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Overview
Top reasons to study with us
3
3rd for French
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2026)
5
5th for German
The Complete University Guide (2026)
7
7th for Iberian Languages
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2026)
Deep dive into the fascinating world of language, where words become bridges to understanding and cultures come alive through communication. For those that excel in language learning, this degree will enable you to fast-track your learning and take up to three languages. You’ll graduate with a postgraduate language degree and advanced skills that will get you noticed by future employers.
Choose to major in up to two languages from French, German and Spanish, or study one major language and pick up to two ‘discovery’ languages – inlcuding any of the above languages as well as Italian and Chinese.
Why Lancaster?
Accelerate your learning experience as you go from undergraduate to master’s level in just four years, with three years at Lancaster and one year abroad
Challenge yourself as a linguist whilst engaging with the cultures of the countries where they are spoken
Discover the value of transcultural approaches to resolving complex societal challenges
Embrace the opportunity to study abroad, giving you the chance to immerse yourself fully in your chosen country or countries
Gain an internationally recognised qualification and the skills and confidence to work as a language and cultures specialist, either in the UK or abroad
Tailor your own pathway
The MLang Hons in Languages and Global Cultures requires you to have previously studied at least one language up to A-Level or equivalent. In your first year, you will develop your core language skills at advanced level whilst also exploring the cultural, social and historical contexts of language/languages you are studying through film, visual media, literature, art and history.
Additionally, you will examine major global issues such as the climate emergency, global health crisis, human rights, and community engagement, and learn how these topics intersect with issues of race, gender, sexuality, disability, and belief across diverse language communities around the world.
If you join with one language, you will also be able to pick one “discovery” language – for which you can choose to study Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish from beginners' level.
Your first year will also help you prepare to study abroad in your second year at one of our partner universities in France, Germany or Spain.
Fast-track to higher levels
On returning to Lancaster after your year abroad, you will study on our ‘Becoming Proficient’ level for your core language(s); students with one major language will be able to choose to continue with their “discovery” language or pick up a new one.
Modelled on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages, this course allows you to follow the progressional ladder on an internationally recognized scale, ensuring you become a multi-lingual graduate.
During your studies, you will work collaboratively with students from all languages, working together to answer questions such as: What is the impact and opportunities of AI for language professionals? What will future language communities look like across the globe? What is the role of languages and cultures in co-designing responses to some of the major challenges facing the world today?
Progress and specialise
Alongside your language skills and cultural knowledge, you will develop a strong set of professional skills and expertise, preparing you to specialise in your chosen field in your final year. You will acquire enhanced skills in analysis and decision-making, the ability to exchange and articulate ideas, teamwork, and problem-solving, all of which will aid you in your final year and beyond.
You will also join the postgraduate community in the School of Global affairs, with opportunities to explore areas such as sustainability and the environment and health humanities, as well as translation and cultural studies. Your choice of final project can be drawn from your academic, personal or professional experience and interests, and a range of innovative assessment types will give you the freedom to represent your chosen topic creatively and persuasively.
You’ll find detailed information about the structure of this degree and module options on our further information page.
Explore the languages you can study and the levels available – from complete beginners to advanced, as well as cultural studies and global exploration.
Spending up to a year abroad is an integral and assessed part of our language degrees.
Through studying 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.
On the Mlang, the Global Engagement Year takes place in the second year.
We take your health and safety seriously and make sure that you feel fully prepared for any issues that may arise during your placement.
Careers
This integrated master’s programme is a fantastic opportunity to achieve a postgraduate language qualification in just four years. This will mark you out in job applications as a high achiever. By the time you graduate, you will have a brilliant combination of interpersonal, intercultural, and transferable skills that can be applied to a range of rewarding career paths, often international in scope or location.
Graduates of this course may go on to multilingual roles such as:
Sales manager
Business consultant
Translator or interpreter
Language teacher
Travel and tourism specialist
Beyond language-related career paths, graduates of this course could also embrace careers that have a strong element of global solutions such as:
Print, digital and broadcast media
Journalism
Publishing
Marketing
Government and NGO policy roles
Public administration and civil service
Intelligence and security
The arts, including GLAM (Galleries, libraries, archives, and museums)
This course is also a great stepping stone to further study, preparing you to progress directly into a PhD.
Careers and employability support
Our degrees open up an extremely wide array of career pathways in businesses and organisations, large and small, in the UK and overseas.
We run a paid internship scheme specifically for our arts, humanities and social sciences students, supported by a specialist Employability Team. The team offer individual consultations and tailored application guidance, as well as careers events, development opportunities, and resources.
Whether you have a clear idea of your potential career path or need some help considering the options, our friendly team is on hand.
Lancaster is unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which recognises activities such as work experience, community engagement or volunteering and social development. A valuable addition to your CV!
