English Language/Scottish Literature

English language and Scottish literature is a combination that asks two intimately related questions about the literary culture of Scotland: how does the English language work, and what has Scottish writers done with it? English language study, sometimes called linguistics, examines how language is structured, how it varies across social groups and historical periods, how it is acquired and how it is used to construct meaning and identity. Scottish literature explores the body of writing produced in and about Scotland, in English, Scots and sometimes Gaelic, from the medieval period to the present.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year full-time degree combines rigorous linguistic analysis with deep literary engagement, and a year abroad broadens the perspective of both.

In the English language strand, you will study grammar, phonology, pragmatics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics and the history of the English language, developing both descriptive and analytical skills that illuminate how language actually functions in real contexts. The Scottish literature strand introduces you to major Scottish writers from Robert Henryson and Robert Burns to Robert Louis Stevenson, Hugh MacDiarmid, Muriel Spark and contemporary figures, examining how Scottish literary tradition has engaged with questions of national identity, social class, landscape and cultural difference. Together, the two strands develop a rich understanding of how language shapes literature and how literature in turn shapes our understanding of language.

A typical tariff of around 200 points is expected.

Graduates pursue careers in education, publishing, journalism, broadcasting, language teaching, translation and heritage, as well as in the civil service and arts management. The combination of linguistic precision and literary knowledge is valued wherever careful reading, clear writing and cultural understanding matter. Many graduates proceed to postgraduate study in linguistics, Scottish literature, or teacher training through the PGDE route.