BA (Hons)
International Development Studies and Languages
Study developing countries and learn a language
Course Overview
Why take this course?
On this programme, you will study more than poverty; you will explore transnational concerns, such as climate change, migration, gender relations, access to resources, political development, and the international balance of power, while developing the language skills to support cultural awareness and future employability.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Study a language to degree level, a requirement for employment in many NGOs and development organisations, including a year abroad
- Study across several disciplines, including economics, human geography, politics and international relations
- Undertake work or research placements, volunteer roles and internships alongside your study
What opportunities might it lead to?
You can expect to pursue careers in:
- local, national or international government
- teaching, lecturing or research
- voluntary organisations and NGOs
- advertising, marketing and PR
- media
- banking and financial services
I have learnt about the impact a language can have in development and how important it is to be able to communicate locally, especially with community development projects.
Alexander Sykes, BA (Hons) International Development Studies and Languages student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- LR28
- Duration
- 4 years full time with language year abroad
- Entry
200-280 points from 3 A levels or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8299 - Department
- School of Languages and Area Studies
Subject:
History, Politics and Social Studies
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- The diverse spread of subjects offered and ability to complete your own research
- The critical thinking, analytical and debating skills you’ll develop
- The passionate lecturers with a wide range of specialist research expertise
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
In your first year you will take introductory units to the various disciplines that you will cover on the course.
- Either General Language 1 (Beginner) (40) Or General Language 3 (Intermediate) + Language Project 1
- Introduction to Development Studies: Policy and Practice
- Introduction to the Developing World
- Studying At University
- Developing Research Skills
Year two
As this course progresses, you will take core units that provide a coherent understanding of key issues in international development. Additionally, there is a range of options that will allow you to pursue your own particular interest.
- General Language (Grade 2 / Grade 4)
- General Language (Grade 2) / Language for Professional Communication 1
- Key Issues in Development
Options including:
- Global Environmental Issues and Concerns
- Economic and Political Geography 1: North American City
- Development Economics
- Democratisation in Latin America
- US Foreign Policy: Ideals and Self-Interest
- International Politics of the Middle East
- Conflict and Disaster
- Managing Across Cultures
- Language
- Learning from Experience
- Gender in the Developing World
- Russian and Eurasian Politics
- International Community Development
- 20th & 21st Century Chinese History, Politics and Society
- Colonialism & the End of Empire: France and West Africa
- Colonialism & the End of Empire: France and Algeria
Final year*
A large part of your final year is given over to specialist study, including the preparation of a dissertation. However, there are some core units too.
- Dissertation
- General Language 6
- Language for Professional Communication 2
Options from:
- Development & Foreign Aid
- Gender in the Developing World
- Colonialism & the End of Empire: France and West Africa
- Global Political Economy
- China and East Asian Economies
- Anthropology of Development
- Language Education and Development
- Transitional Justice and Human Rights in Latin America
- Contemporary Issues and Controversies in Latin America
*On this programme you will spend your third year in a country where your target language is spoken. The course is also available with a sandwich year.
Teaching and Assessment
We provide a varied, creative and stimulating learning environment, with enthusiastic teaching staff drawn from our research centre, CEISR. You will be taught in lectures and small-group seminars to develop your confidence and analytical skills through questions and debates around primary documents and contemporary issues. Our aim is to enable you to become an independent thinker equipped with skills that will continue to influence your experiences beyond your time at university.
How are you assessed?
We use continuous assessment on our degree programmes. Methods are varied, including some formal examinations but with a main focus on assessment through engaging and challenging case studies, projects, presentations, book reviews and creative writing.
Tutor's view
Dr Tamsin Bradley
International Development Studies
IDS at Portsmouth uniquely combines regional expertise with an interdisciplinary approach. We have wide regional expertise covering: Latin America, South, South East and East Asia, Caribbean, West, East and North Africa. The degree is also taught by subject specialists in anthropology, economics, history, sociology, and geography.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Professional Endorsement
International Community Development
Research-Active Staff
Academic staff split their time between research and teaching
Your Placement Abroad
Study or work abroad for your third year
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Professional Endorsement
This course can enhance your employability credentials with its International Community Development unit, offering work placements across the developing world. Portsmouth is the only university to offer this endorsed module.
Research-Active Staff
You will be taught by specialist staff who are actively undertaking research in this field, ensuring your learning keeps you abreast of the latest developments. Staff are members of the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR), the UK's largest research centre of its kind.
Your Placement Abroad
We have well-established links with universities in France, Germany, Spain, West Africa and Latin America if you wish to spend this period studying, or, with University approval, you may arrange a work placement abroad. Students who cannot undertake the Year Abroad because of changes in personal circumstances transfer to a 3 year 'with Languages' variant.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Whether it is working as a project manager on social care projects in the UK or for international agencies in Africa, the International Development Studies programme will give you the transferable skills and subject knowledge to make you suitable for a wide range of jobs across the globe.
Our graduates have gone on to jobs such as:
- politician’s assistant
- public affairs consultant
- social researcher
- information officer
- conference producer
- local government administrator
Work experience
This course allows you to take the Learning From Experience (LiFE) option, which lets you earn credits toward your degree for work/research placements, volunteer roles or internships undertaken alongside your studies. The option gives you the opportunity to enhance your employability skills, to reflect on the ways in which you've done so, and to learn to express this to potential employers.
It is the only IDS course in the country that has a professionally endorsed unit, 'International Community Development', providing our students with enhanced employability credentials on graduation. Students, as part of, or in addition to, their degrees can take up a number of placements across the Developing World. IDS is available in combination with a language or as a single honours course. Both degrees provide students with the opportunity to incorporate a placement year.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more