History and Language & Linguistics

History and language and linguistics might at first seem to belong to different worlds, but they share a fundamental concern with how human beings make and transmit meaning over time. History examines the events, structures, and decisions that shaped the past, and asks how we can know and interpret what happened. Linguistics investigates the nature of human language itself, from the sounds and structures of individual languages to the deeper questions of how language evolved, how it varies across communities, and how it shapes and is shaped by social life.

Together, these disciplines give you a layered understanding of what it means to communicate and to record, to argue and to remember.

At the University of Aberdeen you will study both disciplines over four years, with the opportunity to spend a year abroad, immersing yourself in another culture and linguistic environment. In history you will engage with primary sources, develop skills in historical argument and interpretation, and explore periods and themes ranging from the medieval to the modern. In language and linguistics you will study the structure of language, the evolution of human communication, and the ways in which language varies across individuals, communities, and time.

The two subjects speak to each other in ways that enrich both: understanding how language changes historically deepens your reading of historical sources, and studying history gives you a richer sense of the social contexts in which language operates.

You will develop strong research, writing, and analytical skills, along with the ability to handle complex texts and ideas with care and precision.

Graduates from this combination go on to careers in education, journalism, the civil service, publishing, broadcasting, archives, heritage, and international organisations. The skills developed, including close reading, careful argument, cultural awareness, and sensitivity to language, are valued across a broad range of professions. Postgraduate study in history, linguistics, or applied linguistics is also a well-trodden path.