Modern Language and Linguistics

Description

Our BA Modern Languages and Linguistics combines the study of one or two modern languages with a wide selection of English language or linguistics modules. Your modern languages components have a triple focus on developing language proficiency, cultural awareness and professional skills (not only translation skills, but also web and publishing skills, and film production and video-editing skills such as subtitling and voiceover). Our focus on skills aims to help you acquire a wide range of employability skills which will enhance your career prospects.

Your first, second and final years are spent at Essex, with your time split equally between studying linguistics and studying your chosen modern language(s). In linguistics, your first year is a foundation year which introduces you to linguistic techniques used to study a range of different aspects of language.

In your second and final year, we offer you a free choice of several dozen linguistics options, including modules on Child Language Acquisition and Disorders, Language Disorders in Adults, Psycholinguistics, Sentence Processing, Second Language Learning, Methodology of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Teaching Young Learners, Intercultural Pragmatics, Sociolinguistics, Conversation and Social Interaction, Media and Institutional Talk, Language and Sex, Pidgins and Creoles, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics.

In modern languages, we offer modules in all five languages at all six different proficiency levels recognised in the Common European Framework, and you can start any of the languages you want to study at a range of different levels (from scratch, or post GCSE-level, or post AS-level, or post A-level). Our modern languages components also include a range of thematic modules on specific cultural themes (eg art, music, cinema and TV), as well as modules designed to develop your professional and multimedia skills. Your third year is spent abroad experiencing, engaging with and integrating into another culture, either by a period of study at a partner institution offering the opportunity to operate in a different academic, linguistic and cultural environment, or by working as a language assistant and thereby acquiring valuable vocational experience of working abroad.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our course are flexibility and choice. In your first year you take two compulsory modules and two language options. During your second and final years you take two linguistics modules and two language modules. You spend your third year abroad. There is a great deal of choice for these optional modules due to the extensive range of modules offered by our departments.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Year 1

Foundations of Linguistics;
Foundations of Psycholinguistics or Foundations of Sociolinguistics; and
two language options

Year 2

Two linguistics options; and
two language options

Year 3

Year abroad

Year 4

Two linguistics options; and
two language options

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-levels: ABB-BBB
• GCSE English: C
• IB: 32-30 points (we consider IB certificates at the Higher Level on a case-by-case basis)
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above) or achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 level three credits at merit (or above).
• If French or Portuguese is taken as the major language, A-level French or Portuguese/Spanish (or equivalent) is required. German, Italian and Spanish can be studied as the major language either from scratch, via our intensive route, or via our post A-level route. All languages can be studied from scratch as the minor language.
• If you are interested in studying a language for which you consider yourself to be a native speaker, please contact our Undergraduate Admissions Office.

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.