Course overview
This English Language BA Honours course encourages you to explore the English language in all its diversity – past and present, national and international, offline and online.
You’ll investigate how English has developed over time. We’ll look at how the language is used to mark regional, social and stylistic distinctions. You will learn from experts and world-leading researchers in English Language and Linguistics.
During this three-year English Language degree, you will:
- study how English has evolved over time, how it is acquired, and how it develops in the mind
- examine the grammatical structures and sound systems of different varieties of English
- explore how historical, social and other contexts impact variation in English
- learn different methodologies for studying the use and complexities of English
Your course and study experience – disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Quality and ranking
- 16th in the UK – The Complete University Guide 2025 (English category)
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Top 80 for English Language and Literature – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- Top 90 for Arts and Humanities – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 15th in the UK – Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 (English category)
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Modules and learning
Modules
The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you’ll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions
You will also have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge and try something new. A selection of modules are available from other humanities subjects, such as History, Philosophy, or Sociology.
Modules
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| The Nature of Language | 20 |
| Introduction to the Structure of Language 1: Phonetics, Phonology & Morphology | 20 |
| Introduction to Language Structure 2: Syntax, semantics and pragmatics | 20 |
| Dealing with Data | 20 |
Optional modules
You will also choose two optional modules (totalling 40 credits). You will select these from a list of over 100 modules from across different subjects, including Archaeology, Classics, Classical Languages, Creative Writing, Education, English Literature, Geography, History, History of Art, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology.
Modules
Compulsory modules
You must take the following compulsory modules (shown in the optional list below):
Sociolinguistics (20 credits)
Early English: Texts, Patterns and Varieties (20 credits)
Modules
| Optional Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Career Development for second year students | 20 |
| Phonological Theory | 20 |
| Syntactic Theory | 20 |
| Monsters, Misery & Miracles: Heroic Life in Old English Poetry | 20 |
| Experimental Methods in Linguistics | 20 |
| Multilingualism | 20 |
| Pragmatic Theory | 20 |
| CHiLD: Current Hypotheses in Language Development | 20 |
| It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it: Prosody and intonation | 20 |
| Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | 20 |
| Overseas Exchange (Semester 1) | 60 |
| Overseas Exchange (Semester 2) | 60 |
You only take one of the following modules if you undertake the Study Abroad exchange programme:
Overseas Exchange (Semester 1)
Overseas Exchange (Semester 2)
Modules
| Optional Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Career Development for final year students | 20 |
| Phonological Theory | 20 |
| Syntactic Theory | 20 |
| Monsters, Misery & Miracles: Heroic Life in Old English Poetry | 20 |
| Experimental Methods in Linguistics | 20 |
| Multilingualism | 20 |
| Pragmatic Theory | 20 |
| CHiLD: Current Hypotheses in Language Development | 20 |
| It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it: Prosody and intonation | 20 |
| Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | 20 |
| Origins and Evolution of Language | 20 |
| Language in the City | 20 |
| Short-form Dissertation 1: English Language and Linguistics | 20 |
| Short-form Dissertation 2: English Language and Linguistics | 20 |
| Long-form Dissertation: English Language and Linguistics | 40 |
| The History of Linguistic Ideas | 20 |
| Language and Ageing | 20 |
| Advanced Second Language Acquisition | 20 |
| Laboratory Phonology | 20 |
| From Input to Output: The Blackbox of Child Language Acquisition | 20 |
| Medieval and Early Modern Meaning: English Historical Semantics | 20 |
Skills and experience
Practical experience
Studying English Language at Newcastle means you will benefit from access to our state-of-the-art Linguistics Laboratory. The LingLab hosts collections of English language data for analysis of linguistic variation and change. It also hosts a range of equipment for advanced articulatory, phonetic and psycholinguistic research. Activities are supported by a dedicated lab manager.
Research skills
As part of your degree, you will complete an independent research project in your final year. You will collaborate with a faculty member to investigate a novel topic in English Language that you are passionate about.
