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Advanced Phonology - LAN00096M

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

You will build on knowledge and skills in phonological analysis, gained in prior study, to deepen your understanding of a range of phonological phenomena and analytical frameworks.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to:

  • develop your awareness of the core phenomena which phonological theory must account for

  • develop your awareness of different theoretical approaches to the analysis of these core phenomena, and your ability to evaluate competing analyses

  • equip you with skills in data analysis methods which can be used to provide empirically based evaluation of theoretical claims and hypotheses in phonology

Module learning outcomes

Subject content:

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

  • find and/or collect data for use as input to phonological analysis
  • establish phonological generalisations based on different types of data
  • develop an explanatory account of the phonological generalisation(s) in a set of data
  • evaluate competing explanatory accounts of phonological generalisations

Academic and graduate skills:

In addition to acquiring subject-specific skills and knowledge, students who finish this module will also be able to:

  • argue more convincingly for their position in debates using empirical data
  • present themselves better in writing and speech
  • critically evaluate research papers based both on their logical structure and empirical grounding

Module content

There is a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar in each teaching week.

Indicative topics covered include:

  • Phonological primitives

  • Rule-based Phonology

  • Autosegmental Phonology

  • Constraint-based Phonology

  • Syllables

  • Stress

  • Tone and Intonation

  • The Phonetics–Phonology Interface

  • Research design in Phonology

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Written feedback within 20 working days.

Indicative reading

van Oostendorp, Marc, et al., eds. The Blackwell Companion to Phonology. Volumes 1-3. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.