Whether you choose to master one, two or three languages within our single honours BA Modern Languages or one language in a joint honours combination with another subject, Bristol's School of Modern Languages provides a supportive and vibrant community in which your passion for languages can flourish.

Over the course of your degree, you will have access to a broad range of stimulating units. Beyond language learning, you'll also engage with aspects of the cultures, social histories and literatures of the countries where your language(s) of study are spoken, and you’ll have the opportunity to study linguistics.

The course involves practical language classes, lectures on historical, cultural or literary topics, and discussion-based seminars. In language classes you will develop speaking, listening, reading, writing and translation skills using a rich range of resources. In contextual historical and cultural units related to each language you will learn about important approaches and concepts for linguistic, literary, cultural and historical analysis.

Your year abroad will allow you to immerse yourself fully in your chosen language(s) and to gain valuable cultural awareness and an international outlook that will be an asset to future employers. To find out more about studying abroad, visit the Centre for Study Abroad.

As a student of Modern Languages in Bristol, you'll be part of a sociable community within a creative city. Outside the classroom, you’ll be able to develop your linguistic and cultural expertise by joining a student language society or participating in activities such as writing for a language-specific newspaper or performing in a play in one of your target languages.

The maturity and breadth of skills gained from a modern languages degree will make you attractive to a variety of employers, including international organisations and businesses where fluency in a modern language and a good knowledge of foreign institutions and customs are extremely useful.

Recent graduates have entered careers in translation, academia, finance, publishing, the media, law, travel, and British and international civil services. Many of these careers are directly related to the language skills and cultural understanding you will gain during your studies.

The subject combination you choose will determine the balance between practical language learning and contextual units offered by the School of Modern Languages.

Single Honours Combinations

Our BA Modern Languages course lets you study one, two or three languages to degree level, starting from beginners’ level or post-A level (or equivalent standard) in Year 1. You may take a maximum of one beginners’ degree language: French, German, Italian, Portuguese (only available from beginners’ level and only in combination with another language or subject), Russian, and Spanish.

Typically, one-language students do one practical language unit each year and five contextual units; two-language students take two practical language units each year and four contextual units; and three-language students take three practical language units each and three contextual units.

Joint Honours Combinations

With the exception of the LLB Law and Modern Languages, all joint honours degree combinations are available with either French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. All can be taken from beginners' or A level (or equivalent) standard, except Portuguese, which is beginners only. Law is available only with post-A level (or equivalent) French, German or Spanish.

If you take a language within a joint honours combination with another subject (except Law), you’ll do half your degree in the School of Modern Languages. This will usually mean you do one practical language unit and two contextual units each year. Joint honours students (except with Law) and single honours students on the one- and two-language pathways can add further languages as optional units from the second year. Languages currently available include Catalan, Korean, Japanese, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese.

Law and Modern Languages students do a third of their degree in the School of Modern Languages, taking one practical language unit and one contextual unit each year.

Whichever one of our Modern Languages degree programmes you are on, you will spend your third year abroad, honing your linguistic skills and immersing yourself in the culture and society of another country.

If you study more than one degree language, you will divide your year abroad between relevant countries. Students taking just one language either spend the whole year in one place or split it between two relevant countries.

BA Modern Languages students and students taking a language in combination with subjects except Law can opt to study at a partner institution, take a language course, teach English or undertake a work placement. We have had students travel as far afield as Haiti, Argentina, Mexico, French Guiana and Kazakhstan.

Law and Modern Languages students spend their third year studying Law at a partner university.

To find out more about studying abroad through Bristol, see the Centre for Study Abroad.