English Language A level [Y1]

You can only apply for one course type on an application.

Applying for A-Levels and/or V-Levels? You can choose to study three A-Levels or create a mixed programme combining A-Levels with other qualifications, including the new V-Levels. You will select the courses from a list of relevant subjects when you apply.

Applying for T-Levels? T-Levels are full-time courses that allow you to focus on one subject.

Applying for Vocational courses? Our technical and professional vocational courses are full-time programmes focusing on one subject. You can apply for up to two courses in the same application.

We accept applications to more than one campus; however once you have attended an interview session and received an offer from us, you will need to confirm your first-choice course and the campus you want to study at.

English is an exciting subject and we hope you’ll enjoy the lively debate and discussion. Through studying English language A level, you’ll gain a great deal of academic prowess and the development of transferable skills. Language is one of the key features that define us as human beings and, on this course, you will explore how it works: how we learn language from infancy, how we use it as a social tool, and how it has evolved over time.

You will learn about the origins of English, the various forms it has taken over the centuries, how it has spread across the globe and what it might look like in the future. You will also study the research of theorists in areas of language such as speech and gender, accents and dialects, and the language of technology. You will learn about grammar in order to explore the ways writers use language to communicate meaning in texts ranging from blogs to 17th-century journalism. You will be taught to think analytically, synthesise information, and develop communication skills that are a prerequisite for a wide range of career paths. The important skill of learning to write coherently and critically will aid you in your other subjects and is invaluable in higher education. The NEA (coursework) unit will allow you to write creatively and to undertake an investigation into an aspect of the course you have enjoyed.

2 examinations at the end of the two year course (80%) and two pieces of coursework (20%).

Our general entry criteria to study 3 A-Levels is: Minimum five GCSEs grade 4-9 with English Language or Maths at grade 5. For a mixed Level 3 programme the criteria are: Minimum five GCSEs grade 4-9 with English Language or Maths at grade 4. Subject specific entry criteria apply:A GCSE grade 4 in English Language.

English provides an excellent foundation for various Higher Education courses including law, medicine, English, linguistics and education. It can be combined with a range of other subjects at university. English offers increasing employability in a range of career areas, especially those that require developed communication skills. Students have gone on to careers in law, health and medicine, commerce and industry, marketing, politics and international relations, general management, as well as leading to more predictable areas like journalism, publishing, the media, education, theatre and public relations.