This specialisation focuses on how people use varieties of English and other languages in different contexts.You will learn theory and research practices from the fields of sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, life writing, and language pedagogy. You will study and write about connections between language variation and identities while considering applications for educational contexts. This specialisation provides a strong foundation for the Master’s programmes in multilingualism and language acquisition, intercultural communication, as well as the teacher training Master’s programme.

Block 1:

Sociolinguistics of Englishes: Language Variation, Contact, and Change (EN3V18004)

This course will discuss language variation in English associated with factors such as geography, gender, social class and sexual identity among native and non-native speakers. Topics include language change, contact, ideology and attitudes in countries where English is a first or second language, such as the UK, the US, Ireland, and South Africa.

Block 2:

Language and identity: Researching and Writing Who We Are (EN3V18005)

This course will teach ways that people use varieties of English and linguistic characteristics to present themselves a certain way in different contexts. In this course one will learn on how to research and write about the linguistic choices we make in representing ourselves, others, and groups to which we may or may not belong.

Block 3:

Life Writing (EN3V18006)

This course will provide stories drawn from lived experience, which are a powerful force in English-speaking cultures and societies. How do writers of biographies, memoirs, documentaries, and social media negotiate the need to ‘tell the truth’ of their experience with the desire to tell an engaging story, and how are they perceived?

Block 4:

English in Europe and Asia: Learners’ and Users’ Attitudes and Practices (EN3V18007)

This course will teach you how English as a non-native language is used in Europe and Asia, and how they developing their own use of English to express who they are. The course will be looking at education, multilingualism, popular music and the attitudes people have towards English in their countries.