Researchers at the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics view language as a powerful social and cultural phenomenon and adopt a range of socially oriented approaches towards the study of language across the lifespan, carrying out field-defining research on the centrality of language, languages and literacies to social and cultural life. A wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches are used, including cognitive stylistics, complexity theory, corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, second language acquisition theory, eyetracking, multimodal analysis, linguistic ethnography, literary theory and criticism, semiotics, systemic functional linguistics, sociocultural theory, social network theory, ethnography and sociolinguistics.
These approaches are used to explore language in many contexts such as language education, teaching and learning across the curriculum, social work, medical humanities, language policy, translation, digitally mediated communication, social media, language and globalisation.
Key facts
A large community of researchers including PhD students and Professional Doctorate students
A vibrant interdisciplinary, multilingual and multicultural environment.
World leading research in the field of digital technologies for language learning and teaching
Opportunities and support provided for research students to attend workshops, seminars and conferences at other national and international institutions
Interdisciplinary links with researchers in the Institute of Educational Technology, Schools of Education and Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, and with the Faculty of Arts and Social Science
Location
Most of our full-time research students are based at our Milton Keynes campus; for details of residence requirements for different modes of study see Full-time study and Part-time study.
Facilities
State-of-the-art research laboratories are located in the Institute of Educational Technology; they include facilities for eyetracking, a games lab, observational technology, and specialist equipment for disability support.
Opportunity to join the vibrant research groups hosted by the School (The Applied Linguistics and Literacies Research Group; Open Languages Research Group)
Career prospects
Many of our doctoral students go on to build successful academic and non-academic careers. Many of them use the doctorate as a platform for continuing professional development in a wide variety of occupations at local, national, and international contexts.
Links
Language and Literacies Research
Research at The Open University
Find your research topic
Explore specific areas of research, current and prospective projects, entry requirements, fees and funding, available supervisors, how to apply and contact details for advice.
Corpus linguistics
Discourse studies
Language and AI
Language and globalisation
Language and literacies in education
Language policy and politics
Language(s) learning, teaching and assessment
Translation studies
Related topics
Consider linked topics from other research areas.
Education futures
Literacy and social justice
Barbara Conde Gafaro, PhD Student, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies
I started my research with the idea of transforming the language learning experience of people studying in MOOCs. Ambitious, right? Well, thanks to the guidance of my three SUPERvisors, I am not that far to make that idea a reality. Plus, the opportunity to work with other OU academics to design and facilitate an Academic Spanish MOOC on FutureLearn helped me to understand the rigorous process of providing high-quality education at a large scale!
