Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework.These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
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
- 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.
- 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
31Jan
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
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
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
UCAS Tariff - 96 - 128 points
A level - CCC - ABB
Access to HE Diploma
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. On this programme you can focus on two of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish. You must have at least A-level/B2 (CEFR) competence in one of your two languages, unless the stronger of your two languages is Japanese, in which case GCSE-level (70% of the content that is needed to pass the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N5) is sufficient. Your second language can be at any level from beginner onwards. The course is also suitable for applicants at proficiency and native speaker level. 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. ALTERNATIVE ENTRY ROUTES Credits gained on the Certificate of Higher Education in Culture and Language (French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish) can be counted towards the degree.
Additional entry requirements
Admission tests
Interview
Institutions Own Test (IOT)
Those who do not have an A-level/AS or equivalent qualification will normally be required to complete a language placement test and may be asked to attend an interview.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
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
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| International | £17620 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
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.
Provider information
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street
Bloomsbury
London
WC1E 7HX
Course contact details
Visit our course pageBirkbeck Student Advice Service
0203 907 0700