Modern Languages
Entry requirements
A level
You also require an A level or equivalent in each modern language that you plan to study at Advanced level. If you do not have the relevant language A Level, please feel free to contact us to discuss your options.
Accepted in place of A levels with the following grade equivalencies: D2 = A*; D3 = A; M2 = B. Combinations of A levels and Principle subjects are accepted. NB required subjects must be offered (see A level Section)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects. You also require a Higher Level or equivalent in each modern language that you plan to study at Advanced level. If you do not have the relevant language at Higher Level, please feel free to contact us to discuss your options.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus a B at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above. BTEC Diploma: DD, plus a B at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above. BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A-level, including the required subject/s mentioned above.
Accepted in place of a non-required A level with the equivalent grade.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Studying an undergraduate BA Modern Languages degree at the University of Birmingham prepares you to live and work as an engaged citizen of the world, blending language and culture through unforgettable experiences that increase your employability.
Our programme offers the flexibility to study two to three languages, including Catalan, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish plus Translation Studies. You will learn a wide range of topics beyond language, choosing from an extensive selection of exciting optional modules, such as:
- Chinese business language
- Conflict, identity and absurdity in French theatre
- Cross-cultural cinema
- Decolonial approaches to contemporary thought and culture
- German language cultures and societies in the contemporary world
- The golden age of the Russian novel
- Hispanic cultures in global contexts
- Mexican art in the twentieth century
- Modern Italy in the making
- New media and Catalan identity
- Popular culture and resistance in the Portuguese speaking world
- Race, gender and the legacies of colonialism
- Songs without borders
You will also spend a year abroad immersing yourself in the culture of your chosen languages, through either study or work opportunities.
You may also be interested in our BA French, BA German, BA Italian, BA Russian, BA Spanish, or BA Modern Languages with Translation courses.
**Why study this course?**
Our undergraduate BA Modern Language is for you if you want to:
**Enjoy flexibility in your studies** - choose to study two or three languages. Depending on the specific programme, you can combine them with Translation, Business Management, Linguistics, English Literature, History, History of Art, Music, International Business, International Relations, Law.
**Dive deeper than vocabulary** – become fluent with our bespoke language-focused modules. Learn a wide range of topics beyond language choosing from an extensive selection of optional modules, designed and delivers by researchers who are experts in the field.
**Practice like a professional** – develop your skills with our state-of-the-art interpreting suite, including Televic interpreting desks and soundproof booths, with the same professional standard used at the United Nations.
**Join the Modern Languages community** - enhance your skills with a wide range of exciting extracurricular activities, including cultural trips organised by the Modern Languages Society, our multilingual Linguist Magazine, specialist talks, research seminars and additional free languages classes at Languages for All
**14th overall in the Complete University Guide (2023)**
**Top 25 for French in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2023)**
Modules
First-year modules cover a broad base of the subject and are designed to introduce you to ways of studying at university. By the final year the modules you take will become more specialised and reflect the research expertise of the academic staff. More detailed module information can be found on the ‘Course detail’ tab on the University of Birmingham’s coursefinder web pages.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
University of Birmingham
Department of Modern Languages
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Others in language and area studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Others in language and area studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a broad subject for a variety of European languages. No matter which you take, the general theme is that some graduates go to that country to work, often as English language teachers, some go into further study, often to train as teachers or translators, but most get jobs in the UK in education - most often as language tutors, unsurprisingly, or translators. Modern language grads can also be in demand in business roles where communication and language skills are particularly useful, such as marketing and PR, and in finance or law. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Others in language and area studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£32k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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