Course summary

This BA offers you the opportunity to combine the development of high-level language skills with in-depth critical engagement with other cultures through studying literature, art, film, history and politics. If you already have an A level (or equivalent) in French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish, we offer advanced courses in those languages. You will also have the choice to study beginner courses in the above languages or Arabic. Whether you are a beginner or a post-A level student in your chosen languages, you will also study cultural modules together, and the beginner and advanced streams fully merge in the final year. In Year 1 you can study up to three languages, focusing on the key skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will also explore aspects of the literature, film, art, history and politics of the cultures you are studying. In Year 2 you will be able to study one or two languages, building on your skills and allowing you to begin to specialise in areas that interest you. You will then spend Year 3 abroad, either as an English assistant in a school or university, as a student or on a work placement. You will divide your time between countries whose languages you will study in your final year. This is a time of enormous linguistic and personal development, when you should gain fluency in your language and enjoy a unique opportunity to make new friends, appreciate other cultures and learn to work and study in new ways. You can also apply to add a placement year to your degree, increasing the course from four years to five. In Year 4 you will develop your advanced skills in one or two chosen languages. You will also continue your cultural studies, focusing on your areas of interest (such as the work of a particular writer or the culture of a particular period).