English Language & Communication and Acting & Screen Performance BA Hons
School of Humanities
Institution Code H36
UCAS Code
QW34
Course Code HEHMSLG
Start date
September
More about the course
English Language & Communication
Where language comes from and how people use it is one of the big debates of our time. This subject looks at how the English language works, how we use it to communicate, how we acquire it in the first place, and how it varies according to social factors. The modules make extensive use of web based resources such as interactive exercises.
In the first year you explore language in use, in face-to-face communication and in the media, as well as looking at the role of English in the world. You will develop skills of grammatical analysis and explore questions like: Are humans the only species to use language? What does the language of stroke patients tell us about language and the brain? Does the way we speak influence the way we think?
Acting & Screen Performance
We are looking for students who are ambitious, hard-working, outgoing and who thrive on team work. You must be interested in acting, and film performance; if you have an A level in theatre studies, film or drama that would be an advantage but it is not strictly essential.
The focus of the work will be on applied acting and ways that acting is used in business, education, training and leisure. At the end of the programme you will have written and produced a short digital film. You will have an understanding of the practical, theoretical and historical aspects of film-making and cinema and will understand the terminology needed to engage in a scholarly analysis of the film and film acting.
The programme will equip you with a wide-ranging critical vocabulary of performative aspects such as gesture, posture and stance. Through the interpretation of key moments and achievements in film acting, you will be able to confidently apply many verbal and physical strategies of successful performance.
The programme will also provide you with the opportunity to work with others in class debates, workshops and discussions. You will learn how to create and defend a reasoned critical analysis as well as test the solidity of your own ideas and observations, as you present them to others.
Work placement
You can choose to study for a year in North America, Europe, Australia or Singapore through the SOCRATES-ERASMUS exchange programme during the second or third year of the degree. In some cases, you may be able to graduate with a degree from your partner university as well as from Hertfordshire. You may be eligible for a grant if you meet certain conditions. American Studies students are particularly encouraged to take advantage of our many study-abroad agreements with partner universities across the United States and Canada.Careers
Our graduates have an excellent record of gaining employment in media, publishing, teaching and information management where their skills in analysis, communication and evaluation are highly valued. Many of our graduates go on to higher levels of study engaging in research in their chosen fields. Whatever your future career plans, what is important to your potential employers is the range of intellectual, transferable, personal skills and experience you have gained and can demonstrate. We ensure our programmes are relevant to the world of work through active links with regional employers across a range of industries and professions. Students graduating from Acting & Screen Performance will be ideally placed to work in areas of role-play such as in leisure and museum work, staff development and in-business training.Teaching methods
The precise method of teaching varies according to each module. Most are taught via weekly lectures and weekly seminars. You may be asked to work with fellow students and produce some group work together. Sometimes you will have to present the findings of your research to your fellow students in the seminars. You will be expected to contribute to on-line discussions and to download and read lecture notes from StudyNet, our virtual learning environment.Course structure
Detailed information about the structure of the course and the modules you will study.