The Combined Honours programme offers you an opportunity to study two subjects at degree level.

English:

English is a well-established humanities discipline, which explores the role of the written word in defining and transforming human experience. The modern discipline of English is rooted in the study of literature and the language in which it is written. Students of English can expect to study all major periods and forms of literature and to learn how to analyse literary texts by drawing on disciplines such as history, sociology and politics. The study of English develops strong critical thinking and communication skills, attributes that are highly valued in humanities graduates by employers. At the Manchester campus, the English department has access to a community of internationally renowned writers and critics through the Manchester Writing School, one of the most successful of its kind in the UK. Its Creative Director is Carol Ann Duffy DBE (Poet Laureate 2009-2019). You will develop the necessary skills in critical thinking and communication that are of value to graduates entering a wide array of career paths.

Linguistics:

If you are interested in the way in which we communicate and how it can influence people, studying linguistics will help you unravel how language is inextricably linked to who we are. You will also experience the theoretical and applied use of linguistics in social, educational, and practical environments and contexts. We have been providing professional language courses for more than 30 years and our staff are nationally, and in many cases internationally, recognised experts in their field. Our strong local, national and global links will help to enhance your study and future employment opportunities.

English graduates enter a wide range of employment, especially media work and teaching, where their transferable skills are particularly relevant. Recent graduates have become school and college teachers, and gained employment in fields as diverse as banking and finance, manufacturing and retail.

A language-focused degree allows you to learn many transferable skills that can be used in a multitude of jobs. Teaching, translation and interpreting are a popular pathway, but languages graduates are also sought after in many different industries, with recent graduates being offered positions in a variety of different sectors both in the UK and abroad. 

There is also the opportunity to engage in further study and professional training, for example some of our graduates go on to study MA English Studies at postgraduate level where you have the opportunity to build your own bespoke masters experience, reflecting your interests in the further study of English. Alongside this we offer MA Publishing and MA/MFA Creative Writing at our Manchester Writing School; and three courses within the Postgraduate Linguistics Network, in: MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics, MA Linguistics and English Language and MA Linguistics and English Studies, all three of which will equip you with the valuable communication skills needed to work in culturally diverse environments.

However the opportunities for further study are diverse and some students have undertaken further professional training to work in law, public administration, management, and librarianship.