BA Modern Languages and Arabic

ARA1033A: Elementary Arabic Language I

Arabic is a modern language spoken by hundreds of millions of people and a foundational language of human civilisation. This elementary-level module introduces you as a complete beginner to the fundamentals of the language, enabling you to acquire basic reading, writing, oral and aural skills to level A1 (breakthrough/beginner) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, it will introduce you to aspects of Arab cultures. You will use a textbook as well as a variety of learning materials chosen by your lecturers.

No previous knowledge of Arabic is required to study in this module. If you have prior knowledge of Arabic acquired outside of your degree, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

The module will enable you to achieve basic proficiency in the language. You will first be introduced to the Arabic script, followed by the basics of Arabic grammar and syntax. Using a mixture of narrative-based and authentic content, both written and audio-visual, you will work on all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking, writing and cultural knowledge. You will be encouraged to practice learned material independently.

View an example full module specification

ARA1033B: Elementary Arabic Language II

Arabic is a modern language spoken by hundreds of millions of people and a foundational language of human civilisation. This elementary-level module continues your introduction the fundamentals of Arabic, enabling you to develop basic reading, writing, oral and aural skills and take your language to level A2 (waystage/elementary) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL).Through language, it will further introduce you to aspects of Arab cultures.

You will use a textbook and a variety of learning materials selected by your lecturers.

This module is for students who have successfully completed ARA1033A. It aims to enhance your reading, writing and communication skills in Arabic. The module aims to develop all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking, writing—plus cultural knowledge—by means of written texts and audio-visual clips. By the end of the module, you are expected to be ready to embark on intermediate-level study of the language.

View an example full module specification

MLF1001: French Language

This module will allow you to consolidate and develop your language skills in French. You will work on the key skills of language learning - reading, writing, speaking and listening - through a variety of exercises. You will develop your understanding of French grammar and deepen your knowledge of French society and culture. The material for study is drawn from a range of sources, including language textbooks, recent articles, and a short novel.

This module is designed for students with an A-level in French language or equivalent, and who wish to acquire the foundation for studying French at Stage Two and beyond .

• To reinforce and extend the level of the four skills - listening, reading, speaking and writing - achieved at A-level.
• To consolidate your understanding of French grammar, and facilitate your application of this to written and oral tasks.
• To increase your level of comprehension of written and spoken French.
• To enhance your ability to communicate in accurate French, in a clear and structured manner.
• To expand your vocabulary in French.

View an example full module specification

MLG1001: German Language

This module is designed to offer you the chance to practise all four skills of German language learning - reading, writing, speaking and listening - through a wide variety of exercises. You will have the opportunity to practise translations, both into German and English, write short essays, give presentations and take part in debates on a range of topics. The module also aims to consolidate and extend your understanding of German grammar through weekly lectures, class practice and online exercises. Through the study and discussion of texts and videos, you will be able to deepen your understanding of German and Austrian history and culture and contemporary life in German-speaking countries. The module uses structured learning materials which have been tailor-made for first-year undergraduate students of German and which include a wide range of independent online study materials.

This module is designed for students who have an A-level in German language, or equivalent, and who wish to acquire the foundation for studying German at Stage 2 and beyond.

The module aims to:

View an example full module specification

MLI1001: Italian Language

This module gives you the opportunity to further develop your Italian language skills through a balanced programme of reading, writing, listening comprehension, translation, and speaking. You will study a range of grammatical features, always explored in context to support accurate and effective communication. Particular emphasis is placed on expanding your vocabulary, developing awareness of linguistic variation in contemporary Italian, and building an understanding of Italian-speaking cultural contexts. Through engagement with a variety of authentic materials, you will also begin to develop intercultural awareness, considering how language use reflects social, cultural, and regional diversity in Italy and the wider Italian-speaking world.

The module is intended for students who have completed A-level Italian or an equivalent qualification and who wish to build a strong foundation for studying Italian at Level 5 and beyond.

View an example full module specification

MLR1001: Contemporary Russian Written and Oral

This module is designed to cover all aspects of language learning: producing Russian, both orally and in writing; you will improve your comprehension of Russian through translation of Russian texts into English; you will also gain a sound understanding of key aspects of Russian grammar. The writing and translation classes are structured around the literary text 'Dom s mezoninom', by Anton Chekhov. Every week you will read a section of the story, and classes will be based on this material. Alongside these classes you will have Russian grammar and oral classes. In this way, you will engage each week in activities designed to promote independent learning, while making sure that there is plenty of opportunity for classroom discussion and practice of essential skills.

This module is designed for students who have an A-level in Russian language, or equivalent, and who wish to acquire the foundation for studying Russian at level two and beyond.

The aims of this module are to:

• Build upon language skills previously acquired at A-level (or equivalent) and to ensure a sound grammatical and structural understanding of the principles of the contemporary Russian language
• Increase vocabulary
• Develop strategies in comprehension and vocabulary acquisition
• Build confidence in the use of written and spoken Russian

View an example full module specification

MLS1001: Spanish Language

The module provides you with the opportunity to develop your language skills in Spanish through the medium of translation, reading and listening comprehension and oral debates. The course book for this module has been chosen to incorporate the most advanced techniques in the learning of the Spanish language but in a focused and varied manner. Different grammar points will be studied throughout the course, but they will be always explored in context. The translation classes will enhance the vocabulary acquisition as the students will be able to learn the use of bilingual and monolingual dictionaries effectively and appreciate the differences of style and structure between the English and the Spanish language. In the oral classes, you will be given the opportunity to become acquainted with cultural elements of Spain and Latino America and to explore them in depth through the medium of individual presentations and debates.

This module is designed for students who have A-level or AS-level in Spanish language or equivalent, and who wish to acquire the foundation for studying Spanish at level two and beyond.

The module's aims to teach:

View an example full module specification

ARA1013: Elementary Persian

Persian is a modern Indo-European language spoken by over 100 million people—chiefly in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This is an elementary-level module that introduces you as a complete beginner to the fundamentals of the Persian language, enabling you to communicate orally and to engage with text on a basic level. It provides you with the means and opportunity for you to take your reading, writing, oral and aural skills in Persian to level A1 (breakthrough/beginner) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, it will introduce you to aspects of Persian cultures. You will use a textbook as well as a variety of learning materials chosen by your lecturers.

If you have prior knowledge of Persian, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

The module will enable you to achieve basic proficiency in the language. You will first be introduced to the Persian alphabet and pronunciation, followed by the basics of grammar and syntax. Using a mixture of narrative-based and authentic content , both written and audio-visual, you will work on all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking, writing and cultural knowledge. You will be encouraged to practice learned material independently .

View an example full module specification

ARA1018: Introduction to Islam

This module will introduce you to Islam as both a textually based religious tradition and as a lived practice. It is an essential module that introduces you to themes and ideas that will be useful for your study of Islam and the Middle East in modules you may take in the future. As such, it is for the beginner with no prior knowledge and takes an inter-disciplinary approach using history, theology, law, literature, the arts and philosophy as a way to introduce the religious traditions of over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Starting from an introduction to the basic textual sources of the Qur'an and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, we consistently ask what significance the history of the faith has for believers both in the past and in the future, and conclude with discussions on who speaks for Islam in the contemporary world and the difficulty of that very question.

View an example full module specification

ARA1020: Elementary Persian 2

Persian is a modern Indo-European language spoken today by over 100 million people—chiefly in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This is an elementary-level module that takes place in Term II continues your introduction the fundamentals of the Persian] language, enabling you to communicate orally and engage with text on a basic level. It provides you with the means and opportunity for you to take your reading, writing, oral and aural skills in Persian to level A2 (waystage/elementary) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, it will further introduce you to aspects of Persian cultures. You will use a textbook as well as a variety of materials chosen by the module convenor. If you have prior knowledge of Persian acquired outside of your degree programme or have not completed the prerequisite modules, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

This module aims to enhance your basic reading, writing and communication skills in Persian. It aims to develop all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking and writing—plus cultural knowledge—by means of written texts and audio-visual clips. By the end of the module, you are expected to be ready to embark on intermediate-level study of the language

View an example full module specification

ARA1021: Introduction to Persian History and Culture

This module introduces you to the great civilization and culture of Persia (including modern-day Iran, as well as historically speaking parts of Central Asia such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan, not to mention much of modern-day Anatolian Turkey and Iraq) from ancient until modern times. The module covers about 7000 years of Persian history, proceeding chronologically, beginning with pre-Islamic Persia around 5000 B.C.

The study of Iranian civilization and culture is the most neglected aspect of Islamic Studies today. This course remedies this shortcoming, introducing you to one of the world's greatest empires, its classical Islamic civilization, its contemporary body-politic and its vibrant national culture.

This is primarily a discussion-seminar course, and the small-group format will require your intensive, active participation in and preparation for the class. Classes will be introduced by 45-60 minute powerpoint-illustrated lecture, followed by directed discussions based on pre-assigned questions drawn from the readings.

View an example full module specification

ARA1030: Introduction to Islamic Archaeology

In this multidisciplinary module you will be introduced to the importance of material culture as a way of understanding Muslim societies of the past, and of better understanding Islam in the present. The module aims to familiarise you with the rich diversity of Islamic culture through archaeological, historical and ethnographic evidence.

You will develop critical skills in the following areas: the theory of material culture and archaeology with particular reference to Islamic cultures; the treatment of Islam and Islamic societies within the history of art, archaeology and material cultural studies; the use ethnography as a tool of research; and the methodologies and practices of archaeology.

Beyond the use of archaeology to merely understand historical phenomena, you will be introduced to innovative approaches to the study of Islamic societies, in particular, to the combined use of textual documentation, ethnological analogies, and the archaeological record.

This multidisciplinary module is designed to introduce students to the importance of material culture as a way of understanding Muslim societies of the past, and of better understanding Islam in the present. The module aims also to familiarise students with the rich diversity of Islamic culture through archaeological, historical and ethnographic evidence.

View an example full module specification

ARA1031: Elementary Turkish I

Turkish is a modern Turkic language spoken by some 80 million native speakers, largely in the Republic of Turkey, where it has official status. This is an elementary-level Turkish module that introduces you as a complete beginner to the fundamentals of the language, enabling you to communicate orally and to engage with text on a basic level. It provides you with the means and opportunity for you to take your reading, writing, oral and aural skills in Turkish to level A1 (breakthrough/beginner) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, it will introduce you to aspects of Turkish cultures. You will use a textbook as well as a variety of learning materials chosen by your lecturers.

If you have prior knowledge of Turkish, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

The module will enable you to achieve basic proficiency in the language. You will first be introduced to the Turkish alphabet and pronunciation, followed by the basics of grammar and syntax. Using a mixture of narrative-based and authentic content, both written and audio-visual, you will work on all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking, writing and cultural knowledge. You will be encouraged to practice learned material independently.

View an example full module specification

ARA1032: Elementary Turkish II

Turkish is a modern Turkic language spoken by some 80 million native speakers, largely in the Republic of Turkey, where it has official status. This is an elementary-level Turkish module that continues your introduction to the fundamentals of the language, enabling you to communicate orally and engage with text on a basic level.

It provides you with the means and opportunity for you to take your basic reading, writing, oral and aural skills in Turkish to level A2 (waystage/elementary) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, it will further introduce you to aspects of Turkish cultures. You will use a textbook as well as a variety of learning materials chosen by your lecturers.

If you have prior knowledge of Turkish acquired outside of your degree programme or have not completed the prerequisite modules, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

This module aims to enhance your basic reading, writing and communication skills in Turkish. It aims to develop all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking and writing—plus cultural knowledge—by means of written texts and audio-visual clips. By the end of the module, you are expected to be ready to embark on intermediate-level study of the language.

View an example full module specification

ARA1036: Histories of the Middle East, 600-1800 C.E.

Few other regions of the world have provoked more interest and controversy than the Middle East. This module will provide you with an introductory overview of the historical, political, economic and strategic factors that shape the modern Middle East, examining key issues in the politics and society of the region from the Prophet to the end of the eighteenth century. It is designated to highlight the multi-faceted nature of Middle Eastern polities and to provide a continuity/change perspective on themes of regional unity versus political fragmentation. It also aims at providing you with the concepts and tools necessary to develop an analytical approach to understanding the Middle East.

View an example full module specification

ARA1041: Religious Communities of the Middle East: Culture, Endangerment and Survival

This module takes you to the heart of the struggle for survival of some unique religious communities of the Middle East, many of which have existed for many hundreds of years but which may not live beyond our lifetime. You will not only learn about the rich traditions of Eastern Christianity but also about the much smaller groups who challenge our received ideas of what a 'religion' is and what it must consist of.

Over the term we will take you historically from Late Antiquity up until the last few years, when violence displaced many minorities from their homelands. You will read academic, media and faith sources and will be invited to consider what prejudices, colonial or otherwise, might underly all these sources. No knowledge of any of the local languages is required, nor is it necessary to have studied the 'Introduction to Islam' module - though if you have, you will find that the two modules complement each other.

You will develop knowledge of the cultural complexity of the Middle East and the environment in which this arose. You will develop your ability to evaluate sources, both for accuracy and for underlying prejudice and bias. You will learn to use the principle of religious literacy.

View an example full module specification

MLF1017: The Making of Modern France

This team-taught module offers a wide-ranging social and political history of the French state from the medieval period onwards. Weekly lectures will focus on famous figures and events in French history - from Joan of Arc and Louis XIV to the French Revolution and the German Occupation - whilst in seminars you will use a variety of sources from literary and visual culture in order to explore these themes further. This module is also open to students studying degrees outside of French, and will therefore be taught in English.

This module will provide you with a firm foundational knowledge of French history. You will be able to draw from this in a variety of period-specific French modules offered later in your degree, some of which are convened by lecturers who will teach you on this module. It will also introduce you to a variety of media through which French cultural history can be analysed, from literary texts to paintings and sculptures.

View an example full module specification

MLF1018: The Devil is in the Detail: An Introduction to the Short Story in French

This module introduces you to a range of important writers and texts from different periods of French history, all connected by the short narrative form. In any given year we will study three or more of the texts indicated on the syllabus, exploring issues of national identity, individualism, love, desire, death, and freedom. We will look at how these themes are brought to the fore within the stylistic conventions of short form writing, and draw both formal and thematic comparisons between the texts studied to gain insight into important literary works and events from across French history.

This module aims to introduce you to a range of short stories and novellas originally written in French, distinct in their historical setting but connected in aspects of form. It analyses the ways in which short narratives can be used to make ideologically engaged or culturally meaningful comment, and identifies how this is connected to stylistic features. More generally, it seeks to increase awareness of a range of Francophone literary texts, and to consider them both within their socio-historical and cultural context and in more universal ways.

View an example full module specification

MLF1103: The French Language, Present and Past

As a student of French, you will naturally be interested in learning how the language works and has changed over time. In the phonetics part of the module, we study French speech sounds, notably their production and their representation in the Phonetic Alphabet. In the historical part of the module, we learn how French emerged as the national language of France, and how Old French differed from the modern language. The module will enhance your understanding of French, especially its pronunciation, grammar and history. A prerequisite is normally A-level French or equivalent, but the module can also be taken by students taking MLF1052: French Language for Beginners.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the phonetics of contemporary French, to the history of French and to Old French and to lay the foundations for further linguistic study of French, in its contemporary and historical forms. It is normally a prerequisite for the module Evolution of the French Language (second year).

View an example full module specification

MLF1105: An Introduction to French Thought

In this module, you'll be introduced to French philosophy through four major thinkers, all of whom were radical visionaries: Michel de Montaigne, Marie de Gournay, René Descartes, and Simone Weil.

Montaigne's essay on the cannibals of Brazil first published in 1580 breaks with colonial thinking to argue that the indigenous people of Brazil are superior to the Europeans in all ways. Gournay's short work on the equality of men and women, published in 1622, was the first such work written by a woman - its radical perspective also speaks very directly to present-day concerns. Descartes's Discourse (1637) is a foundational work of modern Western philosophy, which tells how he rejected the educational authorities of his day to rebuild truth and knowledge from scratch and offers a method anyone may still follow, if they wish. Simone Weil's 'On the abolition of all political parties' (1943) is a radical rejection of collective thinking from a philosopher who was also an activist and a mystic.

By studying this module, you'll gain an insight into philosophical works that have changed the course of intellectual and social history. You'll also have the chance to have fun thinking for yourselves by producing your own creative and critical pieces inspired by works by French thinkers who changed the world.

View an example full module specification

MLG1014: A Nation Remembers: Issues in German Cultural Memory

Two dictatorships within the space of half a century have provided Germany with ample reason to want to forget and an equally strong imperative to remember. Rather than analysing the history of National Socialism (1933-1945) and the GDR (1949-1989), in this module you consider how a nation such as Germany remembers its past. Official forms of public commemoration (memorials and museums) are contrasted with artistic responses (film, documentary, autobiography) and with forms of private memory (such as letters, diaries, and photographs).

View an example full module specification

MLG1017: Turning Points in German History 1200 - 2000

German history is about more than National Socialism and the Berlin Wall. In approaching a more rounded understanding from the perspective of cultural studies, in this module you will use particular concepts to assess major and often formative events - be it the "Reich" and the changes in perception it underwent; the importance of revolutions and "new beginnings", for example in the course of Unification in 1871 and 1989; or the role of individuals such as Martin Luther for the German Reformation. In all cases you will scrutinize the short- and long-term impact of events and consider a variety of documents ranging from historical documents, to literature, film, souvenirs and depictions by historians. You will also explore 'iconic images' and question the links between politics and daily lives.

View an example full module specification

MLR1006: An Emotional Experience: Russian Literature and the Expression of Feeling

You will read a range of works or parts of works of Russian literature - available to you in Russian and in translation - which are concerned at least in part with the expression of emotion and mood. The module aims to get you think about how writers create mood and express feeling in literature and in particular the relationship between language and emotion.

