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Modern Languages

Whether you choose to study French, Spanish, German, Italian or Chinese you’ll learn how to write, read, and speak to a high standard with a Modern Languages degree at Bangor University. We’re passionate about our teaching and this shows in our student’s satisfaction scores, we were recently ranked in Top 10 in the UK for the quality of teaching in Iberian Studies (NSS 2024).

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Browse our Modern Languages courses
Apply before 6pm on Wednesday, 29 January 2025 to start your course in September 2025

My year abroad experience

Languages student Eleanor talks about moving to Spain for a year as part of her Spanish degree. Eleanor is working in a primary school and has immersed herself in the Spanish culture!

Our Modern Languages Degrees

Language Options

Did you know you can study a single language or a combination of two or three languages on our main programmes. 

Language Options

Did you know you can study a single language or a combination of two or three languages on our main programmes. 

On our Modern Languages degree you can choose to study French on its own or as part of a joint-language degree or 3-language degree scheme. You can also choose to combine the study of French with another discipline one on of our many joint-honours programmes. 

On our Modern Languages degree you can choose to study Spanish on its own or as part of a joint-language degree or 3-language degree scheme. You can also choose to combine the study of Spanish with another discipline one on of our many joint-honours programmes. 

On our Modern Languages degree you can choose to study German on its own or as part of a joint-language degree or 3-language degree scheme. You can also choose to combine the study of German with another discipline one on of our many joint-honours programmes. 

As part of our joint-language degree or 3-language degree scheme you can combine the study of French, Spanish or German with some Italian or Chinese.

Modern Languages Joint Honours Programme at Bangor University

Did you know you could study a language alongside another subject area? Here at Bangor University we offer several join honours programmes where you can learn a new language or continue your study of a language alongside the study of another discipline.

 

5 things I enjoyed most about studying Modern Languages and Criminology and Criminal Justice

The atmosphere in Bangor is friendly, inclusive and calm. Obviously, there are deadlines and assignments and exams, but the environment with which you are surrounded makes that all manageable.

Clodagh May Colbeck,  French, Italian and Spanish

Student Profiles

Malak Chamlal Zinane

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Hello. My name is Malak. I'm Spanish, I'm second year modern languages student.

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I choose Bangor University because I was looking for a university who match my vibes,

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match everything I was looking for and definitely Bangor University was the right decision.

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The coolest part of my course so far has been meeting new people, learning about new skills that I didn't

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know I had. Joining societies, be able to make friends and live in my comfort zone as well.

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What I like about this subject is challenge to my own mind. I really like to develop new skills that I didn't know I had.

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My favourite thing about Bangor is that it's really small, so you know everyone, you feel safe.

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You can go to the street and meet your friends easily.

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You don't need to worry about your safety. Bangor is that small.

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That can be really, really safe. And it's also a really beautiful city.

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You've got so Snowdonia, you've got Bangor University, you've got societies.

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You got scenic view. So Bangor University will be always the right choice.

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Hi, my name is Eliza. I'm from Las Vegas. I'm a second year language student.

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I choose Bangor University because it is a beautiful place and it's a very good international university.

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It was on plenty of like the international websites that I looked at, and I was really interested in the language department they had to offer.

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The coolest part of my course was meeting all the new people.

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I've lived in the States for so long, and coming out and meeting all these people from like Spain,

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Nigeria, all these different places was quite amazing.

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And that course really gave me an opportunity to communicate with them and have something in common with them.

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I enjoy learning new languages. I like going on the street and I'll hear someone speak Italian.

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I'm like, oh, I know what they're saying.

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And I think that's just an amazing thing because bilingual people have so many advantages in the world and trilingual people.

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That'll be me eventually. But they have so many opportunities and I wanted to be a part of that community.

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My favourite thing about Bangor is how small it is.

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It may seem like not that good of a thing, but I like walking down the street and seeing all my friends like I see at least five people I know.

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I say hi, have conversations. It's just a small city.

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It's it's not as overwhelming as going to like Manchester, Liverpool and I got to know the city really well.

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And I do love living here because it made my transition from the States to the UK very easy.

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My piece of advice would be to get yourself out there.

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I wouldn't have made any friends if I just stay locked up in my room like I got into societies, I made friends,

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I know people, I go out, I have fun because I made those friends and I made that effort to get out of my room.

Do you have a question about life as a Bangor University student? Our ambassadors will be happy to help you find the answer.

They can tell you more about studying here, about the amazing Clubs and Societies we have, and how they made friends and settled in to life at university as a Modern Languages student. 

If you have any questions about the course, our lecturers are on hand to help. Below are some examples of frequently asked questions. Can you think of any more? 

  • What are the qualities of a successful Modern Languages student at Bangor?
  • How can I prepare myself to study Modern Languages at Bangor?
  • How will I know that Modern Languages at Bangor is the right choice for me?

Our Vibrant Community

What our graduates say

We have graduates working all over the world in various roles. Here is Olivia and Charlotte talking about their time at Bangor University and how studying Modern Languages has helped them in their career. 

A headshot of alumni Sarah Worth

Sarah Worth

Undertaking a modern languages degree gave me the skills to be able to learn other languages. The year I spent abroad provided valuable experience and insight into teaching and delivering training to others has been a key part of my career since graduating. I loved my time at Bangor University. I studied (and played) hard, made some lifelong friends, and fell in love with the area. 

A headshot of Jamie McAllister

Jamie McAllister

I thoroughly enjoyed studying at Bangor, much more than I could have imagined, and I look back at that time with such fond memories. I loved all my modules, and my lecturers were all so engaging. I made many good friends there and embraced the social life as well, of course. It opened my eyes to different cultures and perspectives and helped shape me into the person I am today. 

a Headshot of Alumni Charlotte Watson

Charlotte Watson

I changed my mind about going to Bangor after an open day, as I had originally planned to attend a different university. It was clear I was going to be better supported in my studies and well-being. Bangor also offered far nicer accommodation to most universities, which I felt was important as it would be the first time living away from home. Bangor’s offering to take up a new language in the first year and then be integrated into classes with others who’d studied to A-level in the second year was a real opportunity to broaden my horizons. 

a mix of different images of charlotte Fairclough

Charlotte Fairclough

My time at Bangor University was the most enjoyable of my life! I felt so at home studying the languages that I loved in a beautiful part of the UK. I met friends for life, honed my language skills and gained valuable real-life working experience which has led me to my dream job.  I choose to study at Bangor University because the department was extremely welcoming. I remember attending the Open Day with my parents and feeling that each staff member would know who I was if I studied here.

Our Research in Modern Languages

Our international research profile in modern languages is derived from the dynamic work of academic and research staff, who have built major individual and collaborative projects in the histories, cultures and politics of the Francophone, Hispanic, German and Italian-speaking worlds, with a growing specialism in Translation Studies and Chinese Studies.

Particular research strengths lie in postcolonial approaches to Francophone and Iberian Cultures, the politics of memory and memorialisation, travel writing, Catalan and Galician Studies, Italian organised crime, translation, power and critical discourse, film and national identities, popular culture and comics, material cultures and material texts, visual cultures and contemporary art.

Our students benefit from a lively and inclusive research community. Not only does our research inform our teaching, we also run an exciting Research Forum each term, comprising a variety of events, including talks from visiting scholars and our own research staff and students, book launches and art, music and poetry performances.

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