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BA (Hons) English Language and Applied Linguistics

Key information

Typical offer:
Entry requirements
Fees: See below
Full details
UCAS code: Q151
Institute code: H36
Study a language option
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Study abroad option
Work placement option
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Entry requirements

Clearing entry requirements

We’re committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. Over Clearing, we’ll be taking a flexible approach so if you don’t have the advertised grades, you can submit a clearing application and we’ll review and consider your application on an individual basis.

UCAS points A Level BTEC IB
112-120 BBC-BBB DMM-DDM 112-120

Additional requirements

GCSE: Grade 4/C in English Language and 4/D Mathematics
All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.
If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.
For more details on the University of Hertfordshire's entry requirements, please visit our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page.
Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

UCAS points A Level BTEC Access Course Tariff IB Requirement
112 - 120 BBC - BBB DMM - DDM An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3 112 - 120 points

Additional requirements

GCSE: Grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics.
All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.
If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.
For more details on the University of Hertfordshire's entry requirements, please visit our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page.
Find out more about International Entry Requirements.
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UCAS points	A Level	BTEC	IB
112-120	BBC-BBB	DMM-DDM	112-120

UCAS points	A Level	BTEC	Access Course Tariff	IB Requirement
112 - 120	BBC - BBB	DMM - DDM	An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3	112 - 120 points

Why choose this course?

no. 13 in the UK for English (2023 Guardian League Table)
You can study a European or Eastern language alongside your degree
Use our eye tracking suite for psycholinguistic experiments

We give you:

A grounding in one of five languages as an integral part of your English language teaching course
An optional year’s study abroad in the country of your chosen language
A supportive, research-active academic team
A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
Access to huge online databases to underpin your original research projects
A guaranteed post-graduation interview with the School of Education

In the 2022 National Student Survey (NSS), our English Language degree achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 90%. When asked, 100% of students reported that teachers were good at explaining things and that they had the right opportunities to work with other students. Advice and guidance from lecturers was also praised highly at 90% - well above the sector average.

What's the course about?

How do humans learn language? We’re all experts in our native tongue, so why can it be so hard to become fluent in a language we learn later in life? By understanding how we learn language, we can understand how to teach it.

Through this BA English Language and Applied Linguistics you’ll do both: English language teaching is an integral part of your course, while you’ll also have the opportunity to learn one of five languages – French, Spanish, German, Japanese or Mandarin. All are for beginners or GCSE level (apart from Mandarin), with the exception of Spanish, which can be taken by those who already have A-level Spanish.

This combined programme of English language teaching and language learning will give you an excellent grounding if you plan to teach English as a foreign language following postgraduate teacher training. Alternatively you could be teaching children in primary or secondary schools whose second language is English.

You’ll take two English Language Teaching (ELT) modules each year. We offer a career development module in your second year that will equip you to take up an English Language teaching work placement - perhaps teaching phonics to primary school pupils or teaching at a special needs school - or become a Stroke Association volunteer. You may also shadow speech and language therapists or help with specialist language teaching in sixth form college. In your final year you’ll study Global Englishes and a compulsory project looking at a particular aspect of English Language teaching. This could involve field work or observing teaching and learning methods in a college setting.

Alongside your ELT studies you’ll take a semester in your chosen language, using language laboratories and practising conversation with native speakers wherever possible. You’ll also be introduced to Linguistics, the scientific study of everything to do with language, from its structure to the ways it reflects society, how it’s used, and how it changes over time.

From forensic linguistics to the study of language disorders, what links your courses is our focus on the applied use of English language.

Across all modules you’ll be taught and supported by research-active academics working in cutting-edge areas such as language and gender, formulaic language, corpus studies, bilingualism, bilingual processing and codeswitching. Their research will inform your own final year projects, which allow you to develop your research skills and learn how to collect and analyse data from vast databases of our infinitely rich and complex English language.

Work placement/study abroad option: Between your second and final year, you’ll have the option to study abroad or do a work placement for up to a year. Not only will this give you an amazing experience to talk about but will also give your CV a boost. If you’d rather go straight to your final year, that’s absolutely fine too.

Your main campus is College Lane

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.

What will I study?

Our English Language students benefit from being part of a supportive, research-active academic community. From tutorials and group work to eye-opening psycholinguistic experiments, we use a range of engaging, student-centred teaching methods to help you work confidently and creatively.

You’ll dive into real-life data, get involved in research and learn from guest experts. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved in activities that will complement your studies, such as working for the student newspaper or radio station. Not only do these enhance your experience, they also make for a more impressive CV.

