COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA English Language degree provides an in-depth study of English, focusing on its structure, sound system, historical development, and social variation. In the first year, students develop foundational knowledge through courses on word and sentence structure, the sounds of language, and the history and varieties of English, alongside introductory modules on linguistic evidence and optional studies in meaning and the relationship between language, mind, and brain. In the second year, the curriculum expands to cover phonology, grammar analysis, typology, societal multilingualism, and quantitative methods in language sciences, while exploring semantics, pragmatics, and the changing nature of English. This combination of theoretical and practical modules equips students with skills in language analysis, research methods, and understanding language in social and cognitive contexts. In the third year, students have the flexibility to pursue advanced topics such as variationist sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and Romance linguistics, alongside core areas in phonology, grammar, semantics, pragmatics, and societal multilingualism. Across all years, the program emphasizes research-led learning and the application of linguistic theory to real-world data, preparing students for careers in education, publishing, media, communication, language policy, and further academic research. Studying in Manchester, a linguistically diverse city, enhances students’ exposure to real-world language variation and multilingualism.