Modern Languages BA Hons - 2019 Entry

Course Overview

Lancaster’s Modern Languages degree is taught by the Department of Languages and Cultures. We are in the national top 10 for language studies, ranking 2nd for French and German in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide and 5th for Iberian languages in the Complete University Guide 2017.

This degree gives you the opportunity to study three languages. We offer French, German or Spanish as major subjects, and Italian and Chinese as minor subjects. 

In your first year, you will study two languages at advanced level, and one at beginners or advanced level. You will focus on developing fluency and understanding as well as learning about the cultural contexts of your chosen languages.

Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will also study the cultural, political and historical context of your languages in more depth.

Spending your third year abroad makes a major contribution to your language ability, while deepening your intercultural sensitivity. You will spend time in the two countries where your major languages are spoken. You can study at a partner institution or conduct a work placement. 

We also encourage you to spend some vacation time in the country of your third language, and in some instances can offer support to secure funding for this.

Back at Lancaster in the fourth year, you will consolidate your multiple language skills alongside language-specific cultural modules such as ‘Chinese Culture and Society’ or ‘Latin America and Spain on Film: Violence and Masculinities’. You can also take comparative courses which allow you to see the languages and cultures you're studying in a global context.

Entry Requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level ABB

Required Subjects We would expect you to be at A or A/S Level standard in at least two of our major languages (French, German and Spanish). Please visit the Languages & Cultures webpages for further details.

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects, including two of the languages to be studied. Please contact the Admissions Team for further details.

BTEC Accepted alongside A levels in at least two of the languages to be studied. Please contact the Admissions Team for further details.

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Course Structure

Many of Lancaster's degree programmes are flexible, offering students the opportunity to cover a wide selection of subject areas to complement their main specialism. You will be able to study a range of modules, some examples of which are listed below.

Year 1

Core

• Part I Chinese (Intensive)

  Would you like to be able to communicate using Mandarin Chinese? Do you want to acquire key elements to become an expert of Chinese culture, society and institutions? We focus on teaching absolute beginners how to speak, listen and read so you can confidently use day-to-day Chinese. You’ll also about Chinese culture, history and contemporary society.

  Learning a language so radically different from English offers an incredible insight into linguistics in action. You’ll also find out about Chinese culture and gain experience in Chinese ICT (Information and Communications Technology).

  You will learn:

  • Chinese phonetics including pronunciation and intonation
  • The basics of Chinese grammar and key sentence structures
  • Academic insights into the uniqueness of Chinese as a world language
  • Expertise in listening, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin
  • Insights about the graphical element of writing, such as the significance of types of strokes, radicals and their ancestral meaning.
  • Elements of Chinese culture, philosophy, economy, institutions and contemporary challenges

  “Being a management student, I believe that having a knowledge of Mandarin will be very useful in dealing with the international business world.” Sofia Guimaraes, BBA Management

• Part I French Studies (Advanced/CEFR: B1)

  This module is designed for students who have already completed an A-level in French or whose French is of a broadly similar standard. The language element aims to enable students both to consolidate and improve their skills in spoken and written French. A further aim is to provide students with an introduction to the historical and cultural development of France in the past, and also to contemporary institutions and society.

  There are three language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a French native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of French grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of French native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in French history have shaped contemporary French culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

• Part I French Studies (Beginners to CEFR: A2)

  This module is designed for students having little or no knowledge of the French language. Consequently, a substantial part of the module is devoted to intensive language teaching aimed at making the student proficient in both written and spoken French. At the same time, students will be introduced to aspects of French history, culture and society in the twentieth century.

  There are four language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a French native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of French grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of French native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in French history have shaped contemporary French culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

• Part I German Studies (Advanced/CEFR: B1)

  This module is designed for students who have already completed an A-level in German or whose German is of a broadly similar standard. The language element aims to enable students both to consolidate and improve their skills in spoken and written German. A further aim is to provide students with an introduction to the historical and cultural development of Germany in the twentieth century, and also to contemporary institutions and society.

  There are three language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a German native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of German grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of German native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in German history have shaped contemporary German culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

• Part I German Studies (Beginners to CEFR: A2)

  This module is designed for students having little or no knowledge of the German language. Consequently, a substantial part of the module is devoted to intensive language teaching aimed at making the student proficient in both written and spoken German. At the same time, students will be introduced to aspects of German history, culture and society in the twentieth century.

  There are four language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a German native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of German grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of German native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in German history have shaped contemporary German culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

• Part I Italian Studies (Beginners to CEFR: A2)

  This module is designed for students having little or no knowledge of the Italian language. Consequently, a substantial part of the module is devoted to intensive language teaching aimed at making the student proficient in both written and spoken Italian. Within the language seminars, students will be introduced to aspects of Italian culture.

  There are four language classes per week, one of which is entirely devoted to the acquisition and development of oral skills. Tutorials are based on a textbook and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of Italian grammatical structures. There is also one independent language hour, dedicated to computer-based exercises.

• Part I Spanish Studies (Advanced/CEFR: B1)

  This module is designed for students who have already completed an A-level in Spanish or whose Spanish is of a broadly similar standard. The language element aims to enable students both to consolidate and improve their skills in spoken and written Spanish. A further aim is to provide students with an introduction to the historical and cultural development of Spain in the twentieth century, and also to contemporary institutions and society.

  There are three language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a Spanish native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of Spanish grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of Spanish native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in Spanish history have shaped contemporary Spanish culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

• Part I Spanish Studies (Beginners to CEFR: A2)

  This module is designed for students having little or no knowledge of the Spanish language. Consequently, a substantial part of the module is devoted to intensive language teaching aimed at making the student proficient in both written and spoken Spanish. At the same time, students will be introduced to aspects of Spanish history, culture and society in the twentieth century.

  There are four language classes per week, of which at least one is normally conducted by a Spanish native speaker. Tutorials are based on a textbook, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of vocabulary and a firm grasp of Spanish grammatical structures. Listening and speaking skills are developed under the guidance of Spanish native speakers using audio and video materials.

  The culture programme consists of a combination of lectures and seminars over 20 weeks. The module looks at how key moments in Spanish history have shaped contemporary Spanish culture (films, plays, novels etc.).

Year 2

Core

• Becoming German: Post-War German-language, Culture and Identities

  What has it meant to be German since the country was left in ruins at the end of World War II? Introducing students to key debates about the country's fascist past, East-West relations, and the changing understanding of gender roles from the 1950s to the present, this module is designed to help deepen students’ understanding of the contemporary German-speaking world while systematically enhancing their skills of cultural analysis in diverse media. The module will introduce students to the prose fiction of two highly controversial Nobel laureates, Günter Grass and Elfriede Jelinek, as well as exploring ways of analysing newspaper texts, popular ballads, short stories, and film. The texts we will study are united by their common concern with the identity issues raised by the fast-changing society in which they are set, and they use a fascinating array of techniques to provoke, challenge, and entertain. The main aim of the module is twofold: to build students’ reading knowledge of German while giving them a flavour of the rich cultural output that has defined the German-speaking realm over the past sixty years.

• Chinese Language 2

  Following on from Part I Chinese, this module introduces you to more complex Chinese grammar and key sentence patterns. You’ll increase your vocabulary range to help you interact more comfortably in more demanding situations.

  This is achieved through four contact hours a week. You’ll attend a two-hour seminar to practise listening and speaking. A one-hour lecture each week will teach you grammar and language functions. Reading practice, grammar exercises and character learning is covered in a weekly one-hour seminar.

  You’ll reach a standard beyond A-Level of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

• Chinese Language 3

  This module progresses from Part 1 Chinese. It will introduce you to more complex Chinese grammar and key sentence patterns. You’ll be encouraged to expand your knowledge of vocabulary to help you communicate in demanding interactive situations.

