Course summary

Train alongside international experts at the agenda-setting Centre for Language and Communication Research, home of the world’s first MA in Forensic Linguistics. Our innovative MA Forensic Linguistics programme equips you with theory and techniques to analyse the use of language in legal contexts, evaluate expert testimony on forensic matters and consider the role of expertise in legal systems more generally. Examining issues of justice, fairness and equality in law, this rewarding programme will introduce you to linguistic aspects of the criminal justice system, including policing and the courtroom. You’ll scrutinise the work of expert witnesses and linguistic consultants on language and law. Exploring the role of the linguist in the legal system, you will examine the impact of linguistics on criminal investigations. Indeed, you’ll carry out ethnographic observation of courtroom proceedings at Cardiff Crown Court in your core module. Set in our world-class research centre, the MA in Forensic Linguistics delivers both a solid grounding in the subject, and the freedom to tailor the programme around your career ambitions Throughout your degree you’ll be supported by internationally recognised experts, whose passion for teaching and research fosters a vibrant and friendly academic environment. Our experts are leading on innovative projects in many different fields, including language acquisition, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, discourse analysis, professional communication, corpus linguistics, systemic functional linguistics and forensic linguistics, hosting a range of reading and research groups in these research fields. Fostering an international academic arena for cutting-edge research, we host talks from visiting academics from around the world, as well as advanced research residencies and occasional summer schools. During your studies, you’ll benefit from this thriving research environment and the support of a wide range of professionals who will guide your personal and professional development. English Language at Cardiff is ranked in the world top 100 (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020) and top ten for research in the UK (Research Excellence Framework 2014).