Venues

Central Campus

Content

This innovative joint honours programme combines two complementary approaches to the study of human culture and expression.

Ethnology explores the culture and traditions of developed societies, while English Language looks at how English has changed over time, including in an international context.

Year 1:
You will study Scottish cultural history, heritage, cultural expression and representation. Courses also look at literature, music and visual arts and how these are linked to Scottish identity. You will take two semester-long introductory courses in English language - Linguistics and English Language 1A and 1B.

Year 2:
You will study oral and visual representations of Scotland through music, song, art, photography and film and you will receive practical training in ethnographic fieldwork techniques and ethics. You will study linguistic theory, and take a course covering one of the following topics - the structure and history of world languages or variation in English over time and across geographical space.

Year 3:
You will choose from options such as Ethnological Fieldwork Methods, Traditional Narrative, Cultural Revivalism, Traditional Song, Scotland and Heritage, and Traditional Drama. You will choose from a range of specialist, honours-level courses in English Language. Options to choose from typically include courses on current issues in the discipline or the history of Scots, Old and Middle English, Global Englishes and dialects.

Year 4:
You will undertake a dissertation and choose from options such as Custom, Belief and Community, Scottish Emigrant Traditions, The Supernatural World, Material Culture in Scotland, and Traditional Music.

Entry Requirements

2026 entry requirements

Standard entry:
4 Highers at ABBB (first sitting) or 4 or 5 Highers at AABB/ABBBB (two sittings) plus English at National 5.

Widening access entry:
4 Highers at ABBB (two sittings) plus English at National 5. Highers at BBB must be achieved in one sitting.