Exploring Variation in English introduces how the English language is used in different ways by varied speakers. The module enables you to explore the diversity of English at the regional, national and global level. You will also focus on the methodology of linguistic research and carry out your own, small-scale sociolinguistic research project.

Language and Meaning explores the different aspects of meaning as expressed through lexis and grammar. The module examines meaning in relation to the world, society, culture and attitude, and looks into how words and their meanings relate to one another. You will also investigate meaning, expressed directly or indirectly, and consider how meaning arises from the combination of lexis and grammatical structures.

Language, Mind and Communication provides you with an overview of the development of language and communication, and how we learn to understand and produce it, with a focus on the English language. The module addresses how language developed during human evolution, outlines how language is processed in the brain, and considers how language affects our minds and our perception of other aspects of our environment. A variety of theories that have been put forward to explain language development will also be discussed.

Studying English Language provides a foundation for the exploration of the English language. The module enables you to acquire and consolidate key skills for degree-level study of the English language, such as locating relevant sources, critical reading, taking and organising notes, constructing an annotated bibliography, collecting and analysing data, reporting results via tables and graphs, summarising and quoting, preparing presentation slides, structuring an essay, and citing and listing sources.

The Sounds of English introduces you to the sound systems of English and enables you to gain a basic understanding and knowledge of the description and classification of speech sounds. You will also enhance your knowledge and understanding of the ways in which phonetics and phonology are directly relevant to several fields, such as speech and language therapy, second language learning, education, literary stylistics, forensic phonetics and artificial intelligence.

The Structure of English introduces you to the structure of the English language. You will learn to use grammatical terminology to label words, clauses, sentences and structures.

TLC1010 Language 1 is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated element of your degree. You can study French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish (subject to minimum numbers for your preferred language). Delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, the module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will play an active role in the weekly two-hour classes, engaging in role-plays, short conversations, videos, authentic texts and listening materials. You will also be encouraged to reflect on your own learning needs. On enrolment to the module, you will complete a language induction form and be placed into a language level group appropriate for your prior knowledge of your chosen language. Please note, while we will endeavour to accommodate varying language levels per module, this is not always possible. While you can join the module with some prior experience of your target language, you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in.

Analysing Discourse takes a linguistic approach to the examination of discourse, both written and spoken. You will explore how discourse is structured and consider how meaning in discourse is created and negotiated between addressors and addressees. Furthermore, the module presents a linguistic approach to the study of the communication, creation, maintenance and contestation of ideologies via discourse.

Child Language Development offers an overview of the processes involved in first language development. The module considers how children develop language in terms of perception and comprehension, phonetics and phonology, lexis and grammar. You will also be introduced to, and examine, theoretical accounts of how we acquire our first language. This will include consideration of themes around nativism and evidence-based approaches.

English Language: Forms and Contexts provides you with the opportunity to learn about a particular area of the English language. You will develop practical and theoretical knowledge and skills and confidence in the description of English forms and their use in social and/or historical contexts. You will cover grammar (morphology and syntax), lexis and its interaction with grammar, and phonetics and phonology. The grammatical, lexical or phonological characteristics of different English-speaking communities will be explored, alongside the related attitudes/judgements of language users, as well as the grammatical, lexical or phonological characteristics of English in different periods.

History and Development of English examines the history and development of the English language from its earliest beginnings to the present-day. The module covers the influence of Chaucer and Shakespeare on the English language, as well as the role of dictionaries and the King James Bible in the making of what English has become today. There are sessions focusing on the rise of standard English, the nature and spread of dialect over time, the effect of linguistic borrowing, recent changes in the language, and the growth of regional standards of English around the world.

Independent Project enables you to research and initiate a work-related project with an external agency. The project entails detailed familiarity with a cultural, public sector or voluntary organisation, a contribution to this organisation, the use of skills developed on the degree programme, and a final reflection and self-evaluation which looks ahead to your immediate and longer-term career plans.

Investigating English Language is a module that spans two semesters. The first semester provides an overview of different types of data, discusses data selection and collection, and introduces contemporary approaches to working with linguistic data. You will explore current methodological approaches used by linguists according to the kinds of features, and levels of, language being explored. You will also be supported via workshops to identify the topic and focus of a small-scale research study for which you will develop a viable research proposal. This proposal will then form the basis of a supervised research project which you will undertake in the second semester. The aim is to engage you in a substantial piece of extended writing in preparation for a possible dissertation in Year 3.

Language of Shakespeare and His Time enables you to explore distinctive Early Modern English linguistic features (including morphology, syntax and pronunciation) of Shakespeare’s work in great detail, and to compare them with corresponding features in present-day Standard British English. You will identify linguistic distinctions in Shakespeare’s language which are no longer active today, analyse the differences between Early Modern English and contemporary English in terms of vocabulary, grammatical structure and usage, and distinguish between the language of Shakespeare’s time and Shakespeare’s own creative use of the language.

TLC2000 Language 2 enables you to build on and develop your previous language knowledge in French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish. You must have either studied the prior language module in the previous year of your degree or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge of your target language (though you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in). The language levels available will be determined by the continuation of corresponding groups from module TLC1010 Language 1. You will gain the language skills necessary to become a more proficient user of the language. Classes will be taught in an interactive and communicative manner using authentic materials to promote meaningful communication. They will be conducted in the target language as much as possible. Emphasis will be on speaking and listening, with appropriate attention also being paid to other communication skills. Other work will include a variety of tasks which may be completed in the Language Centre.

An Introduction to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) examines the principles and practice of good English language teaching. Issues dealt with during the module include the history of language teaching and learning, individual learner differences, grammatical terminology, materials development and planning English for Speakers of Other Languages’ programmes and lessons.

Language Change centres around the key question of how and why does language change.  Language change can be a way through which to explore not only language and its structure, but also human (pre)history, society, cognition and psychology. Historical linguistics is therefore one of the most dynamic fields in linguistics. It deals with many of the same issues and questions as other areas of the field, such as sociolinguistics, but takes a diachronic approach to them, looking at change over time. The module will introduce you to the methods and models used in historical linguistics and you will gain an understanding of the nature and varieties of linguistic change. You will also develop an awareness of the cross-disciplinary links between historical linguistics and other disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology and genetics.

Language, Gender and Sexuality enables you to analyse and account for the ways in which gender and sexuality are constructed and represented through language use. Butler’s influential theory that gender is performative and that it emerges through discourse is key to the approach taken in this module. You will explore the diverse linguistic means by which gender and sexual identities are linguistically constructed and performed. The module will also encourage you to examine a variety of discourse types, such as spontaneous conversation, magazines, children’s literature, and film, in order to interrogate the ways in which gender and sexual identities are linguistically represented, regulated and constrained. In addition to this, the intersectionality of language, gender and sexuality with other aspects of social identity, such as ethnicity, age, and social class, will be explored.

Psycholinguistics explores the ways that we understand and produce language, from a cognitive perspective. With a primary focus on the English language, the module questions whether there is evidence for a developmental trajectory of child language comprehension and production and considers whether we can distinguish between linguistic competence and performance in either oral or written communication. You will also discover a variety of psycholinguistic methodologies, analyse how we teach and evaluate particular linguistic skills and abilities, and examine whether we can identify individuals early in life who are at risk of a slower rate of language development and give them appropriate support.

Critical Discourse Studies focuses on the critical analysis of texts (spoken or written, revealing how discourse analysis can uncover implicit attitudes, ideologies and power relations. The module examines in detail the core theoretical approaches, concepts and constructs which underlie critical discourse studies. You will gain an insight into the communication and understanding of meaning beyond the conventional sense of words and structures. The module will develop your understanding of the power of discourse to construct identities and enable you to carry out critical discourse analysis of different types of texts in a variety of contexts.

