Language & Linguistics and Sociology

Language and Linguistics looks at human language evolution and Sociology looks at how societies have developed, both look at challenges now and in the future. Language & Linguistics will introduce you to, among other things, how human language and speech may have evolved, the complex functions and structures of language in its role as a bridge between sound and meaning, the ways in which we acquire languages as children and adults, the ways in which languages vary and the mechanisms by which they change over time.

Language is the very essence of what makes us human, setting us apart from all other species. Linguistics helps us analyse, discuss and model this fascinating human attribute so that we understand ourselves and human societies more fully. You will explore how languages evolve over time, how the brain processes speech and language, social factors and different dialects of English, how we learn second languages and much more. This is a fast-moving field. Our understanding of language grows all the time with new discoveries in neuroscience, animal behaviour, archaeology and palaeontology, sociology and psychology and new applications of linguistics theory in industry, medicine, and forensic science emerge year on year.

Sociology at Aberdeen explores the issues and challenges of modern societies and how they have developed through time until the present day. You will gain a deep understanding of how society influences people and explore a range of different themes, including social awareness. You will study topics as wide-ranging as sociology of the family, work-life balance, crime, religion and the state. And you will become skilled in the social research methods used to gather the evidence to better understand aspects of society – which could be observation, interviews, large-scale surveys or analysing the content of documents and videos.

Sociology at Aberdeen is rated 4th in Scotland in the Complete University Guide 2023.