BA English Language and Linguistics with Placement Experience

Compulsory modules 

English Language and Society

To understand how language operates in social groups, this will provide you with a basis for further in-depth study in English language and linguistics.

Techniques and Skills for Applied Linguistics

To support your transition to university study, you’ll focus on developing your reading, writing, critical thinking, presentation, library, and technology skills in relation to the study of English language and linguistics. 

Sounds, Grammar and Meaning 

Examine language as a communication system considering sound production and perception, grammatical categorisation, and meaning. You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to analyse written and spoken data. 

Globalisation and Language  

Learn how languages spread across the world and explore debates around linguistic imperialism, political dimensions of language use, and language policies. You’ll consider the effects of technology and migration on the linguistics of regions worldwide.

Optional modules 

Introduction to Linguistics

Investigate the origin, development, and characteristics of human language. You’ll focus on topics such as language endangerment, bilingualism and multilingualism in childhood, and non-verbal communication. You’ll also explore different linguistics aspects of modern European Languages.

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you. 

Approaches to Film

Critically interpret film texts and discover the conventions of fiction and non-fiction cinema. Explore cinema as a diverse, global and transcultural medium, focusing on historical and cultural contexts.

Roman History: the rise and fall of the Republic

Study the history of the Roman Republic from the 2nd century BC to the late 1st century BC. You will approach and investigate a range of ancient sources in order to offer their own interpretation, draw links to the modern world, and enquire the relevance of Roman antiquity to the issues faced by modern societies. 

Modern American Culture and Counterculture

Beginning with Beat poetry and the counterculture of the 1950s and finishing with fiction responding to the Black Lives Matter movement and the challenges of social media in the twenty-first century, on this module you will be studying different perspectives on American culture in work by African-American, Native American (Indian) and white American creatives operating in a variety of genres and sub-genres: poetry, short stories, YA fiction, science fiction, drama, songs, films, war reportage, and the graphic novel.

Arriving in Britain: a History of Immigration, 1685-2004

Study the experiences of migrant groups in Britain from the early modern period to the early twenty-first century. You will consider the different reasons for migration from one part of the world to another, focusing in particular on forms of persecution and economic motivations.

Thinking Translation: History and Theory

Study the current thinking on translation by exploring some specific case studies. You will assess the relationship between translation practice and theory, and will place this relationship within the cultural, intellectual and political contexts of their time. 

These are the modules we currently offer for 2025/26 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Discourse Analysis

Discover key methodological frameworks and analytical approaches to describe language and apply your knowledge to a variety of social, cultural, and political contexts. 

English Grammar and Phonology 

Develop transcription skills and knowledge of phonological systems. You’ll gain a basis for applied work in discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, child language development, and corpus-based approaches to language analysis. 

Sociolinguistics

Understand how sociolinguistic theories can help to solve practical issues such as discrimination, inequality, and political polarization. This will equip you with analytical tools that you can apply to everyday situations. 

Optional modules

Language and Digital Media

This module examines how digital media and AI are reshaping language use in everyday life. Students will learn to critically analyse real online communication using tools and theories from sociolinguistics, media studies, and discourse analysis, while gaining practical skills in digital content creation and collaborative communication.

Language and the Mind 

Critically examine how the mind acquires, stores and processes language by drawing on psychology, linguistic analysis, speech science and neuroscience. You’ll apply these theories to practice and follow methodologies in psycholinguistic research.  

Language and Gender 

Address real-world problems such as gender-based discrimination and inequalities in different settings. You’ll analyse sociolinguistic research on gendered language over the last 40 years. 

Analysing Speech 

You’ll use software to analyse and understand the acoustic and physical features of speech, helping you to develop high-level auditory phonetic analysis skills.  

Introduction to English Language Teaching

Explore important aspects of current language teaching methodology, including lesson planning, promoting and sustaining interaction, and promoting strategies for learning. You’ll examine which factors affect language learning and acquire an understanding of issues in relation to learning and teaching theory and practice. 

Language and Digital Media

Explore how digital media are changing the way people use language. You will be introduced to a range of relevant theories from sociolinguistics, media studies and discourse analysis and learn to apply these theories to analysing authentic mediated texts and interactions.

Noise Annoys: British Youth Culture, Popular Music and Social Change, 1950s-90s

Explore post-war Britain and how social and political change was reflected in and/or driven by youth culture. The period saw the post-war settlement give way to the post-consensual politics of Thatcherism. It saw dramatic social and economic change, transformative technological advances and the seemingly perennial shadow of Cold War.

Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe

This multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural, comparative module examines modern ideas of nation, national identity, the nation-state and nationalism, and how they have shaped modern Europe and the rest of the world from the 18th century to the present day.

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.

These are the modules we currently offer for 2025/26 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Professional Placement Year 

Compulsory modules

Language in Professional Communication 

Investigate the use of language in professional contexts, which will provide you with increased awareness of the challenges and opportunities faced by graduates entering the global workforce.

You'll also select one of the following:

Professional Communication Project

Apply your knowledge, enhance your employability and increase your confidence and communication skills by undertaking a professional placement. Opportunities could include designing promotional material, social media marketing or as a research assistant. 

OR

Dissertation

Selecting a topic within English language and linguistics, you’ll design and implement a study, read widely on your chosen subject, and critically evaluate different theories to produce an extensive piece of original research. 

Optional modules

Child Language Development 

Discover the developmental stages of language and tools to collect, encode, and analyse child language data. You’ll use a computer program for child data analysis in your own research project on child language development. 

Introduction to Corpus Linguistics

Explore key concepts of Corpus Linguistics including frequency, collocation, concordances and keywords. It aims to provide students with a basic training in uses of specialist software programmes for the analysis of language in large or specialised corpora applying a set of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative methods.

Issues in Bilingualism 

Examine bilingualism from societal and cognitive viewpoints, considering related research questions and analysis to address practical implications for education and language policy.  

Intercultural Communication

Explore how people of different nationalities communicate with each other face-to-face and by digital means, considering what creates miscommunication and successful communication. This will help prepare you for work in diverse corporate and academic settings. 

Teaching the Language Skills

Explore current and effective methods of teaching English as a second/foreign language. Focusing on listening, speaking, reading, and writing, you’ll put to practice the academic and pedagogic ideas underpinning language teaching.

Introduction to Speech and Language Pathology

Explore a range of speech and language conditions and disorders found in adults and children; to relate these findings to their knowledge of linguistics and psychology about normal speech and language processing. You’ll learn about speech and language therapist’s role in assessments and management various conditions and different settings.

Language and Power

Explore the linguistic means by which a whole range of persuasive texts can be analysed. You will also be considering the use of language as a powerful tool in itself, than can construe reality, preserve or challenge power, harm and discriminate individuals and social groups, enhance social conflict or foster social cohesion. 

Optional Language or University Wide Modules

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.

These are the modules we currently offer for 2025/26 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they're informed by the latest teaching and research methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.