History and Modern Languages BA (Hons)

If you’re passionate about history, but also dream of spending time abroad and becoming fluent in a second language, how do you choose which degree to study? We say choose both! This course allows you to combine your curiosity for human experience with your love of communicating in another language.<br/><br/>You’ll build transferable skills in linguistic competence, critical thinking, professional communication and independent research, while your unique cross-cultural understanding will open doors to a range of careers.<br/><br/>Many of our students say the year abroad is their course highlight. Not only can you fully immerse yourself in your chosen language and culture, living abroad can make you more independent and confident.<br/><br/>On this course, modules cover language, business, culture, history and politics so you can truly personalise this intercultural degree around your interests and career aspirations.<br/><br/>For your language studies, you can choose to take French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian/Croatian, or Spanish at beginners’ level. If you already have an A-level or equivalent in French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, or Spanish, you can continue at an advanced level. Spanish A-level students also get to explore beginners’ Portuguese, and if you choose Russian at any level, you can add Serbian/Croatian as a second Slavonic language.<br/><br/>**Why choose this course**<br/>- **Year abroad** - spend a year abroad immersing yourself in your chosen languages and cultures <br/><br/><br/>- **Beginners welcome** - Start learning a language from scratch on our beginners pathway<br/><br/><br/>- **Curiosity** - Study periods, themes, and events from 500CE to the present<br/><br/><br/>- **Critique** - following an introductory programme in year one, deepen your knowledge of your favourite topics and explore new ones through a wide range of modules<br/><br/><br/>- **Curation** - specialise in an area of interest through a year-long Special Subject and dissertation<br/><br/><br/>- **Volunteering opportunities** - volunteer through the schools volunteering project and deliver history lessons in local schools<br/><br/><br/>- **Great teaching** - 91% of students from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures said the teaching staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024)<br/><br/><br/>- **Increase your employability** - Open up job opportunities with foreign language skills<br/><br/><br/>- Work with our dedicated Faculty of Arts Placements Team to assist with your employability skills development via a range of placements, internships and volunteering opportunities <br/><br/><br/>**Engaged Arts**<br/>All students within the Faculty of Arts can select ‘Engaged Arts’ modules where you’ll approach real world challenges across contemporary themes such as sustainability or equity and justice. These modules have been newly designed to help you gain the skills and analytical abilities that employers are looking for.<br/><br/>**Have you seen our latest rankings?**<br/>- Top 20 for History in the UK (Complete University Guide 2024)<br/><br/><br/>- Top ten for French Studies in the UK - Daily Mail University Guide 2025<br/><br/><br/>- Top ten for Iberian Studies in the UK - Daily Mail University Guide 2025<br/><br/><br/>- Top ten for German in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025<br/><br/><br/>- Top ten for Russian and East European Languages in the UK - Complete University Guide 2025<br/><br/><br/>You can also access this course through a Foundation Year. This may be suitable if you have faced educational barriers and do not expect to meet the entry requirements for direct entry to a degree course. Please see the UCAS page for the relevant Foundation Year course for further information.