Verbal language is perhaps the attribute that best distinguishes humans from other species. To learn more about verbal language is to open a window on the knowledge of the human being himself, his mind, and his relationship with the world. In the words of Noam Chomsky, “When we study human language, we are approaching what some might call the "human essence," the distinctive qualities of mind that are, so far as we know, unique to man.” (Language and Mind)

The degree in Language Sciences studies verbal language and natural languages. Over the course of 3 years (6 semesters), a set of 30 curricular units will piece together a puzzle that will allow answering questions such as:

• what is human verbal language and what differentiates it from other communication processes?
• how do children acquire their natural language and how do we, human beings, process it?
• why does verbal language manifest itself in so many different tongues?
• are there constitutive principles common to all the world's languages?
• how do languages evolve and vary and why are some on the verge of extinction?
• what units are languages made up of?
• how do these units work, how are they organised and what properties do they possess?
• how do we use language to communicate?
• what oral and written communication techniques can make us act more effectively in the most varied usage situations?

This degree promotes solid scientific training in Language Sciences, complemented by knowledge and skills from other areas, which broaden students' training and prepare them for various fields of application and professional opportunities.
The Research Project and Short Internship courses in the 2nd semester of the 3rd year allow students to develop a research project in one of the graduation’s areas or take part in a short internship in a business environment, which is important for anticipating integration into the labour market.


The most common career opportunities on the course are:

• working for companies and language consultancy services: integration into publishing houses to collaborate on the production of dictionaries and other teaching materials (grammars, manuals);
• the provision of text editing and publishing services;
• various types of consultancy and cultural promotion;
• integration into teams for the development of computational linguistics applications;
• a integração em equipas para o desenvolvimento de aplicações de Linguística Computacional;
• further studies in clinical linguistics, for future clinical practice in language disorders, or in forensic linguistics, among other possibilities.

The degree in Language Sciences also allows access to master’s degrees (at FLUP and other institutions). At FLUP, there are master’s degrees in Linguistics, Information Science, Communication Sciences, Literary, cultural and inter-arts studies, Portuguese language teaching (mother tongue and foreign language, with a teaching qualification), Translation and Linguistic Services, among others.

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For scientific and academic issues - contact the course direction: cl@letras.up.pt 
For administrative questions - contact the Academic Management Office: sga@letras.up.pt

For international mobility students - contact the International Office: sri@letras.up.pt