  You’ll develop a more independent approach to language learning and academic enquiry. There will be a shift from spoken to written linguistic skills. This will provide you with new academic, narrative and journalistic approaches to studying a language.

  All of this is supported through four contact hours of teaching a week. You’ll attend a two-hour seminar to practise listening and speaking. A one-hour lecture each week will teach you grammar and language functions. Reading practice, grammar exercises and character learning is covered in a weekly one-hour seminar. By the end of this module you should reach the B1-B2 Level of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

  It’s not necessary to have studied the Part I or Chinese Language 2 module first. However you must have reached a CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) A2-B1 level of Chinese proficiency.

• French Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the Written Skills module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

  This module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken French in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern Spanish-speaking society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in Spanish-speaking countries.

• French Language: Oral skills (post-Beginners/CEFR: B1))

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the corresponding Written Language module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year of the Intensive course. Students who have taken the Intensive language course in their first year, normally follow this course throughout the second year.

  The module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken French in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in French-speaking countries.

• French Language: Written Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where French is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in the writing of French (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into French; and the systematic study of French lexis, grammar and syntax.

  Students will enhance their linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• French Language: Written Skills (post-Beginners/CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where their studied language is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in understanding spoken French, as well as in the writing of French (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into French; and the systematic study of French lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• German Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the Written Skills module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

  This module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken German in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in German-speaking countries.

• German Language: Oral Skills (post-Beginners/CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the corresponding Written Language module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year. Students who have taken the Intensive language course in their first year, normally follow this course throughout the second year.

  The module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken German in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in German-speaking countries.

• German Language: Written Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where their studied language is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in the writing of German (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into German; and the systematic study of German lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• German Language: Written Skills (Post-Beginners/CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where their studied language is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in understanding spoken German, as well as in the writing of German (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into German; and the systematic study of German lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• Italian Language: Oral skills (post Beginners /CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the corresponding Written Language module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

  The module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken Italian in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in Italy.

• Italian Language: Written skills (post Beginners /CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of Italy.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in understanding spoken Italian, as well as in the writing of Italian (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into Italian; and the systematic study of Italian lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• Power and Resistance in Spain and Spanish America: From the Spanish Empire to the 21st Century

  This core module is divided into three topic areas comprising of the following: (1) Power and Resistance in Spanish America from the Colony to the 21st Century; (2) War, Dictatorship and Transition in Spain in the 20th and 21st Century; (3) Culture and Resistance in Catalunya in the 20th and 21st Century. The students will study texts which both encourage an engaged reading of Spanish and open up alternative avenues towards traditional fields of study in Hispanism (empire and colonialism, nineteenth-century nation-building, revolution, dictatorship, Francoism, regionalism, neo-liberalism and globalisation.) These disparate fields of study are conceptually unified and made more accessible for the students in two ways. Firstly, we refer students to the theme of power and resistance which concerns them all in various ways. Secondly, we divide the module by geographical region which, given the array of varying cultures and histories in the Spanish-speaking world, represents the least mystifying and most logical method of study. We will employ a text-based approach in which the texts chosen allow us to operate within certain very specific historical and geographical parameters whilst never losing sight of the main theme. Throughout, students will be encouraged to interrogate the meanings of terms such as colony, revolution, rebellion, republic, empire, dictatorship and democracy with close readings of cultural texts which themselves question the assumptions which underpin these terms.

• Second Year Programme for Academic Skills, Employability and International placement preparation

  DELC200 is a non-credit bearing module. All major students going abroad in their second or third year are enrolled on it during the year prior to their departure, and timetabled to attend the events. These include: introduction to the Year Abroad and choice of activities; British Council English Language Assistantships and how to apply; introduction to partner universities and how they function; working in companies abroad; finance during the Year Abroad; research skills and questionnaire design; teaching abroad; curriculum writing and employability skills; welfare and wellbeing; Year Abroad Preparation Week in the Summer Term. Materials are uploaded on the DELC200 Moodle pages.

