The English Language and Linguistics programme at Cardiff combines the systematic study of the human capacity for language in all its expressions across the world with a particular focus on the English language.

You will learn about all aspects of human language, including how linguistic knowledge is acquired, produced and understood in different contexts, and how it is sometimes lost again, for example through illness or injury. You will discover what all languages have in common, what distinguishes them, how they change over time. You will also study what varieties there are within the same language, such as historical changes, accents, distinct social registers, and differences between spoken and written language.

We offer modules in descriptive traditions of language, such as the study of phonetics, grammar, lexis and morphology, as well as in critical traditions, such as the study of discourse and the relation between language and power. You will study not only spoken and written language but also the many multimodal forms of communication – word, image and sound – that predominate in contemporary and digital media.

You will learn how to use specific software packages to produce multimodal texts such as websites, blogs and magazine covers, to analyse and present numerical data, to identify patterns in large collections (or ‘corpora’) of written and/or spoken language, and to analyse speech in phonetics. We also offer a number of modules that are directly relevant to careers in education, the media, health, and the legal process.

Studying for a degree in English Language and Linguistics develops abilities to analyse and critique the language that surrounds us but also helps develop strong skills in communicating clearly and effectively. Our graduates are known for their ability to combine the best of social science skills, such as technical analysis based on the systematic and critical handling of data, with the best of humanities skills, such as flexibility and the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral formats.

Distinctive features

• Lots of freedom to choose modules that suit your interests and requirements, including modules that are directly relevant to careers in language teaching, speech therapy, (digital) journalism, and the legal system,
• Individual meetings with academic staff, supportive academic progress meetings with your personal tutor and the opportunity to attend research seminars and careers activities. Opportunities to study abroad in Europe and beyond, including Canada and the United States. (for example, through Erasmus programmes).