Overview
Our MSc English Language and Linguistics gives you an excellent opportunity to study the complex workings of the English language and explore its central role in society. With the guidance of expert staff, you’ll explore how the English language works, how people use it, what people use it for, where it came from and how it changes.
You’ll learn to carry out independent research and engage with other researchers by writing, debating and delivering oral and written presentations. You’ll also play an active part in our regular Linguistics Reading Group meetings, which discuss articles on important and controversial linguistic topics.
The course also provides a grounding in theories and methods that are essential for a range of careers. You’ll graduate with an expert knowledge of contemporary linguistic theories and their application in a wider cultural context – including both generative and cognitive approaches to linguistic description, as well as the contexts in which these theories operate.
You’ll gain knowledge and understanding in specialist selected areas of study related to the English language, such as:
- Historical, social and regional varieties of English
- Language and cognition
- Language planning and multilingualism
You’ll be able to apply a variety of descriptive linguistic tools to language data and linguistic theories to selected specialist areas of study within English Language and Linguistics, according to your areas of interest.
You’ll plan and manage a research project under supervision. This involves independent research, including keeping track of relevant developments in your chosen field(s), and being able to set them in an appropriate context. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- structure and communicate ideas effectively
- gather, evaluate and organise information from multiple sources
- engage with other researchers by writing, debating, and delivering oral and written presentations
If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.
Research in the Division of Literature and Languages scored impressively in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, with 67% of our research viewed as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of their originality, significance and rigour. In the 'Research Impact' category of the assessment, over 80% of our work was considered world-leading or internationally excellent.
Entry requirements
A minimum of a second class Honours degree (2:1 preferred) or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.
Other routes of entry
If you don't currently meet our academic requirements, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need to progress onto some of our courses. Explore INTO University of Stirling to see the pathway and pre-masters routes available.
International entry requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.
- IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses.
Course details
Our Masters in English Language and Linguistics can be taken as a full-time or part-time programme and is designed to cover the foundations of linguistic study as well as offer the opportunity to specialise in options representing a wide range of linguistic specialisms. In the first semester, you will take a core module (Linguistic Structures) which will equip you with the foundational skills of Linguistics (Phonology and Syntax). These skills will then be applied and developed in option modules taken alongside the core module and in the second semester. The third semester will be spent researching and writing the dissertation – an original and sustained piece of work in an area of linguistics of your choosing.
Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the academic year that starts in September 2024. Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
Course Details
Teaching takes place in the form of small group tutorials, seminars and lectures. All modules offer close and careful supervision from tutors, but you’re also expected to take responsibility for your own studies. You’ll be able to access online course content such as study resources, lecture slides and discussion boards via the University’s online learning platform.
You’ll play an active part in our regular Language Research Group meetings, which discuss articles on important and controversial linguistic topics. You’ll also have the opportunity to introduce articles of your choice to the group, and will develop important skills in leading and managing open-ended discussions.
Assessment is via module coursework and your dissertation. Each module is assessed by means of at least one assignment, some of which may involve practical research investigations. The most significant piece of work on the course will be a 15,000-word dissertation that you’ll write under supervision during the summer.
Fees and funding
University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship.
Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Eligible students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
This course is eligible for a postgraduate tuition fee loan from one of the UK’s governments. See the Scholarships and funding section, below, for more details.
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
Funding
If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.
Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
Scottish students may be eligible to apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for loans of up to £11,500 to cover tuition fees and associated living costs.
English students can apply for a loan of up to £12,167 each year as part of the Postgraduate Masters Loan Scheme.
Welsh students can apply for financial support of up to £18,770 as a combination of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales.
Northern Irish students can apply for a postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 from Student Finance NI.
International students may be able to gain additional funding from loan providers.
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay
After you graduate
Our Masters in English Language and Linguistics provides you with a solid grounding for a wide range of positions. Many of our graduates go on to careers in areas such as:
- teaching, including ELT
- private and public sector management and research
- marketing and advertising
- government administration
- journalism
- banking and finance
Others have gone into specialist areas like linguistic consultancy and speech therapy.
The Masters helped me to build upon my previous understanding of language, allowing me to narrow down my research interests. In particular, the Sociolinguistics and Language and Cognition courses enabled me to gain the ability to apply abstract linguistic concepts to real-world applications.
Beth Harvey (2013)
The English Language and Linguistics Masters course was essential in securing my new role as an Account Manager for a local language solutions company based in Stirling. My role requires that I educate international clients regarding their translation and interpretation needs and consequently coordinate their projects. I draw upon my knowledge from the Sociolinguistics module frequently to discuss cultural linguistic practices; this is most commonly exercised when I work on projects that require language localisation or transcription. Additionally, when clients require voiceover work, I discuss any dialectic preferences by applying my knowledge from the Linguistic Structures and Concepts introductory modules. The course at Stirling has equipped me with the foundations to engage in these types of conversations with my clients and ensure that they are matched with a linguist or interpreter who meets their language solution needs.
Courtney Weisell (2017)
We offer a comprehensive employability and skills programme to help you maximise your time at university and develop the graduate attributes that employers look for. In the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, we have a dedicated Employability and Skills Officer.
The University of Stirling’s Career and Employability Service also works in partnership with academic staff to ensure you get the best out of your University experience, and are ready for the employment market.
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