Level 4

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Communication, Interaction, Context	15 Credits	Compulsory
The focus of this module is on language in inter-action . It sets out to maximise awareness of the factors at play when we communicate with others. Language is used to do things in communicative situations and we look at several theories that seek to explain how this is achieved, e.g. Grice s (1989) Theory of Cooperation and Politeness Theory (Brown and Levinson 1987). We also explore how we understand what someone is saying to us when much of the language we use is ambiguous, implied or figurative. Communication involves more than a code, and we explore the role of context, the knowledge we bring to conversations and the importance of Theory of Mind in understanding what someone says to us. The first part of the module will be concerned with face-to-face communication, but in the second part, we will focus on computer mediated communication including communication through social media.
Investigating Language	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will give students on the English Language and Linguistics Programme the opportunity to develop a variety of skills necessary to be successful in their chosen modules and to thrive in a university environment. You will develop your skills of academic reading, writing, researching, analysing and communicating with others. The learning sessions are designed to foster a sense of community within the student cohort and, at the same time, develop each individual s communication skills whether that be when working in small groups or when giving oral presentations
Introduction to English Linguistics 1	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module introduces you to the fundamentals of English Linguistics. We will explore the origins of modern linguistics as a discipline and discuss core concepts of linguistic analysis, including, but not limited to, phonemes, morphemes and parts of speech. In this module you will be provided with the basic knowledge pertaining to different properties of language and how these are described, theorised and investigated. This module is taught in workshops and will give you ample opportunities to engage in hands-on practical tasks that will hone your knowledge and understanding of the core concepts of linguistics and equip you with the analytical skills so that you are able to apply them in different contexts across other modules in your studies of the subject of English Language and Linguistics.
Introduction to English Linguistics 2	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module introduces you to the fundamentals of English Linguistics and builds on 4HUM1150. We will discuss different approaches to grammatical and syntactical analysis and how meaning is theorised, constructed and analysed both on a lexical and text level. We will also explore language change, revisiting and expanding on some of the concepts introduced in 4HUM1150. Finally, we will explore how the fundamental concepts of linguistics are used in one or more areas of applied linguistics. The workshops for this module will provide you with ample opportunities to put your newly gained knowledge into practice by applying it in various tasks.
Introduction to English Language Teaching	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will introduce you to the field of ELT and begin a process of learning about language that proceeds through the whole set of 6 ELT modules. Topics include: methodologies of ELT past and present, the lesson and classroom interaction, teaching vocabulary and grammar and teaching the four skills (i.e. speaking, writing, listening and reading).
Language and Mind	15 Credits	Optional
The aim of this module is to enable you to gain an insight into the relation between language and mind. We start with a characterisation of communication systems and with a discussion in what ways human language differs from animal communication. In the light of studies that have tried to teach language to chimpanzees we further explore the question whether the ability for grammar is unique in humans. We then look at particular brain structures that are important for language functions and what happens when these structures are affected by a stroke. We will also look at the question whether language influences the way we think. Children s acquisition of language and cases of language deprivation are other topics on this module. The notion of a critical period in language acquisition will be applied to first and second language acquisition and we will conclude with a discussion of different approaches to language learning.
French Route B - 4a	15 Credits	Optional
This module broadens and consolidates the students' competence in French. Students will learn to talk about student life and travel, carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including, for example, video clips, blogs and magazine websites.
French Route B - 4b	15 Credits	Optional
This module broadens and consolidates the students' competence in French. Students will learn to talk about student life and travel, carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including, for example, video clips, blogs and magazine websites.
German Route B - 4a	15 Credits	Optional
This module broadens and consolidates the students' competence in German. Students will learn to talk about student life and travel, carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including, for example, video clips, blogs and magazine websites.
German Route B - 4b	15 Credits	Optional
This module will extend the students' competence in German through the introduction of more advanced language structures. Students will learn to discuss work and future plans, studying and living abroad. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Spanish Route B - 4a	15 Credits	Optional
This module broadens and consolidates the students' competence in Spanish. Students will learn to talk about student life and travel, carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including, for example, video clips, blogs and magazine websites.
Spanish Route B - 4b	15 Credits	Optional
This module will extend the students' competence in Spanish through the introduction of more advanced language structures. Students will learn to discuss work and future plans, studying and living abroad. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Japanese Route B-4A	15 Credits	Optional
This module broadens and consolidates your competence in Japanese. You will learn to talk about student life and travel, carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials.
Japanese Route B-4B	15 Credits	Optional
This module will extend your competence in Japanese through the introduction of more advanced language structures. You will learn to discuss work and future plans, studying and living abroad. You will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Language in the Media	15 Credits	Optional
In this module, you will develop a range of skills which will enable them to undertake the linguistic analysis of media taken from various sources, including new media sources such as digital media, social media/ online identity, multimodal communication, mobile communication; as well as other media genres such as films, T.V shows and music. You will develop the ability to approach the language in the media critically to understand the importance and powerful effect of the media in our society.
French Stage 1A - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Have you ever wanted to be able to speak French? Would you like to be able to introduce yourself to new people and use your skills to order a coffee, ask for directions or go shopping whilst travelling in a French-speaking country? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Starting from scratch, you will learn how to exchange simple information and then hold useful, everyday conversations in French. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in French. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and/or other francophone countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
French Stage 1B - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional

German Stage 1A - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Have you ever wanted to be able to speak German? Would you like to be able to introduce yourself to new people and use your skills to order a coffee, ask for directions or go shopping whilst travelling in a German-speaking country? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Starting from scratch, you will learn how to exchange simple information and then hold useful, everyday conversations in German. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 1B - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Do you speak a little German already and want to learn more? Would you like to be able to talk to others about what you did last weekend, tell someone about a holiday or describe where you live? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on basic prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in German. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 1A - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Have you ever wanted to be able to speak Spanish? Would you like to be able to introduce yourself to new people and use your skills to order a coffee, go shopping or describe your family whilst travelling in a Spanish-speaking country? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Starting from scratch, you will learn how to exchange simple information and then hold useful, everyday conversations in Spanish. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Spanish. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 1B - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Do you speak a little Spanish already and want to learn more? Would you like to be able to talk to others about what you did last weekend, compare towns and cities or discuss your future plans? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on basic prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Spanish. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Spanish. / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 1A - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Are you interested in Japanese culture, and would you like to learn to speak the language? Would you like to be able to introduce yourself to new people, read the menu in a restaurant or understand what you can buy in the shops in Japanese? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Starting from scratch, you will learn how to exchange simple information and then hold useful, everyday conversations in Japanese. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 1B - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Do you speak a little Japanese already and want to learn more? Would you like to be able to understand what is said in a TV programme or a J-pop song, talk to others about your family or what you did last weekend? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on basic prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Japanese. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 1A - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Are you interested in Chinese culture, or would you like to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese for your future career? Would you like to be able to introduce yourself to new people and use your skills to find out about others? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Starting from scratch, you will learn to meet and greet, talk about nationalities and occupations, order food and make arrangements, progressing towards holding useful, everyday conversations in Mandarin. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will exchange ideas and express your opinions. You will also learn to write simplified Chinese characters used by the majority of Chinese speakers. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and/or other Chinese-speaking communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin Chinese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 1B - General language for work and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Do you speak a little Mandarin Chinese already and want to learn more? Would you like to be able to talk to others about your free time activities, go shopping, use public transport or discuss your holiday plans? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on basic prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations Mandarin. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions. You will also learn to write simplified Chinese characters used by the majority of Chinese speakers. / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and other Chinese-speaking countries and communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin Chinese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Advanced Spanish C4a - Culture and Society in Spain	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced Spanish, and would you like to find out more about Spanish culture and society? Would you like to explore some of the current economic, social, political and territorial challenges that Spain faces and find out about some key historical periods that have shaped the country? This module will take you from the early twentieth century to the beginning of the twenty-first so you can learn about the Second Republic, the Spanish Civil War, Franco s dictatorship, and the transition to democracy. Building on your prior knowledge, you will learn how to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language./ / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers./ / / /
Spanish Route C4b - Advanced Spanish - Challenges in Spanish Society	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced Spanish, and would you like to find out more about Spanish culture and society? Would you like to explore more of the current social challenges that Spain faces today and engage in discussions about topical issues such as sustainable tourism, data privacy or the environment? If so, this module will enable you to build the confidence and competence to do so and use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.

