BA English and Communication Studies
Our programme, one of the first established in our department, builds on a 20-year legacy at our partner institution, the University of Liverpool. It offers exceptional curricular flexibility across all years of study, allowing students to access courses from three departments.
September 2026
Full time
Three or four years
Available
Suzhou
XJTLU undergraduate students earn two degrees: an XJTLU degree recognised by the Chinese Ministry of Education and a globally respected University of Liverpool degree.
Knowledge and skills
By the time you graduate, you will possess:
- interdisciplinary expertise to critically analyse linguistics, literature, and translation and interpreting, along with media and communication studies such as journalism and public relations, digital media, and film studies;
- a strong command of core theories and analytical methods associated with linguistics, literature, and translation and interpreting;
- critical awareness of the cultural aspects of media and communication, including intercultural and mass communication, global media, and journalism, explored through the three main media and communication areas, namely, journalism and public relations, digital media, and film studies;
- the ability to apply your knowledge and skills to real-world challenges in journalism and public relations, digital media, film studies, and linguistics; and
- intellectual, interpersonal, and technical skills that are highly valued by employers.
Our BA English and Communication Studies offers students a unique interdisciplinary perspective that bridges English studies with media and communication. This dual focus prepares graduates for broader postgraduate pathways and career success across diverse fields, including education, publishing, journalism, and corporate communication.
Tanjun Liu
Programme director
Modules
*Programme modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change. XJTLU students are advised to log in to the e-Bridge Portal to view the effectuated module structure.
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University offers a wide range of courses in the first year, including English for academic purposes (EAP), mathematics and physics, and humanities and social sciences. Click to learn more.
Core Modules
Artificial Intelligence for Humanities and Social Sciences: Empowering Research and Practice
Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences Projects
Optional Modules
Introduction to Chinese Literature
Global Media Industries
Representation, Diversity and Identity
Audiences and Media Users
Introduction to Video Production
Foundations in Film Studies
Introduction to Journalism Studies
Introduction to Digital Media and Communication
Introduction to Literary Studies
Literature and AI
Literature and Film
Introduction to World Literature
Sounds of English
Introduction to Linguistics: Grammar
Syntax
Language and Society
Introduction to Linguistics: Spoken & Written Discourse
Semantics and Pragmatics
Morphology
AI-Empowered Translation Skills
Introduction to Translation and Interpreting
Liaison Interpreting
Translation and Globalisation
Core Modules
Qualitative Research Methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Optional Modules
Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature
China: culture, language and communication
Health Communication
Media, War, and Conflict
Music Studies in the Digital Age
Media and Mind
Multimedia PR Campaigns
Multimedia Journalism
Chinese Cinema
Digital Media Law and Ethics
Hollywood Cinema
Photojournalism
Enlightenment: Literature and Philosophy (1690-1795)
Postcolonial Literatures
Literature and Gender
Jane Austen
Tragedy in the Age of Shakespeare
Modern British Fiction on Page and Screen
Contemporary Western Approaches to Literature
Romanticism: Nature, Mind, and Society (1780-1840)
Language and Media
Bilingualism
Language and Gender
Cognitive Linguistics
Language Acquisition
Psycholinguistics
Corpus Linguistics
Interpreting
Language Studies for Translation
Sight Translation
Translation and AI Technology
Translation and Culture
Translation and Journalism
Literary Translation
Translation and Computation
Optional Modules
Final Year Project: Communication Studies
Social Data Science
European Cinema
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Society
Cultural and Creative Industries in a Digital Economy
True Stories Told
The City in Films
Film, Philosophy, and Digital Technology
Globalisation and Science Communication
Journalism and Society
Health Humanities
Literature: Final Year Project
Gothic Literature on Page and Screen
Postmodern Literature (1945-present)
Climate Change and Literature
Utopia: The History of an Idea
Literature of Modernity (1900-1940)
Digital Humanities Research and Practice
Final Year Project
Language and Power
Language of the Law
Intercultural Communication
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Applied Linguistics
Applied Linguistics
Ecolinguistics: Language and the Environment
Language and Consumer Behaviours
Translation and Interpreting: Final Year Project
Technology-Enhanced Audiovisual Translation
Conference Interpreting
Translation Workshop II
Translation Workshop I
Translation and Society
The BA English and Communication Studies programme has provided me with valuable opportunities to explore diverse academic fields and gain multifaceted perspectives on the world. The close connection between English studies and communication studies allows me to integrate insights from both disciplines, helping me identify my areas of interest while developing interdisciplinary approaches. Additionally, attending lectures by professors from various fields has given me a more comprehensive understanding of related issues, fostering my interdisciplinary thinking and critical analysis skills. These skills enable me to connect academic knowledge with real-world scenarios, offering me a clearer sense of my place in a diverse society.
Yushu Yin
Alumna, BA English and Communication Studies
Careers
Graduates will be attractive candidates in globalised workplaces and may be employed in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, or film making. They will also be well prepared for positions such as management trainee, professional translator or interpreter, teacher of English as a foreign language, and roles in retailing, computing, or librarianship. Additionally, the programme provides a solid foundation for postgraduate study in English language, English literature and communications.
Overview
Our programme integrates AI technologies into English and communication studies, giving you dual competitive advantages in the digital age.
As a student of the BA English and Communication Studies programme, you will take cutting-edge modules across three departments: Applied Linguistics, Literary and Translation Studies, and Media and Communication. All modules incorporate advanced instructional content and maintain close alignment with current industry trends and technological developments.
The programme’s unique flexibility allows you to combine English specialisations – such as linguistics, literature, or translation and interpreting – with media and communication tracks, including journalism and public relations, digital media, and film studies. By tailoring your degree in this way, you will develop a distinctive academic profile with strong career advantages – whether you pursue postgraduate research or roles in language, education, media, or global communication.
Why should I study English and Communication Studies at XJTLU?
By studying this programme, you will: