Career opportunities

Studying Language Sciences helps you use spoken and written language more effectively—a key skill for professional success.

Wellington Careers and Employment are available to assist with a wide range of queries—from the general exploration of career ideas and career implications of subject choices, to details of specific jobs, employers, or postgraduate courses. Check out their ‘What can I do with my degree' resource for more information.

Recent graduates of Language Sciences considered their study to have been fascinating, stimulating and a useful subject that is very much about people. Many graduates of Linguistics become educators in the tertiary or adult education sectors both in New Zealand and overseas.

Career View

Graduates with a degree in Language Sciences have found rewarding careers across a variety of sectors, particularly in government departments where expertise in language, communication, and information management is essential. These roles often involve work in policy development, education, public engagement, and the management of multilingual communication strategies.

A Language Sciences degree equips you with valuable analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills that are highly sought after in both the public and private sectors. Strong written and verbal communication abilities, alongside training in language structure and use, make Language Science graduates well suited to professions where clarity, precision, and audience awareness are key.

Career paths our graduates have pursued include:

Language and Communication Careers

  • Speechwriter or communications advisor – crafting effective messaging for public figures, organisations, or government
  • Translator or interpreter – facilitating communication across languages in legal, medical, educational, or conference settings
  • Content strategist or digital copywriter – creating and managing content for websites, apps, or social media platforms
  • Technical writer – producing clear and user-friendly manuals, documentation, and instructions
  • Editor or proofreader – working in publishing or communications to refine and correct written content

Technology and Data-Oriented Roles

  • Computational linguist – developing language technology such as speech recognition, machine translation, or chatbots
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP) specialist – working in AI or tech companies to analyse or generate human language
  • Data analyst – using analytical skills and pattern recognition for roles in market research, UX, or business intelligence
  • Language data curator or corpus developer – collecting, organising, and analysing linguistic datasets for research or tech development

Education and Teaching

  • Language teacher (ESOL, TEFL, or school-level) – teaching English or other languages in Aotearoa or internationally
  • Literacy or language support specialist – working in schools, libraries, or community organisations to support learners
  • Curriculum or assessment developer – creating language learning materials or standardised testing tools
  • University lecturer or academic researcher – conducting research and teaching in Linguistics or related fields (usually requires postgraduate study)

Social Impact and Community Engagement

  • Language revitalisation worker – supporting indigenous or endangered language communities through documentation and teaching
  • Policy advisor or analyst – contributing to language, education, or equity policies at local, national, or international levels
  • Community outreach or public engagement coordinator – designing inclusive language and communication strategies
  • Social researcher – conducting fieldwork or analysis on language attitudes, identity, and social change

Creative and Media Fields

  • Voice coach or dialect consultant – working in performance arts, film, or media to support accurate and authentic language use
  • Podcast or radio producer – curating linguistically rich or educational audio content
  • Language-focused journalist or science communicator – writing or producing content that explores language, culture, and society

Whether you're passionate about language in society, digital communication, education, or language preservation, Linguistics offers a strong foundation that opens doors to a wide array of careers. Many graduates also go on to pursue postgraduate qualifications in linguistics, applied linguistics, education, or related fields, further broadening their opportunities.