Applied Languages

Overview

Prepare for a successful international career with our Applied Languages degree. You’ll pick two languages, follow a specialist pathway, and complete a work placement abroad.

Choose a primary language from:

French
Spanish
English (as a foreign language).

Choose a second language from:

French
Spanish
German
Japanese
Mandarin Chinese.

Our staff are active researchers and experts in their fields. Your language classes are taught in your target language to help you achieve fluency. You’ll gain a high level of written and verbal skills with focus on the practical use of the language in an international context.

In Year 3 you will complete a work placement in a country where your primary language is spoken. We'll support you in choosing a placement that suits you. And you can apply your knowledge from your specialism to become fluent in a foreign language. Our course will help you to become a top quality linguist prepared for the world of work.

Learning and assessment

You can choose a specialist pathway that you will follow throughout your course. Pick from:

Business
International Relations and Politics
Language and Education.

In Years 1, 2 and 4 you will take relevant modules in your chosen specialism.

In Year 3 you will gain significant work experience with a work placement which makes use of your specialism. This will help you to become fluent in your chosen primary language. You'll also benefit from the cultural awareness that comes with living in another country.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Culture, Language and Society

In this module, you’ll gain core analytical skills for your degree as you explore the intercultural differences between societies. You’ll look at contemporary culture, and consider cultural differences between particular languages and countries - English-speaking, French-speaking and Spanish-speaking. You’ll also enhance your language skills, giving you fantastic language knowledge for any career.

English Language 1a: Core Language Skills

In this module, you’ll build on your intermediate grasp of English in our language. You’ll develop your ability to speak and listen in English, and strengthen your grammatical, lexical and phonological understanding of the language. This module gives you the confidence to succeed as a university-level language learner.

English Language 1b: Core Language Skills

In this module, you’ll build further on your English language skills. You’ll develop your ability to communicate between cultures, and communicate effectively in English, in a wide range of contexts.

French A1 / A2(1)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your French degree. As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of French, you’ll develop strong skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between France and other countries.

German A1 / A2(1)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your German degree. As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of German, you’ll develop strong skills in German speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in German, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Germany and other countries.

Introduction to Chinese Culture and Society

In this module, you’ll dive into Chinese culture and society. You’ll get to grips with the many aspects of Chinese society. You’ll gain core critical skills as you analyse how traditional elements of Chinese culture can help us understand Chinese society today.

French B1(1) / B1(2)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your French degree. As someone with a lower intermediate knowledge of French, you’ll develop strong skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between France and other countries.

Japanese for Beginners 1

In this module, you’ll go from knowing almost no Japanese to developing an effective knowledge of the language. As a beginner or near-beginner, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll acquire unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Japanese creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Japanese Reading and Writing 1A

In this module you will acquire reading and writing skills at the beginners’ level. You will learn the Japanese writing system, especially focusing on developing a systematic knowledge of kanji as well as general reading and writing skills.

Mandarin Chinese 1A

In this module, you’ll go from knowing almost no Mandarin to developing an effective knowledge of the language. As a beginner or near-beginner, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll acquire unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Mandarin creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Spanish A1 / A2(1)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your Spanish degree. As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of Spanish, you’ll develop strong skills in Spanish speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Spain and other countries.

Spanish B1(1) / B1(2)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your Spanish degree. As someone with a lower intermediate knowledge of Spanish, you’ll develop strong skills in Spanish speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Spain and other countries.

Optional modules

Education in a World of Change

In this module, you’ll get to grips with core aspects of education policy in an English context. You’ll look at schooling through the big forces of social, economic and technological change. You’ll focus on both formal education, and alternative educational settings. You’ll explore some of the major philosophical ideas that have shaped educational policy in England. You’ll also gain fantastic critical skills for your degree, as you make connections between central themes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries to today. As well as this, you’ll develop the knowledge to critique education policies.

Foundations of Business

In this module, you’ll gain a strong understanding of business organisations and how they work. You’ll use fascinating examples from business practice today, as you explore business concepts and theory. You’ll understand the diversity of business, and gain specialist techniques to analyse businesses and propose solutions to pressing problems.

Foundations of Marketing

In this module, you’ll dive into core marketing principles. You’ll develop a strong knowledge of key marketing content, and how it applies to business environments large and small. You’ll gain a firm grounding in different marketing concepts, ensuring that you succeed in your level 5 marketing modules.

