English Language & Literature

English language and literature at the University of Aberdeen offers an integrated approach to the study of English that is genuinely unusual among UK universities. Rather than separating the study of literary texts from the scientific analysis of the language in which they are written, this programme draws on expertise in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon studies, linguistics and literary scholarship to examine English holistically across time. You will explore how the English language developed from Old English through to the contemporary forms we use today, and you will read the rich variety of literature that has arisen alongside that linguistic development, from mediaeval poetry to contemporary fiction.

Across four years of full-time study, including a year abroad, you will develop skills in close reading, linguistic analysis, historical scholarship and critical argument. You will encounter the structure and variation of contemporary English alongside the very different language of Anglo-Saxon texts, gaining a perspective on the relationship between language and literature that neither discipline alone can provide. The breadth of the programme means you can engage with the full spectrum of literary periods and genres while also focusing on specific areas that capture your particular interests.

Graduates in English language and literature are well suited to careers in publishing, journalism, education, communications, the civil service, research, heritage and a wide range of roles in the cultural and creative sectors. The linguistic component is particularly valuable in language teaching, lexicography, speech and language work, and the growing fields of computational linguistics and natural language processing. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in English literature, linguistics, creative writing, applied linguistics, education or library and information science, building on the distinctive dual foundation the degree provides.