English Language and Linguistics

Entry requirements

Our regular standard of admission is at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (2:1), although candidates will usually also have completed or be undertaking a Masters qualification.

Research proposal

Candidates are required to provide an outline of the proposed research subject in about 1000 words. This need not be a final thesis proposal but should include:

• a straightforward, descriptive, and informative title
• the question that your research will address
• an account of why this question is important and worth investigating
• an assessment of how your own research will engage with recent study in the subject
• a brief account of the methodology and approach you will take
• a discussion of the primary sources that your research will draw upon, including printed books, manuscripts, archives, libraries, or museums
• an indicative bibliography of secondary sources that you have already consulted and/or are planning to consult

Your application, including your references and research proposal, will be passed to members of staff whose expertise and research interests most closely match the area of your proposed study.

Months of entry

Anytime

Course content

In the top 40 of the 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject, for English Language & Literature. A 5 star + rating.

Our research engages with English Language and Linguistics, focusing on written and spoken English language from medieval times to the present day.

Glasgow has a long-established, international reputation for the historical study of English, linking the best of philological, literary-critical and linguistic traditions with those of contemporary linguistic theory. We are a leading player in contemporary English language and linguistics, using quantitative analysis of large online corpora as well as qualitative research in a variety of genres to identify and interpret language use across a wide range of contemporary spoken and written data.

Glasgow’s historic strengths in the study of Scots and English in Scotland have been enhanced by the recent development of innovative large-scale collaborative projects. Our provision in the area of medieval English Language is closely associated with Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Glasgow, one of the largest concentrations of its kind in the UK. We have strong interdisciplinary research links with other subjects at Glasgow; recent collaborations include Psychology, Computing Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Celtic and Gaelic, and Education, in addition to our traditional links with English and Scottish Literature. Glasgow is one of the world’s leading centres of excellence for Digital Humanities, and many of our projects have a substantial digital element.

Research themes

• English language and linguistics
• Historical English language, literature and medieval studies – including manuscript studies, codicology, textual and editing, literary and gender criticism, historical linguistics
• Contemporary English linguistics, including phonetics and phonology, morphology, semantics, text analysis, sociolinguistics and onomastics
• Scottish language, including written literary Scots, speech in Scotland and translation studies

Please note that we do not accept applications for PhD topics in Applied Linguistics to this degree. Instead, you should apply to our dedicated PhD in Applied Linguistics. Applications to this English Language & Linguistics degree to work with our Applied Linguistics team will be rejected, and you will be asked to apply to the Applied Linguistics route.

Information for international students

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

• 7.0 with no sub-test under 7.0.
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.