Course summary

On this course, you will learn British Sign Language (BSL) – the preferred language of over 87,000 people in the UK – to an advanced level. This course is your chance to study the history, cultures and lived experiences of deaf people. You can choose to learn about speech and language impairments and the role of language in education. This course is suitable if you are a beginner, or have prior knowledge of British Sign Language (BSL). We will place you at an appropriate level. As part of your course you will study for a Signature British Sign Language award. Our approach to teaching Deaf Studies draws on current research. You will explore the experiences of deaf people and how they have changed over time. Together we will also explore the perception of deafness as a disability and how deaf communities in the UK are changing. In your second year you will examine the challenges faced by BSL users in the workplace on a dedicated work based module. While studying Linguistics, you will learn how language is structured, learnt and used. You can choose linguistics modules that interest you and support your ambitions. This could include exploring speech and language impairments or examining multilingual classrooms. Linguistics can help you consider how language relates to identity, society and culture. As your language skills develop you will gain an understanding of how society impacts the use of BSL. You will develop this by engaging with our welcome community of BSL speakers. Together with your peers you will consider the development of BSL. This includes exploring the translation processes between BSL and English.