Course

Modern Languages and English BA

4 years

This is a joint honours degree designed for students who wish to explore both a Modern Language (French/Italian/Spanish) and English to degree level, with the course divided equally between both subjects. You will have the chance to combine study of the language and cultures with the study of English literature and critical theory.

Modern Languages and English BA, 4 years

This is a joint honours degree designed for students who wish to explore both a Modern Language (French/Italian/Spanish) and English to degree level, with the course divided equally between both subjects. You will have the chance to combine study of the language and cultures with the study of English literature and critical theory.

Start date:

2025

Course information

Typical offer BBB

UCAS code R9Q3

International fee £19,700

Institute code L34

Taught by Modern Languages

The Guardian

Top 10 in the UK for English (Guardian League Table 2025)

Complete University Guide

Top 10 in the UK for Italian (Complete University Guide 2025)

National Student Survey logo

Ranked 1st in subjects aligned to Modern Languages for ‘overall positivity’ in the NSS 2024 (according to Times Higher Education NSS 2023 methodology applied to the NSS 2024 data).

Course description

Course description

Leicester is one of the best places in the UK to study Modern Languages, and we frequently rank high for student satisfaction in the annual National Student Survey.

You can study your chosen foreign language at Beginners or Advanced level. If you have already taken an A-level in either French/Italian/Spanish you would start at Advanced Level. If you have an A-level in another foreign language then you can begin studying your chosen modern language at Beginners Level.

Throughout the course you will develop your writing skills in the target language through the production of short pieces of creative writing and other activities such as online language learning and the use of materials taken from television and radio, with oral teaching conducted in small groups, mostly by native speakers.

Developing your foreign language skills gives you a powerful advantage in business and opens up a wide and exciting range of careers. You will be able to immerse yourself in a rich culture of learning-led experience in a supportive and tailored learning environment, and you will be supported by our team of personal tutors to help you make the best of your time here.

As part of the course, you will study abroad for a year, where you can live as a student or work as a teaching assistant with tutors on hand to help throughout the year. We have links with several universities in France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Latin America. Alternatively, you can take up an approved work placement, in a French/Italian/Spanish speaking country.

In addition, at the end of your first year, you can attend one of our partly-funded two-week summer schools so that you can immerse yourself in the language and culture that you are studying.

Here at the University of Leicester, we offer a rich and diverse learning experience, with great facilities, knowledgeable staff who are experts in their fields, and a unique chance to study abroad and build your international communication skills. You will be able to immerse yourself in a rich culture of research-led experience in a supportive and tailored learning environment.

Learn an extra language

All Modern Languages students have the opportunity in Year 1 to complete a year-long extracurricular Languages at Leicester course – for free. You can choose from any of these languages (subject to availability).

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • A/AS-levels: BBB including English (Language, Literature or combined) and either French or Spanish or Italian. Two AS-Levels may be considered in place of one A-Level. General Studies is accepted
  • EPQ with A-levels: BBC including English (Language, Literature or combined) and either French or Spanish or Italian + EPQ at grade B
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass Diploma with a minimum 45 credits at level 3, 24 of which must be at Distinction. To include 12 credits at Distinction in English Level 3 Modules. Plus, grade B at A-Level (or equivalent) in French or Spanish or Italian
  • International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 28 points including grade 6 at HL in English A or B and in either French or Spanish or Italian.
  • BTEC Nationals: Pass Diploma with DDM. Plus, grade B at A-Level English (Language, Literature or combined) and A-Level (or equivalent) in either French or Spanish or Italian

You can study either French, Spanish or Italian at Beginner Level if you have an A-level (or equivalent) in any foreign language.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page and English Language equivalencies.

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes. These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

 
Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in 2025

Tuition fees for 2025/26 are yet to be confirmed. As an indication of what you might pay, the fees for students who started in 2024/25 were:

  • £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
  • Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,385 for that year

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

International Students

Starting in 2025

  • £19,700 per year
  • Year Abroad: £4,925 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

We organise annual employability workshops to help you realise your career ambitions and consider what progress you should be making towards employment at each stage of your degree.

Our annual Careers Week includes seminars exploring diverse career paths. Speakers have come from European embassies and the EU.

In most cases your Year Abroad can include a year-long teaching assistantship or you could spend one or two semesters on a work placement approved by the University.

