English Language and Linguistics

English language and linguistics takes language not as a vehicle for literature but as a phenomenon in its own right, asking how the most fundamental and ubiquitous of human abilities actually works: how sounds combine into words, how words combine into sentences, how sentences convey meaning in context, how language varies across social groups and geographical regions, and how it changes over time. It is an empirical discipline that applies the rigour of scientific inquiry to the most pervasive feature of human social life, and studying it means developing a new way of seeing the language you use and hear every day.

At the University of the West of England in Bristol, this part-time degree explores the full range of linguistic inquiry, from the structure of language to its social functions and its relationship to the mind and to contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, media representation and global environmental communication. Academics research a wide range of specialisms, and the programme reflects their active engagement with the field. The degree includes a sandwich year with work placement opportunities, giving you professional experience in a language-related or research context.

Typical entry arrangements apply for this part-time programme.

Graduates from English language and linguistics programmes go on to careers in education, speech and language therapy training, language technology, publishing, journalism, public communications, teaching English as a foreign language, the civil service and research. The combination of analytical precision and deep understanding of how language functions in society is valued in any professional context where communication matters at a fundamental level. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in applied linguistics, speech and language therapy, computational linguistics, language teaching or related disciplines, deepening their specialist knowledge for professional or academic careers.