BA (Hons)
Applied Languages
Become multi-lingual and study abroad
Course Overview
Why take this course?
If you would like to use your languages in a multilingual professional environment, then this course is for you. You will study at least two languages from French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin or English as a Foreign Language. Explore how your language skills can be used in the world of work and spend time abroad to experience your languages firsthand.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Study translation and interpreting
- Obtain a TEFL qualification from the Trinity College London
- Study Mandarin and spend a year in China
- Take on a third language in your final year: options include a European language from those mentioned above, plus British Sign Language, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese and Japanese
What opportunities might it lead to?
Language is used in a range of professional contexts including business, tourism, and finance – not just language teaching. Your transferable skills can be used in many careers across the private, public and voluntary sectors. You will have the ability to work across cultures and this course is great preparation for work at home or abroad.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- travel and tourism
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- marketing
- translation
- the media and international organisations
- journalism
I really like the availability of the teaching staff - they all have set office hours where you can drop by and discuss your progress.
Will Brookes-Smith, BA (Hons) Applied Languages student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- Q140
- Duration
- 4 years full time with language year abroad
- Entry
240-300 points from 3 A levels or equivalent, to include 80 points from an A level in a Modern Foreign Language.
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:
Modern Languages and Area Studies
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Combining language learning with the study of culture and politics, promoting a deeper understanding of a country/countries of study
- Fantastic opportunities for spending a year abroad
- Interactive and practical nature of studying that will prepare you for a wide range of careers
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
To begin the course you will choose two languages to study through the three years. You also take courses in Studying at University and Starting Language Research, which will introduce the topics in linguistics and contemporary society that provide the foundations for your undergraduate learning.
Year two
In your second year you'll continue with the study of linguistics and are introduced to communication study. You will also have the option of taking units in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Language for Professional Communication
- Analysing Discourse
- Forensic Linguistics
- Managing Across Cultures
- Learning from Experience
Final year*
In your final year, after returning from your year abroad, you will write up your dissertation and choose from a range of units.
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Using technology in ELT
- Translation: theory & practice
- Communication theory: theories & systems
- Creative activities in the language classroom
- Interpreting
Please note that not all options or special subjects will be available at any given time.
*On this programme you will spend your third year in a country where your target languages are spoken.
Teaching and Assessment
We provide a varied, creative and stimulating learning environment. Teaching is via lectures and seminars which are supported by the University’s interactive learning facilities. Classes may also take the form of hands-on skills development sessions where you learn how to access electronic resources in our Sony Virtuoso multimedia digital classrooms (they are much more than language laboratories!) or via small oral practice classes with Language Assistants.
How are you assessed?
Our assessment methods are varied, with relatively few formal examinations. Here’s how we assess your work:
- written essays and reports
- case studies
- book reviews
- group and individual projects
- oral presentations
Tutor's view
Begoña Rodríguez de Céspedes
Applied Languages
Our very successful Applied Languages programme has a strong vocational element as you can explore your language skills in a range of professional contexts including business, tourism, finance, TEFL and translation. You learn two languages in your first year and a third later if you wish!
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Year Abroad
Study or work abroad as part of your degree
Learning Resources Centre
A variety of resources are available
Language Laboratories
Language labs offering a rich and effective multimedia language environment
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Year Abroad
On this programme you will spend your third year in a country where your target languages are spoken. You may take advantage of our well-established links with universities in France, Germany, Spain, West Africa and Latin America, should you wish to spend this period studying; alternatively, with University approval, you may be able to arrange a work placement abroad.
Learning Resources Centre
You will have access to our recently refurbished Learning Resource Centre, which provides access to texts, study rooms, software, computers and a wireless laptop area that can augment your learning outside the classroom, enhance your research and support your assignment work.
Language Laboratories
We have four state-of-the-art Sony Virtuoso Language Laboratories, where you can manipulate video, sound, text and Internet sources in a rich, multimedia language-learning environment. Our staff are at the forefront in exploiting the potential afforded by this technology to create their own packages of materials.
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.
Work placement opportunities open to students on my course are fantastic – I chose to go to Senegal and work for an international NGO.
Joe Bates, BA (Hons) Applied Languages student
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Language graduates are highly sought after and the transferable skills you will possess are extremely valuable to employers. While translation and interpreting are careers that people traditionally associate with languages, this is not all you are limited to. You also can expect to find work in areas as diverse as management, banking, marketing and sales, commerce, export, tourism and the media, among others.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- bilingual consultant
- multilingual project coordinator
- translator
- market analyst
- contracts representative
Work experience
Your year abroad may be spent working in cities related to the language(s) you are studying, either as a teacher or (with University agreement) through an arranged work placement. This allows you to develop your transferable workplace skills as an integral part of your studies.
The course also 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. This 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.
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