Introduction to International Relations 2 – Themes and Issues

In this module, you’ll explore the major issues in current world politics.
In Part 1, you’ll investigate the key figures, structures and processes in world politics. You’ll look at some core themes, including:

international states
multinational societies
the worldwide political economy
international organisations and institutions
figures with worldwide, multinational impact.

You’ll also analyse concepts such as:

anarchy
order
sovereignty
conflict and cooperation among states, and non-state figures.

In Part 2, you’ll investigate the chronic issues of world politics, including:

gender
migration
human rights
humanitarian intervention
energy resources and the environment
development, inequality and poverty.

We’ll explore how different nations manage these issues and what this tells us about international governance.

Politics in Comparative Perspective

In this module, you’ll investigate politics, and the struggle for power, across the nations. You’ll have a clear introduction to how and why political systems differ in our world today. You’ll examine case studies from a wide range of states, and gain a strong insight into how different regimes function – from the democratic to the totalitarian.

Understanding Language: Systems and Use

In this module, you’ll get to grips with language and how to study it. You’ll look at language as a system, and how we use it in different instances of communication. You’ll understand language and its associated terms and definitions. You’ll gain core linguistic skills as you explore linguistic analysis in:

sound (phonetics and phonology)
language as meaning (semantics)
language as structure (syntax).

You’ll gain a strong grounding in these concepts by studying instances of written and spoken language. You’ll develop valuable insights into language and its systems and uses.

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Conversational Chinese

In this module, you’ll master the conversational skills you need for everyday life in China. You’ll be able to have simple conversations on specific topics. You’ll be able to converse in ways including:

exchanging greetings and introducing yourself
asking and answering questions about occupations and family members
asking for and giving information about contact numbers and addresses
asking for and saying dates and days; asking for and telling the time
making invitations and appointments
asking for items, prices and bargaining when shopping.

Employability in a Multicultural Environment

In this module, you’ll gain a strong insight into organisations, including their structure and culture. You’ll also understand the behaviour of individuals and groups within them. You’ll conduct practical research in the form of questionnaires, learning about critical analysis and questionnaire design. As part of this module, you’ll benefit from psychometric profiling, allowing you to understand your personal behaviour. You’ll lay the foundations for your future professional success, ahead of your placement year.

French B1(1)

In this module, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your French degree. As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of French, you’ll develop strong skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between France and other countries.

French B2(1) / B2(2)

In these modules, you’ll build on your communication skills in French. As someone with intermediate knowledge of spoken and written French, you’ll develop your study and understanding of French culture and society. You’ll develop a rich vocabulary based on themes which are key to French culture. You’ll improve your French to a higher, upper intermediate level, as you study and practise the key structures of the French language.

German A2(2)

In this module, you’ll gain strong skills in speaking, writing, reading and listening in German. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in German, and communicate well with others in an everyday context. You’ll reach a lower intermediate level in German, as you master both informal and semi-formal communication in German, in settings from the workplace to leisure activities.

German B1(1)

In this module, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your German degree. As someone with a lower intermediate knowledge of German, you’ll develop strong skills in German speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in German, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Germany and other countries.

Higher Academic English Language Skills

This module is for students who speak English as an additional language, particularly if you haven’t studied academic English in a university setting before. You can be studying any field apart from business. In the module, you’ll develop your academic English language skills, including functions, grammar and vocabulary. You’ll improve your critical reading and research skills. You’ll also work on reflective writing, and you’ll evaluate your own and your peers’ work.

Your assessment will consist of:

a research report
an argument essay
a presentation.

French B2(1) / B2(2)

Japanese for Beginners 2

In this module, you’ll gain a strong grasp of Japanese language skills. As someone with some knowledge of the Japanese language, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll acquire unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Japanese.

Japanese Reading and Writing 1B

You will continue working on the reading and writing skills you acquired in Japanese Reading and Writing 1A. By the end of the year, you will be able to read and write 180 characters and recognise over 360 compounds using these characters.

Mandarin Chinese 1B

In this module, you’ll gain a strong grasp of Mandarin language skills. As someone with some knowledge of the Mandarin language, you’ll gain good skills in speaking and writing, as well as reading and listening in the language. You’ll acquire unique skills for your future career as you work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Mandarin creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Professional Communication

In this module, you’ll develop your key communication skills for professional contexts such as the workplace. You’ll learn the appropriate styles and register, and develop a deeper awareness of communication styles and practices in a global working environment. You’ll practise skills for interaction and negotiation. The knowledge, experience and the linguistic and intercultural skills you’ll gain will be excellent preparation for your placement year.