Level 5

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Learning and Teaching Language 2	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is the second of two that look in some depth at issues in the learning and teaching of language, with special reference to English. In this module, more emphasis is laid on teaching. The module takes a broadly historical approach to language learning and teaching. The starting-off point will be a resume of the state of EFL as a result of the professionalization of teaching at the end of the C19 and the effects of the Reform Movement. Thereafter there will be examination of such trends and approaches as the grammar / translation 'method', behaviourism, the audio-lingual approach, the communicative approach, the Natural Approach and the Lexical Approach. Connections will be made in each case with the key concepts discussed in the preceding module. A final session looks at classroom generated research and at what teachers can hope to learn from it.
Sounds of English	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will offer you the chance to study the sounds of English at two levels: the surface level (phonetics) and the underlying mental level (phonology). We will start by looking at the physiological apparatus involved with the production of speech before examining in more detail how individual speech sounds are made (articulatory phonetics). We will then turn to the organisation of speech sounds at the underlying mental level. Here we will identify the distinct 'sound concepts' of English and explore the various ways they each may be realised phonetically. We will then move on to analysing syllables and stress. The module offers you an important descriptive tool for further language study as well as essential knowledge for careers in areas such as speech and language therapy. This module is a prerequisite for study of English Language and Communication at level 3.
Graduate Skills	0 Credits	Compulsory
You will be offered a variety of employment enhancing workshops and online activities such as interview skills workshops, personality profiling and career planning in order to improve your employment prospects after graduation and make you aware of current areas of strength and weakness in relation to employability. You will also have the opportunity to learn about self-employment options, graduate schemes and will attend speaker sessions with successful professionals in areas of employment appropriate for Humanities graduates so you can learn about the skills and attributes required for these areas and how to enhance your prospects of entering such areas. You will be required to undertake a certain number of activities chosen by you from a career "menu" and to reflect on what they have learnt in order to complete the module successfully.
Learning and Teaching Language 1	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is the first of two that look in some depth at issues in the learning and teaching of language, with special reference to English. In this module, more emphasis is laid on theories of second language development and the learner, while greater emphasis is placed on the teaching of a second language in the second module. The module examines both naturalistic methods of learning and classroom learning, discussing the impact of and typical outcomes for the learner in each condition. It considers the work of contemporary theorists, and examines factors such as the role of the L1, the different aspects of L2 knowledge and the interplay of variables that contribute to successful second language development.
English Grammar	15 Credits	Compulsory
In this module you will look at what grammar is and what it isn t. You will learn how to identify the different word categories of English and how these word categories are put together into phrases to form sentences in English, as well as what grammatical functions these different phrases have in a sentence. You ll also learn how you can recognise different sentence types and how to analyse the structure of complex sentences and different sentence types. This will give you the toolkit you need to study English Language & Linguistics modules at level 6.
Language and Species	15 Credits	Optional
Research into the evolution of human communication has been controversial. Shortly after the publication of Darwin's masterpiece in 1859, the topic was banned by the London Philological Society. Recent advances in genetics, anthropology and cognitive science, however, have together resulted in renewed interest and more rigorous investigation and the birth of a new field. Evolutionary Linguistics is an interdisciplinary field which draw s upon linguistics, evolutionary theory, biology, anthropology, primatology and psychology in order to answer three key questions: Why do we communicate? When did language evolve? What are the origins of language? In this module, students are first introduced to the basics of evolutionary theory before focusing on the questions raised above. Additional questions addressed include: How do other species communicate? Could Neanderthals speak? Can chimpanzees lie?
Language in Society	15 Credits	Optional
Sociolinguistics is the study of language in society. This module will introduce you to the major issues in sociolinguistics. We will start by addressing the relation between language and society and the nature of variation. We will address varieties of language use at the level of the group and the individual and explore three kinds of lectal variation: regional, social and functional. We will consider how and why users vary their language according to different social settings as well as the social pressures that cause language change. Further topics to be studied include accents and dialects, language and ethnicity and language and gender. This module should appeal to anyone interested in the way language is used to signal identity and negotiate society.
French Route B - 5a	15 Credits	Optional
This module further improves the students' competence and confidence from study at level 4 in understanding and responding to more advanced written and spoken French Students develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially and will be exposed to a wider variety of contexts and language registers. The module will enable students to participate more fully in discussions and develop logical argument. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
French Route B - 5b	15 Credits	Optional
This module further improves the students' competence and confidence from study at level 4 in understanding and responding to more advanced written and spoken French Students develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially and will be exposed to a wider variety of contexts and language registers. The module will enable students to participate more fully in discussions and develop logical argument. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Spanish Route B - 5a	15 Credits	Optional
This module further improves the students' competence and confidence from study at level 4 in understanding and responding to more advanced written and spoken Spanish. Students develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially and will be exposed to a wider variety of contexts and language registers. The module will enable students to participate more fully in discussions and develop logical argument. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Spanish Route B - 5b	15 Credits	Optional
This module enables students to improve further their competence and confidence from the previous semester in understanding and responding to more advanced Spanish. Students continue to develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially. The module will enable students to play a more active and spontaneous part in discussions and to use a wider range of phrases which express different shades of opinion in speaking and writing. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line news reports, blogs and magazine websites.
German Route B - 5a	15 Credits	Optional
This module further improves the students' competence and confidence from study at level 4 in understanding and responding to more advanced written and spoken German. Students develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially and will be exposed to a wider variety of contexts and language registers. The module will enable students to participate more fully in discussions and develop logical argument. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
German Route B - 5b	15 Credits	Optional
This module enables students to improve further their competence and confidence from the previous semester in understanding and responding to more advanced German. Students continue to develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially. The module will enable students to play a more active and spontaneous part in discussions and to use a wider range of phrases which express different shades of opinion in speaking and writing. They will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line news reports, blogs and magazine websites.
Forensic Linguistics	15 Credits	Optional
In this module we will be concerned with real examples of language use in legal contexts. Specifically, the module will first give an introduction to discourse analysis and then apply the methods of discourse analysis to Forensic Linguistics, the application of linguistics in order to understand conversation in legal contexts and establish authorship, authenticity and veracity in forensic texts. The talk and texts we will analyse will be taken from court proceedings, police interviews, witness statements, confessions, emergency calls, hate mail and suicide letters
Language Competencies in Career Development	15 Credits	Optional
In order to be able to take this module, you need to have found a suitable work placement opportunity by the end of Semester A (1st December) and not have taken a work experience module in a different subject area. The module provides you with an opportunity to reflect on the experience you are gaining in EL&C related work experience. One the one hand, you will focus on subject specific skills applied in the work experience as well as communicative events in the workplace, on the other you will reflect on personal and key skills that the experience has helped you to develop and articulate the ways in which it has enhanced your career development. Suitable work experience includes: communication support volunteer for the stroke association, assistant supporting school students in literacy and English language skills, assisting with the teaching of English Language and Culture to adults, mentoring international students.
