BA|Undergraduate
French and Spanish
Academic Year 2023/24
ABB
4 years (Full Time)
RR14
The emphasis in the BA in French and Spanish is on linguistic proficiency and inter-cultural awareness; language and identity are central to the programme. You will be critically reflecting on a variety of contemporary issues, historical periods and geographical areas (France and Spain, but also for example Latin America and the Francophone Caribbean), explored through a range of media including art, cinema, linguistics and literature. The degree includes residency (average 8 months) in a Francophone or a Spanish-speaking country. Students can begin their studies in either language as a Beginner.
French and Spanish Degree highlights
French at Queen’s was 7th in UK for French overall and 2nd for Research in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020. 91% of French students were satisfied in 2019.
Global Opportunities
- After stage 2, you will spend a period of residence (normally 8 months or more) in a French- or Spanish-speaking country. Students will have the possibility of acquiring professional experience by teaching in a school, undertaking a work placement, or doing voluntary work. They may also elect to study at a French or Spanish university.
- Students taking a BA in French and Spanish have a very genuine opportunity to acquire professional experience in a global context. After stage 2, students will spend a period of residence (normally 8 months or more) in a French- or Spanish-speaking country
They undertake an extended period of residence abroad in a French- or Spanish speaking country (typically 8 months), normally working as an English language assistant in a school, or undertaking a paid work placement. Students can also elect to study at a French-or Spanish-speaking university. In addition to the benefits for oral competence, the residence provides a unique opportunity for immersion in one of the cultures of the languages studied. Moreover, the Year Abroad is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity. This feature of our degree programme gives students the opportunity for personal development, and further develops communication and language skills and intercultural awareness. The challenges of living abroad come to be a unique (and unforgettable) stage in their own personal development.
Students in Languages at Queen’s have specialised classes to prepare them for the Year Abroad and members of our staff act as Year Abroad Officers.
Queen's University Belfast is committed to providing a range of international opportunities to its students during their degree programme. Details of this provision are currently being finalised and will be available from the University website once confirmed.
Industry Links
- Graduates of French and Spanish have risen to the top in a number of fields, including media, print journalism, translating, marketing, local government, fast-stream Civil Service, and a very wide range of local, national and international companies.
World Class Facilities
- Queen’s has an excellent library with an outstanding range of resources in French and Spanish cultures. The Language Centre has state-of-the-art facilities for language learning, and the IT provision more generally is excellent.
Internationally Renowned Experts
- French and Spanish at Queen’s are taught by world-leading experts, with particular expertise in medical humanities, postcolonial writing, Latin American culture, Linguistics, Visual Culture, and Golden-Age and eighteenth-century Spanish culture. Research in Languages at Queen’s was ranked 3rd in the UK in the most recent Research Assessment (REF 2014).
- Professor Janice Carruthers is an internationally renowned expert on linguistics. She is currently the Leadership Fellow in Modern Languages with the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Student Experience
- Students run lively French and Spanish Societies, and staff offer support through a personal tutoring system, skills development programme and a structured framework for feedback.
"My experience of studying French and Spanish at Queen's has been incredible. The classes and year abroad experience have really helped me improve my languages, but what I have loved most about this course has been the opportunity to learn about so much more than just the languages themselves. It has given me a passion for studying culture, history and literature from France and Spain."