This is a module that looks at the expression of emotion in literature and analyses how such expression is achieved. We aim to get you thinking about what it means for literature to create, express or describe emotion. What, for example, is the relationship of the author to those emotions? Does language straightforwardly express emotion, and if so, whose? We will be discussing the problems that we encounter in reading and understanding emotion in literature and thinking about the reasons why writers explore emotion in the ways that they do. The module will help you to think about how writers interrogate our experience of emotion through their works.

View an example full module specification

MLR1023: Russia: Empire and Identity

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia was confronted with the question of its national identity. This module considers key aspects of Russia's development from its origins to the nineteenth century, introducing you to ways of understanding Russia's unique identity. In exploring some of the models of self and other which have been used to define Russian identity, you will discover why empire has played such a dominant role in Russia's understanding of itself as a nation.

You do not need to have any knowledge of the Russian language to complete the module successfully; all materials are in English.

The module aims to:

• Familiarise you with aspects of Russia's past which have profoundly shaped its understanding of its identity
• Give you a foundation which you can build on in your study at higher levels, and will give you valuable context for developing your understanding of Russia today
• Introduce you to skills that you will need throughout your programme
• Develop your confidence in putting forward opinions and asking questions

View an example full module specification

MLI1016: Italy Inside Out: Popular Visual Narratives about Italy

What ideas and images come to mind when you think of Italy or Italian? In this module, you will explore some of the most influential visual narratives about Italy, produced both within the country and circulating internationally. Through films, television series, and other content available on online streaming platforms, we will examine recurring themes such as classical antiquity, romantic landscapes, glamour, crime and corruption, and the proliferation of “virtual Italies” and postmodern simulacra. You will discover why certain stereotypes about Italy remain so persistent, how they travel across borders, and how different audiences respond to them. No prior knowledge of the Italian language is required - just curiosity.

View an example full module specification

MLI1121: A Thousand Faces: Cultures and History in 19th-Century Italy

We analyse and link together aspects of recent Italian history that are generally considered in isolation by students of anthropology (what did Italians eat and drink in the past?), economics (to what extent was the battle against poverty won after unification in 1861?), social mores (what structures did families have across regions? Were local identities overly strong?) and arts (why and how did opera develop in Italy? Were arts and crafts encouraged?). This module lays the foundations of an advanced understanding of contemporary Italy, but does not require any knowledge of Italian and is also suited to non-specialist students.

View an example full module specification

SML1003: Comparative Literatures and Cultures: Theories and Approaches

This module provides the theoretical grounding and methodological tools to study comparative literature and culture. The module has a unique focus on literatures and cultures within a system of producers and consumers: we will consider the agents involved in the production of literature, film, and art, and explore cultures of reading and viewing. We will think about key topics in comparative literature such as intertextuality and genre. You will develop your translation literacy in preparation for reading and viewing in translation.

This module aims to:

• Prepare you for the study of comparative literatures and cultures with a grounding in relevant theories and methodological tools
• Develop your understanding of the multiple systems that shape the production and reception of literature and cultures
• Provoke reflection on your own attitudes to literature and culture from around the world
• Encourage independent and collaborative specialised study of selected topics and texts, developing valuable transferable skills in cultural contextualisation, textual analysis, critical thinking, and group discussion

View an example full module specification

SML1004: Reading Comparatively

In this module, you will put comparative literature into practice. Over the course of the module, we study three core themes - gender and sexuality, the environment, and migration - through a selection of extracts from texts from around the world. You will develop intercultural understanding and appreciation of the factors that shape the similarities and differences in cultural expressions over time and across borders. You will practice close reading and develop 'translation literacy', an understanding of the factors that shape the production and circulation of translated texts.

The module aims to:

• View responses to key societal issues through literature across multiple cultural contexts
• Emphasise intercultural understanding
• Develop your core skills of close reading, comparative analysis and essay writing as a foundation to a degree in Comparative Literatures and Cultures

View an example full module specification

SML1207: Introduction to Film

This module offers an engaging introduction to the study of film for students of any language background, with no prior experience of Film Studies required. You will explore a diverse range of films drawn from Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, German, and Irish-language cinemas. While the films themselves come from different national and cultural contexts, the module’s primary aim is to introduce you to the language of film—the shared techniques and conventions through which films tell stories and create meaning. A unifying theme throughout the module is the representation of the child, a powerful and recurring motif in global cinema that helps you draw connections across otherwise diverse films. Teaching draws on the expertise of a wide range of staff, meaning you will encounter different lecturers across the module.

This module aims to:

• introduce you to the study of film. Through a series of specialist lectures, each focussed on one film, and on a particular aspect of film-making, you will learn to analyse a number of film styles. By focussing on different aspects of film-making you will learn more about how to read a film's narrative, cinematography, and soundtrack.
• discover the importance of genre, directors, and stars in shaping a film's success. The module will enable you to develop two key skills in the study of film. It will teach you how to carry out a clip analysis, enabling you to read the language of a film in a particular clip very closely, as you learn how narrative, mise-en-scene, camerawork, editing, and soundtrack work together to create certain effects and generate possible meanings.
• teach you how to write a film essay or allow you to make and write about a video essay, in which you put together a series of clips of your choice, using the medium of film itself to reflect upon how films exert their sometimes powerful effect.

View an example full module specification

SML1208: Language, Culture, International Relations

This module provides an overview of the role that language and culture play in society and international relations. It analyses and evaluates cultural policies and practice in promoting language and culture at local, national and international levels in different countries. In this course,you will not only develop your understanding of complex political and cultural issuesbut also deepen your knowledge of languages and cultures from a diverse range of societies. There are no pre-requisites or co-requisites. This module is suitable for specialists and non-specialists and recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

This module aims to:

• develop an understanding of notions and concepts such as culture and soft power
• broaden your intellectual experience and deepen your critical understanding of your own disciplines
• adopt an interdisciplinary approach and help you to develop a familiarity with different analytical tools and approaches
• improve critical thinking and communication skills from a practical perspective using case studies
• develop your ability to engage with and research an individual topic
• develop your ability to respond appropriately to unfamiliar cultural practices

View an example full module specification

MLS1066: The Making of Modern Latin America: History Through Literature and Culture

Latin America is a continent characterised by long-standing historical and cultural continuities and rich diversity. This module explores these complex dynamics and tensions by studying key aspects of Latin American history, literature and culture from conquest to contemporary times. Through the prism of texts from different media, including literature, art and film, the module examines topics relating to continental and country-specific historical and cultural experiences, such as military dictatorship, popular revolution/resistance, immigration/exile and national/ personal identity, memory, the struggle for democracy and the search for new modes of artistic expression.

This module aims to:

• Introduce you to Latin American history, literature and culture by exploring seminal historical and cultural episodes and experiences, from conquest to the present day, through a close reading of texts spanning a range of written, oral and visual media and genres
• Develop historical and cultural understanding of a possibly unfamiliar continent with deep-rooted connections with Spain and Portugal, the former colonial powers
• Encourage independent and collaborative specialised study of selected topics and texts, developing valuable transferable skills in historical/cultural contextualisation, textual analysis, critical thinking, oral discussion and team work

View an example full module specification

MLS1068: An Introduction to the Literature and Film of Spain

This course is a team-taught module. It explores some key aspects of Spanish history, culture and society from the seventeenth century to contemporary times though literature and film. You will cover a variety of significant materials relating to early-modern and modern Spain, and you will acquire skills necessary for critical analysis. The lectures will offer you an overview of key themes and the seminars will provide an opportunity for in-depth, more individualised, study.

This module aims to:

• Introduce you to Spanish history, culture and society by exploring key historical and socio-cultural developments through literature and film.
• Encourage independent and specialised study of selected topics and texts, preparing you for the formative and summative assessments, and for further study of different areas of Hispanism throughout your degree.

View an example full module specification

ARA2000: Year Abroad

Having progressed your early Arabic learning at IAIS, you will spend one academic year in an Arabic-speaking country. There you will advance your knowledge of grammar and syntax, as well as reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will also learn a dialect of Arabic. The year abroad is an excellent opportunity for you to immerse yourself in an Arabic-speaking environment and to gain first-hand experience of Arab society and culture. It is a great opportunity for you to interact with Arabic-speakers and to become fluent in an Arabic dialect. The experience you gain from studying abroad will feed into your subsequent Arabic study at IAIS. During the year abroad you will be supported in your studies by both colleagues in the study abroad institution and by IAIS colleagues who will be in close contact with you there and may visit you. The Module Convenor will act as your named IAIS contact. There will be scheduled regular (usually at least fortnightly) contact with IAIS colleagues by e-mail and/or internet communications. The pre-requisites are successful completion of ARA1033A and ARA1033B (Elementary Arabic Language) with a grade average of 50 or higher.

There are 120 credits associated specifically with the year abroad, and students need to 'pass' the year abroad to progress to year 3.

View an example full module specification

ARA2139: Intermediate Arabic Language II

Arabic is a modern language spoken by hundreds of millions of people and a foundational language of human civilization. This is an intermediate-level module that extends as your knowledge of the language, introducing you to new and more abstract fields of communication and providing you with the means and opportunity to take your Arabic beyond level B2 to C1 (vantage/upper intermediate or proficiency/advanced) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, the module will continue your exposure to Arabic cultural expression.