• Shaping Contemporary France: Culture, Politics and the Legacy of History

  This module is divided into four topic areas comprising of the following:

  • Language and linguistic heritage- this topic covers the evolution of French language from a dialect to a national language, explains the relationship between written and spoken language, and shows language variety: argot, verlan and francophonie.
  • Centralisation and Regionalisation- this topic aims to enhance students’ understanding of the French political system, gastronomy, agriculture, demographics, management of the territory and environment, and transport and communication.
  • Space, Place and the Urban- this topic aims at explaining how the Situationists, Dadaists, Surrealists, Le Corbusier and Henri Lefebvre influenced urbanism.
  • Education, Science, Technology and Innovation- this topic covers the development and the structure of contemporary education in the French Republic, and aims at expanding students’ knowledge about modernism and development of technology.
• Spanish Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the Written Skills module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

  This module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken Spanish in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in Spanish-speaking countries.

• Spanish Language: Oral Skills (post Beginners/CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the corresponding Written Language module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year. Students who have taken the Intensive language course in their first year, normally follow this course throughout the second year.

  The module aims to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency in spoken Spanish in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

  This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern Spanish-speaking societies, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

  By the end of this module, students should have enhanced their comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that they may encounter in Spanish-speaking countries.

• Spanish Language: Written skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where their studied language is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in the writing of Spanish (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into Spanish; and the systematic study of Spanish lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

• Spanish Language: Written Skills (post Beginners/CEFR: B1)

  This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

  This module aims to consolidate skills gained by students in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise themselves with the culture and society of countries where their studied language is spoken.

  The module aims to enhance students’ proficiency in understanding spoken Spanish, as well as in the writing of Spanish (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into Spanish; and the systematic study of Spanish lexis, grammar and syntax.

  The module aims to enhance students' linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

Year 3

Core

• Residence Abroad: intercultural and academic reflection

  The Year Abroad is compulsory for Single and Joint Honours Language students, who must spend at least eight months abroad in their third year.

  Students will:

  • analyse the contemporary relevance of a tradition, contemporary social, political or economic issue, or a living part of the regional culture.
  • reflect critically on cultural differences observed in everyday life such as social relationships, politics, attitudes to food, drink, religion, etc., explaining them in the context of various historical, social and cultural developments.
  • think analytically about their intercultural position and understanding of the relevant culture(s).
  • reflect on language use (different registers, varieties of pronunciation and accents, dialects, vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, and aspects of grammar) and the process of the acquisition of skills in the relevant language(s).

  The module also aims to enhance and develop students' language skills, with all assessments being written in the target language.

  Students who started a language as a beginner in Part I must spend a minimum of four months in a country where that language is spoken.

  Joint Honours students studying two languages may choose to spend the year in either of the two countries concerned or, if appropriate arrangements can be made, can spend a semester in each country.

Year 4

Core

• Chinese Culture and Society

  Chinese modern culture is profoundly influenced by its historical, commercial and philosophical tradition. This module will provide you with a general knowledge of the key aspects of Chinese socioeconomic expansion and its role in international relations.

  From Daoism and Confucian philosophy to political strategy, from dining etiquette to indirect and impersonal communication, Chinese culture has evolved over thousands of years. We’ll concentrate on China’s economic and socio-political developments and intercultural communication. We will dive deep into the Chinese way of thinking and living.

  An hour-long lecture and a one-hour seminar each week will present you with (inter-) cultural, political and historical knowledge. This will be invaluable if you’re thinking about a career that will intersect with China and Chinese institutions.

• Chinese Language 4

  This module includes authentic texts only slightly adapted from the originals, with a special focus on contemporary Chinese society and institutions. You will learn how to communicate comprehensively and systematically using the appropriate expressions and language norms in the right context.

  You’ll develop your skills in understanding and joining political, academic and journalistic discussions using advanced Chinese language skills. You’ll be able to translate between English and Chinese and develop an idiomatic style of formal writing.

  All of this is supported through four contact hours of teaching a week. You’ll attend a two-hour seminar to practise listening and speaking. A one-hour lecture each week will teach you grammar and language functions. Reading and writing practice is covered in a weekly one-hour seminar.

