In the course we will first address the theoretical basics in the area of phonetics and phonology, including transcribing speech using the International Phonetic Alphabet. Students will then get to know the two most relevant prestige accents of the English language, RP and Standard American English. We will then address accent variation in the USA, focusing on social class, ethnicity, and linguistic discrimination. Students will then get to know the methodological basics of analyzing accent variation. The course also addresses issues of English Language Teaching in relation to target accents.