Is BA Language Research Studies a language-learning degree?

No. BA Language Research Studies focuses on how languages work, spread and are governed — applied linguistics, sociolinguistics and language policy — rather than on mastering a specific language. Students who want intensive language study should consider the Italian, Turkish or Modern Language Communication degrees.

Do I need to be multilingual to take BA Language Research Studies?

It helps, but it is not required. Many students enter with English alone and a working interest in language; others enter with two or more languages. The methods modules are designed to be useful regardless of how many languages you bring.

What kind of dissertation can I write on BA Language Research Studies?

A small empirical study of your own design — typically interview-based, corpus-based or a policy analysis. Past topics have included heritage-language transmission in UK diaspora communities and the language policy of a specific UK regulator.

Can BA Language Research Studies be studied online?

Yes. The online route uses live seminars, recorded methods sessions and structured fieldwork that can be conducted in your own community. Distance learners visit campus for an intensive methods week in years two and three.

BA Language Research Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Language Research Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to research how languages work, how they spread, how policy shapes them, and how multilingual societies function in practice. You will work across applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, language policy and comparative methods — and graduate with a research-led dissertation in your chosen area.

This is a degree for the people who notice language. By the end you can design a small empirical study, code interview data, write up a comparative analysis and contribute to a language-policy brief.

Key Features

UK honours degree in language research — three years full-time, with online and distance routes.
Applied linguistics core covering second-language acquisition, bilingualism and multilingual education.
Language policy module — UK, EU, post-colonial and minority-language contexts.
Research methods spine — qualitative interviewing, corpus methods, basic quantitative reading.
Comparative case studies across at least three world regions each year.
Final-year dissertation of 8,000–10,000 words involving a small empirical study.

What You Will Learn

The BA Language Research Studies is structured around the disciplines a language researcher or policy-adjacent professional is hired on — research design, empirical methods, comparative analysis and argued writing. You finish able to plan and execute a small empirical study, situate it in the relevant literature and write it up to publishable standard.

Applied linguistics — second-language acquisition, bilingualism, multilingual education.
Sociolinguistics — variation, register, code-switching, language attitudes.
Language policy — UK and EU contexts, minority languages, decolonising language policy.
Comparative methods — controlled comparison, case-study design, cross-regional analysis.
Qualitative methods — interviewing, focus groups, coding, thematic analysis.
Corpus methods — corpus building, basic concordancing, frequency analysis.
Quantitative literacy — reading published quantitative research with discipline.
Academic writing — thesis construction, MHRA and APA citation, peer-review practice.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers fascinated by how languages work in society rather than only by mastering one language.
International students seeking a UK language-research degree taught in central London.
Bilingual and multilingual applicants who want a formal credential in language research.
Career changers preparing for postgraduate study, language teaching, or policy and consultancy work.

Career Pathways

BA Language Research Studies graduates compete across language-policy, education, international cultural relations and research employers. The degree is non-vocational, but the research and analytical skills it builds are in demand across language-adjacent sectors. Typical first-destination roles include:

Languages Programme Coordinator (charity, cultural institute, local authority)
Language Policy Researcher (think tank, policy unit, ministry)
Bilingual Project Officer (international NGO, cultural body)
Multilingual Content Strategist (publisher, broadcaster, platform)
EFL Teacher (after CELTA — UK or international school)
Research Assistant (university linguistics or education department)

Graduates progress to a Master's in applied linguistics, language policy, education or international cultural relations at LSJHML or another UK university.

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 outlining your language-research interests.
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.