English Language and Chinese Studies
Entry requirements
A level
A level Chinese, or if this is to be studied from beginners’ level, AS grade B or A level grade B in another foreign language, or GCSE grade A or 7 in a foreign language. Native Mandarin speakers will not be accepted onto this scheme.
Access to HE Diploma
in a relevant subject with 36 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 9 Level 3 credits at Merit, alongside appropriate evidence of language ability
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects including 6 in a HL Literature subject, and appropriate evidence of language ability
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
accepted alongside appropriate evidence of language ability
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
This four-year degree is provided jointly by our Department of Linguistics and English Language and our Department of Languages and Cultures. An International Placement Year gives you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the Chinese language and culture. You don’t need to have studied Chinese before as we offer an Intensive course for beginners.
In Chinese Studies, we aim to help you become truly fluent. You’ll explore China's history, culture, politics and social background. Your English Language studies will include how the English language functions as well as traditional linguistic areas such as lexis, grammar and phonetics.
The first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context, as well as a core module in English language. Alongside this, you can choose a minor subject from a list of subjects provided to you.
Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study one Chinese oral skills module and one Chinese written skills module at the same level of proficiency. In addition, you will study the culture, politics and history of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth in the modules Shaping Chinese Society: Moments and Movements, as well as selecting a module that is international in scope and promotes comparative understanding at a global level, such as Understanding Culture. You combine these with the core English language modules of English Grammar and English Phonetics, and you will choose from a range of English language option modules.
Your third year - the International Placement Year - will deepen your intercultural sensitivity and your command of the language. You can study at a partner institution or carry out a work placement and practise your language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared before embarking on your placement in a Chinese-speaking country.
In the final year, you will consolidate your Chinese language skills, and study specialist culture and comparative modules, such as Sinophone Literature and Film and Mirrors across the Media. You will also select English language option modules such as Language, Culture and Thought. You will have opportunities to combine your interests in both subjects in longer, supervised projects.
**Beginners Languages**
Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so we only allow students to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at our first year module options. If you apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, your optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.
The Uni
Lancaster University
Linguistics and English Language
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
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English language
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Asian studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
English language
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Asian studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
China plays an important role in world economics and politics, and business can be very interested in graduates with good Chinese language skills. In 2015, just over 180 degrees were awarded in this subject to UK graduates, so it is still an unusual and specialist degree to take - take that into consideration before drawing definitive conclusions from the data. About one in five graduates went on to further study (mostly at Masters level) and of those who were working, a quarter went to work abroad. Most of the rest were working in the UK after six months, mainly in London. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills, even if that language is rare and valuable to business.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
English language
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£23k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Asian studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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