BA French and Spanish

University of Birmingham

United Kingdom, Birmingham

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University of Birmingham

United Kingdom , Birmingham

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

RR14

Campuses

Birmingham (Edgbaston)

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 24,480 / year

Next Intake September-2026

BA French and Spanish

About

Studying French and Spanish offers a powerful combination of academic, professional, and cultural benefits. Whether your interests lie in literary, historical and political studies or global business and international relations, this degree provides you with a unique knowledge and skill set, which is highly valued in a wide range of fields, such as international relations, diplomacy, global business and media.

On this course, you'll get access to rich cultural and intellectual traditions, while at the same time gaining valuable communicative skills in two of the most spoken languages in the world. You'll also experience the exciting opportunities offered by a Year Abroad, where you'll immerse yourself in the cultural and educational environments of your chosen languages.

Delve further into your language studies by choosing a selection of exciting optional modules, which may include:

Conflict, Identity and Absurdity in 20th-century French Theatre
Icons of the Hispanic World
From Princesses to Poisoners: Gender, Identity and Society in Seventeenth-century French texts
Digital Media and Spanish Youth Culture
Avant-garde Currents in French Cinema
Imagining the Truth: Latin American Culture in a Post-truth World

And cross-departmental modules such as:

Constructions of gender, sexuality and race  
Cross-cultural Cinema: Migration and Displacement
Thinking Otherwise: Decolonial approaches to contemporary thought and culture
Introduction to Linguistics
From Text to Tech: Digital Approaches to Languages and Cultures
The Romance languages: structure, variation and change

There's an extensive range of language combinations available to you within our Modern Languages department. You can see all our options below:

Find the perfect degree for you here

International undergraduate scholarships available in the College of Arts and Law

We are proud to offer 10 scholarships to international students in the form of £3,000 tuition fee awards for year one entry only.

Learn more about our scholarships and apply

Course details for prospective students on our BA French undergraduate degree programme at the University of Birmingham.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

We will consider students who have taken GCE A Level examinations or the International Baccalaureate (IB) for entrance to onto our undergraduate programmes. Holders of the Thanawiyah are not normally eligible for direct entry onto our undergraduate courses without the completion of a suitable foundation programme, such as one of our foundation pathways.

English Language

You will need to demonstrate a certain level of English language, either through an English test such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, or we may be able to accept your previous or alternative qualifications as evidence. Please view the entry requirements for specific programme requirements, and details on our presessional English language courses.

English Program Requirements

Number of A levels required:: 3
Typical offer:: ABB
Required subjects and grades:: A level grade B is required for the advanced language you wish to study. It is also possible to study two beginner (including post-GCSE) languages without taking an advanced language, as long as one of your beginner languages is French or Spanish.
General Studies:: Accepted.

IB Diploma:
6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall. You also require a Higher Level or equivalent in the modern language that you plan to study.

BTEC qualifications:

BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
BTEC Diploma: DD, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A level, including the required subject/s mentioned above.

Independent language diplomas:

If you would like to study advanced French, Spanish, German, Italian or Russian as part of your programme but are not currently studying the required language at A level, we are happy to consider applications from those offering an independent language diploma at B2 level as demonstration of advanced language skills.

The independent language diplomas we would consider are as follows; DELF-B2 (French), DELE-B2 (Spanish), Goethe-Zertifikat-B2 (German), DILI-B2 (Italian) and TRKI 2^nd Certificate (Russian). These diplomas are assessed against the criteria set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and can be studied for in your own time or through a language centre. These diplomas will be considered when taken in addition to three A levels or equivalent qualifications as outlined above.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

Career

Global workplace skills are developed throughout the lifespan of our Modern Languages programmes, which enable our graduates to thrive in a number of professional environments. Birmingham’s Modern Languages graduates have a consistently high employability rate.

Modern Languages graduates have a wide range of skills that are valued by employers, such as:

Strong communication and presentation skills in English and one or more other languages
A deep understanding and appreciation of other cultures
Critical thinking skills, alongside the ability to research, analyse and interpret information
Independence and experience of living abroad
Expressing thoughts, feelings and opinions in different registers
Leadership, negotiation, debating and teamwork
Handling complex information
The ability to form concise and articulate arguments
Time-management, alongisde the ability to prioritise workload

Some of our employers (2022 survey amongst graduates):

Birmingham Museums Trust
Birmingham City Council
Department for Education
British Council
UK Naric
HSBC
NHS
Oracle
Vodafone
Tiktok
Civil Service

Example roles:

Editorial Project Leader
French Teacher
International Sales Coordinator
Investigation Specialist
Operations Analyst
Consultant
Marketing Officer
Account Executive
Account Planner

Examples of further study include:

PgDip Education
MA Social Work
PGCE Modern Foreign Language
PGCE Primary
Graduate Diploma in Law
MA in International Relations
MA in Comparative Literature
MA in Linguistics
MA in Creative Writing
MA in Media, Communcations and Critical Practice
MA in Journalism
MA in French
MA in Advertising and Marketing
MA in Public Administration

Modern Languages graduates enter the wide range of careers similar to other arts and humanities graduates but with much greater scope in international settings.

You will benefit from organised events in the Department whereby our graduates return to campus to talk to current students about their careers, how to find opportunities and the variety of roles available to linguists. The curriculum also has an increased focus on professional development in areas such as; presenting, CV-building, debating, and developing digital projects in the target language.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres. You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences. As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.