BA (Hons) English Language and Literatures Bachelor's degree at the University of Kent

Gain a solid framework for the areas of study you'll cover as you progress, with this introduction to human language. You'll identify the core properties of language that make it unique among other human abilities and examine how these core properties can be explained by understanding the human mind and the functions of language in the world. You'll be introduced to core concepts and debates in the study of language (including language universals, the nature of language learning, the relationshi

Explore a constellation of literary works, engaging with different genres, periods, styles, cultures and traditions. You'll study the richness of literature in global contexts and engage with the concept of World Literature. The relationship between national and global literatures will also be explored, alongside important questions about language, translation, adaptation and reception. You'll learn how cultural contexts can shape literary texts and how themes travel across national boundaries.

Gain a solid foundational knowledge in the core levels of language study: phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. You'll be introduced to a range of technical and formal mechanisms for analysing and describing language and the skills you will need to be able to apply your knowledge. You'll develop analytical tools for understanding and constructing arguments about linguistic structure. Through being provided with a conceptual framework for description and analysis, you will gain

How has storytelling evolved over the last 4000 years? We'll take you on a literary journey from classical literature to fairy tales and, finally, to the modern short story. Taking the idea of intertextuality as its theoretical starting point, you'll explore ideas about transmission and transformation, thinking particularly about how stories and motifs travel from one culture to another, changing in shape and emphasis as they go. Corresponding questions about originality, adaptation and appropri

What is the role of language in society? You'll be introduced to the notions of 'language' or 'dialect' in relation to the creation of social identity, by exploring how an individual's conscious or unconscious language choices position them in the social groups they interact with. Historical and contemporary examples of language use impacting societal issues will be examined, including the role of language in social and political movements, the functions of linguistic choices in multilingual soc

Fiction can create worlds, dissolve and unite images into new forms and capture the excesses and limitations of reality. It has the capacity to push the boundaries of the known and accepted in order to reveal hidden truths about humanity and the wider world. Nowhere is this potential more apparent than in fantasy literature, broadly understood to include fairy tales and fables, magical realism, the Gothic, the Fantastic and Science Fiction. These brands of literature are able to harness the powe

What is Comparative and World Literature and how does it work? You're encouraged to cultivate modes of comparative critical reading, to consider the discipline's history and definitions, to engage with some of its key theories and methods, and to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Among the modes of reading explored are hermeneutics, structuralism, and deconstruction. Areas discussed include the theory and practice of translation, gender studies, literature and the emotions

Gain a broad range of skills useful for the collection, analysis and presentation of language data. Topics covered will include: the nature of behavioural and corpus data, principles of data collection, introduction to quantitative and qualitative analysis; ethical considerations in data collection.

An exciting opportunity to develop an individual project in a topic of your choice, under the expert guidance of your supervisor. Expand your creative, analytical, critical, and organisational skills through the creation and completion of an independent project within a supportive learning environment. By means of a series of enriching and stimulating workshops, lectures, and supervisory meetings, you'll be equipped with the methods and training required to succeed in creating an independent pro

Track the linguistic development of neurotypical children from birth to four years of age. Stages of development covered will include: babbling; segmentation, categorisation and mapping; one-word utterances; two-word utterances, grammatical morphemes; negation and question formation. With the child's linguistic trajectory in place, you'll assess the extent to which different theoretical approaches can account for the acquisition patterns they have observed.

Investigate representations of gender and identity in a selection of texts by women writers from different temporal, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. In particular you'll explore the way in which representations of "self" and "other", love and desire, madness and motherhood reflect the respective socio-cultural contexts and the situation of women therein. Corporeal aesthetics, patterns of behaviour labelled as feminine or masculine, representations of transgressive conduct, and relations of

Are you considering a career in publishing? Gain an introduction to the nuts-and-bolts of the publishing process in a supportive and intellectually stimulating academic environment. Skills gained range from proofreading, editing, marketing, and other useful techniques taught in conversation with comparative and world literature methods. Workshops featuring guest speakers (professionals, as well as alumni) sharing their knowledge, expertise, and personal journeys in the world of publishing are an

Switch roles from sitting behind the desk to standing in front of a class, as you're introduced to the complexity of language learning and teaching. You'll develop other transferable skills such as public speaking, writing objectives and assessing outcomes, creating pedagogical materials, evaluating and analysing methodology, and synthesising linguistic knowledge into a creative application. You'll explore different aspects of language pedagogy, language acquisition, general education and classr