Global Engagement Year

Wiktoria photograph from travels in China

Spending up to a year abroad is an integral and assessed part of our language degrees. Through studying or working overseas, engaging globally gives you the opportunity to improve your language proficiency, broaden your cultural knowledge and gain transferable skills that are much valued by employers

The Global Engagement Year is compulsory for students taking Chinese, French, German or Spanish.

During the Global Engagement Year students have the opportunity to develop various skills:

  • Improve your language proficiency
  • Broaden your cultural knowledge
  • Enhance your personal development
  • Gain transferable skills that are much valued by employers

Our MLang programme is a more intensive degree, with the Global Engagement Year taking place during year two. During the year abroad, MLang students choose to study courses taught in their target language at one of our partner universities.

What are your options?

BA Languages and Global Cultures students are able to split their time abroad between different activities.

Bordeaux

Study at a partner university

You can choose to study courses taught in your target language at one of our partner universities. If you are studying Chinese, you will be able to study or undertake a work placement in a Chinese language environment.

Work placements

Work placements

You may wish to spend time on a work placement for a company or as a Language Assistant for the British Council. This adds invaluable work experience to your academic skills. Please note, this is not an option for MLang students.

Study at a partner university

You can choose to study courses taught in your target language at one of our partner universities.

Only some of the universities listed are available to MLang students. Your tutors will be able to offer guidance.

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Work placements

You may wish to spend time on a work placement for a company or as a Language Assistant for the British Council. This adds invaluable work experience to your academic skills.

We provide plenty of support to identify opportunities and secure an internship.

For students studying two languages, we do not have set rules about your choice of destinations. Students taking three languages are required to spend their time in at least two language-specific environments. Beginners level students will normally spend some or all of their year in the country of their beginners level language.

Below you will find some examples of where our students have undertaken placements previously.

Please note, this is not an option for MLang students.

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Student Travel Journals

Find out what our students gained from the experience in their travel journals:

Rory in his kilt

My International Perspective: English Language Assistant in Mallorca

During my year abroad as an English Language Assistant in Mallorca, I worked at the Escola Oficial d’Idiomes de Manacor with adults at all CEFR levels and occasionally in neighbouring towns such as Campos. 
A person standing in front of a fence with red ribbons with mountain scenery in the background.

My International Perspective: Studying in Xi'an

John White (Spanish Studies and Computing BA) shares his thoughts on his study abroad experience in China, where he is studying Mandarin Chinese at Xidian University.
View at a historical fortress lit-up at night time.

My International Perspective: Studying in Granada

Flo Osborne-Jones (Spanish Studies BA) shares her thoughts on her IPY experience in Spain, where she studied at the University of Granada.
A person standing in front a lake at sunset with a fountain in the background.

My International Perspective: Studying in Geneva

Lizzie Coveney (French Studies and Linguistics BA) shares her thoughts on her IPY experience in Switzerland, where she studied at the University of Geneva.
A person standing in a stadium

My International Perspective: Studying in Barcelona

Sophia Pollitt-Walmsley (Spanish Studies and Linguistics BA) shares her thoughts on her IPY experience in Spain, where she studied at the UIC Barcelona.
View from the water onto a row of colourful houses with a basilica in the background.

My International Perspective: Studying in Lyon

Lara McNaughton (French Studies and Linguistics BA) shares her thoughts on her IPY experience in France, where she studied at the Jean Moulin University in Lyon.

More articles

How do we support our students?

We aim to offer a range of support, for example:

  • Regular preparation meetings and a dedicated preparation module
  • All aspects covered: organisational, social and cultural, health and safety
  • Dedicated tutors providing individual personalised advice

We take your health and safety seriously and make sure that you feel fully prepared for any issues that may arise during your placement. We do this by integrating health and safety into the briefings and courses you will attend before you travel, and through contact and support during your placement.

two students laughing