Modern Languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese)

Would you love to develop your understanding of different cultures and become a highly proficient linguist in the process? Our BA Modern Languages gives you the chance to specialise in one or two modern languages - from French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin Chinese - along with the literature, history, film, thought and visual culture associated with them.

Why choose this course?

• Studying languages allows you to better understand people, their culture and the world in which they live, and develop advanced communication skills and intercultural awareness.

• It gives you the chance to cultivate an intellectual interest in comparative literature.

• We also offer this course with an International Experience pathway which gives you the opportunity to spend a year abroad at one of our partner universities in Europe or Japan.

What you will learn

You will gain proficiency in your chosen language(s) and master skills such as essay writing, oral presentations and written reports, critical thinking and translating.

You can study French, German or Spanish as a single language, from at least A-level (or equivalent), and graduate with BA French Studies, BA German Studies or BA Spanish and Latin American Studies

If you wish to study Japanese as a single language, please see our separate course page for BA Japanese Studies.

If you choose to study two languages, you can take one from beginner level and the other from A-level (or equivalent), raising your language skills to near-native standard in at least one language. Your eventual degree title will name both languages, e.g. BA French and Spanish, or BA French with Spanish.

Italian, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin Chinese can be taken only as a second language. Korean and Mandarin Chinese are offered from beginner to intermediate level, so your final degree will be ‘with’ one of these languages, for example, BA French with Korean.

You will also develop your cultural understanding through modules on literature, film, popular culture, history, visual art and linguistics.

How you will learn

Teaching is in small-group seminars. Language teaching is delivered in the target language.

This course can be studied full- or part-time. Classes take place mainly in the evening, with some classes on Saturday daytime depending on the languages you choose. This may differ during your year abroad if you choose the International Experience route.

International Experience

If you choose the four-year full-time International Experience route, you will normally spend your third year at a partner institution in Europe or Japan, depending on the language you study, to allow you to develop your language skills and your knowledge of the culture. There is a minimum language requirement of A2 for European languages when starting this course.

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

• We are surrounded by cultural institutes relevant to the study of languages and literature, such as the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies, the Goethe Institute, German Historical Institute, Institut Français, Instituto Cervantes, and Japan House London.

• We also offer a range of combined language courses in which you can study another subject, such as art history, English, law, linguistics, journalism, politics or digital media, along with learning a language and its culture.

Careers and employability

This course will prepare you for careers in fields such as:

• teaching languages

• banking and finance

• publishing

• journalism

• the Civil Service

• translation

• diplomacy

• international relations

• the cultural sector.

Course modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.