Our English Language programme aims to develop your understanding of the ways in which language works in the world.

You will study the development and uses of the English language in a variety of social, legal, educational and other contexts. You will gain insights into the ways in which the language we use in everyday life is shaped by factors such as history, culture and psychology, and study a range of approaches to the analysis of language with tutors who are active and innovative researchers in the field.

Programme in detail

Year One focuses on building key skills and knowledge to prepare you for more specialised study. You will explore the history, development and contexts of the English language and will have the opportunity to apply methods of language analysis to literary texts and other media.

In Years Two and Three, you will be able to choose specialist modules in topics such as psycholinguistics, language and gender, the history of English, child language acquisition, language and the law, and teaching English to speakers of other languages. Year Three also includes an option to write a dissertation on a research project of your own design, or to do a work placement with an organisation relevant to your degree through the SOTA300 module.

Our graduates leave to take up a very wide range of careers. A number take up jobs in journalism, broadcasting, or advertising; some begin as management trainees in a variety of businesses; others start their careers in retailing, computing, librarianship, the arts or the Civil Service. Many go on to train further as teachers, or as solicitors or accountants; some pursue careers in teaching English as a foreign language.