English Language, Linguistics and World Literature

Language is an extraordinary tool for communication between cultures. We use it to share our goals and emotions, find common ground and inspire lasting change. World literature extends this dialogue across time and place, allowing diverse voices and stories to deepen our understanding of one another and of the human experience we share.

However, there is so much that goes unexplored in how we speak or sign, what we say, and the stories we tell.

Through the study of Language, Linguistics and World Literature, you will learn to think more consciously about meaning and communication. You will explore hidden structures in grammar, analyse media narratives, understand how people “code-switch” between cultures, and examine how writers from around the world use language to shape stories, identities and perspectives. You’ll also analyse acoustic data, devise experiments and test hypotheses in our state-of-the-art Linguistics Lab, and gain experience and understanding of the publishing industry.

Through core and optional modules, you’ll become a more confident communicator, learn to assess sources more critically, and develop skills in data analysis and research. This unique blend of skills is highly in-demand in a range of careers, and our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of employers in fields as diverse as publishing and speech therapy.

Language and literature define us as people, and as humans. Go beneath the surface, and discover skills and ideas that will transform how you see the world.

Year 1

The following modules are what students typically study, but this may change year to year in response to new developments and innovations.

Compulsory modules currently include the following:

• Studying Language

  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 relationship between language and thought, the relationship between sound and meaning and the differences between language and communication more broadly).

• Studying Literature

  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.

• Sounds, Structure and Meaning

  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.

• Storytelling Across the Ages

  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 appropriation will also be considered.

• Language in Society

  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 societies, and the role of language policy in education.

• The Literary Imagination

  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 power of the imagination, distorting real life to show something of its true nature.

Please see the course page on our website for full module details.

Year 2

The following modules are what students typically study, but this may change year to year in response to new developments and innovations:

Compulsory modules currently include the following:

• Comparative and World Literature

  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, exile and migration, text and image, ecocriticism, and digital humanities. You'll have the opportunity to study a range of theoretical writings alongside a selection of short primary works (poems, novellas, photographs and illustrations, extracts from novels and films). You reflect on a discipline that keeps reinventing itself by studying some of its most significant theoretical and methodological trends, and to identify and explore the avenues of critical thinking we might want to pursue in the future.

• Language Data Toolkit

  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.

• Independent Project

  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 project. The project will not only expand your intellectual horizons as a student, but also prepare you for future careers through the transferable skills and personal development you’ll gain as a result.

  You’ll benefit from structured learning progression that includes: formulating a proposal in consultation with your supervisor, delivering a mini-presentation on your proposed topic in a friendly student environment, and culminating in the final submission of your project, showcasing your journey as an independent and accomplished learner.

Optional modules may include the following:

• Language Acquisition

• (De)Constructing Gender

• Introduction to Publishing

• Language Teaching

Please see the course page on our website for full module details.

Year In Industry (optional)

Year in Industry

The year in industry takes place between your second and final year. It is a great opportunity to gain workplace experience, increase your professional contacts and acquire new skills, and is a valuable addition to your CV. The Year in Industry can be added during your studies at Kent.

You can take the year in industry in the UK or abroad with a wide range of employers in areas including the arts, education and cultural heritage. While you are responsible for finding your placement, we offer support and guidance through the application process.

Tuition fees for the placement year are greatly reduced and employers may offer expenses or a salary.

The year in industry is assessed on a pass/fail basis and does not count towards your final degree classification.

Year Abroad (optional)

Go Abroad

Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally.  You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability. The Year Abroad can be added during your studies.

You are expected to adhere to any academic progression requirements in Stages 1 and 2 to proceed to the year abroad. If the requirement is not met, you will be transferred to the equivalent three-year programme. The year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification.

Year 3

The following modules are what students typically study, but this may change year to year in response to new developments and innovations:

Compulsory modules currently include the following:

• Final Year Project

  Your Final Year Project is your chance to dive deep into a topic you’re genuinely curious and passionate about. It’s an extended piece of independent work that brings together everything you’ve learned during your degree, while also helping you develop skills you’ll use long after university.

  You’ll start by writing a project proposal, working with the module convenor to shape your idea and being matched with a supervisor who will support you along the way. Guidance comes through a mix of one-to-one supervisions, lectures, and workshops, designed to help you refine your ideas and build the skills you need. As your project develops, you’ll share your progress through plans, literature reviews, and a presentation.

  There are three pathways you can take, depending on your interests and future goals:

  • Research Dissertation – explore a question in depth through academic research and critical analysis.

  • Practical Project – create a substantial piece of practical or creative work, supported by reflection and evaluation.

  • Applied/Professional Project – work on a project with a vocational or industry focus, applying your skills to real-world challenges.

  Whichever route you choose, this is your opportunity to shape your own learning, showcase your abilities, and build valuable transferable skills in independence, organisation, and project management.

Optional modules may include the following:

• Clinical and Behavioural Linguistics

• Intercultural Communication

• Multilingualism

• Neurodiversity and Mental Health in Literature

• The Book and the Film: Adaptation and Interpretation

• Travel, Migration, and Displacement

• Stylistics and Creative Writing

Please see the course page on our website for full module details.