Modern Languages and Cultures, BA (Hons), with study abroad

We offer post A Level courses in French, German, Italian, Russian and Hispanic Studies. These courses are open to students who have an A Level (at least Grade A) or equivalent qualification in that language. We also offer beginners’ courses in Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian. Beginners can take cultural modules alongside post-A Level students, and completely merge with the advanced stream in the final year.Year 1You will take a core language module for each of the languages you are studying. This is a single module for all languages studied post-A Level and a double module for beginners’ languages. These core modules focus on the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. In addition, you will choose from a wide range of modules dealing with various aspects of the literature, film, art, history and politics of the different cultures you are studying. These cultural modules aim to develop students’ independent research and analytical skills as well as introducing them to the cultures in question.All first-year modules are intended to function as introductions to and more general overviews of areas of study in which you will specialise later in your degree.Year 2You will continue to take a core language module for each of the languages you are studying. These core modules focus on and continue to develop the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. In addition, you will choose from a wide range of modules on the literature, film, art, history and politics of the cultures you are studying. All second-year modules build on skills and knowledge acquired in the first year and allow you to specialise more in areas which interest you (from medieval literature to contemporary film).Year 3Your third year is spent abroad and you divide your time between countries whose languages you are going to study at Level 3 in your final year. You can spend this time as an English assistant in a school, as a student in a university and/or in employment of some kind. During your year abroad you will complete a Target Language Research Project for each of the languages you are going to study at Level 3 in your final year, supervised by a designated Year Abroad project supervisor.Year 4You will continue to take a compulsory language module for each of the languages you are studying. These compulsory modules focus on and continue to develop to a high level the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. In your final year, you will also research and write a dissertation on an aspect of culture or cultural production, supervised by a member of staff with expertise in the selected topic area.In addition, you will choose from a wide range of specialist modules on literature, film, art, history and politics relating to the cultures you are studying. These modules are designed around staff research expertise. All fourth-year modules build on skills and knowledge acquired earlier in your degree and allow you to specialise still further in areas which interest you (such as the work of a particular writer or the culture of a particular period).Study AbroadWe attach great importance to your time abroad, during the third year of your degree, which you may spend as an English assistant in a school, as a student in a foreign university, or in employment with an overseas organisation. This is a time of enormous linguistic and personal development from which you should gain a high level of fluency in your language(s) and enjoy a unique opportunity to make new friends, appreciate new cultures and learn to work and study in new ways. Employers at home and abroad are impressed by the lasting benefits, especially in increased linguistic confidence, intercultural agility and general self-motivation. During the year abroad you will complete an academic assignment related to each of the countries in which you stay.