Emily Adams - English Language and Linguistics BA
How do we learn and use language? What do languages have in common? How and why does language change? Language is central to everything we do and is the essence of who we are as human beings.
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, seeking to understand how it is structured, used and acquired. Discover how spoken and written language is used in various social, political, cultural and philosophical contexts, including the media, literature and everyday conversation; and explore its relationship with the mind.
Our multidisciplinary focus allows you to study all aspects of language, including its nature, structure and use, and discover how it varies according to person, time and situation. Your knowledge and understanding of how a language works and how we communicate will give you a solid foundation for many careers.
The course builds from developing core skills in analysis and linguistic investigation, to applying these skills in more advanced modules in your second and third year.
In your first year, you learn the fundamentals of language. In your second and third years, there are opportunities to customise your programme of study according to your own intellectual interests. You can choose from a broad range of topics focused on language structure, including grammar (morphology, syntax), sound patterns (phonetics, phonology) or meaning (semantics, pragmatics).
You might also choose to explore the way we learn and understand language (psycholinguistics), the relationship between language and society (sociolinguistics), or between language and literature (stylistics).
You can also study modules with a more vocational focus, such as language learning and teaching, creative and media writing, and language and media.
It is possible to spend a year or a term abroad at one of our partner institutions in Asia, Europe or North America. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply.
The Linguistics Laboratory has facilities for experimental and quantitative research in acoustics, sociophonetics, and speech and language processing and acquisition. This includes a soundproof recording studio and eye-tracking software. You also have access to the School of European Culture and Languages’ recording studio and a multimedia lab.
The English Language and Linguistics Society is based around a common interest in language. It provides excellent networking opportunities and access to valuable knowledge and resources that could enhance your studies.
We also host the Centre for Language and Linguistics, which runs a programme of seminars, lectures and reading groups that you may join.
You are more than your grades
At Kent we look at your circumstances as a whole before deciding whether to make you an offer to study here. Find out more about how we offer flexibility and support before and during your degree.
Please also see our general entry requirements.
BBB
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. A typical offer would be to achieve DDM.
34 points overall or 15 points at HL
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average including 60% in Academic Skills Development.
International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Find out more about what it's like to study English Language and Linguistics from the people who know.
I wrote a piece and then pitched it to The Independent. And they published it! I’m really proud of that.Emily Adams - English Language and Linguistics BA
They are all active researchers so you get expertise on every aspect of the course, which really shows in the dissertation seminars.Khoi Nguyen - English Language and Linguistics BA
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Duration: 3 years full-time (4 with a year abroad), 6 years part-time
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarshipsOn average, you have two one-hour lectures each week plus two seminar classes of two hours each. However, this varies depending on the material and the nature of the module, and there may be additional workshops, discussion groups and practical sessions. You have group or one-to-one tutorials for research projects and dissertations, and also have tutorials with your lecturers and seminar leaders to discuss coursework and assignments. In addition, you have access to further information and support via Moodle, our interactive web-based learning platform.
At each stage, some modules are continuously assessed, while others combine coursework and examination. Stage 2 and 3 modules count towards your final degree result.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
The programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You gain intellectual skills in how to:
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
You gain transferable skills in the following:
Linguistics at Kent was ranked 2nd for graduate prospects and 9th overall in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Linguistics at Kent was ranked 15th overall and ranked 11th for research quality in The Times Good University Guide 2021.
Of final-year English Language/Linguistics students who completed the National Student Survey 2021, 88% were satisfied with the quality of teaching on their course.
Previous graduates have gone on to work in:
The University also has a friendly Careers and Employability Service which can give you advice on how to:
We offer a number of modules with direct relevance to the world of work, including options that focus on teaching and on writing in the media.
Alongside specialist skills, you also develop the transferable skills graduate employers look for, including the ability to:
You can gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the 2022 entry course pages.
Enquire online for full-time study
Enquire online for part-time study
T: +44 (0)1227 768896
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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