  It’s not necessary to have studied the Part I, Chinese Language 2 or 3 modules before this. However you must have reached a CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) B1-B2 level of Chinese proficiency.

• French Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the French Language: Written Skills module.

  This module together with the written skills module consists of three hours tuition per week. Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these half unit modules is to develop further the abilities the students gained during their second year and the year abroad.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the French-speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

• French Language: Written Skills (CEFR: C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the French Language: Oral Skills module.

  This module together with the oral skills module consists of three hours tuition per week.

  This module has two main aims. The first one is to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency with emphasis on understanding of spoken and written French, the speaking of French (prepared and spontaneous) in both formal and informal settings, the writing of French, and the systematic study of French lexis, grammar and syntax. The second aim is to increase students’ awareness, knowledge and understanding of contemporary France.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the French-speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

• German Language Oral Skills (CEFR: C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the German Language: Written Skills module.

  This module together with the written skills module consists of three hours tuition per week. Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these half unit modules is to develop further the abilities the students gained during their second year and the year abroad.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the German-speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

• German Language Written Skills (CEFR C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the German Language: Oral Skills module.

  This module together with the oral skills module consists of three hours tuition per week.

  This module has two main aims. The first one is to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency with emphasis on understanding of spoken and written German, the speaking of German (prepared and spontaneous) in both formal and informal settings, the writing of German, and the systematic study of German lexis, grammar and syntax. The second aim is to increase students’ awareness, knowledge and understanding of contemporary Germany.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the German-speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

• Italian language: Oral and Aural skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the Italian Language: Written Skills module.

  This module consists of three hours tuition per week. Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these half unit modules is to develop further the abilities the students gained during their second year.

  The topics studied in this module change every year to reflect current affairs in Italy. Materials are taken from a range of sources such as newspapers, magazines and videos.

  The current issues are studied through discussion, debate, role play, and analysing written, visual and audio materials.

• Italian Language: Written and Reading Skills (CEFR: B2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the Italian Language: Oral Skills module.

  This module together with the oral skills module consists of three hours tuition per week.

  The aim of this module is to enhance students’ knowledge of grammar and to develop their Italian language skills through translation and guided composition.

  In first term students develop English-Italian translation skills, they learn to compare translations with original texts, and discuss the use of monolingual and bilingual dictionaries. Students will also improve their essay writing skills.

  In second term students learn Italian to English translation in turn, and the emphasis is put on the reinforcement of guided composition.

• Spanish Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the Spanish Language: Written Skills module.

  This module together with the written skills module consists of three hours tuition per week. Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these half unit modules is to develop the abilities the students gained during their second year and the year abroad.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the Spanish-speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

• Spanish Language: Written Skills (CEFR: C1/C2)

  This module is a half unit and is integrated with the Spanish Language: Oral Skills module.

  This module together with the oral skills module consists of three hours tuition per week.

  This module has two main aims. The first one is to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency with emphasis on understanding of spoken and written Spanish, the speaking of Spanish (prepared and spontaneous) in both formal and informal settings, the writing of Spanish, and the systematic study of Spanish lexis, grammar and syntax. The second aim is to increase students’ awareness, knowledge and understanding of contemporary Spain.

  By the end of this module, students should have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the Spanish -speaking world. They should also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

Optional

• Autocrats, Caudillos and Big Men: Understanding Dictatorship and its Cultural Representation in the 20th Century

  This module will consider different ways in which the concept of ‘dictatorship’ has been understood and critiqued throughout the twentieth century. Considering examples from Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Guinea, Italy, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, students will explore the differences between the Latin American caudillo, European dictators, and the ‘Big Men’ of Africa. Selected critical and theoretical sources will be drawn upon to develop a more critical understanding of dictatorship, including the work of Hannah Arendt, Roberto González Echevarría and Achille Mbembe.