French A2(2)

In this module, you’ll gain strong skills in speaking, writing, reading and listening in French. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and communicate well with others in an everyday context. You’ll reach a lower intermediate level in French, as you master both informal and semi-formal communication, in settings from the workplace to leisure activities.

Spanish A2(2)

In this module, you’ll gain strong skills in speaking, writing, reading and listening in Spanish. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and communicate well with others in an everyday context. You’ll reach a lower intermediate level in Spanish, as you master both informal and semi-formal communication, in settings from the workplace to leisure activities.

Spanish B1(1)

In this module, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your Spanish degree. As someone with a lower intermediate knowledge of Spanish, you’ll develop strong skills in Spanish speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Spain and other countries.

Spanish B2(1) / B2(2)

In these modules, you’ll build on your communication skills in Spanish. As someone with intermediate knowledge of spoken and written Spanish, you’ll develop your study and understanding of Spanish culture and society. You’ll develop a rich vocabulary based on themes which are key to Spanish culture. You’ll improve your Spanish to a higher, upper intermediate level, as you study and practise the key structures of the Spanish language.

Optional modules

Business Strategy for Competitive Advantage

How can we compete in today’s global business environment? How can we sustain a competitive advantage over other businesses? In this module, you’ll gain core critical skills and key knowledge of business strategy.

Critical Media Literacies

From Hollywood archives, to the representation of race and gender, how do the media affect society? In this module, you’ll gain core critical skills as you analyse media texts and their relationship with wider cultures. You’ll look at different approaches to media, including:

the media, commodity and identities
ideology, dominant leadership and Marxist interpretations
psychological approaches
the Gothic, and cultural anxieties.

Democracy, Autocracy and Regime Change

Can regime change ever be a straightforward progression from authoritarianism to democracy? In this module, you’ll start by exploring the complex concepts of democracy and authoritarianism – both of which come in various forms. You’ll move on to study different explanations of regime change. You’ll examine real-life cases from three regions, all of which contain widely differing regime types:

the former Soviet Union
the Middle East
sub-Saharan Africa.

English Language Teaching to Adults

Do you dream of working as an English language teacher? Do you want to help adult learners grasp the English language? In this module, you’ll get to grips with English language teaching. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of teaching English, and essential skills in effective language teaching. You’ll also develop key practical skills for teaching English to adult learners. If you take this course, you’ll be able to apply to British Study Centres Oxford to complete your teaching practice, and acquire a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). This is recognised by Cambridge Assessment as a pre-service training qualification.

Global Governance and Civil Society

How do we govern a world which is no longer dominated by states, but where civil government plays a key role? In this module, you’ll get to grips with core concepts of governance and civil society. You’ll look at how governments co-operate, and explore the changing nature of institutional structures across regions and nations. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of the complex processes and forces behind global governance. You’ll gain core critical skills as you analyse inter-governmental organisations (IGOs) and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOSs), and how they work.

International Trade and Migration

In this module, you’ll examine international migration through a core part of global governance - trade agreements. You’ll trace the key events and social processes behind international migration and trade governance since the mid-19th century.

You’ll gain a strong understanding of the global and regional strategies behind trade, treaties and borders, from COMECON to NAFTA. You’ll learn how these influence the large-scale movements of people. You’ll also look at core events shaping international migration, from gender and labour, to health and reproductive rights. You’ll challenge our instinct to fix categories of borders and migrants, and learn to understand these issues through concepts of class, race and gender.

Marketing Management

In this module, you’ll gain fantastic project management skills for your career, as you develop and construct your own marketing plan. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of marketing planning, and how to create effective strategies and groundbreaking products through this. You’ll deepen your knowledge of marketing, as you get to grips with core concepts of marketing management. You’ll understand how different elements of marketing integrate, and how we can use these to succeed over competitors in the business world.

Nationalism, Identity and Ethnicity

How can we understand nationalism and ethnicity, from pre-modern Europe to today? In this module, you’ll look at the different ways that nationalism can influence:

state development
economic relations
democratic practice
institutional arrangements.

You’ll gain core critical skills for your future career, as you explore the crossover of nationalism and ethnicity. You’ll look at challenges to nationalist identities and movements. You’ll draw on a range of real life case studies, including:

nationalist and ethnic violence in Yugoslavia and Rwanda;
nationalist parties in Europe (and beyond); the Holocaust
the rise of jihadist ideology.

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Placement Year

In Year 3, you have options as follows:

study in semester 1 at a partner university, and in semester 2 undertake a work placement

undertake a work placement in semesters 1 and 2

Work Placement in the country of the main language

Your work placement is a fantastic opportunity to apply and develop your language skills. You’ll have strong support to find a placement that matches your needs and aspirations and will give you the relevant work experience you’re looking for.

Working abroad is an unbeatable way to build your skills and confidence in all aspects of the language you’re learning, while also giving you a strong sense of responsibility and independence. You’ll gain vital practical experience in the workplace, boosting your employment prospects after graduation. You’ll practise a broad range of transferable skills, in particular organisational skills, communication in real life situations and setting up support systems and networks. And you’ll be on the road to becoming a cosmopolitan citizen, able to function confidently in different locations and cultures.

Previous students have had placements with companies including:

Alcatel-Lucent
bChannels
Club Med
DM Media
Eurosport.

Optional modules

Optional study placement

Your study placement is a fantastic opportunity to apply and develop your language skills. You’ll have support to find a study placement that meets your aspirations, and which will allow you to improve all aspects of your linguistic abilities.

Wherever you go, living and studying abroad is an unparalleled way to build your skills and confidence in another language. You’ll also gain a strong sense of responsibility and independence. You’ll gain first-hand cultural experience, adding to the theoretical experience with the practical learning experience. You’ll practise a broad range of transferable skills, in particular organisational skills and communication in real life situations.

Year 4

Compulsory modules

French C1(1) / C1(2)

In this module, you’ll achieve fluent and effective communication in French. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how the language functions, its textual patterns and how to use these in academic and practical contexts. You’ll converse with ease with native speakers of the language and have a strong grasp of grammatical correctness.

Researching Cross-cultural Experiences

In this module, you’ll analyse and present your experiences of your placement year. You’ll gain core critical skills for your final year, as you analyse your time living in a different culture, and the wider cross-cultural experiences of individuals or groups. You’ll do independent research on an aspect of the country you lived in that fascinates you. You’ll also present the outcomes of your research at an academic conference, giving you vital skills for your future career.

Advanced English Language and Communication Skills 2

You’ll study English language skills at an advanced level, completing tasks such as reflective research report writing and giving a concise group presentation. You’ll:

explore the linguistic diversity of English
reflect on your studies in English
be able to use the language confidently and expertly at C1/C2 level.

We’ll encourage you to take the Cambridge C2 Proficiency test to confirm independently your advanced level of competence in the English language.

Spanish C1(1) / C1(2)

In this module, you’ll achieve fluent and effective communication in Spanish. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how the language functions, its textual patterns and how to use these in academic and practical contexts. You’ll converse with ease with native speakers of the language and have a strong grasp of grammatical correctness.

Advanced English Language and Communication Skills 1

You take this module if you’re returning from your study or work placement and going into your final year. It will help you continue building your confidence in your English language level and your academic abilities.

Through your final coursework assessment, you’ll reflect on your study / work placement year. You can showcase what you’ve experienced and learned, and show how this will feed into your future career or study plans. You’ll also go on building your independent learning skills

research skills
critical thinking
reflection
academic writing
oral presentations
academic conventions
digital literacies
group working.

Optional modules

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective

How can we fight terrorism? In this module, you’ll gain core analytical skills as you look at the different ways states respond to terrorism. You’ll explore counter-terrorism, and how it relates to state, security and political violence. You’ll examine real-life instances of combating terrorism, from the UK policy on Northern Ireland to cases in Sri Lanka and Colombia. You’ll learn about what we call the ‘new’ terrorism (terrorism which involves organised networks and religious motivation, for example), and compare it with ‘old’ terrorism. You’ll then look at the different ways countries respond to new terrorism, and how these responses impact human rights and citizenship.

Education in International Development

In this module, you’ll consider the role of education in international development programmes. You’ll look at how economic development, foreign aid and international relations impact educational opportunity. You’ll assess development education practices through examining real-life case studies from development projects around the world.

