Linguistics is the scientific study of language, seeking to understand how it is structured, used and acquired. Discover how spoken and written language is used in various social, political, cultural and philosophical contexts, including the media, literature and everyday conversation; and explore its relationship with the mind.
Our multidisciplinary focus allows you to study all aspects of language, including its nature, structure and use, and discover how it varies according to person, time and situation. Your knowledge and understanding of how a language works and how we communicate will give you a solid foundation for many careers.
Our degree programme
The course builds from developing core skills in analysis and linguistic investigation, to applying these skills in more advanced modules in your second and third year.
In your first year, you learn the fundamentals of language. In your second and third years, there are opportunities to customise your programme of study according to your own intellectual interests. You can choose from a broad range of topics focused on language structure, including grammar (morphology, syntax), sound patterns (phonetics, phonology) or meaning (semantics, pragmatics).
You might also choose to explore the way we learn and understand language (psycholinguistics), the relationship between language and society (sociolinguistics), or between language and literature (stylistics).
You can also study modules with a more vocational focus, such as language learning and teaching, creative and media writing, and language and media.
It is possible to spend a year or a term abroad at one of our partner institutions in Asia, Europe or North America. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply.
The Linguistics Laboratory has facilities for experimental and quantitative research in acoustics, sociophonetics, and speech and language processing and acquisition. This includes a soundproof recording studio and eye-tracking software. You also have access to the School of European Culture and Languages’ recording studio and a multimedia lab.
The English Language and Linguistics Society is based around a common interest in language. It provides excellent networking opportunities and access to valuable knowledge and resources that could enhance your studies.
We also host the Centre for Language and Linguistics, which runs a programme of seminars, lectures and reading groups that you may join.
On average, you have two one-hour lectures each week plus two seminar classes of two hours each. However, this varies depending on the material and the nature of the module, and there may be additional workshops, discussion groups and practical sessions. You have group or one-to-one tutorials for research projects and dissertations, and also have tutorials with your lecturers and seminar leaders to discuss coursework and assignments. In addition, you have access to further information and support via Moodle, our interactive web-based learning platform.
At each stage, some modules are continuously assessed, while others combine coursework and examination. Stage 2 and 3 modules count towards your final degree result.
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- the interdisciplinary nature of linguistics and language studies
- terminology to describe and understand the nature and use of language, including relevant descriptive linguistic concepts, terms relevant to theory and explanation in linguistics, the role of language in social life, and sychronic and diachronic perspectives
- the way speech sounds are articulated, described and change in isolation and in natural speech, and how these are organised into a system
- the structures and properties of individual words and sentences
- the way meaning is generated in language
- language varieties, styles and registers, with particular reference to English
- intercultural language issues
- language acquisition
- discourse in its broader political, historical and sociocultural contexts (discourse analysis, stylistics and text analysis, theories of discourse).
You gain intellectual skills in how to:
- construct and manage an argument
- critically judge and evaluate evidence
- present, evaluate and interpret a variety of data
- assess the merits of contrasting theories and explanations, including those from other disciplines
- collect and analyse data using a variety of methods
- consider the ethical aspects of collecting, handling and storing of data
- summarise and synthesise information from a number of sources
- reach independent judgements about data or theory.
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
- demonstrating and applying knowledge of the main methods of enquiry and analysis in linguistics and its sub-fields
- understanding the technical and ethical issues in linguistic data collection
- presenting linguistic data
- evaluating and interpreting linguistic data, developing lines of argument, and making sound judgements in accordance with the central theories and analytical concepts in linguistics and its sub-fields
- separating descriptive from prescriptive linguistic judgements, and challenging linguistic prejudice.
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- communication: presenting the results of study and work accurately, with well-structured and coherent arguments in an effective and fluent manner both in speech and in writing; communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- effective interaction within small groups, exercising personal responsibility, sensitivity and appropriate decision-making skills
- managing your own learning, demonstrating the ability to conduct independent research, to achieve goals, take initiative, be organised and meet deadlines
- understanding the dynamics of oral and written communication within a variety of settings
- library and information technology application and resources
- advanced-level IT, including aspects relating to multimedia and multimodal discourse
- managing time and prioritising workloads
- accurate and effective note-taking
- problem-solving in a variety of theoretical and practical situations.
The programme aims to:
- provide a challenging and research-led programme of study, relevant to the needs of students with a strong interest in English language and language structure more generally
- meet the needs of those thinking of working in education, training, writing, publishing, commerce, language-based therapy and tourism, or other careers where sensitivity to language and communication plays a central role
- offer a grounding in linguistic theory, and sensitivity to social, cultural and political issues which surround the use of language
- provide teaching which is informed by current research, scholarship and good practice
- enable students to manage their own learning and to carry out independent research
- develop general critical, analytical and problem-solving skills
- provide students with opportunities for the development of their personal, communication, research and other key skills
- enable students to think and work creatively and intellectually and to stimulate their search for knowledge and insight.