Emily Rankin (joint French and Spanish)
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Course content
Course Structure
Stage 1 | Stage 1 In French, students must take TWO modules at Stage 1 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. In Spanish, students must also take TWO modules at Stage 1 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. Core modules • French 1 OR Intermediate French OR French for Beginners • Spanish 1 OR Intermediate Spanish OR Spanish for Beginners Optional modules • Introduction to French Studies 1 • Introduction to French Studies 2 • Introduction to Iberian Studies • Introduction to Latin American Studies |
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Stage 2 | In French, students must take TWO modules at Stage 2 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. In Spanish, students must also take TWO modules at Stage 2 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. Core modules • French 2 • Spanish 2 Optional modules • Myth and Biography in Recent French Fiction • French Noir • Linguistic Variation in French • Paris, City of Modernity • Symbolist Art and Literature • Modern Autobiography • Issues and Cultures of the US-Mexico borderlands • Afterlives: Rogues and Mystics of the Spanish Golden Age • The Fantastic in Latin America Year Abroad Modules |
Stage 3 - Year Abroad | The degree includes residency (average 8 months) in a Francophone or a Spanish-speaking country. Either • Working and Studying Abroad (French) • International Placement: Languages Year Abroad (French) Or • Working and Studying Abroad (Spanish) • International Placement: Languages Year Abroad (Spanish) |
Stage 4 | In French, students must take TWO modules at Stage 4 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. In Spanish, students must also take TWO modules at Stage 4 – students must take the core and one optional which can be taken either semester. Core modules • French 3 • Spanish 3 Optional modules • Caribbean Cultures • Modernism(s) • Ambition & Desire: The Nineteenth Century French Novel • Romance and Realism in Media Cultures • Contemporary Francophone Chinese Fiction • Ideologies of Death in Modern French Literature • The Structure of Modern French • Rewriting Love in the Renaissance • Failed Romances of Latin American Literature • Imperfect Heroines: Spanish fiction in the 19th and 20th centuries • Gender & Society in Contemporary Mexican Cinema • The Spanish Enlightenment • The Sacred made real: Representing spirituality in Spain’s Golden Age • Disease and Society • Inner Journeys |
People teaching you
Dr Maeve McCuskerSubject Lead, French
Dr McCusker is the Subject Lead for French, and teaches French language and modern French and francophone culture. She specialises in contemporary Caribbean literature in French and France's relationship with its former colonies and territories, including in Africa.
Contact Teaching Times
Personal Study | 25 (hours maximum) 22-25 hours preparing and revising |
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Medium Group Teaching | 11 (hours maximum) hours |
Learning and Teaching
At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable our students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the BA in French and Spanish we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners.
Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
- E-Learning technologies
A wide range of information associated with modules is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online. Typically, lecture notes are provided through QOL for each module along with other support material. Much of the recommended reading is available through the same environment. Almost all coursework is submitted and returned, with marks and feedback, electronically. - Language enrichment classes
Students will have opportunities to develop oral skills and develop their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary in real-life, practical contexts. All these classes are taught in small groups (typically 15-20 students). Students attend two language enrichment classes each week as part of each core language module. They also attend a one-hour oral class, facilitated by a native speaker, where they have opportunities to develop oral skills and apply grammar and vocabulary. These classes are taught in very small groups (typically 8-12 students). - Lectures
These introduce you to basic information about new topics as a starting point for your own further private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in larger groups of approximately 40 students). Only a small number of our modules are delivered in this way, e.g. Level One Introductory modules to French and Francophone Cultures. - Personal Tutor
Students are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development. This gives students one identified contact with whom to discuss any difficulties they might encounter and who can answer any queries they might have. - Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. - Seminars/tutorials
Almost all of the teaching in French and Spanish is carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide significant opportunity for you to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of your classmates. You will also be expected to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. All of our language teaching and, where appropriate, other modules, are delivered through the medium of French in small-group situations. - Year Abroad
Students taking a BA in French and Spanish undertake an extended period of residence abroad (typically 8 months). In addition to the benefits for oral competence in French or Spanish, the residence provides a unique opportunity for immersion in the culture of the country. The Year Abroad is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity during which students can study at a university, work as an English Language Teacher, undertake a paid work placement, etc. This feature of our degree programme gives students the opportunity for personal development, gives them a job placement, further develops communication and language skills and intercultural awareness. The challenges of living abroad come to be a unique (and unforgettable) stage in their own personal development.
Students in Languages at Queen’s have specialised classes to prepare them for the Year Abroad and members of our staff act as Year Abroad Officers.
Queen's University Belfast is committed to providing a range of international opportunities to its students during their degree programme. Details of this provision are currently being finalised and will be available from the University website once confirmed.
Assessment
Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:
- The way in which you will be assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Language modules are assessed through a variety of written tasks, class tests, a formal written examination and an oral exam at the end of the year. All other modules are assessed through a variety of forms of coursework which may include book reviews, projects, creative writing, presentations, essays and language tasks. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students at the beginning of their first year. All assessment, apart from oral exams, is marked and returned anonymously.
Feedback
As students progress through the course they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module convenors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
- Formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as individuals or as part of a group, have submitted.
- General comments or question and answer opportunities during or at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
- Immediate, on-the-spot feedback from your teacher during language and oral classes.
- Individual consultations addressing specific queries with lecturers during designated consultation hours.
- Online or emailed comment to specific queries.
- Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time.
- Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
- Once students have reviewed their feedback, they are encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work.
Facilities
Queen’s has an excellent library with an outstanding range of resources in Spanish, French and Francophone cultures. The Language Centre has state-of-the-art facilities for language learning, and IT provision more generally is excellent.
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Overview
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Modules
Modules
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2022/23). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
- Year 1
Core Modules
French 1 (40 credits)French 1
Overview
This module aims to consolidate and develop the students existing written and oral language skills and knowledge of French and Francophone culture, equip them with professional and employability skills and prepare them to go further in the study of French. It consists of four elements designed to provide a comprehensive consolidation of French language competence:
1. Language Seminar (1hr per week)
Seminar aims to develop students ability to understand, translate and compose French language materials in a range of forms: text, image, audio-visual. Language will be engaged in context, guided by themes such as University life, Culture and Identity and Culture and Communication. Linguistic competence will be developed through a range of methods that may include: group discussion, comprehension, translation, responsive and essay writing.
2. Grammar Workshop (1hr per week)
Workshop designed to consolidate and enrich students' knowledge and understanding of French grammar and syntax. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances. It focuses particularly on developing competence in the key area of translation into French.
3. Professional skills (1hr per week)
The class focuses on language skills for special purposes and contains two strands: Language for Business and Language for Law. Both provide linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge important to work-related situations in different fields.
4. Conversation class (1hr per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of French and compliments the content of the Language hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate and present on the main themes of the course.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. Be able to read French texts in a variety of forms and demonstrate a sensitivity to their detail and nuance in speech, writing and when translating.
2. Be able to produce French texts appropriate to different requirements and registers.
3. Be able to investigate, structure and present a complex argument in longer pieces of written work.
4. Be able to communicate using more sophisticated grammatical and syntactical constructions with a good level of accuracy (without basic errors).Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: comprehensive dexterity using French grammar; translation skills; text analysis; comprehension; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
FRH1101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Intermediate French (40 credits)Intermediate French
Overview
This module aims to consolidate and develop the students existing written and oral language skills and knowledge of French and Francophone culture, equip them with professional and employability skills and prepare them to go further in the study of French. It includes an intensive language focused class, which will help students without A Level standard French to develop the linguistic proficiency required for the subject at degree level. It consists of four elements designed to provide a comprehensive consolidation of French language competence:
1. Language Seminar (1hr per week)
Seminar aims to develop students ability to understand, translate and compose French language materials in a range of forms: text, image, audio-visual. Language will be engaged in context, guided by themes such as University life, Culture and Identity and Culture and Communication. Linguistic competence will be developed through a range of methods that may include: group discussion, comprehension, translation, responsive and essay writing.
2. Grammar Workshop (1hr per week)
Workshop designed to consolidate and enrich students knowledge and understanding of French grammar and syntax. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances. It focuses particularly on developing competence in the key area of translation into French.
3. Professional skills (1hr per week)
The class focuses on language skills for special purposes and contains two strands: Language for Business and Language for Law. Both provide linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge important to work-related situations in different fields.
4. Conversation class (1hr per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of French and compliments the content of the Language hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate and present on the main themes of the course.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. Be able to read French texts in a variety of forms and demonstrate a sensitivity to their detail and nuance in speech, writing and when translating.
2. Be able to produce French texts appropriate to different requirements and registers.
3. Be able to investigate, structure and present a complex argument in longer pieces of written work.
4. Be able to communicate using more sophisticated grammatical and syntactical constructions with a good level of accuracy (without basic errors).Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: comprehensive dexterity using French grammar; translation skills; text analysis; comprehension; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
FRH1111
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Beginners French Studies (Post GCSE Level) (40 credits)Beginners French Studies (Post GCSE Level)
Overview
This modules aims to provide students with little or no previous knowledge of French with the grammatical, written, and spoken language skills necessary go further in the study of French. It will also equip them with professional and employability skills complimentary to their studies. It consists of:
1. Language Seminars (3 hours per week)
Seminars will equip students with the knowledge and understanding of grammatical constructions (both basic and more complex) and syntax required to use the French language independently in written and spoken form. Language skills are practiced in a range of activities: grammar exercises, reading, spoken and listening comprehension, translation, expressive and descriptive writing. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances.
