Modern Languages BA Honours

Master up to three languages on our highly flexible Modern Languages degree course and prepare yourself for a career as an engaged, global citizen.

This four-year Modern Languages BA Honours degree immerses you in the study of foreign culture and society. Focusing on the development of your language skills in your chosen languages, you'll graduate with an appreciation for other cultures and multilingual skills sought by employers.

You can choose to study up to three languages from a choice of:

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Japanese
• Portuguese
• Spanish

Through our multidisciplinary approach to teaching, you'll gain an in-depth insight into how culture, cinema, history, politics and society shape the countries where your chosen languages are spoken. You will have the knowledge and understanding you need to engage with people in their native language.

You'll become a confident multilinguist, ready to embark on your career journey as a global citizen.

Year abroad

This Modern Languages degree includes a compulsory year abroad.

Students studying a European language can:

• study at one of our partner universities
• undertake a work or voluntary placement
• undertake a combination of both (ensuring they do not overlap)

You usually divide the year between the countries relating to your chosen languages, although it may be possible to spend the entire year in one country.

If you are studying three languages we encourage you to spend some time during the summer vacation in the country of your third language.

If you're studying Chinese or Japanese, you'll spend the year studying at one of our partner universities in China or Japan.

Support for year abroad

You will receive lots of help to prepare for your year abroad, including:

• briefings covering practicalities like insurance, visas and student safety
• support in finding a work placement
• a Tandem Learning Scheme, to practise conversation in your foreign language and make in-country contacts, before you travel
• a training course for language assistants

There are also events in your second year where you can meet students who have already done their year abroad, students from our partner universities in Europe, and Chinese and Japanese exchange students from our host universities in East Asia.

You'll be in contact with our Year Abroad team during your time abroad and communicate with your personal tutor. You'll also write blog posts, reflecting on your linguistic, personal and professional development.

A Global Top 125 university (QS World University Rankings 2023), Newcastle is home to 29,000 students from 140 countries.

A founding member of the Russell Group, we are one of only 19 universities in the world – and just three in the UK – to achieve a five-plus QS Star rating for overall excellence (2022).

We can trace our origins back to the School of Medicine and Surgery, established in 1834.

Today, we combine world-leading research with a world-class academic experience.

A global leader with strengths in ageing and health, data, energy, cities, and the creative arts, we’re pioneering solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the world. In the UK’s Research Excellence Framework 2021, 42% of our research was scored as world-leading.

Through 5-star teaching (QS Stars 2022), we educate for life. Students are challenged and supported to learn from world-class experts across more than 185 undergraduate and 300 postgraduate degrees.

Student experience

Students are supported to reach their full potential by our Student Health and Wellbeing services that provide counselling, mental health, disability and specialist learning support, as well as financial support and faith and spirituality support.

We’ve developed an online Academic Skills Kit to support students in becoming effective independent learners.

Our Students' Union is at the heart of the Newcastle experience, offering more than 180 student-run societies and over 60 sports clubs.

A top student city

Multicultural, vibrant and friendly, Newcastle is the capital of North East England – the University’s city-centre campus is at its heart.

A global top 50 and UK top 10 student city, it’s also one of the most affordable in the UK (QS Best Student Cities, 2023).

Newcastle offers top-class sports, a vibrant arts scene, great shopping and exciting nightlife. It’s also close to beautiful countryside and award-winning beaches.