English Language and Linguistics (BA)

Subject area: English language and literature
UCAS code: 2HS6
Next intake: September 2025
Duration: 3 years
Mode: Full time

Information on open days and visits

How to apply

Why study this course

Your linguistic world

A focus on the relationship between language and linguistics, and its application to the social world.

Branching out

A wide variety of modules allowing you to explore your interests and discover new ones.

Adventure and exploration

Opportunities to study abroad in Europe and beyond, fostering independence and resilience.

Future-focused

Develop in-demand employability skills, enhancing your career prospects in a wide range of fields.

How does your use of language express who you are and who you want to be? Why do babies learn language easily while adults struggle? How and why does language change? How is language in the media used to manipulate us? Are pictures sometimes better than words? Can we talk with animals?

Through our English Language and Linguistics (BA) degree, you will have the opportunity to explore questions such as these and will gain a deep understanding of how linguistic communication works based on usage from English and comparative examples from a wide range of other languages.

You will study core theories and cutting-edge practices in linguistics. You will also acquire the skills to apply those theories and practices to real world issues.

Together, we will look at how language is structured and used in the social world. There are two key aspects to doing this: First, knowledge of the relationships between linguistic structures, individual identity, and social organisation. Second, the acquisition of skills for analysing language, not just as it can be used but as it is used in context.

In the first year of the programme, you will learn how language works and how to use language to communicate. During the second year, you will focus on how language is and has been used in practice. These topics will equip you to discover how to navigate the use of language and linguistics in today’s modern world and the relationship between language and society, with a focus in your final year on how to communicate specialist topics to different audiences.

Acquiring career-enhancing skills, you’ll have the opportunity to produce different types of texts and work with specialised software. You will gain skills from analysing real-world examples of language and learn how to construct arguments and communicate ideas to different audiences.

A degree in English language and linguistics develops abilities to analyse and critique the language that surrounds us and helps develop a strong skillset that is valued in the workplace.

Our community is welcoming, supportive, and student-centred. We are diverse in outlook and home to the globally respected Centre for Language and Communication Research.

Subject area: English language and literature

School of English, Communication and Philosophy
Get in touch
+44 (0)29 2087 4243
Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Entry requirements

We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:

A level

ABB-BBC

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

32-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.

Baccalaureate Wales

From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.

Other essential requirements

You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

English language requirements

GCSE

Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT

At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic

At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III

II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Other accepted qualifications

Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.

Criminal convictions

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

access to computers or devices that can store images
use of internet and communication tools/devices
curfews
freedom of movement
contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Other qualifications from inside the UK

Qualifications from outside the UK

Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

Year	Tuition fee	Deposit
Year one	£9,535	None
Year two	£9,535	None
Year three	£9,535	None

The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.

Fees for island status

Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

Year	Tuition fee	Deposit
Year one	£23,700	None
Year two	£23,700	None
Year three	£23,700	None

Learn more about our tuition fees

Financial support

Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.

Additional costs

Accommodation

We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.

Living costs

We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Course structure

This is a 3-year full-time degree, with 120 credits of study in each year.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.

Year one

In year 1, you will take 120 credits of core modules.

The core modules will cover all the essential tools of linguistic analysis, introduce you to the key skills needed for your studies, and equip you with the necessary academic writing skills you will use throughout your degree and beyond.

Core modules for year one

Module title	Module code	Credits
Language and the Mind	SE1111	20 credits
How Language Works 1	SE1113	20 credits
How Language Works 2	SE1114	20 credits
Developing English: History and Society	SE1115	20 credits
Understanding Communication	SE1116	20 credits
Writing at University and Beyond	SE6266	20 credits

Year two

In year 2, you will take 3 core modules and 3 optional modules.

The core modules build on topics already introduced during the first year and further develop the skills you will need (such as clear communication and critical thinking) as you refine and explore your specific research interests.

You will choose your optional modules from a selection covering a variety of topics, enabling you to explore your particular interests.

Core modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Sounds of Speech	SE1336	20 credits
Discourse	SE1362	20 credits
Structure, Meaning and Function	SE1424	20 credits

Optional modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Sociolinguistics	SE1369	20 credits
Words and Meaning	SE1370	20 credits
Digital Literacy and Language	SE1389	20 credits
History of English	SE1398	20 credits
Language and Gender	SE1403	20 credits
Style and Genre	SE1416	20 credits
First and Second Language Acquisition	SE1422	20 credits

Year three

In year 3, you'll take one core module, which will equip you with relevant employability skills and the opportunity to analyse data in a real-world context.

You will choose from a wide variety of optional modules to cover the remaining credits. This includes the opportunity to undertake a Dissertation based on your own interests.