Find out more about Lancaster’s careers events, extensive resources and personal support for Careers and Employability.
Careers
Find out about some of the careers our alumni have entered into after graduation.
Entry requirements
These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. This section will tell you whether you need qualifications in specific subjects, what our English language requirements are, and if there are any extra requirements such as attending an interview or submitting a portfolio.
Qualifications and typical requirements accordion
AAB. This should include grade B in either French, German or Spanish.
Our typical entry requirement would be 36 Level 3 Credits at Distinction plus 9 Level 3 credits at Merit, but you would need to have appropriate evidence of language ability in French, German or Spanish.
We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A level, or equivalent qualification, as long as any subject requirements are met.
DDD accepted alongside appropriate evidence of language ability in French, German or Spanish.
Our typical requirement would be A level grade B plus BTEC(s) at DD, or A levels at grade AB plus BTEC at D. This should include grade B in either French, German, or Spanish.
35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects. This should include 6 in HL French, German or Spanish.
We are happy to admit applicants on the basis of five Highers, but where we require a specific subject at A level, we will typically require an Advanced Higher in that subject. If you do not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone, we will consider a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects. Please contact the Admissions team for more information.
Distinction overall accepted alongside appropriate evidence of language ability in French, German or Spanish.
Important information
You will not be able to study a language if you are an L1 speaker of that language, or if you are fluent above CEFR B2. You will typically not be able to study a language from beginners' level if you have studied it to A level or equivalent. If you have studied a language to A level, we would expect you to have achieved at least grade B.
Help from our Admissions team
If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.
Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.
Contextual admissions
Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.
Course structure
We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future. The University will make every reasonable effort to offer programmes and modules as advertised. In some cases, changes may be necessary and may result in new modules or some modules and combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
In this year-long module you will progress to B1/B2 on the CEFR scale and HSK 4/5 for Chinese.
By the end of the year, you’ll be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in fields of specialisation. You will be able to interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity with native speakers, including facilitating intercultural encounters.
You will be exposed to a wide range of authentic materials in the target language, varying in terms of content, format and register aimed at broadening and deepening your understanding of different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, global issues and institutions.
The study of the cultural, social and historical context is embedded in the language learning within overarching themes: in semester 1, you will focus on issues relating to people, power and places, and in semester 2, on centres, peripheries and mobilities.
Please note: Italian is not available for students taking BA Psychology and Languages.
Take your chosen language from beginners' level and, over 2 semesters, reach a high A2 level on the CEFR scale for the European Languages, and HSK 2/3 for Chinese.
By the end of the year, you’ll be able to engage with everyday life situations such as describing your environment, express preferences and discuss past events or future plans in simple terms.
In seminars you will cover a range of oral, aural, written, and reading skills in an integrated way that embraces techniques of linguistic mediation and the plurilingual contexts of each language. The study of the cultural, social and historical context is embedded in the language learning, under the umbrella themes: Discovering Languages and Cultures and Locating the Global.
In semester 1 you will focus on linguistic discovery, invention and growth and in semester 2 on locating language-specific places, landscapes, and communities. You will also be introduced to key translation techniques.
Please note: Italian is not available for students taking BA Psychology and Languages.
Begin to explore intersections between languages, cultures and power. In this module you will typically address topics such as:
Decolonisation
Language journey
Migrations
Language endangerment
The impact of emerging technologies like AI
Using a range of materials from various cultures, you’ll investigate these topics through lenses such as nationhood, multilingualism and translation.
You will reflect on your role as a language learner and on your encounters with cultural differences. By the end, you will be equipped to critically interrogate the global and local contexts of different languages and cultures. With a combination of seminars and plenary sessions, the module provides you with a framework for understanding and analysing cultural phenomena. Adopting a creative and transnational approach to languages, you’ll learn to situate local issues in broader global contexts.
What does it mean to think in and about the world? This module will draw on disciplines from across the School of Global Affairs to think about the very different ways in which the world can be imagined.
What are the ideas that have framed or limited our understanding of the world and others in it? How can we challenge existing narratives and explore alternative perspectives?
Core
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Spend an academic year abroad engaging with the communities of the language(s) you are learning whilst studying at a partner university. If you have two core languages you will split your time accordingly.
You will prepare for your Global Engagement Year during your first year, supported by a series of workshops and one-to-one sessions with a pre-departure supervisor. Once abroad, you will remain in contact with the supervisor.
As you progress in the language(s) you are studying whilst abroad, you will produce a reflective portfolio. You will also be required to write a project in the target language(s) on topics that you have researched in your host country. Topic areas for the projects typically include:
Language
Social structures and relationships
Attitudes towards religion
The educational environment
Working environment and employment issues
The (local/national) economy
National, regional and local politics
Culture/art
Core
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Chinese, French, German and Spanish
Build on the language competencies and expertise you have gained during the Global Engagement Year and progress to C1/C2 on the CEFR level for the European languages or HSK 6/7 for Chinese.
