum planner
  • Literacy facilitator
  • Speech language pathologist
  • Teacher specializing in English as a second/additional language
  • Translator and interpreter

International students

Get Canadian work experience after you graduate

  • Full-time international students who graduate from a bachelor’s degree program at UVic may be eligible for a post-graduation work permit in Canada for up to three years.
  • Refer to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website for eligibility criteria.

Admission

Apply directly to this program as a high school student or a transfer student from another post-secondary institution.

Alternatively, you can apply to another major and then add this program as a minor after one year of full-time study.

Program details

Providing you accurate application deadlines, tuition fee estimates, admission requirements, scholarships and transfer credit depends on your situation.

Program details

This information assumes you are . If this is incorrect, please update your information.

Application deadline

Admission requirements

Expanded qualifications

English language proficiency

Transfer credit

Tuition & fees

Tuition rates effective May 1, 2025 (please note some ancillary fees are subject to change for Fall 2025).

This is an estimate only and should be used to give students, parents, and/or sponsors an approximation of the tuition and ancillary fees. This estimate does not include housing, food, cost of books and supplies or other expenses that students can expect in a term.

Scholarships

Ready to apply?

We'll walk you through all of the steps in the process, from submitting your online application to accepting your offer of admission.

How to apply

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Faculties & departments

Program planning

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