  The module will also examine relationships between dictatorship and cultural production. How have dictators represented themselves in their writing, speeches and literature? To what extent have they controlled cultural production and to what end? How, in turn, have they been represented in cultural production? What role do writers, artists and intellectuals play in evaluating and critiquing dictatorship? In turn, can the writer, artist or intellectual be considered to be a dictator in the particular world view he/she projects and/or the rhetoric he/she adopts?

• Contemporary Cities in Literature and Film

  This module introduces students to major themes that shape the experience of contemporary city dwellers: gender, social inequality, and practices of citizenship. These interlinking themes will be introduced through novels, poetry and films on the following European, North American (with the emphasis on immigrant communities within its cities) and Latin American cities: New York, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Barcelona, Berlin, and Los Angeles.

  Each topic will be covered though an introductory lecture and a core text, followed by a range of additional texts for students to analyse. During workshops students will share their findings and opinions, emphasizing on identifying links between the topics studied, aiming to encourage discussion.

  The format of the module encourages cross-referencing between the themes of the module (for example, gender and sexuality are relevant to an analysis of social inequality, and vice versa).

• Francophone Voices: Literature and Film from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Canada

  This final year module will provide students with an overview of the range of literature and culture produced in Sub-Saharan Africa, the French Caribbean and France to better understand the various relationships between France and these different parts of the Francophone world.

  Students will identify and discuss themes that they will find through analysis of a selection of novels and films. These themes will include language and style, and issues addressed by writers and film-makers in relation to identity, gender, culture, history, and representation itself.

  Exploration of La Francophonie, the French Mission Civilisatrice, and relationships between contemporary France and her former colonies will provide context for the study of these novels and films. Discussions will be informed by the work of thinkers including Franz Fanon and Edward Said.

  This module is taught in English and all texts are available in English.

• Full Unit Dissertation

  This module is assessed entirely through coursework. Students are given a chance of pursuing a topic of their own interest, which is not covered in taught options. A dissertation consists of approximately 10,000 words written in English. The topic of dissertation must relate to French/German/Spanish language, or a comparison between two or more, or a general European issue. The other two restrictions on topic choice are: it must be capable of and approached from a serious academic angle and it falls within the range of expertise of a member of the Department’s staff.

  Each student gets assigned a supervisor - one of the lecturers from the Department, who will provide regular supervision, and feedback on the first draft of the completed dissertation. The topic is agreed and discussed with the supervisor in the Summer Term of the second year, and preparatory research should begin during the Year Abroad.

• Game of (Spanish) Thrones: Treachery, War and Exile in Spanish Poetry (13th-20th c.)

  This module is based on the comparison of masterpieces of Spanish poetry from the 13th-20th century with the events of the current TV show Game of Thrones.

  The purpose of this comparison is to consider how patterns and stereotypes related to the past, some of which are achieving success in both the TV show and the contemporary novels by Martin, have also been responsible for the success of a number of works that today are considered as classics of Spanish poetry. Students do not have to be familiar with the TV show or the novels in order to be successful in this module. Fragments of this show will be introduced in class, before drawing comparisons with the assigned readings in order to enhance general understanding.

  Students on this module will engage in the study of the socio-historical events and features of Spanish society, as well as the literary mechanisms of each one of the texts. It is essential to understand the dynamic of these events in order to better understand the texts read.

• Images of Austria: National Identity and Cultural Representation

  This module examines Austrian national identity as manifested and debated in cultural representation. Is Austrian national identity really best understood by listening to Mozart, watching The Sound of Music, or holidaying in the Alps?

  Students will analyse ways in which texts and cultural phenomena present, promote, or criticise accepted notions of post-war Austrian identity.

  A range of sources will be used for this module, such as film, drama, novels, cabaret, essays and journalistic pieces, as well as tourist information, websites, and the linguistic specificities of Austrian German. The module aims at providing understanding of the ‘flashpoints' in the history of the Second Republic, spanning its baptism as the ‘first victim of Hitlerite aggression' in 1943 to its international pariah status, following the 2000 coalition government with an extreme right political party.

