How is BA Applied English Studies different from a BA English Literature?

BA Applied English Studies covers literature alongside language, pedagogy and applied writing — it's broader and more vocational. A BA English Literature focuses on literary study. Choose Applied English if you want to teach, edit or write professionally; choose Literature if you want pure critical study.

Does BA Applied English Studies include teaching placements?

From year two, the teaching practicum option offers supervised teaching observation and short placements at partner schools and FE colleges. It's optional but recommended for students considering a PGCE or international teaching career.

Can BA Applied English Studies be studied online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the seminar-led on-campus degree, with live tutorials, recorded lectures and asynchronous discussion forums. Teaching practicum placements are arranged through local partner organisations for online and distance students.

Will BA Applied English Studies qualify me to teach English abroad?

It gives you a strong subject base and pedagogical literacy. For TESOL certification employers expect (CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL), students typically combine BA Applied English Studies with a recognised TESOL certificate during or after the degree.

Is BA Applied English Studies recognised for UK PGCE entry?

Yes. BA Applied English Studies is a UK honours degree, accepted as the subject base for English PGCE programmes at UK universities. Several recent graduates have gone on to PGCE study at LSJHML partner institutions.

BA Applied English Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Applied English Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree designed for students who want to put English to work — in teaching, editorial practice, research and applied communication — rather than treat it solely as a literary subject. You will study English as language, as literature, as a teaching subject and as a written craft, finishing with a research-led final project that brings the strands together.

The BA Applied English Studies is taught as a practical humanities degree. By graduation you can analyse a piece of language for register and meaning, plan a teaching sequence, edit a manuscript with discipline and write a clear piece for a general audience. The aim is graduates who use English well — and can explain how it works to other people.

Key Features

UK honours degree with four working strands — language, literature, pedagogy and applied writing.
Linguistics core aligned with current English Association and MLA frameworks.
Teaching practicum option from year two — supervised teaching observation and short placements at partner schools and FE colleges.
Editorial workshop series — copyediting, structural editing, proofreading and editorial project management.
Final independent project of 8,000-to-10,000 words on a topic combining at least two strands.
British Council and IATEFL standards embedded in the pedagogy and TESOL modules.

What You Will Learn

The BA Applied English Studies is structured around the working competencies of an applied English graduate — language analysis, literary judgement, pedagogical practice and clear public writing. You leave able to teach a lesson, edit a chapter, write a feature and analyse a stretch of text to publication standard.

English language and linguistics — phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse analysis.
Literary studies — close reading, period and genre study, contemporary literature in English.
Sociolinguistics — World Englishes, language change, language and identity.
Pedagogy and TESOL — language teaching principles, lesson planning, classroom management.
Editorial practice — copyediting, structural editing, proofreading, style and house conventions.
Applied writing — feature writing, briefing notes, public-facing academic prose.
Research methods — corpus tools, qualitative interviews, archival reading, ethics.
English in the professional world — business communication, public-sector writing, plain English standards.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers wanting an applied English degree with employability built in.
International students looking for a UK honours degree taught in central London with a strong language focus.
Career-changers from teaching, journalism or publishing who want a structured UK undergraduate qualification.
Mature applicants returning to study after work in editorial, communications or teaching-adjacent roles.

Career Pathways

BA Applied English Studies graduates move into teaching, editorial, communications and research-adjacent roles where English literacy and writing are central. Typical roles include:

English Teacher (UK secondary, FE, international school post-PGCE)
Academic Editor (publisher, journal, learned society)
Examinations Officer (awarding body, language assessment organisation)
Lecturer (post-further-study, FE or HE)
Educational Materials Writer (publisher, edtech, awarding body)
Editorial Assistant (publishing, magazine, broadcasting)

Graduates progress to PGCE, MA in TESOL, MA in Applied Linguistics or MA in Publishing.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; some courses request a portfolio or interview.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.