Language Teaching and Languages (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) with Foundation Year BA (Hons)

If you would love to become a proficient linguist, while also developing the skills and knowledge to become an effective teacher of modern languages or of English, then this course is for you.

Why choose this course?

• You will be able to choose from a suite of linguistics modules developing your understanding of how language is acquired, structured and used in social situations and contexts or raising your knowledge of the psychological processes involved in language production and perception.
• You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence that prides itself on research-led teaching in multiple languages, making it an outstanding multidisciplinary team.
• It offers you a broad and balanced degree in which you can fully engage in the improvement of your language skills and learn up to two languages, from a choice of French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.
• It will help equip you to work or study in a country in which one of the languages you are studying is spoken.

What you will learn

On this course, you will learn about the science of how we learn languages as well as the theory and practice of how we teach languages effectively. You will study the associated cultures of your chosen language or languages through a range of option modules in literature, film, the visual arts and society and acquire advanced knowledge of a range of comparative cultural topics.

If you decide to study one language on this course, you will ideally have reached at least A/S- or A-level or equivalent in that language before starting this degree. Then you will be awarded the BA Language Teaching and French, for example, if your chosen language is French.

If you decide to study two languages, you can study one from beginner’s level and the other from a higher level (from A/S or A-level or equivalent). You will be awarded the beginner’s level language as BA Language Teaching ‘with’ that language. So, for example if you decide to study Spanish at the higher level, and French at the beginner’s level, you will be awarded BA Language Teaching and Spanish with French.

Korean is only currently available on this course from beginner to intermediate level, so if you decide to study this language on its own you will be awarded BA Language Teaching with Korean. If you decide to study it as a second language at beginner’s level, for example with French as your higher-level language, you will be awarded a BA Language Teaching and French with Korean.

How you will learn

This course is available to study full- or part-time with classes taking place in the evening. You will join us in weekly language classes which employ a task-driven syllabus, while classes for the linguistics and culture modules are part lecture, part activity and part open discussion to provide you with an interactive, stimulating experience.

You can also choose to practise your skills in a work placement or teaching placement in the UK, or by teaching English in one of the countries whose language you are learning - subject to availability.

If you choose the four-year full-time International Experience route, you will normally spend your third year at a partner institution in Europe or Japan, depending on the language you study, to allow you to develop your language skills and your knowledge of the culture. There is a minimum language requirement of A2 for European languages when starting this course.

Foundation Year

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Find out everything you need to know about Foundation Years.