English Language

Description

We all use language every day, but how many of us stop to think about it? The study of language demands discipline, observation, exploration and imagination. Some aspects, like phonology and grammar, ask for particular attention to detail, accuracy and logical argument. Other topics, such as child language development and language variation, demand an ability to collect, analyse and evaluate your own data. They are all valuable skills that will make you a much-sought-after graduate in the world of work. English Language graduates from Birmingham benefit from a higher than average rate of employability for the subject. The wide range of posts they have secured includes roles in journalism, law, publishing and teaching at every level.

On the English Language programme at Birmingham, you will have a chance to specialise in linguistics and join the ever-growing number of students who want to study this fascinating subject. The course draws on the University’s particular strength in corpus linguistics, grammar, stylistics, discourse analysis and applied linguistics, and you will be challenged to sharpen your own ideas about your own use of spoken and written language.

Detailed Course Facts

• English

Course Content

On this degree programme you will gain a broad knowledge and understanding of the English language. You will engage with the structure and character of the English language, including phonology, lexis, grammar, and discourse; the ways in which English varies according to time, place and context; processes of learning language; theories about language; and methodologies and practices of linguistic research. You will also have the chance to use new resources such as computer-held databases of linguistic data, and we expect you to be open-minded about both language and technological advances in the study of language.

First year

In your first year you will be introduced to a range of topics in English Language study, including the phonology (sound system) of English, its morphology (word formation) and grammar; children’s language development; discourse analysis, both spoken and written; and social issues, such as attitudes towards language and its role in education. You will have the opportunity to develop your study and essay writing skills, and gain in-depth knowledge of different genres and appropriate tools for genre analysis, which you will then be able to employ in your own writing. You will also learn how to carry out research on English language topics. You will also take a module outside your main discipline (MOMD).

Second year

Building on your first-year work, two core modules will provide you with a thorough grounding in technical aspects of the language, concentrating on English phonology and morphology, and then English grammar. You will be able to choose two further modules from a range including History of the English Language; Talk and Text, which provides in-depth analyses of different kinds of spoken interaction; and Language Acquisition, Variation and Change, which studies how these processes happen and what enables them. In addition, you will take the module Research Skills in English Language, which is designed to develop your group and individual research skills by guiding you in such tasks as carrying out a literature review, collecting and analysing data, and presenting your results orally, as well as reporting on your research in writing. You will also take a module outside your main discipline (MOMD).

Third year

You will now be able to choose from a wide range of optional modules such as The Politics of English; Discourse and Society; English Language Teaching;Narrative Analysis, Ordinary Creativity, and Words. You will also study Linguistic Theory, which provides an overview of some of the many ways in which different theorists have explained language topics include the work of Saussure (the ‘founder’ of modern linguistics), theories about linguistic meaning, and the relationship between language, culture and thought. Your degree builds to a final-year dissertation, a research project which you will carry out independently but under supervision: you will select your own topic for research, collect data, assimilate relevant literature and construct a substantial report on the project, showing judgement and persuasiveness. Ideally this will be of a standard which shows your eligibility for postgraduate study, or, if that’s not your goal, for immediate employment.

English Language Requirements

CAE score : 80(Grade A)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Number of A levels required: 3

Typical offer: AAB

Required subjects and grades: We prefer an A level in English Language, or English Language and Literature, at grade A. We also consider other candidates who demonstrate an interest in and aptitude for the study of language. In this case, A levels in English Literature or a foreign language - or both- would be an advantage.

General Studies: not accepted

International Baccalaureate: 35 points to include English at Higher Level with a minimum of 6 points

Other qualifications are considered

International students:

Standard English language requirements apply: IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band; TOEFL IBT 93

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Birmingham.