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English and Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese) at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Birkbeck, University of London

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of London

English and Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese)

Course options

2026 - 2027
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

7Mar
Birkbeck, University of London - Undergraduate Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

If you are passionate about literature, culture, ideas and writing, our BA English and Language is a varied and flexible course that allows you to combine studying English literature with a modern language: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Mandarin Chinese, and its associated culture. Why choose this course?

  • The study of languages allows you to better understand other people, cultures and the worlds in which we live, while building advanced communication skills and intercultural awareness.
  • You will be taught by internationally renowned academics, researchers and writers in a school which prides itself on multidisciplinary excellence.
  • Our comparative culture and language-specific modules are open to everyone regardless of their language level.
What you will learn We focus on three main approaches to studying English: storytelling, making stories and understanding texts. This allows you to learn how stories are communicated, how they are created and how texts produce meaning in the world. You will have the opportunity to explore groundbreaking texts that include fiction, non-fiction, autobiography, biography, literary criticism, essays, poetry and plays. The languages component gives you the chance to reach a high level of competence in a modern language of your choice. You can choose French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish starting at the level of language that suits you, whether you are a complete beginner or a native speaker. Korean and Mandarin Chinese are offered from beginner level. If you choose either of these languages, your final degree award will be a ‘with’ degree, e.g. BA English with Korean. How you will learn You will be taught via lectures as well as seminars and workshops. Language teaching takes place in small-group seminars. Teaching is also delivered in the target language. This course is available to study full- or part-time and follows an evening timetable. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, 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. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • 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 and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies, provide an important platform for this exchange. We also convene the Eighteenth-Century Research Group.
  • Based at the heart of one of the world's most exciting cities, we combine lectures, seminars and workshops with visits to theatres and other cultural and artistic institutions, and we frequently collaborate with leading arts, cultural, theatre and dance and performing arts organisations, allowing you to ground your studies in real-world practice.
Careers and employability You will find BA English and Language graduates working in the creative industries, as well as in education, law, the civil service and business roles. Our graduates gain valuable transferable skills in:
  • high-level oral and written communication
  • the ability to convey ideas and build an argument
  • the ability to analyse and process complex ideas
  • independent research
  • the ability to work as part of a team.
Graduates can pursue careers in writing and journalism, publishing, editing or research. Possible professions include:
  • editorial assistant
  • journalist
  • writer
  • academic librarian
  • public relations officer
  • translator
  • interpreter
  • secondary school teacher
  • 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

Commentaries, coursework, tests, essays, examinations and the option of an independent final year dissertation, as well as a wide range of exercises designed to evaluate your abilities and prepare you with transferable skills for the workplace.

How to apply

14Jan

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:
Q321
Institution code:
B24
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available

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. This course is suitable for applicants at all language entry levels, from beginner to proficiency, including native speaker level. Acceptance may be subject to an admissions test and/or interview. FOUNDATION YEAR DEGREES Our 'with Foundation Year' route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) or two years (part-time) of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree.

Student Outcomes

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Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
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The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

International £18500 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

The 2025-26 home fee was £9,535. This fee may be subject to an inflationary increase in 2026-27, depending upon UK government announcements on the tuition fee loan cap. 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.
English and Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese) at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS