Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Language and Linguistics (with Sandwich Year)

at University of Hertfordshire - De Havilland Campus United Kingdom

In our so-called ‘post-truth’ era of fake news and alternative facts, what does it mean to communicate the truth? What are the ethical and philosophical issues journalists face in today’s globalised world?

Our BA Philosophy and Journalism degree allows you to examine our fundamental desire to communicate and discuss important shared events and experiences, through two distinct approaches. You’ll develop a range of journalistic skills while exploring and challenging the assumptions that frame the way we think, act and see the world around us.

In your first year you’ll be introduced to the practical craft of journalism, explore the law and ethics surrounding journalism and learn to think critically by examining reason and persuasion in the media, including the use of rhetoric and propaganda. You’ll also study social and political philosophy, covering topics such as freedom of speech and terrorism, and examine the nature of knowledge and reality.

All our philosophy lecturers are active researchers, so you’ll share the excitement of doing original work in a supportive and highly-rated academic community. Our Philosophy team is in the top 15 in the Guardian League Table 2019 and rates as one of the 100 best Philosophy departments worldwide in the 2017 QS rankings.

Our journalism team are highly experienced practitioners, who’ll help you develop the skills to produce work in different styles and for diverse markets. You’ll learn how to source stories and get hands-on experience as part of a vibrant student community and through work placements. You’ll take part in News Lab workshops, conduct interviews, write features and join lively group discussions.

In your second year you’ll delve into influential works of philosophy and political theory such as the themes in Plato’s Republic. You’ll also have the opportunity to specialize in news or feature writing, radio journalism or social media.

In your final year you’ll develop your journalism skills portfolio, examine journalism, government and the people and have the opportunity to develop your interests in topics such as political or feminist philosophy, or the philosophy of language.

• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting
• An exceptional academic team, conducting internationally renowned research
• Stimulating, innovative courses that allow you to make rewarding connections between two disciplines
• CV-building potential through work placements and extra-curricular activities

You’ll be introduced to Linguistics, the scientific study of everything to do with language, from its structure and how it develops in children, to the ways it reflects society, how it’s used, and how it changes over time. You’ll be taught by research-active academics working in cutting-edge areas such as language and gender, formulaic language, corpus studies, bilingualism, bilingual processing and codeswitching.

What links our work is our focus on the applied use of English language, from English Language teaching to the use of forensic linguistics in solving language-related real-life problems such as plagiarism and crime investigation, to speech and language therapy and the study of language disorders.

In your first year, alongside core linguistics modules, you’ll study language and mind, where you’ll analyse child speech transcripts and consider language acquisition. You’ll also explore the diversity of use of the English language including regional variants, pidgin and creole English, language and ethnicity, and slang and street English.

Core modules in your second year focus on English grammar and the sounds of English. You can explore theories of how and why language developed and take a language competencies module leading to a work placement.

In your final year you can develop your own interests in short projects, or follow modules in different topics, including child language and communication, clinical linguistics, gender and language, and formulaic language, informed by our academics’ own research specialisms.

One final year option is corpus studies in English language, which will develop your research skills through your use of Sketch Engine, a text analysis tool that allows you to search vast samples of language, or corpora. Want to know when the word ‘Brexit’ first appeared in print or when ‘backstop’ acquired a new meaning? Find out by delving into databases of billions of words, to pursue your own original research projects.

Biology is the scientific study of living organisms and deals with every aspect of life. During the course you’ll examine the physiology of the human body and how it’s affected by disease and drugs. You’ll study the structure, biochemistry and mechanics of the cell, as well as evolutionary processes and genetics, both in mammals and microorganisms. As you progress, you’ll choose from a wide range of modules including blood sciences, pharmacology, microbiology, immunology and drug discovery. You’ll also have the chance to study abroad or take a year’s work placement, either of which will boost your employability. Ultimately, you’ll gain the technical, analytical and practical skills needed to investigate biological phenomena in microorganisms, plants, humans and animals. This degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.

• Biology is a discipline with a broad range of applications affecting many areas of human activity.  You will study life at all levels from molecules, through organelles and cells, to whole organisms.  You will gain the technical, analytical and practical skills needed to investigate biological phenomena in microorganisms, plants, human beings and other animals.
• The Biological Science programme offers you flexibility and a broad range of options for study.  The first year provides a solid foundation in all aspects of biology including topics in areas such as physiology, biochemistry, genetics and cell biology.  It also gives you an opportunity to start developing your practical skills in the laboratory.   At second and final year you can choose from a range of modules from across our biosciences courses according to your particular interests. 
• The degree provides a stepping stone to a wide range of scientific careers, including teaching.

This course is ideal if you have an interest in technology and software development and how they can be applied to benefit individuals and organisations.
Core topics include foundations of computation, programming, multimedia, networks, databases, operating systems, software engineering and professional issues. In addition, you’ll choose from a wide range of specialist modules to tailor your degree to your interests. As well as gaining an understanding of the wider context in which systems operate, you’ll develop your communication and team-working skills. Thanks to the nature of this degree, you’ll develop the broad skills many employers are looking for while keeping your career options open.

You will be taught the fundamental principles of the subject, which will be illustrated with current real-world technologies and applications wherever possible.

Now that scientists can read and change DNA sequences, a new era has arrived in which it’s possible to investigate organisms at their most fundamental level. That means we have the opportunity to find pioneering ways to prevent or find cures for genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and cancer. It could even help us discover more about our origins and who we really are. This course will give you the specialist theoretical knowledge and practical experience of gene manipulation and the analysis of nucleic acids and proteins. It will also show you how this can be applied to the study of health, disease and the natural environment. This degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.

• Molecular Biology involves the study of biology at the molecular level, providing an insight into the building blocks of life itself.
• DNA carries the hereditary information that determines the structures of proteins. It contains through which cells are instructed to grow and divide, to differentiate into specialized cells thereby generating the millions of different life forms that exist.
• The university has excellent research facilities for molecular biology enabling students to experience key techniques for example, PCR and bioinformatics.

The LLM Intellectual Property and Data Protection Law will give you the knowledge and understanding you need to work in this area of the law. You will study two compulsory modules – Intellectual Property Law and Data Protection Law – along with two optional modules of your choice.

You will examine the development of both intellectual property law and data protection law as distinct areas of legal practice and consider their ongoing reform and development, particularly in light of continuing technological advancements.

The Intellectual Property Law module will also consider the current intellectual property framework from a national, European and international perspective, along with copyright, trademarks, patent law and design rights.

The Data Protection Law module will also include topics such as current data protection legislation, key concepts such as the notions of ‘informed consent’ and ‘personal data’, the obligations of data controllers, the rights of data subjects, and the emergence of Big Data and the Internet of Things.

Study with a top History department and be taught from the cutting edge of historical research. Learn to think and write imaginatively about the past with our colleagues in Creative Writing.

Our BA History and/with Creative Writing gives you the opportunity to study two subjects that will help you to hone the investigative skills of the historian, while developing your writing style.

Through our diverse and inclusive History curriculum you will learn about an array of cultures and identities. What links our work is our focus on people’s history and everyday lives. This is represented strongly in our first year programme, which will
give you an insight into the making of the modern world through exploration of faith, magic and medicine, campaigns for freedom and equality, Africa and the world, and America from Hamilton to Trump.

Throughout your degree, the common link between the two disciplines will be your analysis and interpretation of texts. As historians you will learn to analyse historical documents and debates among historians, while in Creative Writing you’ll explore
published texts, breaking them down to examine writing techniques.

The art of writing, honed over the course of your Creative Writing studies, will benefit you in the final year of History if you choose to write a dissertation. This extended piece of work will grow out of a topic that interests you. There is also the option in Creative Writing of workshopping an idea, which, by the time you graduate, will have developed into a solid piece of work that you can continue working on or submit for publication. Maybe one of your history modules will inspire you to write a historical novel!

We give you: 

• An exceptional History team, conducting world-leading research (REF 2014), and a team of published writers guiding students in Creative Writing,
• Stimulating, innovative courses - our History students reported almost 94% overall satisfaction with their course (2018 National Student Survey)
• A flexible programme of study, allowing you to concentrate on areas you find especially interesting and the scope to write a History dissertation on a topic about which you are passionate
• The prospect of graduating with a solid piece of work that could be further developed or submitted for publication
• CV-building potential through work placements and extra-curricular activities

Indicative course structure

A business degree is a powerful, career-launching qualification, and if you’re interested in a career in business, combining two subjects will give you sought-after skills, exciting experiences and a whole world of future career opportunities.

This degree gives you an in-depth understanding of today’s business world. You’ll explore accounting, marketing and human resources, as well as the fast- moving international financial sector – from financial markets and investments to banking and economics. It’s an ideal choice if you know you’d like a respected business degree and you’re interested in finance but perhaps not yet sure where you’d like to specialise. It enables you to bring both disciplines together, and to understand how they interact and impact on society.

• Strengthen your knowledge on how to smoothly combine business and finance.
• Dive straight into understanding how business operates.
• Benefit from our links with local industry and commerce.
• Enhance your experience through a work placement or study abroad year.

Diagnostic radiographers play a vital role in healthcare by producing patient centred imaging services for the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and disease. This course is ideal for you if you already hold a degree and wish to gain the knowledge and clinical experience needed to become a skilled and competent diagnostic radiographer. Graduates will study the skills, knowledge and competencies to be eligible to apply for registration as diagnostic radiographers with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and be eligible for membership of the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR).

This is a two-year vocational master’s degree which aims to produce competent and forward-thinking radiographers. You'll develop critical thinking, decision making and research skills, enabling you to work effectively and collaboratively. You'll gain the expertise and confidence needed to instigate and support change in a dynamic modern healthcare system. Our graduates will be evidence-based practitioners who will provide a high standard of diagnostic imaging and patient care.

The degree is delivered in a blended learning style, offering theoretical sessions, online and on campus. You'll develop your practical skills using the clinical skills suite and gain hands-on experience in clinical departments in the NHS.

Film and television production is one of the largest growth areas in the creative industries, with major international productions coming to the UK to find the best crews and creatives in the world. Taught by industry professionals and using the latest technology, you will develop the practical skills, creative abilities, technical expertise and business know-how to really kick-start your career. You’ll also take advantage of our excellent links with industry partners, including Warner Bros Studios Leavesden and Elstree Studios, as well as opportunities for work placements and employment.

The Film and Television program is a ScreenSkills and CILECT accredited course that provides an environment in which students can grow into confident television and film practitioners. We are proud to be among the top 20 for film production, nationally (The Guardian), delivering industry ready graduates into the workplace.

Our course is designed to put the industry and its needs at the heart of our teaching.  Students learn professional skills from the outset, managing and producing their own location and studio-based shoots, and getting the opportunity to experience a variety of key roles on set and in post-production.

Our close partnerships with leading industry figures ensures that students hear about the latest commercial developments, while also putting into practice the long-established methods and techniques, workflows, and standards employed by film and television companies globally.

During your studies, you can take control of your own specialist career development, choosing to focus on those areas of production and post-production that best suit your passions and employment aims.

With modules covering the theory, history and contemporary practice of film and television, the course gives you an understanding of the industry’s past while preparing you to take an active part in its future.