Japanese Route B-5A	15 Credits	Optional
This module further improves your competence and confidence from study at levels 4 in understanding and responding to more advanced written and spoken Japanese. You will develop skills which will be of value both professionally and socially and you will be exposed to a wider variety of contexts and language registers. The module will enable you to participate more fully in discussions and develop logical argument. You will carry out reading and listening tasks and write texts within the framework of the vocabulary and grammatical structures studied. The module will be largely course book based, supplemented by on-line materials including for example on-line TV news items, blogs and magazine websites.
Vocabulary	15 Credits	Optional
In this module you will investigate different aspects of English vocabulary. In particular, we will look in detail at different ways in which words are defined, how they are formed, what they mean, and how they change over time. In addition, we will look at the use of corpora in the study of word meaning and word collocations by accessing different corpora via Sketch Engine. The module will also look at the way dictionaries are assembled, with special reference for example to the Oxford English Dictionary or the Collins Co-Build.
Toolkit for Linguistic Research	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides you with a broad overview of various research skills using software, and the theoretical and empirical issues involved in carrying out research using each type. We will focus on certain software tools used to store, code, and analyse language data, for example NVivo; Sketch Engine, CHILDES, Superlab and Eye-tracking Software. You are introduced to current research strategies used in English Language and will develop the IT skills required in order to code and analyse pre-existing, naturalistic, experimental and questionnaire data. Data archives and computer-based analysis programs as well as psycholinguistic experiments are explored. The module will prepare you for the kinds of work you will undertake at level 6, as well as for conducting a long or short project.
Employability Skills	15 Credits	Optional
Producing graduates who are highly employable is a key aim of the University of Hertfordshire. This module aims to help you bridge gaps between your specialist academic studies and the world of graduate employment. As well as allowing you to reflect on and further develop your employability skills we will explore the changing nature of employers needs. Using case studies, we will consider a range of issues (legal, gender, equality) that can arise in recruitment and the workplace. The module will also focus on career planning and job searching, as well as recruitment and selection processes including the work of assessment centres and psychometric testing. Overall the intention is that you will be able to develop your job-market awareness and identify and explore potential career pathways. The module is worth 15 credits and may be chosen in place of a 15-credit subject module at Level 5, or as an additional module at Level 6, alongside 120 credits of modules in your subject(s).
French Stage 2A - Technology, networking and the future	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a basic grounding in French already and want to learn more? Would you like to feel more confident holding conversations with native speakers about topics such as technological developments, learn to network professionally, apply for a job and talk about the future? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in French for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in French. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and other francophone countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
French Stage 2B - Wellbeing, sustainability, internationalism	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in French already and want to learn more? Would you like to be able to speak more confidently and be able to discuss topic such as your wellbeing, sustainability initiatives, or prepare for study or work abroad? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in French for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in French. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and other francophone countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 2A - Culture, education & study abroad	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a basic grounding in German already and want to learn more? Are you interested in learning to speak German as one of the top 10 most used languages in international business? Would you like to be able to find out more about German-speaking countries and talk about studying or working abroad? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in German for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 2B - Living and working in German-speaking countries	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in German already and want to feel more confident using your language skills? Are you interested in using your German to enhance your career prospects? Would you like to find out more about politics and society, or talk about topics such as the environment, or health and wellbeing? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in German for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 2B - Food, study abroad and job applications	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in Spanish already and want to learn more? Would you like to find out about traditional food, learn how to apply for a job or prepare for study abroad? If so, this module will help you to gain the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Spanish for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Spanish. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 2B - Jobs, business and accommodation	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in Japanese already and want to learn more? Would you like to find out more about traditions and customs in Japan? Would you like to feel able to hold conversations with native speakers about topics such as your accommodation, apply for jobs or understand more about businesses in Japan? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Japanese for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 2A - Language, culture & history	15 Credits	Optional
Are you fascinated by Chinese culture, or are you interested in enhancing your career prospects by learning to speak Mandarin Chinese as one of the top 10 most used in international business? If you have a basic grounding in the language already, then this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to discuss topics such as student life, your reasons for learning the language and travel. You will also find out about aspects of Chinese culture and history. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Mandarin for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Mandarin. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and Chinese-speaking countries and communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 2B - Language, culture & history	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding Mandarin already and want to learn more? Would you like to build your confidence further in using your language skills and be able to discuss work and future plans, studying and living abroad with native speakers? If so, then this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so, as well as explore further aspects of Chinese culture and historical contexts. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Mandarin for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Mandarin. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and Chinese-speaking countries and communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Advanced French C5a - Francophone society and culture	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have an advanced level of French already and want to develop your language skills further? Would you like to find out more about contemporary life in France? If so, then this module will enable you to improve your linguistic competence through the in-depth study of cultural, linguistic and economic topics such as France's regional identities as well as its luxury goods sector and gastronomy. Building on your prior knowledge, you will learn how to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Advanced French C5b - Francophone society and culture	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have an advanced level of French already and want to develop your language skills further? Would you like to prepare for study abroad, a work placement or even a future career in a French-speaking country? If so, then this module will enable you to understand more about key aspects of society such as the French political and educational systems and modern family life. It will also enable you to respond appropriately to job adverts and talk about your skills and experience in an interview in French. Building on your prior knowledge, you will learn how to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Advanced Spanish C5a - Latin American Society and Culture	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have an advanced level of Spanish and want to develop your language skills further? Would you like to find out more about some selected Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America? If so, then this module will enable you to improve your linguistic competence through the in-depth study of political, cultural, linguistic and economic topics. / Building on your prior knowledge, you will learn how to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language./ / / / / / / / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / / / / / / / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.

