English
English as an academic discipline in the context of language and linguistics offers a distinctive combination of professional preparation and intellectual inquiry. This four-year programme at the University of Bedfordshire, which includes a foundation year, combines the practical professional knowledge needed to teach English as a second or additional language with engagement with the English language itself, from its structure and history to the literary and cultural traditions it carries. It is designed not only for aspiring teachers of English as a second language but also for those interested in developing materials for language learners, working as TESOL practitioners, or conducting research in language teaching and learning.
The foundation year gives you the academic preparation needed before progressing into the full degree, building the scientific and analytical foundations that language study requires. You will develop professional knowledge of language teaching approaches, curriculum design and assessment alongside a broader engagement with linguistics, literary studies and the specific challenges of learning English at different levels and in different contexts. TESOL as a professional route also offers the opportunity to work and travel internationally, since the demand for English language teachers is genuinely global.
Graduates of this programme are prepared for careers in English language teaching in the UK and internationally, in language schools, further and higher education, primary and secondary schools, adult education and community language programmes. Materials development, curriculum design, language testing and assessment, and educational publishing are further professional routes that the linguistic and pedagogical training the programme provides supports. Some graduates move into applied linguistics research, language teacher education or management roles within language teaching organisations.
Postgraduate study in applied linguistics, TESOL, language education or related fields is a natural next step for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.