Leading Universities
Discussion Group for English
Language
Why study? Study English Language because you are fascinated by the way that language shapes
society and society is shaped by its language. Studying English Language at degree level will give
you an understanding of the fundamentals of English, its historical development and, with the
study of Linguistics and its problem-solving approach, will enable you to understand the science
of English. ‘Joint Honours’ degrees include: Linguistics, Literature, Languages, Creative Writing,
Psychology and Philosophy, amongst others. Such excellent degrees lead to myriad career
choices in teaching, journalism, the civil service, advertising and forensics.
Do your research
UCAS http://search.ucas.com/
this website will list every single course available in British universities.
https://unistats.direct.gov.uk/Compare-Courses .. this website will allow to compare the success of past
students on the courses of your choice and find out the employment prospects of those who have done your course..
http://www.heaponline.co.uk/- search for your chosen course and find out exactly which grades are needed for your
chosen course.
Ideas to be more competitive in this subject
Consider an EPQ with a Language related focus. Read newspapers, news websites and a range of
periodicals which will help you understand a variety of text types, but also develop your
understanding of contextual factors that influence writers. Join online forums which discuss the
development of language. Develop your critical voice and blog about language issues. Be a
language collector: build a cuttings book of interesting uses of language, from political
manifestos to toilet wall graffiti. Try to get some work experience in a field that interests you:
speech therapy, journalism – perhaps a local newspaper, publishing or publicity work; basically
anywhere that language matters. Read widely (see the suggested list below).
Suggested Reading List
‘Babel’ The Language Magazine http://www.babelzine.com/ available on the English Language
FROG page; www.englicious.org a useful site focused on grammar use; National Museum of
Language (http://younglinguists.org/resources.html); an excellent blog developed by Dan
Clayton, a recognised authority http://englishlangsfx.blogspot.co.uk/; Linguistics Research
Digest http://linguistics-research-digest.blogspot.co.uk/
Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language (big, but it will give you a grounding
for almost all the BA) available in the school library; Jackendoff, Ray (2012). A User's Guide to
Thought and Meaning. Oxford University Press; Yule, George. The Study of Language – often
used for the first year of degree courses