About English Language And Linguistics BA Honours in University of Westminster, London

On this course you will study one of the key aspects of being human: our ability to use language. You will examine how languages differ and what elements they share, as well as developing your knowledge of the historical and cultural aspects of the English Language in particular. The course provides a rare opportunity to combine both in-depth formal linguistic study with a consideration of the ways in which the use of English language reflects its social context. As a result, the course nurtures skills in research and analytic skills at the same time as enhancing your own abilities with the English language. The course appeals to students interested in language in general and the fundamental role it plays in our understanding of the world around us, and in the nature of the English language and its variants. It includes practical and theoretical modules that are invaluable for students interested in teaching English, speech therapy, editing, journalism, or advertising, but helps to prepare you for any career that requires an advanced, sophisticated use of language. The degree is particularly strong in improving the kind of transferable communicative and cognitive skills that employers need, and which will prepare you for life-long personal and professional development.

You develop your knowledge and understanding of how the English language works in terms of its structure, how it has changed over time, and the ways in which it is employed in different spoken and written contexts. Your knowledge of English will be informed and contextualised by your wider study of language as a human faculty. You examine what human languages have in common and how they vary in terms of their grammatical structures and their sound systems. 

You can study two option modules each year from a range of modules in the school and across the University, including Polylang. In Year 3 you complete a dissertation in a topic chosen by you, with one-to-one support from your supervisor. 

The principal mode of teaching is through seminars of 15-25 students with some larger university lectures, but a key factor in the distinctiveness of this degree is its fortnightly small group tutorials (3-5 students per tutor). These are designed to support your own individual learning needs as you go through the first two years. The tutorials are specific to this degree and provide an important space for you to enhance your study and employability skills within a supportive framework. As in all university study, much of your learning is independent, conducted beyond the classroom (individually and in groups) in the library, at home, and via the university's online learning system, Blackboard, and the tutorials provide essential support for university-level study. 

Assessment is particularly varied in the English Language and Linguistics BA Honours. It ranges from small analytic exercises of language data, through the preparation and execution of small research projects and presentations, all the way to the preparation and writing of your own dissertation in the final year. Essays and small written reports also feature as part of coursework, and the core modules all combine coursework with some exams.

​​​Academic qualification equivalents

• HSC XII: CBSE, ICSE, Kolkata, or Tamil Nadu boards with an overall average of 70% or above*
• HSC XII: West Bengal board with an overall average of 58% or above*
• HSC XII: Maharashtra or Gujarat boards with an overall average of 75% or above*
• HSC XII: All other state boards with an overall average of 80%+ or above*
• a recognised International Foundation course from a UK institution or an Indian institution following a validated UK syllabus. Entry requirements vary but we normally ask for between 60% and 65%

English language requirements (one of the below):

•  IELTS: 6.0 overall with a minimum 5.5 in each component
• TOEFL iBT : 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in Listening, and Writing, 18 in Reading and 20 in Speaking 
• PTE:54 average with 51 in each component

University of Westminster, London Highlights

University of Westminster Cost of Attendance

The average estimated annual cost for 2020/2021 session is presented on the table below: