MSc English Language and Linguistics

Overview

Our English Language and Linguistics postgraduate degree gives you an excellent opportunity to study the complex workings of language and explore its central role in society. With the guidance of expert staff, you’ll explore how language works, how people use it, what people use it for, where it came from and how it changes.

You’ll learn to carry out independent research and engage with other researchers by writing, debating and delivering oral and written presentations.

The course also provides a grounding in theories and methods that are essential for a range of careers. You’ll graduate with an expert knowledge of contemporary linguistic theories and their application in a wider cultural context - including both generative and cognitive approaches to linguistic description, as well as the contexts in which these theories operate. Students can also exit with PGCert and PGDip awards.

Course objectives

You’ll gain knowledge and understanding in specialist selected areas of study, such as:

• Historical, social and regional varieties of English
• Language and cognition
• Evolutionary linguistics

You’ll be able to apply a variety of descriptive linguistic tools to language data and linguistic theories to selected specialist areas of study within English Language and Linguistics, according to your areas of interest.