Modern Languages, Communication and Cultures with Chinese

Modern languages combined with communication and cultures is a degree that goes beyond language learning to examine how language, media, identity and cultural meaning interact in a globalised world. Studying Chinese as your primary language means entering one of the world's most significant linguistic and cultural traditions, gaining access to a Mandarin-speaking community that spans China, Taiwan, Singapore and diaspora communities across the globe. Communication and cultures as a frame of study asks how messages travel between people, communities and nations, how meaning is constructed in different media and contexts, and how cultural difference shapes interpretation.

At Heriot-Watt University this four-year, full-time programme allows you to develop Chinese from beginner level to a proficient standard, building the linguistic foundations systematically before advancing into more complex reading, writing, listening and speaking at higher levels. Alongside language study you will examine intercultural communication, media studies, translation theory and the cultures of the regions whose languages you are learning. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you extended experience living and working in Chinese-speaking environments and professional contexts.

Heriot-Watt's language programmes have a strong national reputation, and the combination of rigorous language training with communication and cultural studies prepares you for roles that require both technical linguistic skill and genuine cultural intelligence.

Graduates pursue careers in translation and interpreting, international business, journalism, diplomacy, the civil service and foreign office, education, international organisations and NGOs, and the growing range of sectors with significant China engagement. The combination of Chinese language skills and communication expertise is a genuine differentiator in the graduate labour market. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in Chinese studies, translation, international relations, business or intercultural communication.