Department of History | BA Modern European Languages and History with Year Abroad (with Placement Year)

BA Modern European Languages & History with Year Abroad (with Placement Year) at Durham University

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Immerse yourself in the Life, Language and History of a chosen modern European Culture. Develop advanced language skills and in-depth historical and cultural awareness.

This Joint Honours BA degree will allow you to further your interest in the study of a Modern European Language and related cultural topics alongside exploring different periods and themes of History.

In Year 1 you will focus on the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening in your chosen language. In addition, you will explore Aspects of the Literature, Film, Art, History and Politics of the Culture you are studying. You will also study a range of History subjects, including Medieval/Early Modern History and Modern History.

In Year 2 you will continue your Language, Culture and History studies, building on your skills and allowing you to begin to specialise in areas that interest you. Second-year History modules tend to focus more on particular periods and events, or historical debates and phenomena.

You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 abroad, either as an English Assistant in a school, a student at university, or on a work placement. This is a time of enormous linguistic and personal development, when you should gain fluency in your language and enjoy a unique opportunity to make new friends, appreciate other cultures and learn to work and study in new ways. You can also apply to add a placement year to your degree, increasing the course from four years to five.

In Year 4 you will develop your Advanced Language skills and you may be able to take a Specialist Language module such as translation or interpreting. You will also continue your Culture & History studies, with final-year History modules encouraging you to think about how historical knowledge is produced.

You will also choose your own dissertation topic in Year 4, researching and writing about either a Historical Issue or an Aspect of Culture or Cultural Production.

History's aim is to make you better at thinking, speaking, and writing for yourself; and better at critically assessing the words that others speak and write. Thinking analytically, arguing clearly and concisely - these are fundamental skills in many jobs. Our graduates have gone on to find successful careers in a wide variety of fields. They work in teaching at schools and universities, in museums and galleries, in law, finance, banking and accountancy, the Civil Service, the charity sector, media, journalism, and the military and further study.

A degree in Modern Languages & Cultures will provide you with an impressive portfolio of cultural knowledge, transferable skills and real-world experiences that is valued by employers worldwide. In particular, the year abroad which, as well as developing language abilities, can also greatly enhance your intercultural, problem-solving and communication skills.

With the UK as a whole producing fewer linguists, proficiency in languages coupled with the intellectual rigour and cultural understanding acquired during your degree will make you highly employable in a wide range of careers both in the UK and internationally. These include occupations such as interpreting, translation and teaching, media and the arts but also working across wider industry in research, administration, human resources, sales and business development and the financial services.

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