Through your prior studies, you will have acquired a deeper knowledge of Arabic language and culture, as well as at least one dialect. This module helps you build on this experience and develop active and passive learning of the language through a wide range of written and audio-visual materials. You will strengthen your awareness of the various styles and registers of Arabic and develop your skills in composition and translation. You will also consolidate your knowledge of colloquial Arabic. You will use a variety of materials chosen by course tutors.

The pre-requisites are successful completion of ARA1033A, ARA1033B and Year Abroad (or equivalent).

View an example full module specification

MLF2001: French Language, Written and Oral

You will consolidate and develop further your French reading, writing, speaking and listening skills by working with a variety of different types of written (literary, journalistic and administrative) and aural (video and audio) texts, and by participating in oral presentations and debates. Exercises, including translation tasks and reading comprehension questions, are designed to widen the range and accuracy of your vocabulary and to enhance your sociolinguistic skills (e.g. the use of appropriate register). The module will help you to deepen your knowledge of French society and culture, to develop your employability skills and to prepare for the year abroad.

The aim of the module is to:

• extend your command of reading, speaking and writing French
• consolidate your understanding of French grammar, and facilitate your application of this to written and oral tasks
• enhance your ability to communicate in accurate French, in a clear and structured manner
• increase your understanding of the nuances of the French language
• expand your vocabulary in French

View an example full module specification

MLG2001: German Language, Written and Oral

The module is designed for students who studied the first-year language module (MLG1001) or possess equivalent language proficiency. It is designed to expand your vocabulary, to consolidate your understanding of grammar, and to enhance your oral, aural, reading, writing and translation skills. The module also focuses on the linguistic and cultural knowledge required for the year abroad; for example, you will learn how to write CVs and cover letters. In the oral classes, you will discuss topics that relate to contemporary life and culture in the German-speaking world and practise your aural comprehension using audio-visual exercises.

To extend the linguistic knowledge and the written, reading, oral and aural skills acquired by students in their first year and to equip students with the linguistic and cultural knowledge required for the year abroad.

View an example full module specification

MLI2001: Italian Language, Written and Oral

The module is designed for those who follow the Year 1 module MLI1001 the previous year or equivalent. It will provide you with the opportunity to enhance your language skills through listening, reading, writing and speaking. You will revise uses of advanced Italian linguistic structures while continuing expanding on the knowledge of vocabulary.

This module aims to consolidate the skills acquired during the previous year, and to improve and extend your command of modern Italian, written and spoken. Emphasis will be on the consolidation and expansion of the Italian language through grammar, reading comprehension, translation into Italian and composition.

View an example full module specification

MLR2001: Contemporary Russian Written and Oral I

This module is crucial in ensuring you have the skills needed to benefit from study abroad in Russia in their third year. It involves practice of aural skills, which is an essential part of study abroad preparation. In addition it aims to ensure that you have covered all aspects of Russian grammar and can apply this knowledge when tackling translation passages from Russian, and that you have enough experience of writing independently in Russian so that you are well placed to deal with the writing element in your year abroad assessment. A growing level of skill in comprehension, grammatical knowledge, and vocabulary all contribute to developing your confidence in spoken Russian.

This module can be taken by students who have successfully completed a level one Russian language module, either MLR1001 or MLR1030.

This module will enable you to:

• Build on the language skills you developed at level one
• Prepare you for study abroad in Russia in your third year
• Provide a solid foundation for advanced study of the Russian language at level three
• Cover all aspects of language learning: writing, speaking, translating written texts, and understanding spoken Russian

View an example full module specification

MLS2001: Spanish Language, Written and Oral

This course will advance your Spanish language proficiency, building on your completion of MLS1001 or an equivalent. In MLS2001, you'll sharpen your listening and reading comprehension, develop more sophisticated speaking and writing abilities, and master complex grammatical structures. Immerse yourself in contemporary Spanish and Latin American culture while expanding your practical vocabulary for living and working abroad. By the end of this course, you'll possess the advanced language tools needed to communicate confidently across diverse Spanish-speaking environments.

The aim of this module is to:

Increase your understanding of the target language in both its written and spoken forms

Improve capacity for self-expression in Spanish

Instil habits of accuracy and correctness of expression

Develop an in-depth knowledge of the uses of the Subjunctive versus the Indicative in all the subordinate clauses

Written work consists of translation from Spanish into English together with a variety of reading comprehension and compositional exercises. Oral work includes group debates, vocabulary expansion and a media project.

View an example full module specification

AHV2026: Revolutions! Art and Society in France, 1770-1830

From the arms of David’s Horatii Brothers, raised up to swear upon their swords eternal allegiance to the fatherland, to the raised arm of Delacroix’s Liberty as she leads the people of Paris forwards into battle, revolutionary action dominated both the art and the politics of France between 1770 and 1830. Spanning the Bourbon monarchy, the Revolution of 1789, the Directory, the Consulate, the Napoleonic Empire, the Hundred Days, the Bourbon Restoration, and the Revolution of 1830, this violent period of political and cultural upheaval witnessed extraordinary transformations in art’s purpose and audience. These transformations included everything from the ‘death’ (and subsequent rebirth) of the French Academy and of history painting, to the growing influence of popular art and contemporary politics on academic work, to the increasing intermediality of Revolutionary expression, to a radical rethinking of portraiture. This course, whose major primary sources will be images and which will engage heavily in visual analysis, seeks not to trace stylistic changes in the abstract (eg. Rococo to Neoclassicism), but rather to look closely at the relationship between artistic and social change. We will consider not only political and institutional pressures upon artists but also the ways art offered shifting constructions of gender, sexuality, race, slavery, nation, and empire during this time.

View an example full module specification

MLF2012: Evolution of the French Language

As an advanced learner of French, you will be curious about the origins and history of the language. This module explores:

how historical events and political decisions shaped the destiny of the medieval dialect that has become the modern standard language;

what linguistic, especially phonetic, processes have occurred since spoken Latin, to make the sounds of French distinctive;

etymology and the borrowing of vocabulary from various languages over the centuries.

Prerequisites: a good command of French (e.g. MLF1001), and either MLF1103, or willingness to do some specified 'catch-up' work during the previous summer.

This module aims to:

explore the external (sociolinguistic) history of French and aspects of its internal (linguistic) history;

build on knowledge of the phonetics and history of French acquired on MLF1103 (or independently, via the specified 'catch-up' work);

develop your familiarity with linguistic concepts and terminology;

enhance your understanding of the role of both external socio-political and internal linguistic influences on the historical development of the French language.

View an example full module specification

MLF2066: Intimate Spaces of the French Enlightenment

This module focuses on eighteenth-century France, when privacy and private life came to have particular cultural significance. Literature, painting, interior spaces, and artefacts contain clues and give access to private worlds of the past. They enable us to understand the lives lived by individuals, households and families, as well as wider social structures, behaviours and beliefs.

We will begin with an examination of the Rococo domestic interior as a site of intimacy and eroticism. We will then consider the promotion of family values as part of civic identity in the Enlightenment period, and the ways in which these domestic ideals were problematised by artists and writers. We will conclude with an examination of Enlightenment notions of the self and the cultivation of interiority through leisure activities such as walking and reading.

View an example full module specification

MLF2070: Violence and Virtue: Early Modern French Theatre

The seventeenth century was a great age of French theatre, including the celebrated comedies of Molière and the tragedies of Racine. This module offers an overview of French theatre during this period through its three great playwrights. Our French texts transport you to Medieval Spain, highlight the influence of Italian sketch comedies, offer biting satires of French society, and culminate in ancient Greek myth. You will study bloodthirsty revenge, the place of women in patriarchal society, education and social mobility, brainwashing manipulators behind masks, and the world of gods and monsters. You will also observe changes in literary tastes, as theatregoers desensitized to violence from the Wars of Religion gave way to spectators whose fondness for linguistic eloquence and moral commentaries on their own times were strikingly modern.

You will gain a solid knowledge of three of the most decorated writers in French literature. This will allow you to acquire a firm understanding of the full range of social, linguistic and moral stakes and shifts that these plays represent. Along with a general awareness of the development of theatrical theories and codes of practice in seventeenth-century France, you will develop confidence in analysing developments in character and plot when writing on plays and wider literature.

View an example full module specification

MLF2076: Subversive Texts: Baudelaire and Rachilde

This module will give you the opportunity to study the verse and prose poems of Charles Baudelaire, one of the most well-known, well-loved, and influential French poets, and a novel by Marguerite Vallette-Eymery, otherwise known as Rachilde, a less well-known but equally extraordinary writer. Both authors, he as a proto-Modernist and she as a Decadent, were considered scandalous and subversive in their time, and both saw their work censored for alleged obscenity. Both were interested in challenging comfortable narratives of what it means to be human, and both were among the most brilliant and daring thinkers of their day.

View an example full module specification

MLG2018: Berlin - Culture, History and Politics

In the course of the 20th century the city of Berlin has been many things: a beacon of modernity, the seat of two dictatorships, a ruin, the frontier city of the Cold War, and the city that signified the Cold War's end. This module encourages you initially to explore Berlin's history, and then to explore cultural responses to its unique fate in literature, film, journalism, architecture and advertising. In particular, you'll focus on the situation after World War Two, the long-term impact of the Berlin Wall and the importance of the 1990s capital debate, and consider topics like reunification and immigration.

The module's main aims are:

• To focus on the specific fate of a German metropolis in the 20th century
• To demonstrate the impact of historical events on the city
• To illustrate key cultural aspects of Berlin, including literature, architecture, film and advertising
• To foster an awareness of the links between history, literature and culture

View an example full module specification

MLG2019: Gender, Race and Migration in 20th and 21st-century German Literature

How do experiences of gender, race and migration affect the ways in which we feel a sense of identity and belonging in this world? In this module you will explore concepts of gender, race and migration in German-language literature of the twentieth and twenty-first century to critically examine this and other questions. We will explore how transitions - from one gender to another, between languages, and across national borders - can have an impact on one's sense of self and identity. By familiarising yourself with writers who lived through political, cultural and social changes in the German-speaking world, you will debate how modern literature can give us an insight into how ideologies of race, sexuality, gender, nation and class have functioned in an important period in German history, from the German Empire to contemporary Germany.

This module is suitable for all students.

View an example full module specification

SML2001: Migrating Texts: Classical Reception, Adaptation, Translation

This module will examine different acts of textual comparison — reception, translation, adaptation — to think about how texts have been received and re-articulated differently at different periods (from ancient to contemporary). You will consider reception, adaptation and translation as overlapping but distinct practices and examine how they intersect with wider contextual questions, such as the legacies of colonialism and imperialism, nationhood, canonicity, gender, the literary market and the environmental crisis.

This module aims to increase your knowledge and understanding of how texts move between cultures, across space and time, and between genres. It will introduce you to a range of cultural productions and methods for analysing processes of reception, adaptation and translation, allowing you to practice both close textual reading and broader critical analysis of secondary material. This module also aims to develop your skills in communication, intercultural understanding and research. Through the group editorial project, you will develop your creative skills and ability to talk about culture for a non-academic audience.

View an example full module specification

SML2003: Research Skills in Languages and Cultures

This module is ideal for anyone considering a dissertation or further study - or if you just want to learn more about research. The module takes you through the process of preparing a research proposal and literature review, introduces you to key methodologies for research in languages and cultures, and embeds you within the university research community.

This module will equip you with the skills you need to design, carry out, analyse and present a research project. This includes both general skills, such as formulating a research question or understanding research ethics, and specific methodologies. The module also aims to introduce you to the research community at the university: as part of your Guided Independent Study time you will attend research seminars hosted by research centres across Humanities and Social Sciences, where researchers present their work. From both your classes and these research seminars, you will learn more about how researchers structure and present their arguments effectively.

Your research proposal can be used as the basis for your SML3030 dissertation.

View an example full module specification

SML2004: Contemporary Latin American Cinema

In this module, you will explore some of the most significant films that have emerged in Latin America since the mid-1990s, a period marked by the formation of Mercosur, the consolidation of democracy, and neoliberalism. It is designed to enable students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, such as Modern Languages, English, History, Politics, and Philosophy, to engage critically with the social context and production conditions of Latin American films, as well as with critical national and transnational issues. Prior experience in film study is not necessary. The focus of the module is on how Latin American films articulate certain tropes, and how films deal with narratives of nationhood whilst simultaneously inserting themselves into a transnational dialogue. Major themes include the family unit, filmmaking practices, globalization, and genre.

The module can count towards Spanish or Portuguese in the BA Modern Languages, provided students satisfy the relevant requirements in their assessment. Students do not need to speak Portuguese or Spanish.

This module aims to enable you to:

View an example full module specification

SML2244: Multilingualism in Society

In this module you will be introduced to various aspects of multilingualism from a sociolinguistic perspective: bilingualism, diglossia, language maintenance and shift, language planning, language endangerment and death. We will focus on regional minority languages in Europe, but will also touch on minority languages elsewhere in the world. Examples from a variety of contexts will be discussed and you will be expected to explore specific case studies and data from contexts around the world according to your own programme of study and language interests/experiences. If you need credits towards a particular language, you must focus your assessment on that language.

View an example full module specification

SML2247: Tales of Freedom, Necessity and Providence

Freedom and necessity, used by philosophers as complementary or opposite concepts, have recently been studied as everyday experiences. Genevieve Lloyd did this by focussing on literary texts or by highlighting the more literary aspects of philosophical texts. You will follow her example by reading selected passages of key texts of European, North African and East Asian cultures. You can choose to develop your creativity through writing your own story inspired by these texts.

View an example full module specification

SML2248: From Page to Screen: Female Detectives in Literature, Film, and Television

In this module, you will explore international female detectives in literature, film, and television from the nineteenth century to the present, discovering how they challenge the traditionally male-dominated crime genre. You will analyse texts in their cultural, historical, and socio-political contexts, focusing on representation, power, gender, and relational dynamics. The module takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining literary, film, and cultural studies, and welcomes students from all languages and disciplines.

No prior knowledge is required, and texts are studied in target languages and/or English translation. Where appropriate, the module may be credited towards a specific language pathway. You will also benefit from flexible assessment options, choosing between a written or video essay.

In this module, you will explore key debates surrounding crime narratives, gender, and representation across international literary and screen cultures. You will gain an understanding of the historical development of the crime genre, with a particular focus on the emergence and evolution of female detectives within different national and cultural contexts.

View an example full module specification

MLR2024: Exploring Revolution: The Making of Soviet Society and Culture in the 1920s

For many people, understanding of Soviet history begins with the revolution, skates over the 1920s in sketchy detail, and then focuses on the ‘big’ topics of Stalinism, the Great Patriotic War and the Cold War. This module puts the spotlight on the key decade of the 1920s, when the Bolshevik Party and members of the new Soviet nation more widely sought to revolutionise Russian society. The module focuses on a variety of groups contributing to ideas about what this new society would be – women, intellectuals, workers, peasants – using primary and secondary sources to see the hopes, dreams, ideals and reality that revolution brought to Russians and Russians brought to revolution.

The module will help you to focus on selecting and interpreting sources relating to the 1920s – you will not need to know Russian, as we will look at them in translation. You will be provided with a source pack at the beginning of the module and will work in groups to explore questions about the 1920s in seminar discussions and presentations. Your final assessment involves two tasks: to produce a commentary on one or more primary sources used in the module demonstrating your ability to critically engage with a primary source showing how you can use it to learn about the historical topic and period; and to write an answer to an essay question based on your selection of sources.

View an example full module specification

MLR2028: Apocalypse/Utopia: the Russian Roots of Revolution

Karl Marx predicted that the first socialist revolution would happen in an advanced industrialised capitalist country; it took place instead in Russia, a largely agrarian country. This module will guide you through aspects of Russia’s pre-revolutionary history and culture which may offer some insight into the Russian roots of revolution. You will explore apocalyptic and utopian trends in Russian culture, caught between expectations of the end of the world and the creation of the Kingdom of God on earth, reading a variety of texts by Russian thinkers and writers, and draw your own conclusions on what may have helped set Russia on course for revolution, and how far these influences may be seen as uniquely Russian.

You do not need any knowledge of Russian to take this module; texts will be provided in both Russian and in English translation.

View an example full module specification

MLR2029: Other Shores: Exile and Emigration in Russian Literature

View an example full module specification

MLS2045: Federico Garcia Lorca: Theatre and Poetry

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) isSpain's most universal poet and playwright. Very much liked by Anglo-American audiences and widely taught in UK schools and universities, interest in Lorca's life and work never fades. You will examine some of his most famous plays and poems, using music and art to gain a deep understanding of the universality of his work. You will establish links between his works and popular culture, queer studies and gender studies and you will be able to discuss at length pertinent aspects of his life and work in relation to Spanish history and culture.

This module aims to:

• Establish links between Lorca's work as a playwright and his work as a poet
• Use music, image and text to discuss dramatic and poetic form and content
• Examine the influence of psychoanalytical concepts such as homosexual panic on Lorca
• Investigate artistic tendencies such as cubism in the work of Spain's greatest modern playwright and poet
• Discuss is the way in which Lorca dealt with character and the self
• Discuss central themes such as the ignorance/repression of the body and the silence and discourse generated around it
• Analyse works including Lorca's tragedies La casa de Bernarda Alba, Yerma and Bodas de Sangre as well as poems from Romancero gitano and Poeta en Nueva York

View an example full module specification

MLS2061: The Latin American Short Story

This module explores recurrent themes and narrative strategies relating to the modern Latin American short story. It seeks to develop an understanding of this genre through close readings of chosen texts and cultural contexts, including those of Europe and North America where the short story and related genres, such as the Gothic and detective fiction, flourished from the mid-nineteenth century. The module encourages critical thinking about the ways in which Latin American writers employ the short story and other literary forms, such as the Fantastic, to raise questions about the nature of identity, reality, memory, and the 'liminal', in a bid to negotiate a divided sense of self, and social and political divisions in their respective countries. It offers a valuable opportunity for independent, critical study of selected texts, themes and genres, preparing you for formative and summative assessments, and for studying Latin American culture and society on other departmental modules. The module also helps to develop important transferable skills, such as an ability for independent, analytical and critical thinking, clear oral and written communication, and working collaboratively as part of a team.

