BA

Modern Languages

BA Modern Languages Code R990 Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

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Key Facts

R990

  • UCAS Tariff

    120 - 104

  • Course duration

    4 years

Available for September start 2025

Further details on entry requirements

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The Department of Modern Languages at Aberystwyth University is one of a handful of universities in the UK that offers students the opportunity to combine the study of three languages, two of which will not require prior knowledge. You can choose from among French, Italian, German and Spanish depending on the pathways you wish to take. In your third year you will undertake a Year Abroad, offering you the opportunity to live, and study or work, in the countries of your main language or languages of study. In the BA Modern Languages degree, you will not only gain practical knowledge of and fluency in three languages, but you will also learn to understand the position of these languages in a wider global context.

Course Overview

Why study BA Modern Languages at Aberystwyth University? 

  • We believe that our students should be fully immersed in the languages they study. Our close-knit international community encourages our students to use these languages in their daily lives, while we also offer opportunities for students to study abroad. 
  • On your Year Abroad, your time is usually split between two countries, to facilitate your total immersion in more than one language and culture. We are committed to offering you opportunities to develop your language skills, and to learn about, enjoy and embrace the cultures of the countries in which the languages you study are spoken. The Year Abroad will enable you to master the languages that you have chosen and will give you possibly the best year of your life! This course will also provide you with the opportunity to study a wide range of specialised modules in literature and culture, as well as language.
  • A degree in Modern Languages ensures secure and constant demand for employment after graduation. This statement is reflected in our graduate employability figures produced by HESA (Higher Education Statistics Authority), where 95% of our graduates (latest data 2018) entered work at professional level. Our departmental philosophy is to ensure that you will have a smooth transition from campus to career.
Our Staff

All of the lecturers in the Department of Modern Languages are qualified to PhD level and are research active specialists in their chosen field. We also employ highly qualified and experienced language tutors, and native-speakers, who will ensure that your learning is of the highest possible quality and who will provide you with constant support through your years of study.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Beginners French 1 FR10920 20
Beginners French 2 FR11020 20
Beginners German 1 GE11120 20
Beginners German 2 GE11020 20
Beginners Italian 1 IT10820 20
Beginners Italian 2 IT11020 20
Beginners Spanish 1 SP10820 20
Beginners Spanish 2 SP11020 20
Exploring German Cultural Identity GE10810 10
French Language Advanced FR19930 30
German Language Advanced GE19930 30
Hispanic Civilization SP10610 10
Images of France: The French Family FR12910 10
Spanish Language Advanced SP19930 30
Study and Research Skills in Spanish and Latin American Studies SP11120 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

Career Prospects

Employability is embedded in our teaching across the Department of Modern Languages. What we teach you will serve you well in your future careers, with our modules tailored to providing students with the employability skills that are sought after by employers. The Year Abroad also helps to make our graduates stand out from the crowd, as students return with an increased skill set, stronger language competencies and the ability to adapt to any situation.

We are very proud of the success rate of our graduates in finding employment after graduation. Some of the many chosen fields of our graduates are:

• translation and interpreting

• broadcasting

• education

• marketing

• Human Resources

• website development

• international banking

• the Civil Service.

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the four-year degree scheme.

During your four years, you will have four weekly hours of language work, which includes:

  • speaking
  • writing
  • listening
  • translation.

In addition to your language work, in your first year you can also discover: 

• an introduction to literary studies

• European film

• the politics and culture of language across Europe

• the history and culture of the Spanish-speaking world

• the cultural history of Italy

• German literature.

In your second year you could explore: 

• specialised language modules, eg language of Business

• Spanish American Cinema

• the Cinema of Spain

• modern literature

• prose in German literature

• current issues in French and Francophone society.

In your third year, you will undertake your year abroad, working or studying in a foreign country relative to your chosen languages.

In your final year you could choose from options such as:

• the Cuban Revolution

• French literature

• Spanish Cinema

• Spanish literature

• German literature.

How will I be taught?

A variety of teaching formats is used in class. Lectures will introduce you to topics, while in seminars you will be expected to develop your knowledge in certain areas and participate in class discussions.

You will learn to adapt to any situation and will be provided with the learning tools necessary to be able to deliver oral presentations (individually and in groups), sit listening tests, write reports and undertake increasingly complex translations in language classes, as well as sit oral and written exams. In content modules, you will develop the skills necessary to write essays, undertake research projects, give oral presentations, or sit exams.

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 104

A Levels BBB-BCC to include B in a relevant language

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-DMM to include B in a relevant A level language

International Baccalaureate:
30-28 with 5 points in a relevant language at Higher Level

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall with 7 in a relevant language

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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