English Language and Linguistics and Spanish BA (Hons)

If you have a passion for language and communication then this is the degree for you. In choosing to study a Modern Language alongside English Language and Linguistics you will greatly enhance your communication skills and gain the experience necessary for a successful career in a wide range of exciting professions. If the structure and usage of the English language fascinates you, our English Language and Linguistics pathway is for you. Your Modern Language studies will focus on developing excellent verbal and written communication skills in your chosen language while exploring the society and culture of the countries where your language is spoken. You will have the opportunity to spend a period abroad in order to immerse yourself in that language and culture.Students choosing the English Language and Linguistics pathway will gain an in-depth knowledge of the English language, drawing on a number of different disciplines in the analysis of the structural, sociolinguistic, psychological and historical dimensions of the language. You will explore how language works as a structural system (the sound system and the grammar), and how it can be used in a variety of social settings: for instance, to persuade, exert power and construct identity. You’ll learn about the development of English from Anglo-Saxon to its current position as the world language and the impact that the digital age is having on the English language. Members of our English team work with the media, including the BBC, both television and radio and have acted as consultants with a range of businesses, such as Lancaster Theatre Productions and The Lancaster Literature Festival. We are also involved with events at the Whitworth Gallery, The Harris Museum and Library and International Slavery Museum, Liverpool. Each year we welcome leading experts and guest speakers from the creative industries. These have included playwright Caryl Phillips, Broadways actress Judy Blazer and Professors Rod Ellis and Ritsuko Kikusaw, both leaders in the field of language and linguistics.