Heriot-Watt University
Riccarton
Edinburgh
EH14 4AS
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Admissions Office
Email:studywithus@hw.ac.uk
Phone:0131 451 3376
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British Sign Language and Applied Language Studies
- MA (Hons)
- 4 Years
- Full-time
- 08/09/2025
- Undergraduate
- Edinburgh Campus
Course summary
The MA BSL and Applied Language Studies prepares students to become professionals working with deaf communities who use British Sign Language. It is designed to lead students from a beginners level of BSL to achieving professional competence in signed interactions and is taught by a deaf and hearing team. In Levels 1, 2, and 4, students follow a mixture of mandatory and optional courses that develop their BSL language skills and explore different aspects of deaf history and culture. In level 3, students will develop their employment-related skills through work placements within the deaf community in the UK.
Level 1
Students take two intensive, practice-oriented courses in BSL and mandatory courses that increase their intercultural awareness and understanding of deaf history and culture. They also have the opportunity to choose from a range of elective courses.
Level 2
Students take two intensive, practice-oriented courses in advanced BSL (one per semester), as well as mandatory courses that explore the nature of signed and spoken languages and further their knowledge and appreciation of current debates surrounding the deaf community and issues in the wider deaf world, based on world-leading research at Signs@HWU. Two courses can be chosen from a range of elective courses.
Level 3
Year 3 is usually spent in two placements, where students work in the signing community with organisations in the field, further developing their language skills and cultural awareness. This placement is self-financed.
Level 4
At this level, students will further develop their BSL competence and their understanding of current deaf political studies. Through a selection of optional courses, students can tailor their programme of study to meet their interests and career aspirations with a view to postgraduate specialisation in another field (such as teaching, social work, language therapy, etc). Level 4 also includes an Honours Dissertation, which is completed in the course of the year.
How to apply
Apply by
29 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- Q1AL
- Institution code:
- H24
- Campus name:
- Edinburgh Campus
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Standard Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - BBC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Scottish Higher - AABB
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 30 points
GCSE/National 4/National 5
It is also a requirement of every applicant to have English at a minimum of National 5 Grade C or GCSE Grade C or 4 (or equivalent)
Scottish HNC - Pass
with B in graded unit for entry to Year 1.
Scottish HND - Pass
with BB in graded units for entry to Year 1.
Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6) - Pass
We accept Foundation Apprenticeships in combination with other qualifications such as SQA Highers and Advanced Highers.
T Level
We will consider T Levels as suitable for entry to our degree programmes, however, certain subject requirements may be required for entry to specific programmes. Where this is not evident as part of the T Level studies, we may ask for additional qualifications.
We operate contextual admissions defined by our Fair Access Policy which may mean entry requirements are flexible.
We accept a wide range of other qualifications from the UK, Europe and International countries. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for further information on the entry requirements for these.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
A level - BCC
-
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM
-
Scottish Higher - BBBC
-
GCSE/National 4/National 5 - It is also a requirement of every applicant to have English at a minimum of National 5 Grade C or GCSE Grade C or 4 (or equivalent).
-
Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6) - Pass
We accept Foundation Apprenticeships in combination with other qualifications such as SQA Highers and Advanced Highers.
T Level
We will consider T Levels as suitable for entry to our degree programmes, however, certain subject requirements may be required for entry to specific programmes. Where this is not evident as part of the T Level studies, we may ask for additional qualifications.
The University guarantees to make a minimum entry offer to anyone who would be considered a Home or Rest of UK (RUK) applicant and who has achieved, or can achieve, the required grades from the following categories:
Priority postcode areas – Home Scottish applicants from SIMD20 postcodes or RUK applicants from POLAR 4 quintile 1 areas – identified through Scottish and UK government targets.
Care experience – Home Scottish or RUK applicants who have had experience of care, including adoption, kinship care, foster care and home supervision orders.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- Due to the specialised nature of our British Sign Language programmes, applicants may also be invited to attend an online or in-person interview to further assess their suitability for the programme.
English language requirements
Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not been educated previously in the English language must provide evidence of their English language ability to ensure they can cope with the demands of a Heriot-Watt programme taught and assessed in English. Further information about the English Language tests that we currently accept as proof of English Language ability including our own English Language programmes, can be viewed on our website.
HWU English Language Requirements https://www.hw.ac.uk/study/entry/english-language-requirements.htm
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
We realise that not everyone has an equal opportunity to evidence their full potential from school or college qualifications alone, so we use all the information you provide on your application form to assess both your current achievements and potential to thrive at university. Our minimum entry levels apply to MD20, POLAR 4 Q1 and care experienced students. Students from other widening access backgrounds may get an adjusted offer which is slightly lower than our standard entry requirements.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not available
Historical entry grades data is not currently available for Heriot-Watt University - we are working with them to try and make it available soon - learn more.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £1820 | Year 1 |
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| EU | £19456 | Year 1 |
| International | £19456 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
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