You will also be offered a range of opportunities to participate in staff research projects. Though this is not a four-year degree generally, some students do a placement year.
Opportunities
Study abroad
You can study abroad for one semester in your second year as part of this degree. In Europe we have links with:
- Ghent University, Belgium
- Leipzig University, Germany
- Groningen University, Netherlands
- Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
We also have links with universities in other parts of the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and the USA, including, but not limited to:
- Monash University, Australia
- University of Sydney, Australia
- McGill University, Canada
- University of Hong Kong
- University of Vermont, USA
Find out more about Study Abroad.
Work placement
During your degree, you’ll have multiple opportunities to undertake a meaningful work placement. In your second and third years, you may choose to take the Career Development Module which offers academic credit for 50 hours of placement. You can choose to carry out your placement via part-time work, volunteering or in a local school. You will be assessed through a mixture of written work, presentations, and professional skills assessment.
In addition, you’ll have the option to spend 9 to 12 months on a work placement with University support from our dedicated Careers team to help you secure your dream placement in the UK or abroad. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.
You’ll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice, and developing your professional expertise. Previous placements have been in a range of sectors, including:
- Journalism and Broadcasting
- Sustainable Energy
- Politics
- Digital Media and Marketing
- Education
- Finance
- Museum and Heritage
- Travel and Tourism
If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Placements are subject to availability.
Find out more about work placements.
Facilities and environment
Facilities
You’ll be based in the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics. The School is located in the Percy Building, which is at the heart of our city-centre campus. You’ll join a lively community of students, academics, writers, and professionals.
You’ll have access to:
- A library of 1.4 million books and 54,000 journals on 26km of shelving
- The Percy Building’s student common rooms, study areas and café
- Northern Stage, Great North Museum & the Hatton Gallery for events and exhibitions
- The Students’ Union for shops, societies and gigs
- A digital media lab for developing documentaries and film-making
Our literature and creative writing teaching is linked to the Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts (NCLA) programme. This will give you regular contact with leading creative artists.
Find out more about the NCLA programme
You’ll also have access to a diverse programme of events, including spoken-word events and creative writing courses.
Support
You’ll have the support of an academic member of staff as a Personal Tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues affecting your academic progress.
Peer Mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer questions you may have when starting university.
Your future
English Language and Linguistics students acquire a range of valuable skills which equip them to pursue diverse career paths.
Your training can be used in:
- teaching English as a foreign language
- publishing
- journalism
- advertising, branding and marketing
- information services and data science
You will gain skills such as critical reasoning and problem solving, project and data management, oral and written communication, collaboration and independent research.
Our degrees provide excellent preparation for a wide number of professions. With further training, our graduates have also become:
- lexicographers
- translators and interpreters
- speech and language therapists
- social researchers
- legal sector workers (including forensic linguists)
Employability
Employability and the engagement with the wider world go hand-in-hand in this degree.
Many of our modules, particularly in Stage 3, model their assessments on the kind of tasks you might be employed to do:
- constructing marketing briefs
- drafting website copy
- curating exhibitions
- designing experiments
- coding websites
- analysing data
- writing a clear and persuasive argument.
Beyond our modules, there are plenty of extracurricular opportunities. These range from freelance work for Newcastle’s student newspaper to paid internships in the department. In particular, the Newcastle Centre for Literary Arts hires students to work on everything from event management to app design.
Careers support
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Visit our Careers Service website
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Check the government’s website for more information.
Entry requirements
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements and offers below apply to 2025 entry.
| A-Level | |
|---|---|
| ABB. We welcome candidates with an A Level in English Language, although this is not required. We welcome candidates with an A Level in Psychology, Sociology, Maths, or Science. | |
| International Baccalaureate | |
|---|---|
| 32 points.
Candidates who have some background in Maths and Science may be interested in the cognitive/brain science and quantitative elements of the course. Candidates who prefer Arts and Humanities subjects may be interested in the historical, sociological, and literary elements of the course. |
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