Level 6

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Year Abroad	0 Credits	Compulsory
A Study Abroad year is an optional additional year that increases the length of the Honours degree award to a four-year full-time degree. The additional year comprises an agreed programme of study in a partner institution abroad with whom the University of Hertfordshire has an institutional agreement. The programme of study will support, supplement and extend the more usual three-year programme. Success in the third year will be recognised in the title of the award, but does not carry additional credit towards the Honours programme. A student would normally confirm the intention to study abroad during the first ten weeks of study at Level 5. This will enable a place to be negotiated at a host institution and the Study Programme and learning contract to be arranged and agreed.
The Humanities Placement Year	0 Credits	Compulsory
The Placement Year provides you with the opportunity to set your academic studies in a broader context and to utilise the intellectual skills you have gained through your degree in the work place. You will also strengthen your time management, organisational and communication skills as well as develop employability skills. You will gain experience of applying for jobs and of working within a commercial, business or professional environment prior to graduating thus increasing employability skills such as teamwork, communication skills and commercial awareness. You will gain experience in a field that is often a destination for Humanities students such as PR, marketing, management and research. You will have developed valuable industry skills and experience as well as being able to apply many of the intellectual skills you have learnt through your degree to a real world situation.
Global Englishes	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module will focus on the global spread of the English language, which is no longer used only by native speakers but increasingly by speakers from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Despite these changes, the native speaker continues to dominate in English Language Teaching. This module will explore various issues in the spread of English, including: the influence of other languages on English; the rise, standardisation, ideology and ownership of English; varieties of English across the world (including New Englishes , English as a Lingua Franca, pidgins & creoles); attitudes towards varieties of English and the pedagogical implications of these issues for English Language Teaching in the context of Global Englishes.
Placement with Study Abroad	0 Credits	Compulsory
Students on this unique module will have the opportunity to undertake both a semester at a partner university and to undertake a semester of placement, thus both improving their cultural awareness and employability. Students who have been on the Placement Year and Study Abroad Year, both normally undertaken after level 5 and before entering the final year, have reported high levels of satisfaction with both and many have said the Placement or Study Abroad year was one of the highlights of their university career. The Placement Year is offered by only a handful of universities offering Humanities subjects, so this module is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore both aspects of Study Abroad and Placement both here and abroad.
ELT Project	30 Credits	Compulsory
The ELT project is a significant piece of independent research and writing that enables you to undertake an in-depth examination of an English Language Teaching topic of your choice. With the support of your academic supervisor, you identify a research question about an area of ELT that interests you. You then design and develop a research project in which you collect and analyse original data and finally write up a research report.
Child Language & Communication	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides a detailed investigation of how children acquire their first language and the theories that seek to explain the process. We will look at child language from the pre-linguistic stage through to the acquisition of words, morpho-syntax and inflections. You will also explore the relation between language and cognitive development, as well as the acquisition of communication skills. These topics will be considered for both monolingual and bilingual children.
Clinical Linguistics	15 Credits	Optional
This module examines the effects of developmental and acquired disorders of language and/or communication on the acquisition and use of language. Different kinds of linguistic disorders are presented in an attempt to explore the nature of language and communication. Topics include, for example, the study of phonological disability, stuttering, grammatical impairment, semantic/pragmatic disorders, hearing impairment, Downs Syndrome and autism. The module also looks at other language modalities, such as British Sign Language and addresses issues concerned with the assessment of comprehension and production and the use of computer programs and databases in language analysis.
Language Processing	15 Credits	Optional
Learning outcomes will be achieved through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and directed tasks. The module introduces you to the theories and methodologies of psycholinguistics relating to language processing. You will consider psycholinguistic models of the mental lexicon and of language production and comprehension. You will be taught how to critically examine this work, looking not just at the results but how they were obtained - the underlying assumptions, what counts as evidence. You will assess the contribution that linguistics can make. You will also collect and analyse relevant data, commenting on difficulties encountered. The module will distinguish five ways of approaching the mental lexicon: how lexical information is acquired, how it is stored, how it is accessed in production, how it is accessed in comprehension, and how it is lost. The module will focus on questions of storage and access, but will make reference to acquisition and dissolution as appropriate. Students will be introduced to the modularity/connectionism debate; they will then explore the modularity model of the organization of the mental lexicon in some detail. Key models of lexical processing in word production and in word comprehension will be examined, and some conclusions drawn. Sentential processing will be considered, both from the point of view of production and of comprehension. Questions of serial/parallel, autonomous/interactive processing will be explored. In each case, production and comprehension, the strategy will be to see to what extent a serial, autonomous model can be maintained. Speech errors and hesitation phenomena will provide the main evidence for production, and lexical and syntactic ambiguities the main evidence for comprehension. The strengths and limitations of psycholinguistic modelling will be assessed
French Mini Project	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides students with an opportunity, under tutorial guidance, to choose a topic of interest to them related to an aspect of the social, political, economic or cultural life of a French -speaking country, to research a topic, using authentic materials to write an essay on the topic in French.
French Project	30 Credits	Optional
This module provides students with an opportunity, under tutorial guidance, to choose a topic of interest to them related to an aspect of the social, political, economic or cultural life of a French-speaking country, to research a topic, using authentic materials to write a project on the topic in French/German/Spanish. Students are encouraged to conduct interviews with native French-speakers, having completed the necessary University formalities to obtain Ethics approval.
German Mini Project	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides students with an opportunity, under tutorial guidance, to choose a topic of interest to them related to an aspect of the social, political, economic or cultural life of a German -speaking country, to research a topic, using authentic materials to write an essay on the topic in German.
Spanish Mini Project	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides students with an opportunity, under tutorial guidance, to choose a topic of interest to them related to an aspect of the social, political, economic or cultural life of a Spanish -speaking country, to research a topic, using authentic materials to write an essay on the topic in Spanish.
German Project	30 Credits	Optional
This module provides students with an opportunity, under tutorial guidance, to choose a topic of interest to them related to an aspect of the social, political, economic or cultural life of a German.-speaking country, to research a topic, using authentic materials to write a project on the topic in German. Students are encouraged to conduct interviews with native German-speakers, having completed the necessary University formalities to obtain Ethics approval.
Meaning and Context	15 Credits	Optional
This module is concerned with meaning in language and communication. It introduces students to different types of meaning and different theoretical approaches to studying meaning in the philosophy of language and linguistics. A key issue will be the distinction between semantics and pragmatics, where the boundary between them lies, and the way in which the two realms interact in the communication of meaning.
Chunky Language: Investigating Formulaic Sequences	15 Credits	Optional
In this module you will find out what a formulaic sequence is, why they play such an important role in native speaker (L1) communication, and how and why they are stored in and retrieved from memory as a whole. We will look at different types of language data produced by children and adults, including, but not limited to, the British National Corpus, Aviation English, sports commentaries, sitcoms, cookbooks and weather reports. We will also discuss why second language (L2) learners rely heavily on these sequences during the early stages of second language development (SLD), only to then find that they are the "biggest stumbling block to sounding nativelike" (Wray 2002: ix) in later stages of SLD.
Gender in Language and Communication	15 Credits	Optional
We will begin the course with a study of the historical and theoretical background to the study of language and gender within the larger area of sociolinguistics. We will examine various theories that attempt to account for gendered differences in language, and look at the key pieces of research in this area. This will include a focus on the following: sexism in language; gender differences in pronunciation and grammar; sex and convert prestige, discourse features and turn taking, narratives and storytelling, and politeness. We will then move on to contemporary theories in the area that move beyond the binary distinction of men and women to how speakers can perform their gendered identity. This includes a focus on workplace discourse to examine how leadership and power are enacted within masculine and feminine workplaces. Recent changes in language and gender studies, such as the incorporation of the Community of Practice framework to analyse language use, will also be addressed.
Corpus-based Studies in English Language	15 Credits	Optional
In this module you will learn how to use electronic databases (corpora) to address research questions in English Language & Communication. We will look at a range of different corpora (spoken, written, different genres and speakers) to see how they are adapted for research both qualitatively and quantitatively. We will explore areas of English Language (including word use, collocations, discourse, gender, language change, language teaching, translation), select suitable corpora for investigation and analyse the data output. In this module we will also address issues in the compilation of corpus data and the way corpus investigations can impact on theories of language.
Communication and Cultures	15 Credits	Optional
The module gives you an opportunity to bring to the surface some of your personal / social cultural assumptions and working beliefs, and to see how these relate to other cultures. You will develop your cultural sensitivity to diverse communication and cultural practices and patterns. In particular, you are encouraged to look at intercultural communication, in the forms of face-to-face conversation, interviews and online communication, in order to see how other cultures, and especially a culture of your own choosing, articulate, disguise, hide and express their beliefs.
Syntax	15 Credits	Optional
