English Language and Linguistics (including Year Abroad)

The Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Linguistics (including Year Abroad) at the University of Essex offers an extensive and comprehensive exploration of the English language, its structure, history, and use in various contexts. This programme is designed for students who are passionate about understanding how language functions, evolves, and influences society. Over the course of the degree, students will develop a deep theoretical knowledge alongside practical skills in analyzing and understanding linguistic phenomena. The curriculum covers core areas such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, providing students with a solid foundation in the linguistic sciences.

Additionally, the programme places a strong emphasis on contemporary issues related to language, including language variation, language acquisition, and the role of linguistics in communication technology. Students will also have the opportunity to study the history of the English language, explore dialects, and examine language change over time. The inclusion of a Year Abroad allows students to immerse themselves in a different linguistic environment, enhancing their intercultural competence and language skills. This experience not only broadens academic horizons but also prepares students for careers in international contexts.

The University of Essex is renowned for its research excellence in linguistics, offering students access to leading academics and cutting-edge resources. Practical modules and research projects enable students to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, such as language teaching, speech therapy, or computational linguistics. The programme also develops transferable skills including critical thinking, research, presentation, and teamwork, which are highly valued by employers.

Graduates of this programme are well-equipped for careers in areas such as language teaching, publishing, editing, broadcasting, speech therapy, linguistics research, and further academic study. Many students also choose to pursue postgraduate study to specialize further in fields like forensic linguistics, computational linguistics, or language education. With a flexible curriculum, a supportive academic environment, and the opportunity for a Year Abroad, the BA in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Essex provides an excellent foundation for a diverse range of professional pathways in the language sciences.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available. We offer a range of optional modules in your second- and final-years and most courses allow you to undertake a final-year project, an individual piece of research on a topic that interests you.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Foundations of Sociolinguistics;
Foundations of Psycholinguistics;
Foundations of Linguistics; and
one linguistics, language or social science option

Year 2

Two English language options; and
two linguistics options

Year 3

Year abroad

Year 4

Two English language options; and
two linguistics options

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

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

Requirements

• A-levels: ABB-BBB
• GCSE English: C
• IB: 32-30 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher Level on a case-by-case basis)
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above) or achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 level three credits at merit (or above).

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

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 Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.

The BA (Hons) in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Essex is a comprehensive undergraduate program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the English language, its structure, history, and usage, as well as the core principles of linguistics. The program is suitable for students interested in exploring how language functions, how it varies across different social and regional groups, and how it changes over time. One of the distinctive features of this course is the Year Abroad, which provides students with an invaluable opportunity to study language and culture in a different country, enhancing their understanding of linguistic diversity and intercultural communication. During the Year Abroad, students can choose from partner universities across Europe and beyond, immersing themselves in new linguistic environments, gaining practical experience, and improving their language skills.

The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including phonetics and phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, historical linguistics, and language acquisition. This broad approach ensures that students appreciate both the scientific and social aspects of language. The program employs a mix of lectures, seminars, practical workshops, and independent research projects, encouraging critical thinking and analytical skills. Students will also have the opportunity to undertake a dissertation in their final year, allowing them to explore an area of personal interest in depth.

Essex's Department of Language and Linguistics is known for its research excellence, particularly in areas like language variation and change, discourse analysis, and functional linguistics. Students benefiting from this research environment can attend guest lectures, participate in research seminars, and have access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources such as speech labs and linguistic corpora. The course also prepares graduates for careers in education, publishing, media, communication, and further postgraduate study in linguistics, TESOL, or related fields. The program's combination of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and international experience makes it a compelling choice for those passionate about understanding the intricacies of the English language and linguistics.