View an example full module specification

MLS2070: Catalonia Is Not Spain? Modern Catalan Culture in Context

If you travel to Catalonia, you will see graffiti everywhere proclaiming (in English) that 'Catalonia is not Spain'. In this module, you will study modern representations of Catalan identity - film, sport, literature, language its political institutions and more - to discover what it is that makes Catalonia different, and the history behind these differences. You will also study how Catalonia is portrayed outside its borders, primarily in Spain, as well as the UK.

No knowledge of Catalan is required for this module; where short Catalan resources are used, you will be provided with an English and Spanish translation.

The module aims to allow students to:

• Understand modern Catalan culture from the point of view of constructing Catalan identity
• Analyse a range of resources (academic texts, written press, film, television and radio)
• Develop an interrogative and comparative approach to texts in general, and specifically with a view to understanding portrayals of cultural identity
• Provide a research-led and interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to develop a range of interests through appropriate research skills and methodologies

View an example full module specification

MLS2158: "What is Love? And Do I Need It?" An Introduction to Spanish Renaissance Love Poetry

That Spain's literary Renaissance, or her 'Golden Age', is reckoned by many critics to begin in 1543, with the publication of the lyric poetry of Juan Boscán and Garcilaso de la Vega, is an indication of the importance and influence of love poetry in the most dynamic period of Spain's artistic and cultural history. In this module, you will be introduced to the Spanish love lyric of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, examining its forerunners, its development, its metrical forms—most notably the sonnet—, and its different modes, such as the Petrarchist, the satirical and the divine.

This module aims to:

• Introduce you to a significant literary tradition in the Spanish Renaissance
• Develop specialised and detailed knowledge of important texts
• Teach you to analyse and interpret representative poems from the key period of Spanish literary production, and to relate them to their cultural context
• Present you with a number of different manifestations of the same genre

View an example full module specification

MLS2160: Fiction in Post-War Spain: Voices of Conformity and Subversion

This module will explore selected literary works by Spanish authors during the post-Civil War period and beyond. You will look at the extent to which these symbolic narratives convey indirect expression of opposition during the early years of the Franco regime when censorship was strictly imposed. You will consider representations of the psyche as reflections of a disturbed and damaged nation in which social relationships have been disrupted by violence and war. You will also assess the scholarly emphasis on political readings, and consider the value of re-contextualisation.

The module aims to:

• Explore the ways in which Spanish fiction following the Civil War responded to social, political and cultural contexts
• Trace the development of the Spanish novel from the 1940s to the 1960s, with particular attention given to literary trends such as tremendismo, Objectivism, Social Realism, and the New Novel
• Examine the extent to which the literary texts of the period express conformity or resistance to dominant ideologies, as well as socio-political factors that influenced the fiction produced during the post-war period
• Assess the scholarly emphasis on political and national contexts, and consider alternative readings within a European literary and philosophical framework

View an example full module specification

ARA3103: Advanced Arabic Language

Arabic is a modern language spoken by hundreds of millions of people and a foundational language of human civilisation. This is an advanced-level module that extends your knowledge of the language, honing your ability to communicate orally and textually on a full compliment of subjects and register. It provides you with the means and opportunity to take your Arabic reading, writing, oral and aural skills to level C1 or C2 (mastery-proficiency) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, the module will deepen your exposure to Arabic cultural expression. You will use a variety of learning materials chosen by your lecturers.

The pre-requisites are successful completion of ARA2139. If you have prior knowledge of Arabic acquired outside of your degree programme or have not completed the prerequisite modules, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed.

View an example full module specification

MLF3111: Advanced French Language Skills

MLF3111 gives you the opportunity to develop your language skills to a very high level, while enhancing your understanding of modern and contemporary France. Translation work (in both directions) enables you to hone your skills as high-level bilinguals, and to develop further your command of grammar and lexis. Written Communication Skills are taught by Francophone staff, and train you to produce high-quality résumés and essays, while the Oral classes focus on developing your speaking skills further, particularly in presenting ideas and arguments, and engaging in debate. The Written and Oral classes focus on various engaging topics related to contemporary France.

The module aims to:

• extend your command of French vocabulary, grammar, syntax and idiom and to increase your understanding of the nuances of the French language through the medium of translation.
• enhance your ability to communicate, in a clear and structured manner, ideas of a complex and abstract nature, both in written and oral form.

View an example full module specification

MLG3111: Advanced German Language Skills

This module builds upon MLG2001 (or equivalent) and the year abroad. Guided by the module tutors you will learn to fine-tune your translation skills; develop your vocabulary; consolidate your knowledge of German grammar; advance your intercultural skills; and increase your fluency in oral German. These skills not only form part of the development of a high standard in using the German language but also reflect some of the skills sought after by employers.

The module aims to:

• develop a high level of skill in written translation between German and English, English and German and in composition in German.
• develop fluency and expressiveness in oral German.

View an example full module specification

MLI3111: Advanced Italian Language Skills

This module is for students who have successfully completed one of the second-year Italian-language modules (MLI2001 or MLI2051). You are now given the opportunity to further improve your knowledge of, and your communicative competence in, Italian through a wide range of essential activities (writing practice, translation from and into Italian, grammar reviews, conversations and presentations in Italian) and a few recommended activities designed to satisfy more individual needs. You are expected to achieve a high level of grammatical accuracy, to comfortably use idiomatic structures, and to broaden your knowledge of vocabulary across different thematic areas.

This module aims to enable you to reach a higher level of proficiency in modern Italian, written and spoken, with emphasis on a variety of styles. When appropriate, classes will be conducted in Italian.

View an example full module specification

MLR3111: Advanced Russian Language Skills

In this module you will engage with the spoken and written language, using materials on a range of topics, both in text form, and in the form of video and/or audio recordings, both to improve your comprehension of Russian, and to guide you towards producing your own written texts in Russian, as well as making contributions to oral discussion, conversation, and class presentations in Russian. The emphasis will be on achieving a high level of grammatical accuracy as well as command of idiomatic structures, and on broadening your knowledge of vocabulary across different thematic areas. You will also develop your abilities in translating Russian into accurate and idiomatic English.

The module aims to:

• Refine your Russian language skills, building on what you have learned at previous stages, and, in many cases, during your third year of study abroad
• Develop your abilities in both producing Russian (orally and in writing) and in understanding Russian (aurally and in writing)
• Develop your use of the syntax and lexis of the language by engaging with texts which cover a wide range of topics and styles

View an example full module specification

MLS3111: Advanced Spanish Language Skills

The module is designed for students who have completed MLS2001, or MLS2156 plus a placement year in Spain, or equivalent. It will provide you with the opportunity to enhance your language skills through translation from and into Spanish as well as through working with different genres and styles of writing. There will be an introduction to different journalistic forms such as interviews and leading articles, as well as the chance to write speeches. The oral classes will continue expanding the knowledge of contemporary Spanish and Latin American culture, develop further their intercultural competence and enable them discuss relevant topics to advance future career developments. The aim will be to expand the range and accuracy of expression in written and oral form, in order to attain proficiency in the use of the language.

The module aims to:

View an example full module specification

MLF3075: First-Person Outsiders in Modern French Literature

This module explores five works dating from the early 19th century to the present. All are written in the first person and from the perspective of an outsider figure, and all dramatise the relationship between self and other. The module examines the reasons why an author might choose to speak from an outsider's perspective, and what effects might be produced by this strategy. Lectures will offer an introduction to the significance given to the outsider figure in French literary history, and will discuss relevant historical, cultural, critical and theoretical frameworks for each of the primary texts. Seminars will engage in close readings and discussion of the primary texts and relevant critical texts.

View an example full module specification

MLF3078: Philosophers, Prophets and Mystics in French Culture

On the night of 23 November 1654, one of the most brilliant mathematicians and scientists of all time, Blaise Pascal, had a vision that he recorded in a short note: 'Fire - God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and the scholars'. This intense religious experience altered the course of Pascal's life and led him to write his celebrated Pensées . You'll study an eclectic range of texts that engage with philosophy, prophecy, and mysticism, including two wide-ranging chapters from Montaigne's Essais , Pascal, Diderot's exploration of human consciousness through dreaming, Le Rêve de d'Alembert , and selected works by the twentieth-century philosopher, activist and mystic, Simone Weil. Your studies conclude with Verne's playful yet scientifically prescient account of a manned trip to the moon, De la terre à la lune .

• To explore an eclectic range of French texts, to study how they deal with related themes.
• To develop research and critical reading skills, including an awareness of historical context.
• To gain an understanding of relevant philosophical and theological issues, as well as of debates surrounding prophecy.