In 1958 Noam Chomsky published the book 'Syntactic Structures' which revolutionised the way in which we do Linguistics. In this module you will be introduced to a generative syntactic theory which has grown out of Chomsky's approach to Linguistics. You will learn what principles and mechanisms are proposed to account for the grammatically well-formed sentences of English and analyse the structure of sentences using this theory. We'll look at range of language puzzles and see how the theory attempts to explain these, for example why it is okay to say 'What did Mary claim that Peter did?' (cf. Mary claimed that Peter lied) but we can't say 'What did Mary make the claim that Peter did?' (cf. Mary made the claim that Peter lied), even though the sentences mean virtually the same thing and we can understand them both.
French Stage 3A - Modern families, cybersociety & heritage	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have some knowledge of French already and want to learn more about French and/or francophone culture? Would you like to find out more about heritage and tourism, or be able to hold a conversation with native speakers about topics such as modern family life or the technological society we live in? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in French in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in French./ / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and/or other francophone countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
French Stage 3B - Culture, multiculturalism & challenges in society	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have some knowledge of French already and want to learn more about French and/or francophone culture? Would you like to find out more about French cinema and francophone music, or discuss trends and challenges in modern French society? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in French in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in French./ / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and/or other francophone countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 3A - Historical contexts and the world of work	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in German already and want to learn more? Would you like to find out more about the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall and German re-unification or the world of work today in a German-speaking country? Would you like to be able to hold a conversation about current issues such as the environment and sustainability or what the future holds? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in German in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 3B - Changes and challenges in society	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a firm grounding in German already and want to learn more? Would you like to watch and discuss a film with your peers or native speakers? Would you like to be able to exchange ideas about current issues such as globalisation, migration, wealth and poverty? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in German in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in German./ Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 3A - Family life and leisure	15 Credits	Optional
Can you speak some Spanish already and want to learn more? Would you like to find out about some Spanish and Mexican festivals and explore regional identities? Would you like to be able to hold a conversation about modern family life? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in Spanish in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in Spanish./ / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries. you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 3B - Immigration & integration, cultural heritage and citizens of	15 Credits	Optional
Can you speak some Spanish already and want to learn more? Would you like to find out more about young people and their futures in Spain and Latin America? Would you like to be able to hold a conversation about contemporary issues such as immigration in Spain or Mexican immigration to the United States? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in Spanish in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in Spanish. / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Spain and/or other Spanish-speaking countries. you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 3A - People and society	15 Credits	Optional
Are you a fan of Japanese culture with good competence in the language, wanting to learn more? Would you like to be able to understand the different Japanese communication styles, and learn how to converse appropriately with native speakers in a business environment, as well as with your peers? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 3A - Business Chinese & the world of work	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a passion for Chinese culture and want to achieve a sound command of the language? Would you like to find out about the world of work to prepare for a future international career? Would you like to gain cultural tips on how to do business in China, or with Chinese-speaking business partners? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in Mandarin in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in Mandarin. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and other Chinese-speaking countries and communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Mandarin Stage 3B - Business Chinese & the world of work	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a passion for Chinese culture and want to be able to have a conversation with native speakers about social and cultural matters? Would you like to find out more about the world of work to prepare for a future international career? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to feel more confident in sustaining conversations in Mandarin in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas, and express your opinions in Mandarin. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in China and other Chinese-speaking countries and communities you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning Mandarin for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
French Stage 4A - Francophone society and culture	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced French, and would you like to find out more about French culture and society and discover the wider francophone world? Would you like to discuss why France is so popular as a tourist destination, or talk about topical issues such as sustainable tourism, the green economy or equality in the workplace? This module will enable you to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and the francophone world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. / / / Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
French Stage 4B - Francophone society and culture	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced French, and would you like to find out more about French culture and society and discover the wider francophone world? Would you like to find out about sport and the economy, the significance of secularism in France, or talk about topical issues such as immigration and integration? This module will enable you to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in France and the francophone world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning French for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 4A - Society and culture in German-speaking countries	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a sound knowledge of German already and want to become more fluent? Would you like to find out more about socio-economic topics such as the economy, business and the car industry in Germany and/or other German-speaking countries? Would you like to be able to hold a conversation with native speakers about health and wellbeing, the media and current affairs? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in the language for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German. Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
German Stage 4B - Society and culture in German-speaking countries	15 Credits	Optional
Do you want to become more confident and fluent in German, or even use your language skills in a professional context? Would you like to find out more about life in the former GDR by studying a film and explore themes such as national identity? Would you like to be able to hold a conversation with native speakers about topics such as politics, globalisation or current affairs? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in German for both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in German./ / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the German-speaking countries you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. Whether you are interested in learning German for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 4A - Culture and Society in Spain	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced Spanish, and would you like to find out more about Spanish culture and society? Would you like to explore some of the current economic, social, political and territorial challenges that Spain faces and find out about some key historical periods that have shaped the country? This module will take you from the early twentieth century to the beginning of the twenty-first so you can learn about the Second Republic, the Spanish Civil War, Franco s dictatorship, and the transition to democracy. Building on your prior knowledge, you will learn how to engage in discussions and develop the confidence and competence to use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. / / / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. / / / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Spanish Stage 4B - Challenges in Spanish Society	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have a keen interest in learning advanced Spanish, and would you like to find out more about Spanish culture and society? Would you like to explore more of the current social challenges that Spain faces today and engage in discussions about topical issues such as sustainable tourism, data privacy or the environment? If so, this module will enable you to build the confidence and competence to do so and use your language skills in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular class discussion you will deepen your knowledge, exchange ideas and express informed opinions in the language. / / / / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. / / / / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 4A - Japanese culture and society	15 Credits	Optional
Are you a fan of Japanese culture and would you like to improve your language skills further? Would you like to find out more about food culture, sports or literature, or would you like to be able to discuss important topics such as history, politics or the environment? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Japanese in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness. / Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Japanese Stage 4B - Japanese culture and society	15 Credits	Optional
Are you a fan of Japanese culture and would you like to improve your language skills further? Would you like to find out more about contemporary culture in Japan such as music, art, or animé and manga films? Would you like to learn more about business in Japan and the use of technology and AI, or be able to discuss contemporary social issues? If so, this module will help you to build the confidence and competence to do so. Building on prior knowledge, you will learn how to hold useful, everyday conversations in Japanese in both personal and professional contexts. Through regular conversation with your peers, you will find out about each other, exchange ideas and express your opinions in Japanese. / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in Japan you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / Whether you are interested in learning Japanese for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.
Advanced Spanish C6a - Current Affairs in Spain and Latin America	15 Credits	Optional
Do you have an advanced level of Spanish already and want to develop your language skills further? Would you like to find out more about culture and society in Spanish-speaking countries? Or would you like to be able to discuss contemporary issues such as business and politics in Spanish? If so, then this module will enable you to do so. Building on your prior knowledge, you will research your own materials and present them in discussions, analysing them and reflecting upon them collectively. You will use these resources to analyse complex, more subtle grammatical points used I these specialised contexts. / / / / / / Language learning is both challenging and rewarding and provides an opportunity to enhance your sense of self. By gaining insights into cultural aspects of life in the Spanish-speaking world you will broaden your perspectives and develop your intercultural awareness./ / / / / / / / / / Whether you are interested in learning Spanish for travel, work, family reasons or purely for pleasure, this module encourages personal growth and fosters the development of professional soft skills that are highly valued by employers.

