Modern Languages (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish) with International Experience at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Birkbeck, University of London

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of London

Modern Languages (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish) with International Experience

Course options

Course summary

Would you love to develop your understanding of the cultures and values that lie at the heart of different countries and become a highly proficient linguist in the process? Our BA Modern Languages gives you the opportunity to specialise in one or two languages from a choice of French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. If you choose to study one language, you will normally enter with at least AS- or A-level (or equivalent) in that language (except Japanese, which allows beginner-level entry), and your eventual degree title will be one of the following to reflect this specialisation*: 

  • BA French Studies
  • BA German Studies
  • BA Japanese Studies
  • BA Spanish and Latin American Studies
If you decide to take two languages, you can study one from beginners’ level and the other one from A-level or equivalent level, which will allow you to raise your language skills to near-native standard in at least one of the two languages. Your eventual degree title will name both languages, for example, BA French and Spanish. Whichever language or languages you choose, you will develop your cultural understanding through modules exploring literature, film, popular culture, visual art or linguistics. Cross-cultural modules will also allow you to analyse comparative themes across a variety of linguistic and cultural contexts. At the same time, you will also master transferable skills such as summary and essay writing, oral presentations and written reports, critical and logical thinking, and translating. If you choose the four-year full-time BA Modern Languages with International Experience, you will normally spend your third year abroad at a partner institution to allow you to develop your language skills and knowledge of the culture further.  If you opt for the Foundation Year route (https://digital.ucas.com/coursedisplay/courses/d2708945-2037-42a7-aa6c-455e03c3c5bf?academicYearId=2023&courseOptionId=d3735c28-4886-45d5-a995-f9dcd4da12e4), this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.  *Please note that Italian can currently only be taken together with another language, not on its own.  Highlights
  • You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence that prides itself on research-led teaching in French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, making it an outstanding multidisciplinary department.
  • Ours is a community of scholars with shared interests in interdisciplinary topics and cross-cultural research. Our affiliated research centres, the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies (CFFCS) and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), provide an important platform for this exchange.
  • All teaching takes place in our central London location in Bloomsbury, a stone’s throw from research libraries and all the cultural richness that London has to offer by way of theatre, museums and galleries.
  • You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square Cinema and a theatre and performance space.
Careers and employability Graduates can pursue career paths in education, publishing, or commerce and banking. Possible professions include:
  • translator
  • interpreter
  • secondary school teacher
  • broadcast journalist
  • English as a Foreign Language teacher.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Essays and written and oral examinations.


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
RR13
Institution code:
B24
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential. YEAR ABROAD Please note you must make satisfactory progress during Years 1 and 2 of your degree to be eligible for a year abroad. Additionally, the non-UK partner institution may set its own entrance criteria, including, but not limited to, academic criteria, language requirements and visa requirements. In instances where a student does not meet the eligibility criteria for an approved year abroad or if it is not completed for another reason, their registration may be transferred to the corresponding BA programme pathway without the ‘with International Experience’ designation.


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
International £17620 Year 1

Additional fee information

International year: Home students: £1,385 per year International students: £2,400 per year Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Modern Languages (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish) with International Experience at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS