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Undergraduate Study

BA Sociology and Modern Languages - 2025 entry

Please note: The below is for 2025 entries. Click here for 2024 entries.
UCAS code LR03
Duration 4 years
Entry year 2025
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Sociology
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1392 723192

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A-Levels: AAB - ABB
IB: 34/665 - 32/655
BTEC: DDD - DDM

Contextual offers

A-Level: BBB-BBC
IB: 30/555-28/554
BTEC: DDM-DMM

Overview

  • Develop an understanding of the contemporary world, human behaviour and the forces shaping society
  • You’ll develop strong written and spoken skills in your modern language whilst gaining an understanding of other cultures and spend your third year studying abroad developing your language skills
  • Our diverse range of modules cover everything from multilingualism in society to addiction and cyborg studies meaning you can tailor your degree to your own interests and career aspirations
  • Get involved with the various Language student societies, make friends, attend socials and seminars and hear from guest speakers
  • Your degree will provide you with insight into the major challenges facing society as well as transferable skills sought after by major employers in the private, public and third sectors

View 2024 Entry

Request a prospectus

Open days and visiting us

How to apply

Contact

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

Top 10 in the UK for Sociology and Social Policy

9th in the Guardian University Guide 2024

Commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and research

Top 10 in the Russell Group for student satisfaction in four out of 7 themes

National Student Survey 2023: Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology

100% of our Sociology research has internationally excellent impact

Based on research impact rated 4* + 3* in REF 2021. Our research in Sociology, Philosophy, Anthropology and Criminology was returned to this UoA

It has been extremely interesting to have such a vast array of different topics within each term, I have studied subjects which I did not know existed! 

I have also met so many people through the flexibility of the course being mixed with criminology, politics, anthropology, psychology (and more) students which has meant that I have also been able to see how different disciplines think academically compared to my main discipline of sociology. It is really interesting to have friends who think very differently to you but on the same thing!

Read more from Nia

Nia

Undergraduate student, BA Sociology

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAB-ABB Dependent on subjects chosen
IB 34/665-32/655 Dependent on subjects chosen
BTEC DDD - DDM Dependent on subjects chosen
GCSE C or 4 Dependent on subjects chosen English Language
Access to HE 30 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade - 24 L3 Credits at Distinction Grade and 21 L3 credits at Merit Grade. Dependent on level chosen the required L3 credits in Modern Foreign Language subject area
T-Level Distinction Dependent on subjects chosen, GCE A-Level in a Modern Foreign Language will also be required.
Contextual Offer

A-Level: BBB-BBC
IB: 30/555-28/554
BTEC: DDM-DMM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other accepted qualifications

View other accepted qualifications

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

Language requirements

  • No previous language qualifications are required.
  • You may only choose one language.
  • French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish can be studied either from A level or beginner’s level, with both cohorts reaching degree level in the final year. Portuguese and Chinese can normally only be studied from beginner’s level, not from A Level; students of these two languages reach degree level in final year.

Languages and levels available for Combined Honours courses

I want to study a new language at beginner level alongside my other subject (excluding programmes with Arabic)

Modern Languages requirements No previous language qualifications required. We strongly recommend that students who want to start a languages degree with no previous linguistic experience should contact us.
Advanced level languages available n/a
Beginners level languages available Chinese (Mandarin); French; German; Italian; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish

I want to study my A level (or equivalent) language at advanced level alongside my other subject (including programmes with Arabic)

Modern Languages requirements A level grade B or IB HL5 or SL6 (or equivalent) in the language chosen at advanced level
Advanced level languages available French; German; Italian; Russian; Spanish
Beginners level languages available n/a

Completing your UCAS form

In the section named ‘further details’ on your UCAS application form please indicate in the ‘choices’ field the language and route you wish to study using the abbreviations below, separated by a space:

French Fren
Chinese (Mandarin) Chin
German Germ
Italian Ital
Portuguese Port
Russian Russ
Spanish Span

Read more

Course content

The Sociology and Modern Languages degree programme is made up of compulsory (core) and optional modules, which are worth 15 or 30 credits each. Full-time undergraduate students need to complete modules worth a total of 120 credits each year.

Depending on your programme you can take up to 30 credits each year in another subject, for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or just widen your intellectual horizons. However this is not normally available for Combined Honours programmes which feature a language.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

60 credits of compulsory Sociology modules, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language and 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language.

View option modules here (SOC)

Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability.

Compulsory modules

Subject to choosing 120 credits for the stage overall, you must:

a select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.

CodeModule Credits
SOC1000 Contemporary Society: Themes, Perspectives and Case Studies 30
SOC1001 Social Analysis 30
MLX S1 Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note a above]
MLF1001 French Language 30
MLF1052 French Language for Beginners 30
MLG1001 German Language 30
MLG1052 German Language for Beginners 30
MLI1001 Italian Language 30
MLI1052 Italian Language for Beginners 30
MLM1052 Beginners Chinese 30
MLP1052 Portuguese Language for Beginners 30
MLR1001 Contemporary Russian Written and Oral 30
MLR1030 Russian Language for Beginners 30
MLS1001 Spanish Language 30
MLS1056 Spanish Language for Beginners 30

Optional modules

b select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; on the Modern Languages side of your programme, you may select a maximum of 15 credits of either the SML- or HUM-coded modules for the year. Please note that certain modules may only be available to students on Single Honours programmes, or to students who have taken a particular language module. This information will be given in the pre-requisites or co-requisites section of the relevant module descriptor. Please note for students of Modern Languages Portuguese (Single Honours or Combined Honours) MLP1002 is compulsory. For FLC students or other non-Modern Language students, it remains optional.

CodeModule Credits
MLX S1 Chinese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLM1010 China of the Senses: Approaching Chinese Culture and Environments 15
MLM1013 A Brief History of Modern China (1861-Present) 15
MLX S1 French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLF1017 The Making of Modern France 15
MLF1103 The French Language, Present and Past 15
MLF1105 An Introduction to French Thought 15
MLF1121 French Visual History 15
MLF1018 The Devil is in the Detail: An Introduction to the Short Story in French 15
MLX S1 German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLG1014 A Nation Remembers: Issues in German Cultural Memory 15
MLG1017 Turning Points in German History 1200 - 2000 15
MLG1021 Outside In: An Introduction to Outcasts and Outsiders in German-language Literature and Film 15
MLX S1 Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLI1016 Italy Inside Out: Popular Visual Narratives about Italy 15
MLI1121 A Thousand Faces: Cultures and History in 19th-Century Italy 15
MLX S1 Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLP1002 Introduction to the Lusophone World 15
MLX S1 Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLR1023 Russia: Empire and Identity 15
MLR1006 An Emotional Experience: Russian Literature and the Expression of Feeling 15
MLX S1 Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
MLS1067 Ideology in the Hispanic World 15
SML1067 Ideology in the Hispanic World 15
MLS1068 An Introduction to the Literature and Film of Spain 15
MLS1064 An Introduction to the Hispanic World: Texts in Context 15
MLS1066 The Making of Modern Latin America: History Through Literature and Culture 15
MLS1164 A Journey of Discovery: Hispanic Global Culture 15
MLX S1 Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note b above]
SML1207 Introduction to Film 15
SML1208 Language, Culture, and International Relations 15
SML1002 Constructing Nature: Stories we Live By 15
SML1018 The Devil Is in the Detail: An Introduction to the Short Story in French 15

30 credits of compulsory modules in Sociology, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language, 30 credits of optional modules in Sociology and 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language.

Compulsory modules

Subject to selecting 120 credits in the stage overall, you must:

c - select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.

CodeModule Credits
SOC2005 Theoretical Sociology 30
MLX S2 Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note c above]
MLF2001 French Language, Written and Oral 30
MLF2152 Intermediate French 30
MLG2001 German Language, Written and Oral 30
MLG2052 Intermediate German 30
MLI2001 Italian Language, Written and Oral 30
MLI2051 Italian Language 30
MLM2052 Intermediate Chinese (One) 30
MLP2052 Intermediate Portuguese 30
MLR2001 Contemporary Russian Written and Oral I 30
MLR2030 Intermediate Russian 30
MLS2001 Spanish Language, Written and Oral 30
MLS2156 Spanish Language (ex-beginners) 30

Optional modules

d select 15 credits of optional modules in Sociology.

View option modules here


Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability.

e select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; on the Modern Languages side of your programme, you may select a maximum of 15 credits of either the SML- or HUM-coded modules listed below for the year. It is your ensure that credit for SML modules can be counted towards the language of your study, where this is necessary for your credit responsibility to count.

CodeModule Credits
MLX S2 Chinese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
MLM2002 Politics of Contemporary China 15
MLM2003 Chinoiserie and Europeenerie: Artistic and cultural exchanges between China and Europe 15
MLX S2 French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
MLF2076 Subversive Texts: Baudelaire and Rachilde 15
MLF2005 Classical myth in French and francophone cinema 15
MLF2069 East is East? Cross-Cultural Encounters in Medieval French Literature 15
SML2209 Music in Medieval Europe 15
MLF2070 Violence and Virtue: Early Modern French Theatre 15
MLF2074 Translating Exile: Contemporary Francophone Women Writers 15
MLF2029 Varieties of French 15
MLF2056 Provoking Thoughts - French Literature and Philosophy from the Renaissance to the 20th Century 15
MLX S2 German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
MLG2003 Youth and Age: Generations in German Fiction and Film 15
MLG2019 Gender, Race and Migration in 20th and 21st-century German Literature 15
MLG2018 Berlin - Culture, History and Politics 15
MLX S2 Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
AHV2208 Ideal Cities? Urban Cultures of Renaissance Italy 15
MLI2019 Italian(s) in the World 15
MLI2018 Love (and Marriage?) in Contemporary Italian Film Comedy 15
MLX S2 Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
SML2004 Contemporary Latin American Cinema 15
SML2002 Cultural Connections in Southern Africa: Literature and Film 15
MLP2002 Portuguese as a Global Language 15
MLX S2 Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
MLR2021 Understanding Russia 15
MLR2024 Exploring Revolution: The Making of Soviet Society and Culture in the 1920s 15
MLX S2 Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
MLS2070 Catalonia Is Not Spain? Modern Catalan Culture in Context 15
MLS2158 "What is Love? And Do I Need It?" An Introduction to Spanish Renaissance Love Poetry 15
MLS2072 Place and Identity in Contemporary Venezuelan Culture 15
SML2004 Contemporary Latin American Cinema 15
MLS2061 The Latin American Short Story 15
MLS2045 Federico Garcia Lorca: Theatre and Poetry 15
MLS2073 Literary Non-Fiction in Argentina: When Writing Meets the Real 15
MLX S2 Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note f above]
HUM2005 Tales of Freedom, Necessity and Providence 15
SML2246 Intercultural Communication 15
SML2244 Multilingualism in Society 15
SML2003 Research Skills in Languages and Cultures 15

120 credits of compulsory modules

 

Compulsory modules

f You must take one of these modules.

CodeModule Credits
MLX S3 Compulsory Year Abroad Modules 2023-4 [See note g above]
SML3010 Work and Study Abroad 120
SML3020 Study Abroad at a Partner University (with Assessment in the Foreign Language) 120
SML3025 Internship Abroad Combined with Study at a Partner University Abroad 120

60 credits of optional Sociology modules, 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language and 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language

 

 

Compulsory modules

Subject to selecting 120 credits in the stage you must:

h select 30 credits of compulsory modules in your chosen language.

CodeModule Credits
MLX Final Stage Compulsory Language Modules 2023-4 [See note h above]
MLM3111 Advanced Chinese Language Skills 30
MLF3111 Advanced French Language Skills 30
MLG3111 Advanced German Language Skills 30
MLI3111 Advanced Italian Language Skills 30
MLP3111 Advanced Portuguese Language Skills 30
MLR3111 Advanced Russian Language Skills 30
MLS3111 Advanced Spanish Language Skills 30

Optional modules

h select 60 credits of option modules in Sociology.

View option modules here



Please note that modules are subject to change and not all modules are available across all programmes, this is due to timetable, module size constraints and availability.

i select 30 credits of optional modules consisting of content related to your chosen language; you may select a maximum of 15 credits of the SML- or HUM-coded modules listed below for the year, these are additional to SML3015. You may, alternatively, take SML3030. Please note you may only select one dissertation module across the two programmes. It is your responsibility to ensure that credit for SML modules can be counted towards the language of your study, where this is necessary for your credit count.

CodeModule Credits
MLX Final Stage Chinese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLM3009 China through the Lens: Cultural Translation and Self-Presentation 15
MLM3008 Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature 15
MLM3011 China and the Third World: Foreign Relations and Nation Building in China in the Cold War Era 15
HUM3002 Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature 15
HUM3015 The Place of Meaning: Gardens in Britain and China 15
MLX Final Stage French Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLF3034 Sociolinguistics of French 15
MLF3078 Philosophers, Prophets, and Mystics in French Culture 15
MLF3050 Music, Poetry, and Society at the Late Medieval French Court 15
MLF3079 Sex, Subversion and Censorship: Libertine Literature in Seventeenth-Century France 15
MLF3080 Les Miserables from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day 15
MLF3046 Dialectology in France 15
MLF3075 First-Person Outsiders in Modern French Literature 15
MLF3081 Sexual Politics: Gender Dynamics in Early Modern France 15
EAF3520 Beyond Sex and the City: Becoming a Woman in Contemporary Western Cinema 15
MLX Final Stage German Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLG3036 Dictatorships on Display: History Exhibitions in Germany and Austria 15
MLG3037 Coping with Catastrophe: German Culture, Literature and Politics in the Interwar Years 15
MLG3040 Sex, Sciences and the Arts 15
MLX Final Stage Italian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLI3199 Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend 15
AHV3002 Understanding Space in Renaissance Italy 15
MLI3033 Multicultural Italy 15
HUM3002 Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature 15
EAF3520 Beyond Sex and the City: Becoming a Woman in Contemporary Western Cinema 15
MLX Final Stage Portuguese Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLP3009 Afro-Brazil: Transatlantic Identities in Culture 15
SML3014 Socialist Thought and Practice in Latin America and Africa 15
MLX Final Stage Russian Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLR3027 The Making of Underground Russia, 1825-1917 15
MLR3026 The Deceptive City: The Creation of St Petersburg in Russian Literature 15
HUM3002 Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature 15
MLX Final Stage Spanish Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
MLS3037 Women and Feminism in 20th Century Spain 15
MLS3057 Cross Currents: Memory, Myth and Modernity in Latin America 15
MLS3112 Spanish Modernists: Narratives of Identity, Gender and Nation 15
MLS3071 The Chilean Road to Socialism (1970-1973): What Happened and Why? Elements for a Debate 15
MLS3067 "Monster of Nature and Phoenix of Wits." An Introduction to the Work of Lope de Vega 15
SML3031 Advanced Translation Skills 15
MLS3066 Almodovar's Spain: Cinema and Society 15
SML3014 Socialist Thought and Practice in Latin America and Africa 15
HUM3002 Aliens Abroad: Science Fiction in Global Literature 15
MLX Final Stage Neutral Option Modules 2023-4 [See note j above]
SML3013 Through the Language Lens: the Relationship between Language, Culture and the Mind 15
SML3015 Dissertation 15
SML3043 Migration and Multilingualism 15
SML3041 Green Matters in Modern Languages and Cultures 15
SML3042 Transcultural Devon: Creating, Analysing and Subtitling Interviews in the Context of Migration 15
SML3009 Intercultural Communication in a Global World 15
SML3030 Extended Dissertation 30

Fees

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £23,700 per year

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

Learning and teaching

Sociology

We use a wide range of teaching and learning methods and also ensure that you have regular tutorials with your tutor, together with a small group of students to discuss oral and written assignments.

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Group work
  • Small group tutorials
  • Independent study

Modern Languages

In Modern Languages our teaching aims not to just improve your production and comprehension of the language but also help to develop your language-learning skills.

  • Written language taught through weekly classes of about 18 students
  • Weekly oral practice in classes of around eight with native speakers

How will I be assessed?

  • Essays and projects
  • Practical assignments
  • Oral language tasks
  • Field work notebooks
  • Project work

You must pass your first year modules in order to proceed but your performance at this level does not count towards your final degree classification.

The Foreign Language Centre

All language students have access to the language-learning facilities provided by the Foreign Language Centre, which include satellite television channels in each of our languages and audio, computer and multi-media language-learning packages.

ExeTalks

ExeTalks are a chance to discover some of the fascinating research undertaken at the University of Exeter delivered by the academics who teach on our programmes.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.

  • A Foreign Language
  • Law
  • Social Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

As a Sociology graduate you will be well prepared for a number of careers including teaching, the media, business, social research, work in the public and charity sectors, and the legal profession. Throughout your studies you will develop a range of professional, academic and personal skills including:

  • Analytical, critical and independent thinking
  • Independent research
  • Problem solving
  • Discussion and group work
  • Collecting, assessing and presenting evidence
  • Written and verbal communication
  • Articulating ideas and constructing arguments
  • Organising, planning and time management

Career paths

The wealth of transferable skills gained on a Sociology degree enables graduate to pursue further study or employment in a wide range of careers including:

  • Actuaries, economists and statisticians
  • Archivists and curators
  • Information technology professionals
  • Insurance underwriters
  • Legal associate professionals
  • Management consultants and business analysts
  • Police officers
  • Prison service officers
  • Teaching professionals
  • Youth and community workers

Exeter Award and Exeter Leaders Award

Many of our students participate in the Exeter Award and Exeter Leaders Award. These schemes encourage you to participate in employability related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment which will contribute to your career decision-making skills and success in the employment market.

Developing your skills and career prospects

We provide a range of support to help you develop skills attractive to employers. You will be able to access a range of specific activities such as careers skills sessions and employer-led events, or seek bespoke advice and support from Employability Officers.

The Career Zone also organises a busy schedule of activities including careers fairs, skills workshops, and training events, and can advise on graduate opportunities and volunteering.

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