Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish and Chinese) BA (Hons) Undergraduate - September 2025/26* Entry

The Modern Languages BA at Bangor provides you with the unique opportunity to study up to three languages in a friendly, supportive and vibrant environment in one of the most beautiful parts of the United Kingdom. We offer French, Spanish, German and Chinese at degree level, as well as modules in Galician. Our courses are designed to cater for those who have studied one or more languages at A Level as well as offering pathways for those beginning a language from scratch. 

On this Modern Languages degree you can choose to study French, Spanish and German on their own or as part of a joint-language degree or our 3-language degree scheme. As part of our joint-language degree or 3-language degree scheme you can combine the study of French, Spanish or German with some Chinese.

You can choose to specialise in one language or broaden your knowledge base by choosing two or three languages. You can carry on with a language you have been learning at school and add one or even two new ones to your skill set. Our courses are designed to equip you with excellent language and communication skills as well as enhancing your understanding of the cultures where they are spoken. Our staff are highly regarded researchers and you will be learning about language, culture and history from real experts.

A key aspect of the degree is the Year Abroad (year 3) where you will spend time in one or more countries developing your language skills and gaining valuable experience which will set you up for final year and, ultimately your future career. During the Year Abroad you can choose to study at one of our many partner universities or enter the world of work as an English Language Assistant or on a work placement. The skills acquired during a language degree are highly sought after by employers. As well as your language abilities, you will develop excellent communication, analytical and presentation skills in addition to a high level of cultural awareness and time management skills.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• French, German, Spanish and Chinese are taught from Year 1
• Flexible degree structure to tailor the course to your interests.
• The fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons during a year abroad.

Additional Course Options

Watch - Ellie Pugsley, German and Spanish

 

The BA Modern Languages is designed to enable you to develop your language skills year on year, supported by a team of enthusiastic and experienced staff. Whether you are continuing a language which you have already studied at school or beginning a new one from scratch, you will be taught in small groups using interactive teaching methods. Language classes are usually taught in the language itself and are designed to develop your understanding of grammar and your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. In addition, the materials used in class are carefully chosen to help you to better understand the cultures of the countries where the language is spoken so that you are able to place the languages learnt in their cultural context. 

The BA Modern Languages offers a great degree of flexibility. Depending on the subject mix you choose, you can decide whether to focus more specifically on language learning (for example, by choosing to study three languages) or whether to specialise and learn more about a specific language and its culture (for example, by choosing to focus on one or two languages). If you decide to specialise, you will be able to choose from a range of cultural modules which will enable you to explore different aspects such as film, literature, history and politics. Assessment is designed to reflect real life language use and challenge you to achieve your best level. As well as traditional approaches such as translation and essay writing, you will be asked to deliver presentations, work on blogs and develop your critical and creative skills. Each student will also research and write a dissertation towards the end of their degree which is an excellent opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge you have acquired working on a topic of your own choice. 

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish and Chinese) BA (Hons) Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

General University Costs

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
• The fee for all integrated study abroad years is  £1,385 (2025/26).
• The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).

More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.

International (including EU) students

• International Student Tuition Fees
• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:

• If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
• If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).

Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:

1. Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
2. Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
3. Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.

General University Requirements

To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.

EU and International Students' Entry Requirements

For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.

Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.

Our BA Modern Languages equips our students with a broad range of subject-specific and transferrable skills which are highly valued in the workplace. This is reflected in the impressive variety of career paths they end up following. Some are very much focussed on language itself. Many go on to train as language teachers at either primary or secondary school level. Others take advantage of access to specialist training at Bangor to become teachers of English abroad. Some even go on to do postgraduate study with a view to entering the university sector.

Another popular career is that of translator, either freelance or embedded in a company, with opportunities both in the UK and further afield. But languages are also valued in a huge variety of careers. We see students go on to work in professions where languages are key to giving them a competitive edge. Examples include careers as diverse as airline pilot, sports commentator or university international officer.  There are also those who have developed their entrepreneurial side to use their languages in setting up their own successful businesses, for example, a bespoke copy writing agency or a multi-million-pound recycling company. Essentially, a degree in languages is the key to opening doors across the world of work, and indeed, across the world itself. A large proportion of our graduates end up working abroad and in high end professional jobs. 

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. 

The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)

The BEA is a comprehensive online course that you can work through at your own pace, taking you through all the steps you need to take to explore, prepare and apply for your dream career.

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.

Student Volunteering

Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.

A 'with Foundation Year' option is available for this course. Apply for Modern Languages (with Foundation Year).