By the end of the year, you will be able to understand and produce a wide range of complex, longer texts, recognise implicit meaning and show controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
You will be able to express yourself spontaneously, flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You will cover areas such as future threats to specified language communities, opportunities to advocate and promote languages, and adaptation to changes to living languages, such as shifts in formal and informal communication and preservation or borrowing from other languages.
The study of the cultural, social and historical context is embedded in the study of the language under the following umbrella themes: Routes, origins and Tongues in semester 1 and bodies in semester 2.
Undertake an extended, in-depth individual project that will typically taking one of the following formats: a discursive dissertation; a translation dissertation; or dissertation by practice.
Indicative topics for discursive dissertations:
The role of languages and cultures in tackling global challenges
Language and technology, or future language pedagogies
Futures of translation and interpreting
Indicative topics for translation dissertations:
Conventional or creative translation project with critical translator’s commentary. Theories and practices may include eco-translation, AI and machine translation, or creative-critical translation
Examples for the “by practice” route:
A policy report based on working with minority language communities in the local area
Creative work: creative writing in the target language or multilingually; a short film; an installation, etc.
A portfolio of teaching materials
You will be given feedback and supported through work-in-progress workshops.
Optional
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Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Progress to B2 level on the CEFR scale and HSK 5 for Chinese in this year-long module. You will develop a range of oral, aural, written and reading skills in an integrated way that embraces techniques of linguistic mediation and the plurilingual contexts of each language. By the end of the year, you’ll be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics and interact with native speakers in a range of situations. You will be able to produce clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects including explaining viewpoints on topical issues.
The umbrella theme of these modules is ‘self, body and other’. In semester 1 you will focus on linguistic roots and variations and in semester 2 on the body. In terms of translation, you will pay particular attention to texts that embrace feminist, queer and disabled identities.
What happens when radically different forms of art meet? How do these fused forms change our understanding of the world? We will draw on material from different periods and continents, to explore works of art where, for example, film meets history, poetry meets philosophy, fine art meets sociology, religion meets fiction, and theatre meets politics.
Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish
In this year-long module you will progress to B1/B2 on the CEFR scale and HSK 4/5 for Chinese.
By the end of the year, you’ll be able to understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in fields of specialisation. You will be able to interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity with native speakers, including facilitating intercultural encounters.
You will be exposed to a wide range of authentic materials in the target language, varying in terms of content, format and register aimed at broadening and deepening your understanding of different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, global issues and institutions.
The study of the cultural, social and historical context is embedded in the language learning within overarching themes: in semester 1, you will focus on issues relating to people, power and places, and in semester 2, on centres, peripheries and mobilities.
Take your chosen language from beginners' level and, over 2 semesters, reach a high A2 level on the CEFR scale for the European Languages, and HSK 2/3 for Chinese.
By the end of the year, you’ll be able to engage with everyday life situations such as describing your environment, express preferences and discuss past events or future plans in simple terms.
In seminars you will cover a range of oral, aural, written, and reading skills in an integrated way that embraces techniques of linguistic mediation and the plurilingual contexts of each language. The study of the cultural, social and historical context is embedded in the language learning, under the umbrella themes: Discovering Languages and Cultures and Locating the Global.
In semester 1 you will focus on linguistic discovery, invention and growth and in semester 2 on locating language-specific places, landscapes, and communities. You will also be introduced to key translation techniques.
How might we engage with the implications of environmental transformation locally, nationally and globally? Where do we have agency and capacity to intervene?
This module brings together a range of perspectives—historical, political, philosophical and cultural—to explore the nature and severity of the effects of the climate crisis on our world.
What does it mean to imagine a world without borders? Using materials typically derived from case studies, reports, archives, film, television and literature, this module foregrounds interdisciplinary approaches.
You will be encouraged to develop your understanding of migration and displacement, and to envision alternative global migration futures in ways that can impact future policy, political and societal perspectives.
What are the possibilities and pitfalls of community and citizen action, voice and agency? This module uses interdisciplinary case-studies to critically examine collaboration with communities.
You will participate in activities such as a mock citizens' assembly, visit local community groups and hear different points of view from a range of guest speakers on concepts like power, race, gender, class, affect and justice.
What do we understand by queerness? Looking back at earlier interpretations, we imagine how queerness might evolve—how it might be lived, felt and understood in the future.
You will explore queer futures from a range of perspectives and viewpoints, while examining both feminist and queer theory, as well as queer media and cultural texts and material relating to areas such as activism, politics and healthcare.
Who does technology benefit or harm, and what should its role in society be? This module examines the social and ethical issues surrounding the development of modern technologies and their use in the modern world, with a vision to shape our future relationship with technology.