View an example full module specification

MLF3079: Sex, Subversion and Censorship: Libertine Literature in Seventeenth-Century France

For many, seventeenth-century France conjures images of the sumptuous palace of Versailles, its neo-classical and baroque aesthetics, and its refined literature and performing arts. Yet to a large extent, this image is the result of a conscious attempt to sanitise le grand siècle. In this module you will have the chance to peel away this façade, to explore the more audacious and unpolished underbelly of the seventeenth century through 'libertine' literature, and to be taught by a research specialist in this field of scholarship. Through pornographic poetry, musings on Nature and the meaning of life, double lives lived through covert letters, daring satires of religion on stage, and the secret diary of an intellectual who pushed scientific enquiry to the brink of depravity, this module presents a less traditional and ultimately more human seventeenth century that has often been consigned to the margins of literary history. As well as society and thought of the time, you will study a range of themes that you may find surprisingly modern, and learn about the strategies used by free-thinking authors in order to avoid censorship or the executioner.

View an example full module specification

MLF3082: French Sociolinguistics and Dialectology

As an advanced user of French, you may have noticed differences in people’s speech according to their regional or social origin. This module offers an opportunity to examine in detail accent variation in some of the regional and social dialects of mainland France, as well as current trends in the pronunciation of French, using detailed phonetic transcriptions. We also consider the background of French regional languages and dialects, language ideologies and attitudes, and ongoing standardisation processes. The evolving theories and methods of Sociolinguistics and Dialectology provide a framework for the study of these topics. The module will develop further your familiarity with linguistic concepts and terminology. It will also enhance your understanding of the French language, in its cultural and historical context, and of language in society more generally.

Prerequisites: a good command of French (e.g. MLF2001, or MLF2152 + Year Abroad), and either previous study of French linguistics, or willingness to do some background reading in the preceding summer. (Contact z.c.boughton@ex.ac.uk for details.)

View an example full module specification

MLG3036: Dictatorships on Display: History Exhibitions in Germany and Austria

This module allows you to explore areas of German and Austrian history - National Socialism, Jewish culture, and East Germany - through a study of objects rather than the more conventional documents. While the horrors of dictatorship and their difficult legacies form the background to the exhibitions discussed, the module also celebrates the creativity, professionalism, and community activitism which go into creating history exhibitions in Germany and Austria today. You can come to the module with different backgrounds and interests: German studies, history, cultural memory, museum or heritage studies, visual arts, or Holocaust studies. It is not necessary to have German language skills, but curiosity about Germany and Austria is a must.

The module introduces you to a range of critical methods that can be used in reading museum displays and to the role of museum objects as signifiers and agents within national memory cultures. The focus is on Germany and Austria since 1990 (and particularly since 2000). In this time, both countries have, in different ways, responded to the need to face up to the horrors of the Third Reich, while new museums of Jewish culture have begun to document Jewish life and culture before, during, and after the Holocaust. In addition, Germany has had to deal with the legacies of East German communism.

View an example full module specification

AHV3002: Understanding Space in Renaissance Italy

The course focuses on the meaning and function of space in art, architecture and urbanism in Renaissance Italy, and especially in Florence (c. 1300-1600). Space has emerged in recent scholarship on the arts in the Early Modern period as key concept for understanding the relationships between objects and their contemporary viewers. A wide range of objects, from private devotional paintings for domestic use to vast public buildings, served key functions in the fashioning of identities, familial, local and collective. Inspired in part by Henri Lefebvre's influential discussion of The Production of Space (1974), we will consider such issues as the ways that pictorial form codifies relationships within the field of a painting and with its intended viewers, and how public sculpture and monumental architecture operate in the urban public realm.

Within the framework of the 'spatial turn', this module aims to introduce you to a variety of artworks in context. We will focus on three main types of spaces:

View an example full module specification

SML3013: Through the Language Lens: the Relationship between Language, Culture and the Mind

Language encapsulates the way we experience the world. But how exactly do we construe that experience? What mechanisms are used in the categorisation process? In this module you will discover how principles and aspects of general cognition can be used to analyse the grammatical structure of language. You will also understand how the human bodily experience is a fundamental source of meaning and how it may be shaped and filtered by cultural practices.

This module aims to introduce you to a new perspective on language, i.e. the relationship between language and cognition and language and culture. The module will focus on how cognitive mechanisms like categorisation, attention and imagery are used in the production and understanding of language and how humans convey meaning through embodiment, i.e. how language conveys the human bodily experience of the world and how this may be shaped by culture. You will have the opportunity to analyse the language(s) you study according to principles of general cognition.

If you need credits towards a specific language, you must focus your assessment on that language.

View an example full module specification

SML3026: Corporate Language and Communication: When Sharks Work with Dolphins

In today's corporate world, language, discourse, and communication play a key role in navigating complex work relations. Struggles with communication in unequal work environments have serious material and symbolic consequences. This module will equip you with an understanding of how linguistic exchanges play a key role in tackling crises, conflict, and everyday inequalities in corporate language. We will examine empirical studies from sociolinguistics, applied linguistics and discourse analysis and explore concepts such as language as practice, interactional sociolinguistics, and (critical) discourse analysis to analyse spoken and written language in real life scenarios including new media to explore, for example, how individuals brand themselves in corporate settings. You do not need any prior knowledge to take this module. It is suitable for non-specialist students and recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

The module aims to:

• Examine key theoretical frameworks such as language in use, language legitimacy, professional communication and competence, linguistic capital, language policing and rapport building in the workplace.
• Explore what corporate communication is and how you could develop ability to respond to today's competitive work environments where hierarchies intersecting with gender, ethnicity and race play a key role in linguistic delegitimization, language policing, linguistic violence, and socio-cultural problems.
• Develop tactics to navigate through linguistic injustices in the workplace with theoretical frameworks such as corporate discourse, corporate culture, language in interaction, corporate identity, labour surveillance, language ideology, language in society, humour at work, and gendered discourse in a range of contexts pertaining to today's workplace.
• Develop communicative competence, transform workplace inequalities, and provide with some tactics and strategies for employability.

View an example full module specification

SML3030: Extended Dissertation

The dissertation enables you to direct your own learning by producing a sustained critical essay on a cultural, historical, or linguistic topic within Modern Languages and Comparative Literatures and Cultures. This requires you to devise your own research questions and programme of work, and to produce a detailed bibliography, under the guidance of an academic supervisor, with a view to writing the Dissertation. You will develop in-depth knowledge of your chosen area; identify and answer appropriate, subject-specific questions; and expand your capacity for independent study, inquiry and research. You will also reflect on research methodologies and relevant critical theory.

BA Modern Languages students must refer to primary and secondary material in your target language. BA Comparative Literatures and Cultures students must write on a comparative topic.

The module aims to enable you to:

• Operate independently and responsibly and to take a positive and active role in your learning
• Devise your own research questions and to pursue these lines of inquiry
• Work under the guidance of an academic supervisor
• Produce a sustained piece of critical work

View an example full module specification

SML3041: Green Matters in Modern Languages and Cultures

Our current geological age has been termed the 'anthropocene' - an age when human activities have come to influence our environment. This team-taught, interdisciplinary module, which is suitable for all interested students, explores cultural responses to these developments over time. It considers the fundamental but at times also controversial role culture plays in pointing at challenges and opportunities; disasters and dangers; and the importance of communities in the wider context of issues such as environmental awareness, climate change, global warming and sustainability. This module provides case-studies on the history of green movements over time, raises ethical considerations in general and artistic, literary, linguistic and cinematic approaches in particular.

This module provides, by means of individual case-studies, an overview of the historical, artistic, architectural, linguistic, policy orientated, literary and cinematic developments in relation to the awareness of our environment. It gives insight into a range of global developments and informs about principal aspects of past and current debates. It fosters the kind of synoptic debate employers particularly value and it highlights the eminent importance of the Humanities in addressing these issues.

View an example full module specification

SML3042: Transcultural Devon: Creating, Analysing and Subtitling Interviews in the Context of Migration

Put your linguistic and intercultural communication skills into practice through a unique community engagement project. Alongside studying about migration and ethnography, you will learn what it feels like to migrate to the UK by interviewing a local migrant in their own language. A video of your interview, with English subtitles you produce, will contribute to a multilingual archive of stories of migration gathered in the community here in Devon. This module can be taken for specific language credits.

This module will help you to understand the experience of migration to the UK, and how people tell their stories about it in their first language. Using methods drawn from ethnography, you will design interviews to draw out those stories and develop your spoken language and broader communication and interpersonal skills through that interviewing process. You will also acquire some basic technical understanding of how to video-record interviews, and acquire subtitling skills. The module will provide you with the opportunity to engage with the local community, and to increase social cohesion and well-being by listening to and making available others' stories in their first language. Finally. you will leave a lasting legacy for future students because your interview will contribute to a digital archive: http://transculturaldevon.exeter.ac.uk/.

View an example full module specification

SML3043: Migration and Multilingualism

Around two-thirds of the world's migrant population is multilingual and due to migration a high level of linguistic diversity is now the norm in our society. In this module, you will explore the link between migration and languages, learn how migrant communities use and maintain their languages, as well as their attitudes and ideologies, through a wide variety of real-life case studies. You will learn how individual migrants or immigrant communities use their languages, how and why some languages are maintained, how the use of languages among migrants varies according to several factors such as different communicative situations, the migratory trajectory, speakers' attitudes towards the languages and shared ideologies.

