The article deals with professional education of future linguists built on the basis of conceptual approach. The topic is exemplified by the Russian language and a successful attempt to implement the concept-based approach to forming the content of professional language education. Within the framework of the proposed research, the concept is accepted as the core notion of education. We also singled out the necessary and sufficient concept attributes providing the formation of a professional linguistic identity. The concept is considered as a unit of training. The aim of the research: to develop and theoretically prove, using the concept theory, the system of professionally focused education for the "Linguistics and Intercultural Communication" BA program. Methods used: system analysis of professional education in universities, conceptual description of the content of education, activity approach modeling, component and contrastive analysis as well as a number of empirical methods such as pedagogical experiment, integral analysis (observation, questionnaire survey, testing etc.). Major results include: concept-based approach in educating future specialists in linguistics and intercultural communication was scientifically justified; theory and methods of professional education was enriched by introducing new notions (concept-based approach, concept-language competency of a future specialist etc.); pedagogic professional regularities in forming professional language identity as a result of professionally oriented education in the framework of concept approach were found. The results of the research may be used in professional language education on the basis of concept approach, also, in further theoretical research of the problems of education modernization. Theoretical points and conclusions provide for scientific justification of practical improvements in today's university education in the field of linguistics and intercultural communication, they also lay the foundation for updating the curricula in a number of language specialties.