English Language and Special Educational Needs
English language and special educational needs is a combination that brings together the scientific and humanistic study of language with the practical and theoretical knowledge needed to understand and support children and young people who face barriers to learning. English language as a discipline examines the structures, histories, and social functions of language, from phonetics and grammar through to sociolinguistics, dialect variation, and language acquisition. Special educational needs addresses the diverse ways in which learners develop differently and the pedagogical, psychological, and ethical dimensions of inclusive education.
At Liverpool Hope University, this three-year programme benefits from a setting in one of the UK's most linguistically diverse cities. Liverpool's distinctive accents and dialects, the bilingual heritage of Chinatown, and the Viking linguistic influences of the Wirral provide a rich backdrop for studying language in its social and cultural contexts. The SEN strand develops your understanding of how children with a range of needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and learning disabilities, can be effectively supported to learn and thrive.
The programme includes a sandwich placement year and a year abroad, alongside embedded work placement opportunities, giving you direct professional experience in educational and language-related contexts.
Graduates from this combination are well placed for careers in teaching and learning support, particularly in roles focused on language development and special educational needs. Primary and secondary teaching (via a PGCE), teaching assistant and higher-level teaching assistant roles, SEN coordination, speech and language support, and education research are all common destinations. The linguistics background is also applicable in research, publishing, speech therapy (with further training), and roles where professional understanding of language development matters.
Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in education, linguistics, or special educational needs.