French C1(1) / C1(2)

In these modules, you’ll achieve fluent and effective communication in French. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how the language functions, its textual patterns and how to use these in academic and practical contexts. You’ll converse with ease with native speakers of the language and have a strong grasp of grammatical correctness.

International Marketing

How can a powerful marketing strategy put international businesses at the forefront of the corporate world? How can marketing help businesses sustain their competitive edge? In this module, you’ll explore and build on the concepts you learned in your level 5 marketing modules. You’ll apply marketing theory to real-life business situations, allowing you to analyse the most successful factors in the international marketing context. You’ll pick up the ethics, professionalism and social responsibility to succeed in the international marketing world.

Language Teaching: Learning and Creativity

In this module, you’ll explore approaches to language learning and teaching, as well as theories of creativity, both inside and outside language learning contexts. You’ll be exposed to different ways of teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening. You’ll also discover approaches to creativity in language students, and how teaching resources - such as course books and tests - impact learning.

Mandarin Chinese 2A and 2B

In this module, you’ll increase your core skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin. You’ll learn how to use Mandarin in a more universal context, strengthening your grasp of the language. You’ll gain the knowledge to read and critically assess medium-length texts, and gain excellent skills in evaluative thinking, vital for succeeding in your degree. You’ll work constructively in teams, meet deadlines effectively and use Mandarin creatively and precisely for different audiences.

Militarism and Society

In this module, you’ll examine how military thinking and goals gain priority in societies. You’ll also look at ways in which military values and ideas can shape our everyday lives. You’ll explore concepts and practices linked to militarism through various lenses, looking at examples from film, news media, sport, fashion/branding and peacekeeping.

With a main focus on the UK, the USA and Canada, you’ll bring theory and practice together to form your own arguments and perspectives.

French B2(1) / B2(2)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your French degree. As someone with an upper intermediate knowledge of French, you’ll develop strong skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between France and other countries.

Spanish C1(1) / C1(2)

In these modules, you’ll achieve fluent and effective communication in Spanish. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how the language functions, its textual patterns and how to use these in academic and practical contexts. You’ll converse with ease with native speakers of the language and have a strong grasp of grammatical correctness.

State and Society in Contemporary Russia

Is Russia a democracy? Is it authoritarian? Or are these the wrong questions? Russia has been undergoing enormous political, economic and social transformation since the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of the Cold War. In this module, you’ll look at how Russia’s contemporary political system has emerged. You’ll explore the nature of the Russian state, and whether it’s possible to apply Western political science concepts such as liberal democracy. Key themes will include:

state-building
nation-building
governance
security.

Strategic Management

In this module, you’ll gain fantastic skills for business as you explore pressing business themes, and how they impact the corporate world. You’ll look at current business cases, and explore the driving forces behind the strategies, behaviours and management of organisations.

The European Union: Integration and Disintegration

In this module, you’ll dig into the social, political and cultural dimensions of the European Union (EU). You’ll look at pressing perspectives on European integration, which is how states in Europe come together in industrial, political and cultural ways. You’ll gain core critical skills as you uncover the social and cultural complexities of the EU.

Translation Skills

For this advanced module, you need a very high linguistic competence in French or Spanish. You’ll translate texts from the target language into English. We’ll cover a broad span of texts, contexts, styles and registers, including newspapers, literary texts and blogs. You’ll enhance your ability to translate texts creatively and precisely, following parameters of

register
style
purpose
audience
meaning.

Spanish B2(1) / B2(2)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your Spanish degree. As someone with an upper intermediate knowledge of Spanish, you’ll develop strong skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Spain and other countries.

German B2(1) / B2(2)

In these modules, you’ll gain the practical language skills to succeed in your German degree. As someone with an upper intermediate knowledge of German, you’ll develop strong skills in German speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in German, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Germany and other countries.

Japanese Reading and Writing 2A

This module focuses on the Japanese writing system, especially focusing on developing kanji learning as well as general reading and writing skills. You will learn to write 180 new kanji, and to recognise 360 compounds using those kanji. In addition, you will work on developing your reading comprehension skills to prepare you for reading a variety of texts during your year abroad. You will also learn to write in various writing styles.

Japanese Reading and Writing 2B

Continuing on from Reading and Writing 2A, you will learn to write an additional 170 new kanji, and to recognise 340 more compounds using those kanji. In addition, you will develop deeper reading comprehension skills to prepare you for reading a variety of texts during your year abroad. You will also continue to work with a variety of topics and writing styles.