| UCAS code | LR01 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 years |
| Entry year | 2025 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Politics and International Relations |
| Contact | Web: Enquire online |
| Typical offer | A-Level: AAB-ABB |
|---|---|
|
A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Overview
- You’ll explore domestic and global affairs while acquiring a thorough understanding of the language, culture and literature from a diverse range of societies
- Our smaller class sizes enable you to actively discuss and debate your ideas and work closely with academic staff
- You’ll gain strong speaking and writing skills in a modern language and spend your third year abroad developing your language skills
- Get involved with the various Language student societies, make friends, attend socials and seminars and hear from guest speakers
- Our strong focus on career-related experience and skills will help you achieve your future career aspirations
Top 10 in the UK for Politics
9th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 10th in the The Complete University Guide 2024
We are in the Top 10 in the UK for our world-leading Politics and International Studies research*
* Based on research rated 4* in REF 2021
Opportunities to study abroad
87% of graduates in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation*
*based on full-time, first degree, UK domiciled graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes survey 2020/21
Entry requirements (typical offer)
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level | AAB-ABB | Dependent on subjects chosen (see below) |
| IB | 34/665-32/655 | Dependent on subjects chosen (see below) |
| BTEC | DDD-DDM | Dependent on subjects chosen (see below) |
| GCSE | C or 4 | English Language |
| Access to HE | 30 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade - 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade | Dependent on level chosen the required L3 credits in Modern Foreign Language subject area |
| T-Level | Distinction | Dependent on subjects chosen, GCE A-Level in a Modern Foreign Language will also be required. |
| Contextual Offer | A-Level: BBB-BBC |
Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers. |
| Other accepted qualifications | ||
| English language requirements |
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country. |
|
NB General Studies is not included in any offer.
Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply
Language requirements
- No previous language qualifications are required.
- You may only choose one language.
- French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish can be studied either from A level or beginner’s level, with both cohorts reaching degree level in the final year. Portuguese and Chinese can normally only be studied from beginner’s level, not from A Level; students of these two languages reach degree level in final year.
Languages and levels available for Combined Honours courses
|
I want to study a new language at beginner level alongside my other subject (excluding programmes with Arabic) |
|
| Modern Languages requirements |
No previous language qualifications required. We strongly recommend that students who want to start a languages degree with no previous linguistic experience should contact us. |
| Advanced level languages available | n/a |
| Beginners level languages available | Chinese (Mandarin); French; German; Italian; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish |
|
I want to study my A level (or equivalent) language at advanced level alongside my other subject (including programmes with Arabic) |
|
| Modern Languages requirements | A level grade B or IB HL5 or SL6 (or equivalent) in the language chosen at advanced level |
| Advanced level languages available | French; German; Italian; Russian; Spanish |
| Beginners level languages available | n/a |
Completing your UCAS form
In the section named ‘further details’ on your UCAS application form please indicate in the ‘choices’ field the language and route you wish to study using the abbreviations below, separated by a space:
| French | Fren |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Chin |
| German | Germ |
| Italian | Ital |
| Portuguese | Port |
| Russian | Russ |
| Spanish | Span |
Course content
The degree is made up of compulsory and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.
You will take half your credits in International Relations and the remaining credits in your chosen language.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
30 credits of compulsory International Relations modules, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language and 60 credits of optional modules (including 30 credits of International Relations modules, and 30 consisting of content related to your chosen language.
Compulsory modules
Subject to choosing 120 credits for the stage overall, you must:
a select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POL1017 | Globalisation of World Politics | 15 |
| POL1018 | The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First Century | 15 |
| MLX S1 Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note a above] | ||
| MLF1001 | French Language | 30 |
| MLF1052 | French Language for Beginners | 30 |
| MLG1001 | German Language | 30 |
| MLG1052 | German Language for Beginners | 30 |
| MLI1001 | Italian Language | 30 |
| MLI1052 | Italian Language for Beginners | 30 |
| MLM1052 | Beginners Chinese | 30 |
| MLP1052 | Portuguese Language for Beginners | 30 |
| MLR1001 | Contemporary Russian Written and Oral | 30 |
| MLR1030 | Russian Language for Beginners | 30 |
| MLS1001 | Spanish Language | 30 |
| MLS1056 | Spanish Language for Beginners | 30 |
Optional modules
b select 30 credits of International Relations modules from this list of option modules here.
Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability.
c select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; on the Modern Languages side of your programme, you may select a maximum of 15 credits of either the SML- or HUM-coded modules for the year. Please note that certain modules may only be available to students on Single Honours programmes, or to students who have taken a particular language module. This information will be given in the pre-requisites or co-requisites section of the relevant module descriptor. Please note for students of Modern Languages Portuguese (Single Honours or Combined Honours) MLP1002 is compulsory. For FLC students or other non-Modern Language students, it remains optional.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MLX S1 French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLF1017 | The Making of Modern France | 15 |
| MLF1103 | The French Language, Present and Past | 15 |
| MLF1105 | An Introduction to French Thought | 15 |
| MLF1121 | French Visual History | 15 |
| MLF1018 | The Devil is in the Detail: An Introduction to the Short Story in French | 15 |
| MLX S1 German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLG1014 | A Nation Remembers: Issues in German Cultural Memory | 15 |
| MLG1017 | Turning Points in German History 1200 - 2000 | 15 |
| MLG1021 | Outside In: An Introduction to Outcasts and Outsiders in German-language Literature and Film | 15 |
| MLX S1 Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLI1016 | Italy Inside Out: Popular Visual Narratives about Italy | 15 |
| MLI1121 | A Thousand Faces: Cultures and History in 19th-Century Italy | 15 |
| MLX S1 Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLP1002 | Introduction to the Lusophone World | 15 |
| MLX S1 Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLR1023 | Russia: Empire and Identity | 15 |
| MLR1006 | An Emotional Experience: Russian Literature and the Expression of Feeling | 15 |
| MLX S1 Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| MLS1067 | Ideology in the Hispanic World | 15 |
| SML1067 | Ideology in the Hispanic World | 15 |
| MLS1068 | An Introduction to the Literature and Film of Spain | 15 |
| MLS1064 | An Introduction to the Hispanic World: Texts in Context | 15 |
| MLS1066 | The Making of Modern Latin America: History Through Literature and Culture | 15 |
| MLS1164 | A Journey of Discovery: Hispanic Global Culture | 15 |
| MLX S1 Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note c above] | ||
| SML1207 | Introduction to Film | 15 |
| SML1208 | Language, Culture, and International Relations | 15 |
| SML1002 | Constructing Nature: Stories we Live By | 15 |
| SML1018 | The Devil Is in the Detail: An Introduction to the Short Story in French | 15 |
30 credits of compulsory International Relations modules, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language and 60 credits of optional modules (including 30 credits of International Relations modules, and 30 consisting of content related to your chosen language.
Compulsory modules
Subject to choosing 120 credits for the stage overall, you must:
d select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POL2020 | Contemporary Theories of World Politics | 15 |
| POL2057 | Security Studies | 15 |
| MLX S2 Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note d above] | ||
| MLF2001 | French Language, Written and Oral | 30 |
| MLF2152 | Intermediate French | 30 |
| MLG2001 | German Language, Written and Oral | 30 |
| MLG2052 | Intermediate German | 30 |
| MLI2001 | Italian Language, Written and Oral | 30 |
| MLI2051 | Italian Language | 30 |
| MLM2052 | Intermediate Chinese (One) | 30 |
| MLP2052 | Intermediate Portuguese | 30 |
| MLR2001 | Contemporary Russian Written and Oral I | 30 |
| MLR2030 | Intermediate Russian | 30 |
| MLS2001 | Spanish Language, Written and Oral | 30 |
| MLS2156 | Spanish Language (ex-beginners) | 30 |
Optional modules
e select 30 credits of International Relations modules from the list of option modules here.
Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability
f select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; on the Modern Languages side of your programme, you may select a maximum of 15 credits of either the SML- or HUM-coded modules listed below for the year. It is your responsibility to ensure that credit for SML modules can be counted towards the language of your study, where this is necessary for your credit count.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MLX S2 Chinese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| MLM2002 | Politics of Contemporary China | 15 |
| MLM2003 | Chinoiserie and Europeenerie: Artistic and cultural exchanges between China and Europe | 15 |
| MLX S2 French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| MLF2076 | Subversive Texts: Baudelaire and Rachilde | 15 |
| MLF2005 | Classical myth in French and francophone cinema | 15 |
| MLF2069 | East is East? Cross-Cultural Encounters in Medieval French Literature | 15 |
| SML2209 | Music in Medieval Europe | 15 |
| MLF2070 | Violence and Virtue: Early Modern French Theatre | 15 |
| MLF2074 | Translating Exile: Contemporary Francophone Women Writers | 15 |
| MLF2029 | Varieties of French | 15 |
| MLF2056 | Provoking Thoughts - French Literature and Philosophy from the Renaissance to the 20th Century | 15 |
| MLX S2 German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| MLG2003 | Youth and Age: Generations in German Fiction and Film | 15 |
| MLG2019 | Gender, Race and Migration in 20th and 21st-century German Literature | 15 |
| MLG2018 | Berlin - Culture, History and Politics | 15 |
| MLX S2 Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| AHV2208 | Ideal Cities? Urban Cultures of Renaissance Italy | 15 |
| MLI2019 | Italian(s) in the World | 15 |
| MLI2018 | Love (and Marriage?) in Contemporary Italian Film Comedy | 15 |
| MLX S2 Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| SML2004 | Contemporary Latin American Cinema | 15 |
| SML2002 | Cultural Connections in Southern Africa: Literature and Film | 15 |
| MLP2002 | Portuguese as a Global Language | 15 |
| MLX S2 Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| MLR2021 | Understanding Russia | 15 |
| MLR2024 | Exploring Revolution: The Making of Soviet Society and Culture in the 1920s | 15 |
| MLX S2 Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| MLS2070 | Catalonia Is Not Spain? Modern Catalan Culture in Context | 15 |
| MLS2158 | "What is Love? And Do I Need It?" An Introduction to Spanish Renaissance Love Poetry | 15 |
| MLS2072 | Place and Identity in Contemporary Venezuelan Culture | 15 |
| SML2004 | Contemporary Latin American Cinema | 15 |
| MLS2061 | The Latin American Short Story | 15 |
| MLS2045 | Federico Garcia Lorca: Theatre and Poetry | 15 |
| MLS2073 | Literary Non-Fiction in Argentina: When Writing Meets the Real | 15 |
| MLX S2 Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above] | ||
| HUM2005 | Tales of Freedom, Necessity and Providence | 15 |
| SML2246 | Intercultural Communication | 15 |
| SML2244 | Multilingualism in Society | 15 |
| SML2003 | Research Skills in Languages and Cultures | 15 |
120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
g You must take one of these modules.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MLX S3 Compulsory Year Abroad Modules 2023-4 [See note g above] | ||
| SML3010 | Work and Study Abroad | 120 |
| SML3020 | Study Abroad at a Partner University (with Assessment in the Foreign Language) | 120 |
| SML3025 | Internship Abroad Combined with Study at a Partner University Abroad | 120 |
60 credits of optional International Relations modules, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language and 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language
Compulsory modules
Subject to selecting 120 credits in the stage you must:
h select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MLX Final Stage Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note h above] | ||
| MLM3111 | Advanced Chinese Language Skills | 30 |
| MLF3111 | Advanced French Language Skills | 30 |
| MLG3111 | Advanced German Language Skills | 30 |
| MLI3111 | Advanced Italian Language Skills | 30 |
| MLP3111 | Advanced Portuguese Language Skills | 30 |
| MLR3111 | Advanced Russian Language Skills | 30 |
| MLS3111 | Advanced Spanish Language Skills | 30 |
Optional modules
i select 60 credits of option modules in International Relations. View option modules here
Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability
j select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; you may select a maximum of 15 credits of the SML- or HUM-coded modules listed below for the year, these are additional to SML3015. You may, alternatively, take SML3030. Please note you may only select one dissertation module across the two programmes. It is your responsibility to ensure that credit for SML modules can be counted towards the language of your study, where this is necessary for your credit count.
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MLX Final Stage Chinese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLM3009 | China through the Lens: Cultural Translation and Self-Presentation | 15 |
| MLM3008 | Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature | 15 |
| MLM3011 | China and the Third World: Foreign Relations and Nation Building in China in the Cold War Era | 15 |
| HUM3002 | Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature | 15 |
| HUM3015 | The Place of Meaning: Gardens in Britain and China | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLF3034 | Sociolinguistics of French | 15 |
| MLF3078 | Philosophers, Prophets, and Mystics in French Culture | 15 |
| MLF3050 | Music, Poetry, and Society at the Late Medieval French Court | 15 |
| MLF3079 | Sex, Subversion and Censorship: Libertine Literature in Seventeenth-Century France | 15 |
| MLF3080 | Les Miserables from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day | 15 |
| MLF3046 | Dialectology in France | 15 |
| MLF3075 | First-Person Outsiders in Modern French Literature | 15 |
| MLF3081 | Sexual Politics: Gender Dynamics in Early Modern France | 15 |
| EAF3520 | Beyond Sex and the City: Becoming a Woman in Contemporary Western Cinema | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLG3036 | Dictatorships on Display: History Exhibitions in Germany and Austria | 15 |