Seminars also introduce students to language in context. Students are exposed to new vocabulary, expressions and nuances of use through reading, translation and writing exercises based on sources from the Francophone world.
2. Conversation Class (1hr per week)
Led by a native speaker, this class develops students’ listening and speaking skills in French. The content from seminars is deployed in a range of practical scenarios likely to be experienced in French -speaking countries.Learning Outcomes
This modules aims to provide students with little or no previous knowledge of French with the grammatical, written, and spoken language skills necessary go further in the study of French. It will also equip them with professional and employability skills complimentary to their studies. It consists of:
1. Language Seminars (3 hours per week)
Seminars will equip students with the knowledge and understanding of grammatical constructions (both basic and more complex) and syntax required to use the French language independently in written and spoken form. Language skills are practiced in a range of activities: grammar exercises, reading, spoken and listening comprehension, translation, expressive and descriptive writing. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances.
Seminars also introduce students to language in context. Students are exposed to new vocabulary, expressions and nuances of use through reading, translation and writing exercises based on sources from the Francophone world.
2. Conversation Class (1hr per week)
Led by a native speaker, this class develops students’ listening and speaking skills in French. The content from seminars is deployed in a range of practical scenarios likely to be experienced in French -speaking countries.Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: A comprehensive dexterity using French grammar; Translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills.
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
FRH1121
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Spanish for Beginners (40 credits)Spanish for Beginners
Overview
An intensive introduction to the Spanish language: grammar, comprehension, spoken, translation, expressive and descriptive writing
Learning Outcomes
To learn and develop proficiency in the core language skills
Skills
Fundamentals of Spanish grammar; Translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
SPA1121
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Intermediate Spanish (40 credits)Intermediate Spanish
Overview
Course contents:
This module aims to consolidate and expand on existing Spanish language competency by developing written and oral language skills, knowledge of Spanish and Latin American culture, and grammatical proficiency, to equip students with professional and employability skills in preparation for further study of Spanish. It consists of four elements designed to provide a comprehensive consolidation of Spanish language competence:
1. Language Seminar (1hr per week)
Seminar aims to develop students’ ability to understand, translate, and compose Spanish-language materials in a range of forms: text, image, audio-visual. Language will be engaged in context, guided by themes such as University Life, Culture & Identity, and Culture & Communication. Linguistic competence will be developed through a range of methods that may include: group discussion, translation, responsive and report writing.
2. Grammar Workshop (1hr per week)
Workshop designed to consolidate and enrich students’ knowledge and understanding of Spanish grammar and syntax. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances.
3. Specialised Language Cursillo (1hr per week)
cursillo offers language skills for special purposes and contains two strands: Language for Business and Language for Law. Both provide linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge important to work-related situations in different fields.
4. Conversation Class (1hr per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of Spanish and compliments the content of the Language Hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate, and present on the main themes of the course.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students should:
1. have developed and consolidated their proficiency in the core language skills (grammatical, syntactical) required at this level:
2. be able to read Spanish texts in a variety of forms and demonstrate a sensitivity to their detail and nuance in speech, writing, and when translating:
3. be able to produce Spanish texts appropriate to different requirements and registers:
4. be able to investigate, structure, and present a complex argument in longer pieces of written work:
5. be able to communicate using more sophisticated grammatical and syntactical constructions with a good level of accuracy (without basic errors)Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: comprehensive dexterity using Spanish grammar; translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills.
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
SPA1111
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Spanish 1 (40 credits)Spanish 1
Overview
Course contents:
This module aims to consolidate and expand on existing Spanish language competency by developing written and oral language skills, knowledge of Spanish and Latin American culture, and grammatical proficiency, to equip students with professional and employability skills in preparation for further study of Spanish. It consists of four elements designed to provide a comprehensive consolidation of Spanish language competence:
1. Language Seminar (1hr per week)
Seminar aims to develop students’ ability to understand, translate, and compose Spanish-language materials in a range of forms: text, image, audio-visual. Language will be engaged in context, guided by themes such as University Life, Culture & Identity, and Culture & Communication. Linguistic competence will be developed through a range of methods that may include: group discussion, translation, responsive and report writing.