  This module is taught in English, but most texts are only available in German, so a working knowledge of the language is required.

• Imagining Modern Europe: Post-Revolutionary Utopias and Ideologies in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century

  This module aims at exploring the nature of the relationship between the individual and society, notions of progress and economic justice, as these are still widely debated topics in contemporary Europe in light of the current economic and political crisis.

  This module will use the concepts of utopia, dystopia and ideology as a forum for discussion on the relationship between individual imagination and social discourse in the nineteenth century, as well as the relationship between fiction and political discourse. Students will look at the major intellectual debates which influenced the contemporary European thought after the French Revolution.

  Students will explore the development of major ideologies and cultural movements such as Romanticism, Marxism, Socialism and Positivism, spanning from the period immediately following the French Revolution to the middle of the nineteenth century.

• Latin America and Spain on Film: Violence and Masculinities

  This module aims to provide students with a grasp of both the historical contexts for violence and masculinities as they are depicted in Spanish and Latin American film as well as an understanding of theoretical approaches, enabling rich analyses of such violence and evolving masculinities.

  The module seeks to pluralise violence so that it is understood by students in its many forms. It will also ensure students have the terminology to discuss relevant contexts and approaches in relation to specific films in a coherent and intellectually appropriate framework.

  Students will be required to view films set in historical contexts highlighting key themes. They will be encouraged to observe and analyse structural violence in various forms in these films and to understand its relationship with such categories as hegemonic, protest and patriarchal masculinities. The module will then question the 'invisible' nature of domestic violence, violence as a means (or not) of providing 'cheap shocks' and different aesthetic approaches towards the depiction of state violence.

• Literature and Fame in Contemporary Germany

  In this module students will discover what it is like to be a famous author in today’s modern, media-driven Germany.

  The module examines the cultural and political expectations placed on high-profile German authors from the 1960s onwards. Students will analyse sources ranging from press cuttings to internet articles. The module also considers the different strategies developed by well-known authors for responding to this interest in both their private personae and their public function.

  Discussion will focus on the different self-presentation strategies the authors have developed: in the spheres of the media and in their writing. The module examines relevant theories of media and literary communication and develops a methodological framework to underpin our critical analysis of the authors and their work.

  This module is taught in English, but most texts are only available in German, so a working knowledge of the language is required.

• Mirrors across Media: Reflexivity in Literature, Film, Comics and Video Games

  The module consists of a combination of weekly lectures and seminars. The lectures will introduce students to the broad lines of the history of self-reflexive phenomena in Western culture from Renaissance paintings through Baroque literature and the 18th-century novel to the boom of metafiction and related phenomena in Modernism and contemporary popular culture. At the same time, it will provide theoretical bases by introducing key concepts such as self-reflexivity, the fourth wall, frame, metafiction and metanarration, narrative levels, metalepsis, and the way these can manifest in different forms of art. The seminar discussions will serve to put these concepts into practice in the analyses of the texts, films, and mixed media and interactive products. Typical topics in any given year might include classics of metafiction in literature (Cervantes, Sterne, Fielding, Diderot, Unamuno, Borges, Calvino, Pirandello, Queneau, Barth..), film (Charlie Kaufman, Almodóvar, Woody Allen…), comics and visual art.

• Modernity of Forms and Forms of Modernity in French Literature 1850-2000

  The aim of this module is to consider how poets have engaged with controversial aspects of modernity in their works. Students will explore the relationship between literature and society in French poetry from Charles Baudelaire to Michel Houellebecq.

  Students will explore a selection of French poets’ responses to the rise of industrialisation, the development of mass-culture and the growth of cities, through a variety of themes. They will discover how poets have embraced, questioned and critiqued the temporality of modern life through literary experimentation.

  The module will introduce the emergence of new forms of writings associated with the beginning of this period such as the prose poem, free-verse, the manifesto and aesthetic experiments mixing poetry and visual art in the early twentieth century.

