English Language and Linguistics (Placement Year) BA (Hons)

Lancaster University

Why Lancaster?

• Study a diverse course taught by one of the best linguistics and English language departments in the world
• Benefit from small class sizes designed to challenge you as a linguist and English language specialist
• Boost your employability with opportunities like our School Volunteering module and research internships
• Experiment in our eye-tracking and EEG labs, Phonetics Lab, Perception and Learning Laboratory
• Learn from leaders in this field– the team wrote the textbooks English Language: Description, Variation and Context (Bloomsbury) and Introducing Linguistics (Routledge)
• Explore different places, their traditions and cultures with the options to go on short trips or study abroad for an entire year

How does the English language evolve? Why are there different dialects and different languages? What does it take to construct a joke – and is humour universal? Studying this course, you'll discover the answers and more as you learn about linguistic frameworks and their applications to English.

Unravel a range of areas

If you’re fascinated by linguistics and also want to focus on English language, this is the course for you. Joining one of the country’s largest departments in these areas, you’ll explore everything from the vocal anatomy and physiology that allows us to speak, to how English grammar has developed over time.

Linguistic awareness is an advantage when working for international and multicultural organisations. You’ll develop the analytical and investigative skills valued by employers at publishers, educational institutions, management consultancies, the media, and more.

Experts in the field

The size of our department means we offer a wide range of optional modules. Whether you want to analyse the use of language in English media or how a native Russian speaker thinks compared to a Thai speaker, you’ll find an expert who specialises in your area of interest.

Our world-leading academics will share their expertise with you in small classes designed to challenge you as a linguist. They’ve even written in-depth textbooks for students studying at Lancaster and beyond.

Your Placement Year

A placement year is an excellent way to...

• try out a role that you may be interested in as a career path
• start to build your professional network (some placement students are offered permanent roles to return to after they graduate)
• develop skills, knowledge and experience to put you ahead of the field when you graduate

You'll spend your third year in a paid, graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. A very wide range of companies and organisations offer placements across all sectors. As a full-time employee, you’ll have a detailed job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.

Our Careers and Placements Team will help you to secure a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews. You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.

The university will use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.

If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.