| MLG3037 | Coping with Catastrophe: German Culture, Literature and Politics in the Interwar Years | 15 |
| MLG3040 | Sex, Sciences and the Arts | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLI3199 | Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend | 15 |
| AHV3002 | Understanding Space in Renaissance Italy | 15 |
| MLI3033 | Multicultural Italy | 15 |
| HUM3002 | Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature | 15 |
| EAF3520 | Beyond Sex and the City: Becoming a Woman in Contemporary Western Cinema | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLP3009 | Afro-Brazil: Transatlantic Identities in Culture | 15 |
| SML3014 | Socialist Thought and Practice in Latin America and Africa | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLR3027 | The Making of Underground Russia, 1825-1917 | 15 |
| MLR3026 | The Deceptive City: The Creation of St Petersburg in Russian Literature | 15 |
| HUM3002 | Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| MLS3037 | Women and Feminism in 20th Century Spain | 15 |
| MLS3057 | Cross Currents: Memory, Myth and Modernity in Latin America | 15 |
| MLS3112 | Spanish Modernists: Narratives of Identity, Gender and Nation | 15 |
| MLS3071 | The Chilean Road to Socialism (1970-1973): What Happened and Why? Elements for a Debate | 15 |
| MLS3067 | "Monster of Nature and Phoenix of Wits." An Introduction to the Work of Lope de Vega | 15 |
| SML3031 | Advanced Translation Skills | 15 |
| MLS3066 | Almodovar's Spain: Cinema and Society | 15 |
| SML3014 | Socialist Thought and Practice in Latin America and Africa | 15 |
| HUM3002 | Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature | 15 |
| MLX Final Stage Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above] | ||
| SML3013 | Through the Language Lens: the Relationship between Language, Culture and the Mind | 15 |
| SML3015 | Dissertation | 15 |
| SML3043 | Migration and Multilingualism | 15 |
| SML3041 | Green Matters in Modern Languages and Cultures | 15 |
| SML3042 | Transcultural Devon: Creating, Analysing and Subtitling Interviews in the Context of Migration | 15 |
| SML3009 | Intercultural Communication in a Global World | 15 |
| SML3030 | Extended Dissertation | 30 |
Fees
Tuition fees for 2024 entry
UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £23,700 per year
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Learning and teaching
How will I learn?
International Relations
We use a wide range of teaching methods as well as encouraging independent study with an increasing emphasis on seminar discussion and project work in your second and third years
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Practical exercises, project and group work
- Independent study
Modern Languages
In Modern Languages our teaching aims not to just improve your production and comprehension of the language but also help to develop your language-learning skills.
- Written language taught through weekly classes of about 18 students
- Weekly oral practice in classes of around eight with native speakers
You will also have access to personal and subject tutors who will give you the individual help and guidance you need to succeed.
How will I be assessed?
- Essays and projects
- Practical assignments
- Oral language tasks
- Field work notebooks
You must pass your first year modules in order to proceed but your performance at this level does not count towards your final degree classification.
The Foreign Language Centre
All language students have access to the language-learning facilities provided by the Language Centre, which include satellite television channels in each of our languages and audio, computer and multi-media language-learning packages
Optional modules outside of this course
Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.
Proficiency in a second subject
If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.
- A Foreign Language
- Law
- Social Data Science
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership
Your future
Develop skills valued by employers
Combining International Relations with a Modern Language will not only develop your understanding of complex political and cultural issues but you will also graduate with language skills that are particularly valued by a wide range of employers within finance, law, the media as well as the business and public sectors. Alongside this you will gain a range of academic and professional skills including:
- Analytical, critical and independent thinking
- Independent research
- Discussion and group work
- Written and verbal communication
- Articulating ideas and arguments
- Organising, planning and time management
- Assertiveness and enterprise
- Commercial awareness
- Communication and leadership
Career paths
The broad range of transferable skills gained on a International Relations and Modern Languages degree enable graduates to pursue further study or employment in a wide range of careers including:
- Politics and the civil service
- International organisations
- Interpreter/translator
- Journalism and media
- Finance and commerce
- Teaching
- Business and Management
- Marketing and communications
- The voluntary and charity sector
Exeter Award and Exeter Leaders Award
Many of our students participate in The Exeter Award and The Exeter Leaders Award. These schemes encourage you to participate in employability related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market.
Developing your skills and career prospects
We provide a range of support to help you develop skills attractive to employers. You will be able to access a range of specific activities such as careers skills sessions and employer-led events, or seek bespoke advice and support from Employability Officers.
The Career Zone also organises a busy schedule of activities including careers fairs, skills workshops, and training events, and can advise on graduate opportunities and volunteering.
Further study
A Modern Languages degree is also excellent preparation for postgraduate study, and recent graduates have progressed to a range of courses, including: MA European Politics, Graduate Diploma in Law, PGCE Secondary French, MA International Relations, MSc Globalisation and Latin American Development and MA Translation and Professional Language Skills.