• Social movements and committed writing in Mexico since 1968

  This module covers Mexican political history and committed writing since 1968. Students will be presented with several important and politically defining events in Mexican contemporary history: the student movement of 1968, the guerrilla movements and the guerra sucia of the 1970s, the emergence of civil society after the earthquake of 1985, the Zapatista Uprising in 1994, and the Oaxaca Uprising in 2006.

  These movements and events are explored through lectures on the political context of each movement, and through a combination of fictional and non-fictional texts from a variety of genres, such as testimonial literature, the documentary novel, and communiqués. Students will be analysing texts written by the most important contemporary Mexican writers and public intellectuals such as Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Elena Poniatowska, Carlos Monsivais, Carlos Montemayor, and the Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos.

  This module is taught in English and all texts are available in English.

• The Prosecution of 'Otherness' in Europe: Witchcraft, Heresy and Inquisition (14th -17th C)

  This module will explore the relationship between witchcraft, heresy and inquisition in regard to the prosecution of the 'otherness', focusing specifically on their literary representation in medieval and Renaissance Europe. Students will engage in the study of the socio-historical events and features of European society from the 14th to the 17th centuries, as well as the literary mechanisms utilised by authors of each one of the texts under study. The course will cover texts and events occurred in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and England. Specific authors, such as Dante Alighieri, François Villon and Miguel de Cervantes, and masterpieces such as 'The Divine Comedy', 'La Celestina', and 'Don Quijote de La Mancha', will be analysed together with genres such as 'Geisslerlieder', balade, and drama. In addition, we will have a special week studying our neighbours, the Lancashire witches, and how the successful trial from 1612 is still perceived all along our city.

• Translation as a Cultural Practice

  What makes a good translation and how do translations do good? This module helps you understand the practice of translation as it has evolved historically from the 18th century to the present across European and American societies. The materials we study include historical textual sources (philosophical essays on the craft of translation from French, German and Hispanic authors of the 19th and 20th centuries), representative fictional texts reflecting on translation processes, and contemporary documents from the EU directorate on translation, PEN and the Translators' Association. We will also make considerable use of contemporary online resources as exemplified by Anglophone advocates of intercultural exchange such as Words Without Borders. Our aim is to look at translation as both a functional process for getting text in one language accurately into another and a culturally-inflected process that varies in its status and purpose from one context to another. We will pay particular attention to the practical role that literary translators play within the contemporary global publishing industry and consider the practicalities of following a career in literary translation in the Anglophone world.

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and others which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme. We divide academic study into two sections - Part 1 (Year 1) and Part 2 (Year 2, 3 and sometimes 4). For most programmes Part 1 requires you to study 120 credits spread over at least three modules which, depending upon your programme, will be drawn from one, two or three different academic subjects. A higher degree of specialisation then develops in subsequent years. For more information about our teaching methods at Lancaster visit our Teaching and Learning section.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.

Careers

As well as language and subject related skills, a degree in languages develops rich interpersonal, intercultural, cognitive and transferable skills that can be utilised across a variety of careers.  Our graduates have found work in a wide variety of areas such as accountancy, IT, business development, civil service, events management, finance, journalism, publishing, research and sales, as well as teaching and translating both in the UK and beyond.

For the last ten years, language graduates from Lancaster have been in the top ten universities in the country in terms of their employability, with French and Spanish Studies ranked 1st for graduate prospects in the Complete University Guide 2017.

Many Modern Languages graduates continue their studies at Lancaster, making the most of our excellent postgraduate research facilities. We offer Masters degrees in Translation and Languages and Cultures, which can lead on to a variety of careers including translation, and teaching. 

Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, but that you also graduate with relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.

Fees and Funding

Fees

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2019/20 entry fees have not yet been set.

As a guide, our fees in 2018 were:

Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Some science and medicine courses have higher fees for students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. You can find more details here: Island Students.

Funding

For full details of the University's financial support packages including eligibility criteria, please visit our fees and funding page

Students also need to consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation it may be necessary to take out subscriptions to professional bodies and to buy business attire for job interviews.