English Language: Varieties and Other Languages provides you with opportunities to explore the multi-faceted relationship of English with other languages. The module enables you to develop knowledge and skills in investigating issues related to the influence of English on other languages, or the influence of other languages on English, and apply theory to the analysis of linguistic data. You will also be able to examine the implications on a language user’s identity of learning more than one language as a child or living in a multilingual environment.

Forensic Linguistics recognises that the law is overwhelmingly a linguistic institution. Laws are coded in language and the concepts that are used to construct law are accessible only through language.  Legal processes, such as court cases, police investigations, and the management of prisoners take place almost exclusively though language. Forensic linguistics concerns the application of linguistics to describe and analyse language and discourse in the legal process.  This module takes a broad view of the subject in order to examine a wide interface between language and the law.

Hosting a Festival enables you to make a direct connection between the subject matter of your degree and your plans a graduate career by engaging with workplace practice via a group project. This module provides the opportunity to work collaboratively to research, plan and initiate an in-house festival, aimed at a specific audience, while reflecting on and evaluating your ability to do so. Academic supervision and assessment is provided by the Department of English, History and Creative Writing while support is also available from the University’s Careers Centre. The module will equip you with a ready-made, experience-based case study of how you applied the knowledge and skills learned on your degree in a practical setting, providing valuable material for job applications, interviews and your CV.

Language Dissertation involves the completion of an 8,000-9000 word independent (but supervised) study of an area of language of interest to you. You will learn how to research and write about a topic agreed with your supervisor, and produce a well organised and well-structured piece of research. Potential topics which could be explored in a dissertation include, for example, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, child language acquisition, spoken discourse analysis, psycholinguistics, language in relation to gender and sexuality, language pathology, language and pedagogy, dialectology, language contact, creolisation, place-name studies, bilingualism, or contrastive grammar.

TLC3000 Language 3 further enhances your language skills in French, German, Arabic, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish and introduces you to a new culture and way of life. It is suitable if you have studied the prior language module in the previous year of your degree or if you can demonstrate equivalent knowledge of your target language (though you will not be able to study a language you are already fluent or proficient in). The language levels available will be determined by the continuation of corresponding groups from module TLC2000 Language 2. You will develop language skills to a level of proficiency that will enable you to spend time living or working abroad. Classes will be conducted as much as possible in the target language. They will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be on speaking and listening, with appropriate attention also being paid to other skills. Other work will include a variety of tasks which may be completed in the Language Centre.

LNG2200 English Language: Forms and Contexts (20 credits) added as an optional module in Year 2. LNG2131 Introduction to Sociolinguistic Variation (20 credits), LNG2134 Early English (20 credits), LNG2135 Phonetics and Phonology (20 credits) and LNG2136 Modern English Structure and Language (20 credits) removed as optional modules in Year 2.

HUM3000 Hosting a Festival (20 credits) added as an optional module in Year 3. LNG3200 English Language: Varieties and Other Languages (20 credits) added as an optional module in Year 3. LNG3142 Bilingualism (20 credits), LNG3144 Beyond English (20 credits) and LNG3145 Language and Identity (20 credits) removed as optional modules in Year 3. LNG3155 Language Change (20 credits) replaces LNG3151 Historical Linguistics (20 credits) as an optional module in Year 3.

The programme is now available to study on a full-time or part-time basis. It was previously available full-time only.

LNG2140 English Language Research Paper (20 credits) replaces LNG2128 English Language Long Essay (20 credits) and LNG2138 Methodology (20 credits) as an optional module in Year 2.

LNG2130 History and Development of English (20 credits) changes from compulsory to optional in Year 2. Two modules need to be selected from four options comprising LNG2130 History and Development of English (20 credits), LNG2133 Analysing Discourse (20 credits), LNG2136 Modern English Structure and Usage (20 credits) and LNG2139 Child Language Development (20 credits).

LNG3154 Critical Discourse Studies (20 credits) added as an optional module in Year 3.