MA Philosophy and English Language
About this course
Philosophy and English language is a combination that places two of the most fundamental intellectual disciplines in dialogue. Philosophy is concerned with the nature of knowledge, truth, reality, ethics, and mind; it asks the deepest questions about what we can know and how we should live. English language studies the structure, history, use, and social meaning of language itself, using linguistics to understand how language works at every level from phonology and syntax to discourse and sociolinguistics. The two disciplines intersect in the philosophy of language, which asks what meaning is, how reference works, and what the relationship is between words and the world. At the University of Edinburgh, you will gain a thorough appreciation of the technical aspects of the English language and its social and political context alongside the philosophical inquiry that gives those technical dimensions their deeper significance. You will have the chance to use new resources, including computer-held databases of linguistic data, and the programme encourages you to embrace theoretical and technological advances in the study of language. The degree runs for four years full time, following the Scottish pattern, and includes a year abroad that adds an international dimension to your study of both disciplines. A typical entry tariff of 168 points applies. You will develop skills in logical analysis, linguistic description, philosophical argument, empirical research, and the clear communication of complex ideas, all of which are highly transferable across many professional contexts. Graduates from philosophy and English language programmes go on to careers in education, the civil service, publishing, journalism, technology companies working on natural language processing, speech and language therapy (with further qualification), policy, and a wide range of other fields. Postgraduate study in linguistics, philosophy, or language technology is a common route for those wishing to specialise.
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