Core modules for year three

Module title	Module code	Credits
Working with Linguistic Data	SE1425	20 credits

Optional modules for year three

Module title	Module code	Credits
Forensic Linguistics	SE1324	20 credits
Dissertation in Language and Communication 1	SE1383	20 credits
Dissertation in Language and Communication 2	SE1384	20 credits
Patterns of Language	SE1396	20 credits
Media Discourse	SE1408	20 credits
The Graphic Memoir	SE1409	20 credits
Professional and Intercultural Communication	SE1417	20 credits
Experimental Approaches to Psycholinguistics	SE1418	20 credits
Language and Popular Culture	SE1419	20 credits
Phraseology in Theory and Application	SE1421	20 credits
World Englishes	SE1423	20 credits

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

Throughout the degree, our aim is to support you to become an independent, creative, and critical thinker.

First year teaching provides carefully structured support through lectures and seminar discussions to help you develop key skills and gain confidence. The learning activities will vary from module to module, but may include lectures, seminar discussions, student presentations, and small-group work. You will also have access to relevant learning and teaching materials through our electronic learning environment.

Through the second and final year of study, you will increasingly learn through guided independent reading and interactive lectures and seminars, discussing new research with internationally recognised academics who are currently working in that area.

In this supportive environment, you will develop your abilities to analyse texts, construct arguments, collaboratively work through problems, and present your ideas clearly to others.

You are expected to do the reading and other relevant preparation to enable you to take part fully in these activities and are encouraged to explore the resources of the library.

How will I be supported?

Your main sources of support are your module leaders, your personal tutor and the School’s Writing Development Centre. Your module leaders have drop-in sessions during teaching weeks that you can attend if you have any questions about module materials or assessments. Personal tutors can advise you on academic matters, including study skills, careers, and your academic progress, as well as on pastoral matters. They also act as a first point of contact if you experience any difficulties. You will be invited to meet with your personal tutor regularly throughout your degree, and they are available for extra meetings as needed.

The School’s Writing Development Centre provides specialist support for academic writing across the programme. You can access online materials, workshops and one-to-one meetings about any aspect of academic writing to support you with your assessments.

Our Undergraduate Team provides academic and student support and is there is to help you with information and guidance if you have any queries. Beyond the school, the university offers a range of support services and events to help you plan your career, manage your emotional, mental and physical health, support you with financial issues, and provide assistance for students with disabilities. These services are co-located at the university's Centre for Student Life. Libraries, study spaces and other resource centres will all be available to you.

How will I be assessed?

Your assessments are designed to cumulatively develop key skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and reflection.

A range of formative and summative assessment methods are used, including essays, examinations, presentations, portfolios, and seminar tasks.

Feedback:

You will regularly receive feedback on your progress. Oral feedback in lectures and seminars will help you assess your understanding of the module material and your critical responses to it. You will receive formative comments on assignment ideas, and detailed feedback on all marked coursework. You’ll also be able to regularly discuss your overall performance with your personal tutor.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.

On successful completion of your programme, you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of core areas of English language and linguistics, including phonetics, grammar, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse.
Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of how language works in the social world
Demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of the interplay of an analysis of linguistic data with critical and theoretical sources

Intellectual Skills:

Apply descriptive terminology relevant to English language and linguistic phenomena
Analyse various types of linguistic data
Construct and explain complex and specialised arguments that support claims in response to the conventions of the genre
Evaluate the impact of language use in a range of contexts

Professional Practical Skills:

Critically read and evaluate ideas, arguments and empirical research
Show critical awareness of different writing conventions and writing tools, and the ability to use and adapt them for different types of assessment
Assess and solve problems independently, taking the views of others into account in a systematic and evaluative way

Transferable/Key Skills:

Organise and communicate complex ideas and arguments in different formats suitable to different audiences, using appropriate referencing conventions
Use a range of employability skills, including communication, collaboration, time management and the ability to follow instructions.
Reflect on and respond to constructive feedback.

Careers

Career prospects

We are committed to helping you achieve your professional ambitions and will encourage you, and work with you, to consider and explore your career or other post-graduation options early.

Degrees in English language and linguistics combine the best of humanities skills (flexibility, communication, critique) and social science skills (technical analysis and systematic method). This combination of specialist and transferable skills, alongside your powers of expression and critical thinking, will be valued by employers.

During your degree, you will benefit from the university’s range of careers support. The Cardiff Award provides a framework through which to develop your employability while our Students Futures service can provide opportunities to develop or increase your professional experience through placements or internships and maximise your skills and preparation with careers workshops and one-on-one advice sessions. Equally, you could work with the Enterprise and Start Up team to bring your ideas to life, grounding you with the know-how to succeed. Alternatively, you can take advantage of initiatives like Languages for All and Welsh for All to gain new (or improve existing) language skills, enhancing both your CV and your personal experiences.

With the breadth of academic and professional skills, as well as personal development opportunities, our graduates can be found in a variety of roles and sectors. These include marketing and PR, sales and advertising, media and broadcasting, education and teaching, speech and language therapy, the civil service and public administration, among many more.

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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.