Our annual Careers Week includes seminars exploring diverse career paths. Speakers have come from European embassies and the EU.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from our Modern Languages degrees have gone on to work for a wide range of employers including:

  • Amazon
  • Emirates
  • Airlines Ford Credit
  • Europe Ministerio de Educación
  • Cultura y Deporte (Spain)
  • Resilient PLC
  • STA International
  • Sweet Cherry Publishing

Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.

Related courses

Course structure

Year 1

Year 1

French and English core modules

Spanish and English core modules

Italian and English core modules

Plus two English core modules:

As well as one option from: 

Choose one option from the Modern Languages Cultural Studies options:

Plus one English option:

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 2

Year 2

You will choose one option from: 

And one option from:

Plus two options from the Cultural Studies modules:

Plus English options: 

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 3

Year 3

Your Year Abroad

As part of the course, you will study abroad for a year, where you can live as a student or work as a teaching assistant with tutors on hand to help throughout the year. We have links with several universities in France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Latin America. Alternatively, you can take up an approved work placement, in a French/Italian/Spanish speaking country.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Year 4

Year 4

You will choose one option from:

Two modules from the Modern Language Cultural Studies options:

Plus one English module: 

Plus your Dissertation (English) or two modules from English Special Subject Modules list from the list below: 

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester

We offer a partly-funded two-week summer school between Years 1 and 2. You will immerse yourself in a different culture and language, building your confidence in your language skills.

You will definitely want to join the Students' Union's Modern Languages Society which organises academic and social events including film screenings, nights out, guest speakers, language-themed nights, sports events and even a weekend in Paris.

Modern Languages at Leicester

It was the summer school which attracted Alice to Leicester.

Teaching and learning

Summer School

When you take one of our Modern Languages courses, you'll have the opportunity to attend one of our partly-funded two-week summer schools during the summer vacation at the end of your first year.

Whether you study in Montpellier (France), Mondavio (Italy), or Santiago de Compostela (Spain), you will live with selected local families and hosts and enjoy language tuition in small groups each morning. In the afternoons, and some evenings and weekends, you'll take part in cultural and social activities for a complete immersion in the heart of the society, country and region you are visiting.

The benefits you'll gain are invaluable - you'll build your confidence in your chosen spoken and written language, gain crucial transferable skills (on completion of the summer school you will receive a HEAR certificate), discover new cultures, and build life-long friendships. 

Teaching: Modern Languages

Each week, you can expect to receive 3-4 hours of language classes, and 2 hours of contact time for each optional module. 

Language skills are taught in small groups, predominantly by native speakers. Our courses stress the importance of communicative ability as well as linguistic accuracy, and oral skills are highly valued.

Cultural studies modules are taught through a mix of lectures and seminars, which encourage discussion and debate around prepared topics and texts.

The use of online tutorials and exercises on Blackboard, the University’s virtual learning environment, allows us to include interactive training in our courses and to facilitate learning in specific areas such as essay writing and grammatical terminology.

You will be assessed throughout each year by a combination of continuous assessment, seminar presentations, essays, scenario-based assessments and formal exams at the end of each semester. While final year work is most heavily weighted in determining the degree class, your achievements during your second year and your year abroad are also taken into account.

You will have regular meetings with your personal tutor to discuss progress in your studies. Your personal tutor will also provide a sympathetic ear for all matters of personal concern, whether academic, financial, housing, career, or social.

Teaching: English

For each module you will typically have two lectures and a seminar every week, or a single long seminar. However, on top of these events will be a number of additional sessions, such as workshops on research and study skills, learning groups, introduced film screenings, and scheduled personal tutor meetings. Lectures are designed to introduce you to important background information for understanding a text, theme, period or author. Weekly seminars, in which a tutor leads a small group of students in discussion, will allow you to explore a text or topic in greater depth, developing your own responses in active conversation with your tutor and peers.

For your third-year dissertation you receive one-to-one guidance across the semester from a tutor with expertise in your chosen topic.

Assessment: English

You will be assessed by a wide variety of different types of coursework, in order to reflect the number of different skills you will acquire, including essays, group-work projects, oral presentations, reviews, portfolios, posters, and formative exercises. These assessments are designed to help you build confidence in a range of areas and to provide prospective employers with evidence that you can work effectively as an independent researcher and as a team-member, and can communicate complex information in an accessible way. Your final degree result will be based on the work you do in the second and third years of your degree.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration Attendance UCAS Code Availability
Course Modern Languages and English Qualification BA Duration 4 years Attendance Full-time UCAS Code R9Q3 Availability How to apply
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