The School of History has established itself as one of the leading History departments in the country, recognised for its research excellence, flexible programmes and quality teaching. The diverse topics you encounter may include anything from the Crusades to the Cold War; from the impact of science on 19th-century culture to the totalitarian regimes of Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Third Reich. Language is fundamental to everything we do: it helps us communicate ideas, express our feelings, persuade, and present ourselves to different audiences. English Language and Linguistics is therefore an ideal complement to subjects where an understanding of how language works is important. Combining theoretical and practical elements, the programme explores both the structure of language and its relationship with culture, society, and the mind. A broad choice of theoretical topics encompasses such areas as syntax, phonetics and phonology, morphology, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, semantics, pragmatics, literary stylistics and critical and cultural theory, while courses in language learning and teaching, creative and media writing, and language and media have a more vocational focus.