BSc Politics & English Language

3 years full time or 4 years with integrated placement year

UCAS Code: QL32

Typical Offers
A-levels: ABB from 3 A-levels. General Studies accepted.

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard. However, any offer made will not be lower than stated above. In addition to your predicted grades, when making offers we also consider your previous academic performance (eg GCSEs), your school/college reference and the commitment and motivation you demonstrate for your chosen course via the personal statement. Applicants and their teachers/advisers are welcome to contact us with individual queries about entry qualifications via If you already have your grades and would like to check your suitability for one of our courses please contact us via e-mail. Applicants and their teachers/advisers are welcome to contact us with individual queries about entry qualifications via .

View our Admissions Policy.

IB: 33 points in the IB diploma including TOK/Bonus points. Standard level Maths and English 5 required.
Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in each module. Humanities or Social Sciences Access course preferred, but other courses considered on an individual basis.
BTEC: National Extended Diploma DDD. Mix of Diploma/ Subsidiary Diploma/A-levels acceptable.

We accept a wide range of UK, EU and International qualifications: please contact us for further advice.

Specific subject requirements:
GCSE English Language and Maths Grade C/4.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

Tuition fees 2017/18: £9,250 (£1,250 during placement year) for UK/EU students. £14,000 (£2,500 during placement year) for overseas students. .

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Course outline & modules

This multi-disciplinary programme takes a practical approach to the teaching of Politics and English Language, through the optional placement year and professionally relevant modules which draw directly on our Aston’s cutting-edge research. You will examine the major issues facing governments across the world, and the policies developed and delivered by governments and other organisations. You will also be provided with the theoretical knowledge and understanding of English language and how it works in society. Important strengths of the course include the research-active teaching staff who are internationally recognised for their work on Western and Eastern Europe, Forensic Linguistics, Language and Gender and TESOL Studies. Aston is one of only a few UK universities to offer Politics and English Language with a fully integrated placement year. The distinctive placement year is an optional feature of the programme and is designed to give you real life experience and to act as a springboard for your future career. Our Politics and English Language graduates are in demand from a wide range of employers where a sound understanding of societies, organisations and institutions is required. It will also provide you with a range of desirable skills such as communication skills, critical thinking and the ability to evaluate data.

Sample module options: The modules below are indicative only. When an offer is made, students will receive a detailed programme specification which forms part of our terms and conditions.

Core modules:
Introduction to Studying and Researching Politics
British Politics since 1945
Introduction to the European Union

Introduction to Discourse Analysis
Language in Society
Grammar and Meaning
Academic Communication Skills

Core modules:
Comparative Government and Politics
History of Political Thought

Written Text Analysis
Psychology of Language and Communication
Working with Language Data

Optional modules:
Introduction to Political Economy
Security Studies in a Changing World
Regional Politics and Society

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Language at Work
Computer-mediated
Communication
The Language of the Law
Language in the News Media
Language Policy and Language Planning
Work-based Project

Year 3

Optional placement year

Core modules:
Dissertation
Research and Dissertation Skills

Optional modules:
EuroSim: Learning Negotiation through Simulation Games
The International Relations of East Asia
Religion and Politics in Contemporary Europe
Political Communicatio
The American Presidency
Nationalism & Political Power
Political Parties and Party Systems
Conflict and Politics in Contemporary Balkans
Contemporary Conflict
Diplomacy and Soft Power
The Far Right in Europe
The Politics of Climate Change
Understanding Foreign Policy
Northeast Asia: From Conflict to Cooperation
Gender and Politics
Interest groups and lobbying
Regions and Regionalism in Europe
Contemporary Political Theory
Political Leaders: Case Studies and Comparative Perspectives
Intellectuals and Politics
Power and Parliamentary Decision-Making
Ethics and International Politics

Spoken Discourse Analysis
Learning English
Corpus Linguistics
Multimodal Analysis
Language as Evidence
Language Contact and Globalisation