You will learn about the structure of modern English, the history of English, and medieval language and literature, and will acquire the use of basic tools for describing and discussing language and improving your communication skills.

Year 1

Initially, you will focus on phonetics and grammar of modern English and on Old English, the ancestor of our modern language. You then study varieties of English, semantics, the language of literature, Scots, the history of English and medieval English literature.

You will also study two other subjects in year 1 according to your interests: see Degrees in Arts, Science and Social Sciences.

Year 2

In second year you will study the nature and types of speech behaviour in conversational contexts, the role of persuasive language in society, Old, Middle and Early Modern English language and literature (together with Old Icelandic literature in translation), lexicology and semantics, an introduction to English historical linguistics, and the theoretical bases of linguistic study.

You will also study one or two other subjects in year 2 according to your interests: see Degrees in Arts, Science and Social Sciences.

Years 3 and 4

You can study English Language on its own as a Single Honours degree, or in combination with another subject (Joint Honours).
If you choose to study English Language to Honours level, you will explore a selection of topics in great depth, relate these topics to each other and, where relevant, to topics studied in another subject.

Our approach is one of progressive development; in Junior Honours you will study for the most part core subjects, while in Senior Honours you will study for the most part special options.

You will be able to choose from options such as English historical linguistics, medieval literature, manuscript studies and book history, sociolinguistics, phonetics and phonology, grammar and linguistic theory, semantics, onomastics, literary and linguistic computing, and Scots language.

Some of our students spend their third year in North America or Australasia, though special arrangements apply in these cases. Recent placements have been in Toronto, Auckland and Montreal.

An Honours degree in English Language opens up a wide range of career opportunities.

Some of our graduates have gone on to pursue courses in speech therapy and lexicography (dictionary-making) and many of our students go abroad to teach English as a foreign language: our graduates have gone on to teach in Europe, Asia and South America.

Our recent graduates have been employed by

• French Ministry of Education, English language assistant
• Aviva, household claims adviser
• University of Glasgow, research assistant
• First Data International, customer service consultant
• YouTube.com, creative.