2. Grammar Workshop (1hr per week)
Workshop designed to consolidate and enrich students’ knowledge and understanding of Spanish grammar and syntax. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances.
3. Specialised Language Cursillo (1hr per week)
cursillo offers language skills for special purposes and contains two strands: Language for Business and Language for Law. Both provide linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge important to work-related situations in different fields.
4. Conversation Class (1hr per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of Spanish and compliments the content of the Language Hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate, and present on the main themes of the course.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. be able to read Spanish texts in a variety of forms and demonstrate a sensitivity to their detail and nuance in speech, writing, and when translating;
2. be able to produce Spanish texts appropriate to different requirements and registers;
3. be able to investigate, structure, and present a complex argument in longer pieces of written work;
4. be able to communicate using more sophisticated grammatical and syntactical constructions with a good level of accuracy (without basic errors).Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: comprehensive dexterity using Spanish grammar; translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills.
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
40
Module Code
SPA1101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Optional Modules
Introduction to Lusophone Studies (20 credits)Introduction to Lusophone Studies
Overview
This course introduces students to key concepts, movements and historical moments pertaining to the cultures, literatures and societies of the Portuguese-speaking world. It is divided into two sections
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should:
• have gained critical awareness of Portugal's imperial expansion and the effects of Salazar’s dictatorship and how its end led to the decolonization process in Portugal’s colonies;
• have gained critical awareness of early European encounters with what would become known as Brazil, and of twentieth-century Brazilian cultural movements;
• have developed critical skills through the analysis of relevant cultural and written academic material;
• have acquired awareness of cultural diversity within the Lusophone worldSkills
On successful completion of this course, students should have acquired:
• knowledge and understanding of the use of appropriate basic research tools;
• skills in critical analysis of written academic material;
• the ability to write a critical commentary and an academic essay using the required conventions;
• independent learning skills;
• the ability to begin to reflect on their learning progressCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA1132
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Introduction to Iberian Studies (20 credits)Introduction to Iberian Studies
Overview
This module introduces students to key concepts, movements and historical moments pertaining to the cultures, literatures and societies of the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. Spain and Portugal). It explores a selection of texts (literary and visual) from a range of authors and artists from the early modern period (16th / 17th century) to the present day. This course will give you a broad overview of the main historical events in Spain and Portugal from a cultural perspective.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should - acquire a basic knowledge and understanding of crucial periods of peninsular cultural history - develop an understanding of the complex inter-relations between a text and its historical context - have an awareness of the distinct methods of cultural analysis and begin to apply these appropriately to a range of texts, written and visual.
Skills
Students should begin to - situate art and literature in their socio-political contexts - develop skills of critical analysis - develop essay writing skills - develop bibliographical research skills
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA1005
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Introduction to Latin American Studies (20 credits)Introduction to Latin American Studies
Overview
Course Contents
This module introduces students to key concepts, movements, literary and historical moments pertaining to the cultures, literatures and societies of Latin America. Throughout the module, a representative selection of primary and secondary texts from a range of historical periods will be used to explore key issues and themes. Themes will vary from year to year but may include: exploration, conquest, identity, borders, dictatorship, and migration.Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should:- acquire a basic knowledge and understanding of crucial periods of Latin American culture and history - develop an understanding of the complex inter-relations between a text and its historical context - have an awareness of distinct methods of cultural and historical analysis and begin to apply thses appropriately to a range of texts, writtren and visual.
Skills
Students should begin to: - situate art and literature in their socio-political contexts - develop an awareness of key historical trends - develop skills of critical analysis - develop essay writing skills - develop bibliographical research skills
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA1008
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Intro to French Studies 1 (20 credits)Intro to French Studies 1
Overview
This module will introduce students to key areas of contextual studies in French, i.e. literature, culture, the visual arts and linguistics. There will be two 'strands' within the module, and across the two strands, students will be introduced to all four areas. The core material will include both French and francophone texts, film, images and data. Each strand will form a coherent whole in terms of both teaching and assessment.
Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire an introductory knowledge of key fields in French Studies, notably literature, culture, the visual arts and linguistics. They will acquire key skills in how to approach these fields in preparation for optional modules in Levels 2 and 3. They will further acquire skills in time management, written and oral communication, and skills in marshalling complex information and constructing an argument.
Skills
Skills in how to approach and analyse texts, images and data for future work in literature, the visual arts, linguistics; skills in oral and written communication; skills in marshalling large amounts of data and structuring an argument; skills in time management.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH1003
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Intro to French Studies 2 (20 credits)Intro to French Studies 2
Overview
This module will introduce students to key areas of contextual studies in French, ie. literature, culture, the visual arts and linguistics. There will be two 'strands' within the module, and across the two stands, students will be introduced to all four areas. The core material will include both French and francophone texts, film, images and data. Each strand will form a coherent whole in terms of both teaching and assessment.
Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire an introductory knowledge of key fields in French Studies, notably literature, culture, the visual arts and linguistics. They will acquire key skills in how to approach these fields in preparation for optional modules in Levels 2 and 3. They will further acquire skills in time management, written and oral communication, and skills in marshalling complex information and constructing an argument.
Skills
Skills in how to approach and analyse texts, images and data for future work in literature, the visual arts, linguistics; skills in oral and written communication; skills in marshalling large amounts of data and structuring an argument; skills in time management.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
1
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH1004
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 2
Core Modules
Spanish 2 (40 credits)Spanish 2
Overview
Building on skills acquired at Level 1, this module aims to develop more advanced language skills in spoken and written language. Students will be required to take on increasingly complex tasks which require them to be aware of and use different written and spoken styles and registers. Task will promote linguistic, sociolinguistic and cultural awareness at a more advanced level. The module will contain the following elements:
1. Text-based class – (1 hour a week).
This class will focus on developing skills in reading, writing, literary and non literary translation. Students will be required to read and respond to texts which deal with current issues in Spanish speaking countries in Europe and Latin America.
2. Grammar Workshop ( 1 hr per week)
This class will introduce students to more advanced grammar with an emphasis on students’ ability to explain the use of grammar in Spanish as well as demonstrating correct usage. Topics to be covered include: ser/estar, indicative tenses, prepositions, subjunctive
3. Oral class ( 1 hr per week)
This class will encourage students to develop their skills in spoken language with an emphasis on being able to communicate information and a point of view and on eliminating basic errors from spoken language as well as developing fluency in spoken Spanish
4. Cursillo ( 1 hr per week)
This class will focus on preparing students for the year abroad and on highlighting and developing the professional skills which students develop as a result of studying Spanish at degree level
There will be an extra hour of language tuition for ex-beginnersLearning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. be able to demonstrate a level of fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in speech and writing, and a wide range of vocabulary and expression, so as to be able to discuss a range of complex issues.
2. be able to read a wide variety of Spanish texts (fiction and non fiction) and identify important information and ideas within them.
3. be able to demonstrate a good grasp of structures of the language covered in the module and identify and use appropriate reference works including dictionaries and grammars.
4. be able to organise and present a coherent argument in Spanish relating to topics covered in the course, and present their knowledge and ideas in a range of formats and registersSkills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: Translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills - including practical language knowledge for living and working abroad
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
40
Module Code
SPA2101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
French 2 (40 credits)French 2
Overview
Course contents: Building on skills acquired at Level 1, this module aims to consolidate productive (writing and speaking) and receptive (reading and listening) skills in French language. Key components are: comprehension, translation into English and into French, résumé, grammar, CV preparation. The oral French component includes presentations and preparation for job interviews. Languages for special purposes strands equip students in law or business with skills for legal and professional contexts.
This module will contain the following elements:
1.Written language (2 hrs per week)
This component will focus on enhancing ability in written French through engagement with a range of journalistic and literary written texts at appropriate level. A variety of topics will be covered, dealing with current themes in society and topical issues. Written language tasks include translation (from and into French), résumé, comprehension and grammar exercises.
2.Oral language (1 hr per week)
This component will focus on enhancing ability in oral French. A variety of topics and themes are covered, which aim to develop knowledge of issues in present-day France, prepare students for the year abroad and for job interviews in the target language. Stimulus materials from a range of media (textual, visual, audio, video) are used.
3.Contextual Study (filière; 1 hr per week)
This component will raise awareness of cultural and linguistic issues in French and allow students to deepen their perspective of the field, as well as preparing students for a residence in a French-speaking country.Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the modules students should:
1) be able to demonstrate fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in spoken and written French, with a broad range of vocabulary and expression, so as to be able to discuss a variety of complex issues;
2) be able to read wide variety of French texts and identify important information and ideas within them;
3) be able to translate a range of texts into and from French;
4) have developed a detailed critical understanding of representative textual and other material;
5) be able to engage in complex problem-solving exercises.Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills:
Skills in written and oral expression; critical awareness and problem-solving; close textual analysis; translation; comprehension; presentation; IT skills; employability skills, such as interview technique and cv preparation.Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
40
Module Code
FRH2101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Optional Modules
Gender, Culture, and Representation – Backwards & in Heels
Overview
This interdisciplinary module introduces students to the central ideas of gender theory and to a wide variety of representations of gender across a range of media, including theatre, performance, literature, visual art, film and television. Using key texts and cultural works students are encouraged to examine critically the representation of gender across media, and the political, legal, and ethical dimensions of gender within our culture. The module involves a critical engagement with the relationship between identity, representation and culture and explores theories concerning the social construction of the masculine and feminine body. The module engages with several key issues, including the representation of femininity and masculinity, gender in the literary and theatrical canon of Western culture, the spatiality and temporality of gender, and its intersections with issues of race/ethnicity, class, and labour. Students will be asked to think about these issues and ideas across disciplines but also within their areas of study through seminars.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, you should:
* have engaged with a variety of representations of gender, the body and sexual identities within socio-historical, theoretical and representational frameworks and across multiple forms of media,
* have cultivated an understanding of the theoretical and practical movements that have shaped the construction and representation of gender, sexuality and the body in culture,
* have developed a critical understanding of the relationship between representation and identity.Skills
Having completed this module, you should:
* have developed reflexive thinking and independent critical and analytical skills.
* have developed imaginative and communicative skills based on the application of reading materials to class presentations
* have developed research and writing skillsCoursework
60%
Examination
0%
Practical
40%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL2001
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Adaptation as Interdisciplinary Practice (20 credits)Adaptation as Interdisciplinary Practice
Overview
This module asks students to examine the process and challenges of adapting works, either within the same medium in a different time or place, or between different media, with staff from across the school collaborating to offer students an understanding of how different media work, and how the differences between those media impact the process of adaptation. The class will also examine how adaptation plays an integral role in the process of translation. Each week students will examine several versions of a play, novel, and/or film script (or watch them), looking at originals from the Greeks forward to see how adaptors have grappled with great works of different eras and cultures in an attempt to make them more accessible to contemporary audiences, while at the same time (in most cases) attempting to preserve something of their original context. The class will also look at theoretical models of adaptation. Ultimately, students will be asked to examine the adaptation history of a single original work in an academic essay, and will try their own hand at adaptation in presenting a treatment for a work of fiction, drama, film, or any other form, adapted from a prior work.
Learning Outcomes
Having completed this module, you should:
Understand the history of adaptation in drama and other forms.
Be able to analyse translations and adaptations
Be able to identify the rationale behind what is altered and what is kept.
Become adapters on their own.Skills
Research and analytical skills
Performance skills
Communication and speech
Interacting with others (both in interactions between performer and director, as well as performer and audience)
Technical proficiencyCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
AEL2002
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Understanding 20th Century Mexico through Art, Film and Literature
Overview
This module introduces students to key moments in Mexican history and cultural production through the study of art, film and literature.
The module will introduce students to a selection (typically three or four) of the following topics:
The Mexican Revolution
The Rights and Experiences of Indigenous Populations
1968, the Mexico Olympics, Student Movements and Tlatelolco
Migration, Border Crossing and Border Culture
The Zapatista Uprising
Mexico’s Dirty War
Mexico City becomes a mega city
Inserting women into Mexican history
NAFTA, maquiladoras and femicide
Communism, Fascism, and the Spanish Civil War exiles in Mexico
Workers’ Movements and Workers’ RightsLearning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, student should:
• Be able to demonstrate an understanding of a selection of key moments in 20th century Mexican history
• Understand how cultural production (art, film and literature) has responded to a selection of key moments in 20th century Mexican history.
• Be able to use their knowledge of the set texts to construct an argument on a given topic.
• Understand individual texts and the contexts and critical debates surrounding them.
• Have demonstrated the ability to read and understand works of fiction and academic criticism in Spanish.