How do ideas understand, transform and conserve the world? In this module we will study examples of powerful ideas such as the nation, free speech, liberation, the free market, culture and nature. We will use case studies to help us explore the relationship between analysis, imagination and practice.
Core
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In this module you’ll gain a range of practical skills that are required to lead the development and implementation of innovative solutions to global challenges within education, academia, business and society. You will participate in workshops and work in self-directed Action Learning Sets which meet independently on a regular basis outside of the classroom.
Applying a critical, decolonial lens, you will reflect on your own position, prior learning and experience and connect these with ideas of leadership (and leadership ethics) in a range of contexts.
Our focus is a humanities-led approach to leadership, grounded in critical, creative and collaborative skills. You’ll be encouraged to take a holistic approach to the role of leadership in society, and humanistic thinking.
As well as theories of leadership and followership, you will learn skills for leadership and collaboration, which may include:
Project and self-management
Entrepreneurship
Research and information literacy
Communication
Partnership building
The teaching and learning are designed to be flexible and prioritise self-directed study, enabling you to develop your own unique set of leadership skills and traits which will prepare you for a wide range of leadership roles, further study or a range of careers.
In this independent project module, you will focus on a topic in line with your interests and agreed in consultation with a supervisory team from the School of Global Affairs.
The project should include the translation of a selected text, relevant translation notes and a critical commentary that takes into account theoretical approaches to translation.
Sample topics could include:
Legal or medical translation
Feminist approaches to translation
The interface of translation, conflict and memory studies
Optional
optional modules accordion
Running in an innovative studio format across 5 weeks, this module will provide learning through practice by setting you a live brief which you will work towards in group projects. Offering learning in project management and practice at an advanced level, projects will centre on how interdisciplinary humanities approaches can be applied to contemporary place-based challenges.
You will apply learning from your specific topic of expertise (e.g. Artificial Intelligence, Society and Global Challenges, Global Affairs, Sustainability and Environmental Futures, Global Medical and Health Humanities) to address these multi-dimensional challenges through multifaceted approaches.
Projects may be based on academically significant topics, thereby enabling you to become exposed to areas of contemporary research. Alternatively, they may be linked to ‘real world’ issues and external clients, thereby developing your abilities in professional practice.
This project-based module will incorporate studio sessions with lectures from a range of disciplinary experts and external stakeholders, workshops to support practical skills, and student-led group working in the studio space.
Running in an innovative studio format across 5 weeks, this module will provide learning through practice by setting you a live brief which you will work towards in group projects. Offering learning in project management and practice at an advanced level, projects will centre on how interdisciplinary humanities approaches can be applied to contemporary global challenges encompassing multiple locales and contexts.
You will apply learning from your specific topic of expertise (e.g. Artificial Intelligence, Society and Global Challenges, Global Affairs, Sustainability and Environmental Futures, Global Medical and Health Humanities) to address these multi-dimensional challenges that require multifaceted approaches.
Projects may be based on academically significant topics, thereby enabling you to become exposed to areas of contemporary research. Alternatively, they may be linked to ‘real world’ issues and external clients, thereby developing your abilities in professional practice.
This project-based module will incorporate studio sessions with lectures from a range of disciplinary experts and external stakeholders, workshops to support practical skills, and student-led group working in the studio space.
The module reviews the principles, thinking and history underlying contemporary second language teaching practices. It explores what we know about the processes involved in language production and reception in a second language and uncovers implications for teaching of the language skills. It also reviews the developments in the teaching of the grammar and vocabulary of a foreign / second language and outlines the methods of language learning monitoring and provision of feedback in second language classrooms. The module consists of nine lecture sessions and nine seminar sessions. The lecture sessions will equip you with the necessary input on the principles and ideas associated with contemporary language teaching methods. The seminar sessions will give you space to discuss in small groups issues and concepts introduced in the lecture sessions, opportunities to critically engage with scholarly literature and opportunities to participate in experiential learning tasks.
Fees and funding
Home undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to UK Government approval. They will be confirmed later in the year.
Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting at the beginning of each academic year.
The International Placement Year is mandatory for language programmes and typically costs include: travel to placement country or countries; travel documents – passport, VISA or work permit (if required); proof of funds (if required); accommodation while working overseas; travel to place of work while overseas unless this is paid by the employer. It is possible that there may be further costs e.g. for required documentation, however these are not typical. There may be opportunities to apply for funding and/or a bursary that would help to cover these costs.
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
College fees
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.
Computer equipment and internet access
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
Study abroad courses
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
Placement and industry year courses
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will also be charged in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard international tuition fee during the Study Abroad year
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard international tuition fee during the Placement year
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
Scholarships and bursaries
You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.
You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:
Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.
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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.
The information on this site relates primarily to the stated entry year and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
Our Students’ Charter
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. Find out more about our Charter and student policies.
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