English Language – BA (Honours)

At a glance

Learn about English language from an established team of researchers and academics who guide you through debates on how language is organised and how it works in practice. Language underpins all our relationships, in the real and virtual worlds: this course gives you an opportunity to study language and describe, investigate and analyse it.

Key points
• Learn how to use and analyse the English language in a range of contexts.• Improve your career prospects with a placement in a relevant setting.
• Select modules that reflect your career aims and interests.
• Take the option to graduate with a TESOL certificate to teach English overseas.

This course

Study English language and its practical application on this well-established course. Led by a team of specialists you learn how language is organised and how it works in practice. You learn how language underpins all our relationships in the real and virtual worlds and gain the advanced-skills required to use and analyse it with expertise.

In your first year you study different approaches to language and communication, giving you the skills to describe language at all levels. You also consider language in its social and historical contexts, and the effect of choices in language use.

A key feature of your second year is a work-based project. We work with you to find a placement in a working environment related to your career aspirations. This is a great opportunity to enhance your career prospects in a related area that inspires you. For example you may wish to work with children with language impairments, on editing and copywriting projects or on studies of bilingual language acquisition.

As well as learning advanced transferable skills such as data collection and transcription methods, presenting and leading peer groups, you also you explore academic topics such as the ethical dimensions of research.

Your research practice comes to fruition in your final year in an independent dissertation. You base the topic of your research on a language topic of your choice and work individually with a specialist supervisor.

This course develops a range of skills employers recognise as transferable in various careers. These include advanced literacy, communication and planning skills.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) option
This course gives you the opportunity to study Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). This can lead to gaining the Trinity College Certificate in TESOL, a recognised teaching qualification which enables you to teach English abroad after graduating. Completing the certificate requires an additional fee payment.

Key areas of study
Key areas include • the nature of the English language, its syntax, semantics and sound system • how spoken and written discourses are organised • how we use language to communicate and interact • how language varies according to context • how we connect language to identity.