This course introduces you to the ever-changing faces of English and exposes you to examples of historical, social and cultural change. It provides you with practical guidelines for identifying the ways in which writers and speakers adapt language according to their purpose. It encourages you to look at everyday examples of spoken and written English and to deconstruct them - speech and writing are no longer seen as polished end products, but as linguistic structures that have been put together in a particular way to influence us.You will have opportunities to express your technical skills in language analysis, as well as the opportunity to improve your creative skills. As a practising linguist you will be able to draw from your experiences of everyday life as well as broaden your understanding of language by following contemporary debates about the uses of language. English is the most powerful language on Earth. Come along and find out why. The first year is entirely exam based and focused on two key aspects (Language and the individual; and Language Varieties). However, these two units allow us to explore a wide variety of approaches to the subject. We will approach topics as diverse as mapping regional variation, exploring representation in the social media and looking at the role of gender in communication. The second year is covered in three units (Language, the individual and society; Language diversity and change; and language in action) and allows us to expand on the work of the first year. There is also the additional unit of understanding childhood language acquisition. Possibly most enticing though is the opportunity for A2 students to complete an independent research project to explore elements of their own choosing. This includes the chance to complete an original writing component to really put these ideas into practice.