This Masters level course provides an overview of the field of Forensic Linguistics and equips students with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to analyse and critique language use in diverse legal contexts and to compare and evaluate practical applications of linguistic methods to legal problems. 

10 x 2hr seminars/workshops over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ A practical linguistic analysis task (2000 words) - 40% 

■ A critical essay on a topic in forensic linguistics (3000 words) - 60% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the assessments, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ Outline the linguistic aspects of legal contexts and the relevance of linguistic theories to forensic problems

■ Describe and critique the main theoretical and research trajectories within Forensic Linguistic research

■ Provide practical skills in analysing and interpreting texts in forensic settings   

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Contrast and compare linguistic texts from a selection of legal settings

■ Collect, analyse and interpret data relevant to forensic linguistics

■ Critically evaluate current debates in the area of forensic linguistics

■ Summarise, illustrate and critically evaluate linguistic theories which can be applied in forensic contexts.