Diploma in English Language Studies
Modules:
U211: Exploring the English Language
E301: The Art of English
Description (text taken from Open University)
This diploma is for those who want a qualification in English language studies, either in its own right or as an interim qualification towards a BA (Hons) Language Studies, BA (Hons) Modern Language Studies, BA (Hons) English Language and Literature or any other degree that includes English language studies. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in English and its current position in the world.
The English Language Studies Diploma provides you with:
- an understanding of the history of English, its development as a global language and its contemporary use in a range of social contexts
- a critical appreciation of key theoretical traditions and conceptual frameworks for the study of language
- opportunities to analyse spoken, written and multi-modal English
- conceptual and communications skills, and an opportunity to progress towards more independent thinking and judgement.
Career relevance and employability
This diploma provides you with skills that are applicable to a broad range of career opportunities, including teaching, public relations, the media (publishing, journalism, advertising etc.), business and administration. You’ll have learnt to synthesise, analyse and critically evaluate information from a variety of sources and to conduct independent research. These skills and competencies are recognised by employers in all fields who put a high value on people who can: construct a clearly expressed argument; present ideas concisely, logically and clearly; make a critical analysis of a piece of writing; deal competently with a large amount of complex information; and show initiative in conducting independent research.
Educational aims
The English Language Diploma aims to provide you with:
- an understanding of the history of English, its development as a global language and its contemporary use in a range of social contexts;
- a critical appreciation of key theoretical traditions and conceptual frameworks for the study of language;
- opportunities to analyse spoken, written and multimodal English;
- conceptual and communications skills, and an opportunity to progress towards more independent thinking and judgement.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
When you complete your studies you will have knowledge and understanding of:
- the history of English from the Old English period to the present day, recognising its relationship with social and political processes;
- how the language continues to develop and change, and how it is used in a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes;
- how the English language works, and how it may be described and analysed, using appropriate linguistic terminology;
- the nature of linguistic evidence and different methods used in the collection and analysis of language data;
- different theoretical approaches to the study of language and literacy;
- debates surrounding the historical and contemporary position of English in relation to other languages.
Cognitive skills
When you complete your studies you will be able to:
- use appropriate terminology to describe and discuss linguistic theories, concepts and data;
- interpret and evaluate linguistic evidence and critically evaluate alternative explanations, arguments and theories;
- apply the knowledge and understanding acquired from the course to the analysis of empirical data, including spoken, written and multimodal texts;
- relate theoretical concepts to concrete experience, and move from particular instances to general principles.
Practical and/or professional skills and attributes
When you complete your studies you will be able to:
- work independently, scheduling tasks and managing time effectively;
- handle substantial amounts of complex information;
- critically assess the value of evidence (including simple statistical data);
- make independent judgements and construct coherent written arguments, supported by relevant evidence, appropriately referenced;
- collect and analyse linguistic data from different media;
- plan and undertake small-scale research.
Key skills
When you have completed your studies you will be able to demonstrate that you can:
Communication
- identify and evaluate the relevance of information from a variety of sources;
- synthesise and organise information and critically evaluate its significance;
- present written work in a coherent and organised form, with arguments and information set out in a logical sequence and with sources referenced in an appropriate way;
- respond to tutor feedback about improving the effectiveness of written communication;
- develop the skills of independent research.
Application of number
- understand, interpret and discuss statistical data in the form of graphs, tables and diagrams.
