Modern Languages

Modern languages at degree level is one of the most versatile and rewarding programmes a student can choose. Languages open access to cultures, literatures, histories and professional environments that remain closed to those who can only operate in English, and graduates with genuine foreign-language proficiency are relatively rare in the UK, which makes them genuinely valuable in international organisations, businesses and public bodies. Studying multiple languages simultaneously develops a sophistication about how languages work, how they differ and what they reveal about the cultures they carry.

At Aberystwyth University, the Department of Modern Languages is one of only a handful in the UK that offers students the opportunity to combine three languages, and uniquely does so without requiring prior knowledge in all of them. You can choose from French, Italian, German and Spanish, depending on the pathways you wish to take, which means the programme is accessible to students who arrive with expertise in one language and a genuine desire to add others. The programme is four years full time, which reflects the depth of language development that multiple-language study requires.

The typical entry tariff is 104 points.

You will develop proficiency across speaking, listening, reading and writing in each language you study, alongside cultural and literary study that gives your linguistic knowledge real depth and context. Studying in Aberystwyth, a bilingual Welsh and English university town, also places you in an environment where language is a lived reality rather than an academic abstraction.

Graduates from modern languages programmes work in translation and interpreting, international business, education, the civil service, diplomacy, journalism, publishing, arts and cultural management, and a wide range of roles where multilingual communication is valued. Further study at postgraduate level in languages, linguistics, European studies or translation is a common route for those who want to specialise further. Fluency in multiple languages is an advantage that follows graduates throughout their careers.