You will be introduced to sociolinguistic concepts and means of analysis for the study of multilingualism in the context of migration. This module is interdisciplinary with no pre-requisites and will benefit students across language streams. If you need the module to count for credits towards a specific language, you must engage with material relevant to that language in your assessment.

View an example full module specification

SML3044: Migration in World Cinema

Transnational histories of migrants, the colonised, or refugees have been a major theme of World Cinema in the 21st century. Each national cinema portrays migration at different times in different film forms and styles. In this module you will explore how films from different nations have dealt with cinema, introducing key critical and theoretical concepts in film studies. The focus of the module is on trends in films of each country and explore recurring themes such as stereotypes, rejection, integration and diversity. It is designed to enable students from a wide range of backgrounds such as Modern Languages, English, History, Politics and Philosophy to engage critically with some key ideas concerning filmic representation of migration and its aesthetic, cultural and socio-political contexts. Prior experience of film study is not necessary.

This module can count towards Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German or Russian credits providing that you engage with material in the relevant language in your assessment.

The module aims:

View an example full module specification

SML3051: Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature

Science fiction is a global phenomenon. Science fiction writers assimilate the challenges of modernization; express anxieties about new technology; articulate their perceptions of the world order, or frame resistance to it. This module introduces you to culturally important 20th and 21st- century science fiction from Argentina, China, France, Germany, Italy and Russia in English translation.

You will analyse the main topics of the set texts, their characters, their key scenes and to consider the role that they have had in the recent history of their cultures. You will also discuss the nature of science fiction and find a definition (if any exists) that enables us to compare and contrast the set texts. You will be familiarized with the specific challenges of modernization in China, France, Germany, Italy, Latin America, and Russia. Finally, you will be taught transferable techniques of literary analysis and socio-political contextualization.

You will read the texts in translation in their entirety; lecturers will use close readings and discussion to check that essential passages are fully understood. Lectures will identify relevant critical points, sketch in the historical, social and cultural background to the books’ plots, and form the basis for your preparation. However, you are expected to reflect on the texts and other material independently and to be able to express your personal interpretation of these texts.

View an example full module specification

MLR3025: Apocalypse/Utopia: The Russian Roots of Revolution

Contrary to Marx’s expectations, the first socialist revolution happened in Russia. This module explores the Russian roots of revolution, looking at apocalyptic and utopian trends in a culture caught between expectations of the end of the world and the creation of the Kingdom of God on earth. Analysis of texts from the 14th to the 19th century will show what may have set Russia on course for revolution, and how far these influences are uniquely Russian

You do not need any knowledge of Russian to take this module; texts will be provided in both Russian and in English translation.

The module aims to:

View an example full module specification

MLR3029: Other Shores: Exile and Emigration in Russian Literature

From the 19th century to the present day, political repression in Russia has forced writers, artists, and philosophers into exile abroad, where they formed distinctive, long-lasting creative communities known collectively as 'Russia Abroad'. The twentieth century saw repeated 'waves' of emigration from Russia and the Soviet Union in the wake of world war and civil war, sending some of Russia's greatest artists and writers into lifelong exile in European and American cities, where they founded Russian-language newspapers and publishers and tried to keep pre-revolutionary Russian culture alive on their own terms, in hope of restoration one day. Through this module, you will meet (and read in translation) some of the many gifted figures from this period, including the globally famous novelist Vladimir Nabokov; the taxi-driving Gaito Gazdanov and his mystery fiction; Nadezhda Teffi, treasured for her funny, bittersweet short stories; and the Nobel Prize-winning poet, Joseph Brodsky. You will follow them to Rome, Berlin, Paris, London, and New York. You will also learn about the brave independent journals and publishers who commissioned translations of their work, thus assuring their English-language reputation. Only a decade after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia: thanks to his government's repressive policies and persecution of individual authors, a new wave of emigre authors has arrived on our shores today, including the novelists Maria Stepanova and Maxim Osipov and the poet Galina Rymbu. You will discuss key works by some or all of these authors, exploring themes of memory, nostalgia, hope, feminism, and resistance.

View an example full module specification

MLR3030: Exploring Revolution: The Making of Soviet Society and Culture in the 1920s

View an example full module specification

MLS3037: Women and Feminism in 20th Century Spain

The twentieth-century witnessed the development of feminism as a political movement. This development is still ongoing. Feminist thought has also played an influential part in Spanish twentieth-century history. You will study the development of feminist thought and you will learn about the history of women in the most controversial century of Spanish history. A vast array of interesting sources will be used: novels, memoirs, press articles, TV and newspaper advertisements, songs, medical texts and legal texts and short film capsules. Learning about feminism and women's history will incorporate a gender perspective into your understanding of reality and will make you see Spain and Hispanism anew. The module will be taught mainly in Spanish and will have translation as a key component as well. We will be joined virtually by experts and colleagues and students from other fora

Women's role in Spanish society has changed rapidly, juggling tradition and modernity in a unique way. This module aims to:

View an example full module specification

MLS3071: The Chilean Road to Socialism (1970-1973): What Happened and Why? Elements for a Debate

This module will introduce you to one of the most controversial moments in Chile's history, the period of the Popular Unity, also known as the Chilean Road to Socialism (1970-1973). Led by Socialist president Salvador Allende, the Popular Unity government is crucial to understand not only present-day Chile, but also to the development of the political Left in Latin America and beyond. Through a series of lectures, seminars, and readings, you will gain knowledge of the necessary elements to begin an informed discussion on the forces and reasons that led to the rise and fall of Chile's experiment on a democratic, institutional path to socialism.

This module features extensive reading in Spanish, as most of the historiography has been written in that language. The module will involve engaging with Chilean Spanish to an extent.

This module aims to:

• Study the social and political causes behind Salvador Allende's election in 1970.
• Study the main historical processes in Chile from 1970 to 1973, with a focus on: the Government, the civil and military opposition, the revolutionary left, the workers' movement, and the international dimension.
• Discuss the causes behind the 1973 military coup in Chile.
• Introduce the main historiographical trends about the period.
• Discuss the concept of socialism in connection with the related concepts of revolution and reform.
• Analyse primary sources such as newspaper articles, testimonies, and documentary film.
• Discuss different subsequent representations of Allende and the Popular Unity.

View an example full module specification

MLS3073: "What is Love? And Do I Need It?" An Introduction to Spanish Renaissance Love Poetry

That Spain's literary Renaissance, or her 'Golden Age', is reckoned by many critics to begin in 1543, with the publication of the lyric poetry of Juan Boscán and Garcilaso de la Vega, is an indication of the importance and influence of love poetry in the most dynamic period of Spain's artistic and cultural history. In this module, you will be introduced to the Spanish love lyric of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, examining its forerunners, its development, its metrical forms—most notably the sonnet—, and its different modes, such as the Petrarchist, the burlesque and the divine.

This module aims to:

• Introduce you to a significant literary tradition in the Spanish Renaissance
• Develop specialised and detailed knowledge of important texts
• Teach you to analyse and interpret representative poems from the key period of Spanish literary production, and to relate them to their cultural context
• Present you with a number of different manifestations of the same genre
  

View an example full module specification

MLS3112: Spanish Modernists: Narratives of Identity, Gender and Nation

What is Modernism? On this module, you will study the ways in which Modernism manifested itself in Spanish literary fiction alongside other art forms in the early twentieth century. You will consider the ways in which Modernists engaged with the emergence at the turn of the century of new ideas about reality and perception, and powerful debates about identity, gender and nation that were fuelled by historical events such as the 1898 disaster.

You will begin by looking at an example of Picasso's Cubist paintings, before going on to study three works of fiction by well-known Spanish authors who belong to this period of cultural brilliance. From best-sellers to canonical fiction, you will consider how the texts reflect or resist established cultural categories and hierarchies, including a long-standing critical emphasis on Hispanic literary generations.

This module analyses the development of Spanish Modernism in the early twentieth century, a period of striking innovation and experimentation in European literature and culture. By examining the texts as examples of the development of Modernism, we will ask why the Spanish novel of this period has traditionally been excluded from the European mainstream.

View an example full module specification

SML3031: Advanced Translation Skills

In this module you will approach translation as a professional activity, applying the knowledge you have gained in the core language modules. You will learn how elements of translation theory can improve translation practice, so that you will be able to research translation tasks efficiently and reflect on your own practice. Underpinning all of this is the core view that translation is a creative decision-making process that aims to communicate not words, but ideas and concepts across cultural borders.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to modern theories of translation and how these can be applied to the practice of translation as an activity. It focuses on a range of text types in a variety of situations, building on and going beyond the translation situations encountered in core language modules.

Translation is approached as a decision-making activity, and you learn how to decide and justify your decisions swiftly and ethically, with terminology from the field. As such, this module aims especially to give a grounding in translation to those students who wish to continue their studies at postgraduate level.

This module is only available in Spanish, and counts towards the Spanish credits in your degree title.

View an example full module specification