Study abroad

An opportunity for an amazing experience, which will help make you stand out from the crowd. With more and more companies working internationally, experience of living in another country can make a great impression on future employers.

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a sandwich year abroad. The University has partnerships with over 150 universities around the world, including the USA, Canada, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and closer to home in Europe.

If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee to the partner university and no tuition fee to us either. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.

Find out more about Study abroad opportunities

Please note Erasmus+ funding is only available until May 2023. For students starting their course in September 2022 and wishing to study abroad in 2023-24 or 2024-25, please refer to the Turing Scheme.
Work placement

Graduate with invaluable work experience alongside your degree and stand out from the crowd.

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a work placement sandwich year. It’s a chance to explore career possibilities, make valuable contacts and gain sought after professional skills.

Our dedicated Careers and Employment team are here to help guide you through the process.

If you take up a work placement between your second and third year of study, at the University of Hertfordshire you’ll pay no tuition fee for this year. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it.

Find out more about work placements

Alumni Stories

Alex Olney

Meet Alex Olney who has applied his skills in communication to the gaming industry. He is currently a Senior Video Producer at Nintendo Life.

Read more stories Find out more about this course

Current job role	Senior Video Producer
Year of graduation	2015
Course of study	BA(Hons) English Language and Communication

University experience

While not his first choice of university, Alex is grateful that he applied to the University of Hertfordshire through Clearing as whilst at the University he discovered and explored his passion for everything linguistic. This passion has had a profound impact on his life since graduating.

He says, ‘Studying a language gave me confidence and a deeper understanding of human and non-human communication and has allowed me to create a distinct idiolect that identifies me as a creator and, more importantly, entertains tens of thousands of people every day.’

He credits his success to the support he received from his lecturers who encouraged him throughout his studies: ‘The lecturers were not only well informed about the subject matter but had a genuine passion for language.’ He states that they pushed him to explore languages so much so that ‘it became a driving force in my everyday life.’

Alex also believes that the transferable skills he learnt while at the University have helped him throughout his professional life including time management. He states that he learnt effective time management skills to ensure that he never leaves projects and deadlines to the last minute and plans out in advance what is required.

The future

Alex really enjoys his current role at Nintendo Life as he likes the hands on nature of producing content but would eventually like to manage and become a head of the video editing department.

View our Alumni profiles

Alex Olney

Course fact sheets
BA (Hons) English Language	Download

Programme specifications
BA (Hons) English Language	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	Optional
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes
Course length	Full Time, 3 Years Sandwich, 4 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

Apply using the links below:

2024

Start Date	End Date	Link
23/09/2024	31/05/2025	Apply online (Full Time)
23/09/2024	31/05/2025	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
23/09/2024	31/05/2025	Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

Fees and funding
Fees 2023
UK Students

Full time
- £9250 for the 2023/2024 academic year
EU Students

Full time
- £14750 for the 2023/2024 academic year
International Students

Full time
- £14750 for the 2023/2024 academic year
*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

Book an Open Day

Book an Open Day

BA (Hons) English Language and Applied Linguistics

Key information

Typical offer:

Fees: See below

UCAS code: Q151

Institute code: H36

Study a language option

Study abroad option

Work placement option

Clearing entry requirements

Additional requirements

Additional requirements

Why choose this course?

What's the course about?

Your main campus is College Lane

What will I study?

Alumni Stories

Meet Alex Olney who has applied his skills in communication to the gaming industry. He is currently a Senior Video Producer at Nintendo Life.

University experience

The future

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2024

Fees 2023

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Other financial support

Living costs / accommodation

Apply through Clearing

Apply online through Clearing

Your main campus is College Lane