English Language/Politics

English Language and Politics addresses the relationship between language and power, which is one of the most important and underexplored areas of public life. Language is not merely the medium through which political ideas are expressed: it is itself a site of political struggle. How political questions are framed, what words are used to describe social groups and policies, how media language shapes public understanding and how different communities use language to assert or contest identity are all political questions.

At the same time, English language and linguistics as a discipline provides precise analytical tools for examining how language actually works, which gives you a more rigorous basis for understanding political communication than commentary alone can provide.

At the University of Glasgow, the four-year full-time MA programme develops your knowledge of the structure and history of the English language, past and present, alongside the major areas of political theory and analysis. You will study phonetics, syntax, semantics, discourse analysis and sociolinguistics, examining what language tells us about culture and society. The politics strand covers political theory, comparative government, international relations and the analysis of political communication and public discourse.

The degree includes a year abroad, which gives you the opportunity to encounter different political cultures and language communities from the inside.

Graduates of English language and politics combinations work in journalism, public affairs, the civil service, political communication, media analysis, education, speech and language therapy preparatory roles and research. The ability to analyse language and political discourse critically is valuable in any organisation that needs to understand and manage communication strategically. Postgraduate study in linguistics, political communication, media studies or politics is a natural continuation.