Modern Languages with International Experience Birkbeck, University of London

Awarded by: University of London

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? You can, by raising your language skills to near-native standard in at least one of two languages studied, and by learning related skills in translating, summary-writing, and written and oral presentations. At the same time, you can increase your cultural understanding through options in literature, film and society. Our students gain confidence in speaking and writing both of your chosen languages to study and English.

You will have the opportunity to study a number of cross-cultural modules which will allow you to explore specific themes across a variety of language-speaking areas.

The third year is normally spent abroad at a partner institution to allow you to develop your language skills and your knowledge of the culture of the language-speaking area you are studying.

You can also apply for a three-year version of the programme without a year abroad, and you will normally also be able to transfer to this version of the programme during your first or second year of study if you decide you do not wish to study outside of the UK.

The programme is also available part-time, without a year abroad, over four years or six years.

Highlights

• Arts and humanities at Birkbeck are ranked fifth best in London, 18th in the UK and 87th globally in the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject.

• You will have the opportunity to spend a year abroad at a partner institution to develop your language skills and your knowledge of the culture.

• Our Department of Cultures and Languages brings together research and teaching in French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, making it an outstanding multidisciplinary department.

• In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Modern Languages and Linguistics achieved 100% for a research environment conducive to producing research of the highest quality, while 73% of our research was recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent.

• Ours is a community of scholars with shared interests in interdisciplinary topics and cross-cultural research. Our affiliated research centres, Birkbeck Research in Aesthetics of Kinship and Community (BRAKC) and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), provide an important platform for this exchange.

• The School of Arts is an official partner of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Opportunities for students have included a year’s free membership of the ICA, private views, discounts on all talks and events, free members' screenings and £3 cinema tickets on Tuesdays, up to 25% off ICA Artists' Editions and a monthly e-newsletter.