Linguistics BA Honours (Q100)

Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts for an academic year and you need to complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage.

Programme modules do change and therefore may differ for your year of entry.

• SEL1007 The Nature of Language
• SEL1012 Language Through Time: Introduction to the History of English
• SEL1027 Shaping Sounds and Syntax
• SEL1028 Building Blocks of Language
• SEL1029 Language Across Space: Introduction to English Dialects

You take 40 credits of modules in a modern language.

• SEL2000 Phonological Theory
• SEL2084 The Syntax of the World’s Languages
• SEL2089 Syntactic Theory

You take three of the following modules:

• SEL2086 Introduction to Language Acquisition
• SEL2091 Sociolinguistics and the Sociology of Language
• SEL2211 Contexts: Mind, Cognition and Computation
• SEL2212 Early English: Texts, Patterns and Varieties
• SEL2223 Speakers as Wordsmiths: the Creation of New Words in Present-Day English

You may replace one module from the above list, or other optional modules available from outside the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, with one from the following list:

• NCL2007 Career Development for Second Year Students
  
• NCL2100 Developing Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Employability
  
• NCL2010 Career Management Module

It may also be possible, over the course of Stages 2 and 3 together, to replace up to 60 credits of Linguistics optional modules with modules from the School of Modern Languages, with approval of the Degree Programme Director.

You choose one of the following modules:

• SEL3326 Extended Study 1: Linguistics and English Language
• SEL3327 Extended Study 2: Linguistics and English Language

You choose five modules from the following list:

• SEL3005 Language Origins and Evolution
• SEL3012 Immigrant Second Language and Literacy Acquisition
• SEL3349 History of Linguistic Ideas
• SEL3006 Topics in Phonological Theory
• SEL3343 Syntactic Puzzles and How to Solve Them
• SEL3341 Old English: Texts and Translations
• SEL3352 Language Development: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches
• SEL3372 Language and Ethnicity in 21st Century Britain
• SEL3094 Accents of English

You may replace one module from the above list, or other optional modules available from outside the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, with one from the following list:

• NCL3007 NCL Career Development for Final Year Students
  
• NCL3008 NCL Advanced Career Development for Final Year Students

It may also be possible, over the course of Stages 2 and 3 together, to replace up to 60 credits of optional modules with modules from the School of Modern Languages, with approval of the Degree Programme Director.

You may replace one of the five modules from the list above, with one of the following modules (some prerequisites may apply):

• SEL2086 Introduction to Language Acquisition
• SEL2091 Sociolinguistics and the Sociology of Language
• SEL2211 Contexts: Mind, Cognition and Computation
• SEL2212 Early English: Texts, Patterns and Varieties
• SEL2223 Speakers as Wordsmiths: the Creation of New Words in Present-Day English

You may also replace one module from both of the optional lists above, with the following module:

• SEL3329 Dissertation: Linguistics and English Language

English students acquire a range of valuable skills, which they can transfer to many different employment situations. Your literary and linguistic training can be used in journalism, librarianship, teaching and the highly competitive fields of writing, acting and directing.

You will also gain other skills such as the capacity to analyse and summarise material, to communicate, to work to a deadline, to argue a case, to work independently as well as collaboratively, to think logically and to be able to use computers.

This is excellent preparation for a wide number of professions and as such, our graduates have gone on to a variety of career areas including editorial, marketing, PR and other forms of media. Others have gone to work in law, politics, HR, teaching and supporting specialist learning.

Visit the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics website to watch video interviews with former students talking about their experiences at Newcastle and their careers since graduating.

Find out more about the career options for Linguistics from Prospects: The UK's Official Careers Website.