BA (Hons)
Languages and European Studies
Spend a year studying in a city of your chosen language
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Are you interested in learning about how the European institutions work? How European policies are developed and how they impact on all aspects of daily life?
Explore and debate such issues and study a European language of your choice.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Hop across the Channel to gain experience of the cultures you are studying
- Choose to study Spanish abroad in Latin America or choose to study French and do a work placement in Senegal, West Africa
- Take on a third language in your final year, options include a European language from those mentioned above, or British Sign Language, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese or 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 love the broadness and freshness of my course. I also like the fact that it's very flexible.
Jennifer Aougah, BA (Hons) Languages and European Studies student
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- R900
- 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:
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 cover topics in linguistics and contemporary society which provide the foundations for your learning.
Core units in this year include:
- General Language Grade 1 & 2 OR General Language Grade 3 & Language Project
- The Making of Modern Europe: 1550 – 1990
- Political and Social Change in Contemporary Europe
- Studying at University
- Developing Research Skills
Year two
Continue to study units in your chosen language with the choice to start a beginner’s course in a third language if you wish. Preparation for your year abroad and preliminary work on your dissertation is also incorporated into this year.
Core units in this year include:
- General Language Grade 3 & 4 OR General Language Grade 4 & Language For Professional Communication 1
- Foundations of the European Union
- Governing the EU: Institutions & Policies
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Comparing Extremism in European Liberal Democracies
- Business and Markets in a Global Environment
- Culture and Ideas in Twentieth Century Europe
- Nation, Language and Identity
- Managing Across Cultures
- Governing the EU: Institutions and Policies
- Foundations of the European Union
- France from the Colonial Exhibition to the Liberation 1931 - 1945
- Politics in Post-War Germany 1949 - 1990
- Golden Age Spain 1469 - 1700
- Representations of Italian National Identity
Final year*
Complete your dissertation in your final year and specialise in the topics that intrigue you the most.
Core units in this year include:
- General Language Grade 6
- Language for Professional Communication 2
- Protecting the Environment in Europe
- Political Economy of the EU
*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 MELISSI 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
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.
As a SLAS student, apart from the library facilities, such as online books, journal articles and articles, I also have access to language labs and the Learning Resource Centre, where you can find movies, songs, papers in any language which is taught at the University.
Sorina Alexandra Toltica, BA (Hons) Languages and European Studies student 2013
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.
Graduates from this course have been successful in finding work in the following areas:
- as global business managers
- working in the European Commission
- in local government as EU liaison advisors
- work in international organisations
- in health administration
- working in banking
- as language assistants and teachers
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.
My year abroad was without doubt the most valuable part of the course. I improved both my language skills and being able to cope on my own in a new foreign country. After graduation I will start a masters in corporate Governance and Law and hope to find a job where I am able to use my language on a regular basis.
Finola Kilgallen, BA (Hons) Languages and European Studies student 2013
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