English and Linguistics

English and linguistics brings together two disciplines that both take language as their central subject but approach it from different directions. Linguistics is the scientific study of language as a system, examining its sounds, structures, meanings, histories and the social contexts in which it varies and changes. English studies takes a literary and cultural approach, reading texts closely for their artistic and historical significance and situating them within the intellectual traditions from which they emerged.

Together they give you a comprehensive and multi-layered understanding of the English language in its global, historical and literary dimensions.

At Birkbeck College, University of London, this degree is delivered through Birkbeck's distinctive model of part-time study, typically taken part time with evening teaching to accommodate students who are working or have other daytime commitments. Birkbeck has been at the forefront of accessible higher education for working adults for over 150 years, and the quality of intellectual engagement it offers is equivalent to any research-intensive university in the country. You will develop critical thinking skills across both disciplines, examining key theories in linguistics and literary studies, working with historical and contemporary texts, and acquiring the analytical tools needed to understand the role of English in a globalised and interconnected world.

Typical entry is around 88 UCAS tariff points.

Graduates from English and linguistics programmes go on to careers in education, publishing, journalism, speech and language therapy training, language technology, the civil service, broadcasting, communications and research. The combination of literary sensitivity and linguistic analysis is particularly valuable in language teaching, editorial work, content strategy and any role where precise understanding of how language functions is an asset. Further study in linguistics, English literature, applied linguistics, language teaching or related disciplines is a natural progression for those who want to develop specialist expertise.