English Language and Linguistics BA (Hons)

On this module you will be introduced to key areas in language and linguistics that you will build on throughout your degree. You will study:

• Contemporary issues and debates about language use
• The historical development of language and of English
• Academic reading, writing and referencing techniques

On this module you will learn about meaning in language from linguistic, psychological and philosophical perspectives. To do this you will consider:

• The meanings of words
• The ambiguity of language
• Speech acts
• Implied meaning in language

We aim to give you an awareness of how theories are constructed and evaluated based on research data. To do this, you will gain experience in using online questionnaires for data collection.

This module will introduce you to key ideas and concepts in the study of language and society. You will explore how language evolves over time and how social changes can impact language. Whilst looking at ways of analysing differences in language, you will look at variations in phonetics, lexicon, grammar and register. You will also consider how language is used to reflect and construct social identities like social class, gender, sexuality and more.

This module is your introduction to the descriptions of grammatical structures. This means looking at word classes, sentence types, morphology and more. You will study the grammatical variation found within the UK and in other parts of the world. By the end of the module you will have an understanding of the basic terminology and key concepts.

This module is your introduction to the principles of articulatory and practical phonetics. You will learn how to recognise, describe and produce some of the sounds and symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. This means you will be able to recognise, transcribe and analyse sounds in varieties of English, other languages and children's language.

On this module you will address the world’s linguistic diversity and consider the place of the English language in our multilingual world. You will consider language variation and multilingualism from linguistic, psychological, sociocultural and educational perspectives by studying topics including:

• The multilingual mind and how multilingualism affects identity
• The commodification of language
• Bilingual education
• Language policy and planning
• Multilingualism and the arts

On this module you will learn the basics of British Sign Language (BSL). You will learn to have conversations about different topics such as family, hobbies and food. This module will also give you an awareness of the community that uses BSL and teach you about the history of the language. Drawing on your linguistic knowledge, you will consider the linguistics of BSL and the visual-spatial aspect of the language.

On this module you will focus on the sociolinguistic elements of British Sign Language (BSL). The module provides a link between your practical and theoretical modules and gives you the chance to undertake small research tasks. You will study:

• The history of BSL
• The visual-spatial nature of the language
• The Deaf community
• Culture and language learning
• Interpreting

This module will help you develop an awareness of the sociocultural aspects of language. Investigate the issues that affect how language is used in different areas of everyday life. You will learn about different theories and approaches to sociolinguistic study and look at topics such as social and linguistic variation and social justice.

This module is your introduction to the core principles of phonology. We will introduce you to aspects of phonetics and phonology that will help you analyse variations in language, like child phonology and languages other than English. Topics you will cover on this module include:

• The concept of the phoneme
• Narrow allophonic transcription
• Phonotactics and syllable structure
• Transcription skills
• Phonological features

This module will give you a deeper understanding of how the English language is spread across the globe. You will study the history of English both in the British Isles and abroad, thinking about the social history of language change, variety and status. You will explore the concept of standard varieties of English and the structural variation in major international varieties of English.

On this module you will learn about the key areas of feminist and queer linguistic study. We will cover different theories and approaches to the study of language, gender and sexuality. Gain the knowledge and confidence to develop your own position on these topics, arguing them effectively in your written work. You will also consider how these theories and approaches have been applied to other fields of study, like education, the workplace and in the media.

On this module you will develop advanced skills in reading and analysing texts across different genres and sensory perceptions. You will study different theories and methods of analysis to understand issues of representation and power in contemporary debates. The knowledge you gain in this module will help you to apply these theories more widely in later modules.

On this module you will focus on your career. You will embark on a work placement for 10 days. 5 days will be completed in a graduate level role, the other 5 can be completed in a role of your choice that will be discussed with your tutor. Consider the role of language in different workplace contexts. This might include looking at advertising, language and power and clinical communication. We will also help you to enhance your employability by providing training in:

• Personal branding
• Presentation skills
• Interview and application writing skills

This module will introduce you to the field of forensic linguistics. You will learn how to analyse language as forensic evidence for different crimes such as rape, terrorism, murder and hate crimes. Applying your knowledge of linguistics, you will also look at how language is used in the justice system, from police interviews to language in the courtroom.

On this module you will learn to apply your linguistic knowledge to literacy acquisition. You will examine how oral language development feeds into reading and writing development. We will teach you how to analyse reading and writing performance at various stages of literacy development. By the end of the module you will understand the reading and writing children engage with at different ages and be able to explain their literacy development.

This module will help you develop an awareness of the psychological elements of language, including:

• Visual word recognition
• How we learn to read and spell
• Spoken work recognition
• Language production

As part of the module you will develop skills in research design, collecting data and analysing it. You will also gain experience in writing up your findings in a report.

On this module you will reflect on your professional development and consider what you have learnt. You will evaluate themes in Educational Linguistics and the skills you have gained throughout your degree. This will allow you to identify connections between what you have studied and your future ambitions. You will also develop your digital and written communication skills and study writing for different audiences. These are both transferable skills that employers look for when hiring for certain roles.

On this module you will examine regional varieties of British English. You will learn about lexical, morphological, syntactic, phonetic and phonological features of British accents and dialects. By the end of the module you will be able to complete an analytical description and comparison of social and regional accents.

On this module you will study how the public views language and consider the social and political issues surrounding these views. You will look at Standard English and ideas about correctness and consider public attitudes towards bilingualism and new language. You will also discuss taboo language and how attitudes can change because of technological developments.

On this module you will explore how language can be an indicator of different social and cultural identities, as well as contributing to the construction of these identities. You will apply skills you have learnt in previous modules in analysing spoken and written texts, and develop them further. This module gives you the chance to take an interdisciplinary approach to analysing the relationship between language, identity and culture. This means you might draw on other academic subject areas, such as sociology while studying.

This module is your introduction to speech and language disorders. You will start by studying typical speech and language development. You will then think about communication difficulties, developmental disorders and acquired disorders in both children and adults. You will learn about the clinical applications of linguistics and consider how clinical decisions can be made using different assessment types.

On this module you will explore how children acquire language skills. We will introduce you to theories of child language acquisition, focusing specifically on how they develop speech sounds. Study the phonological processes seen in children and learn how these evolve into adult speech systems. You will also learn to use specialist language acquisition and acoustic analysis software.

Your dissertation is your chance to take responsibility for your learning and conduct a piece of linguistic research on a topic you are passionate about. Your tutors will support you to refine your idea and encourage you to choose a topic that you enjoy and excel in. You will also attend 1 to 1 tutorials which will help you design and conduct your research and write up your findings.