• At an advanced level students should have acquired an appreciation of the complex relationships and dialogues between texts and reality.Skills
On successful completion of the course, student should be able to:
• Articulate ideas and arguments in written form using evidence from primary and secondary literature as appropriate
• Prepare presentations and handouts suitable for a specified purpose or audience
• Interpret texts in different media using appropriate critical vocabulary and terminology
• Be able to recognise and explain nuance and ambiguity in texts
• Adjust their writing style for different purposes
• At an advanced level students should be able to point out shortcomings in scholarly literature and analysis
• Read complex texts in SpanishCoursework
70%
Examination
0%
Practical
30%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA2005
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Algeria and France: Trauma, Forgetting, Re-Membering (20 credits)Algeria and France: Trauma, Forgetting, Re-Membering
Overview
Algeria was a prized French colony between 1830 and 1962. Its bloody liberation struggle from France was marked by atrocities on both sides. France’s role in such practices as torture, the enforced disappearance of Algerian nationalists, and most shockingly, in the police massacre of dozens of peaceful Algerian protesters, who were thrown into the Seine in October 1962, was for many years repressed and denied. The legacy of this conflict continues to determine relations between France and North Africa, has had a profound influence on politics and culture in contemporary France, and indeed impacts contemporary international relations more generally.
This module explores this contested, and still unprocessed, past, examining a number of films and texts that interrogate the war and its aftermath. It also introduces students to a number of significant theoretical ideas (Pierre Nora’s lieu de mémoire; Cathy Caruth’s trauma and latency; Henri Rousso’s ‘passé qui ne passe pas’; Michael Rothberg’s multidirectional memory) that help us to better understand the operation—and manipulation—of memory, the impact of trauma, and the difficulty in coming to terms, over generations, with a painful past.Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of French colonialism in general, and a more in-depth understanding of the French colonial presence in North Africa
2. Be able to analyse in detail a range of literary and cinematic works, in order to understand how the story of the Algerian war and its aftermath is presented, and to what political ends
3. Be able to engage critically and sensitively with a range of fictional materials, presented from radically different political perspectives (eg French setter/pied noir; harki, Algerian Muslim) and have reached an understanding of what this multiperspectivity brings in terms of understanding a still very unsettled narrative
4. Have understood the evolution in our understanding of this conflict, taking account of French denial of its very existence, the role that propaganda played for both sides, the significance of intergenerational memory and forgetting/repression, and the effect of the opening of the archives
5. Understand the continuing importance of this historical moment for contemporary politics
6. Demonstrate understanding of contemporary theories of memory, trauma and repressionSkills
· Close textual analysis
· Close visual analysis
· Comparative analysis
· Critical engagement
· Independent research and time managementCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH2035
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Configurations of the Brazilian City (20 credits)Configurations of the Brazilian City
Overview
Over 85% of the population of Brazil lives in cities. In this module, students will explore and engage with a diversity of Brazilian urban configurations, spanning cities of different sizes in different regions of the country (as well as, potentially, cities outside of Brazil in which Brazilian migrants have established a presence). Students will be
introduced to and learn how to analyse varied practices of the occupation and representation of Brazilian urban spaces by their inhabitants and visitors in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, which might include verticalization, auto-construction, migration, mapping, tourism, datafication, performance, events, protest, and commerce/trade, as well as different cultural forms such as film, literature, art, music, digital culture and so on. The module will also foreground diverse perspectives on the city informed by attributes such as race and ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. Previous knowledge of the Portuguese language and cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world are not required.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to: * Critically analyse a range of occupations and representations of Brazilian urban spaces informed by an awareness of their specific features as well as the historical, social, cultural, geographical, and political contexts in which they are undertaken * Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of twentieth and twenty-first century Brazilian urban configurations, grounded in an interdisciplinary approach to the topic and the ability to engage with a range of social and cultural formations * Argue at length and in detail about an aspect of the topic, supporting the argument with evidence from relevant social and cultural material and with opinions from secondary literature.
Skills
On successful completion of this module students should have demonstrated: - Interpretive and analytical skills through the critical analysis of varied examples of Brazilian urban occupations and representations - Organisational and time management skills through their use of non-contact time to effectively prepare for and meet deadlines for classes and assessments - Oral and written communication skills through participation in class discussions and completion of coursework assignments - Independent study skills through identifying and making appropriate use of relevant secondary materials - The ability to formulate independent views and their effective expression and deployment in verbal and written form - The ability to combine a variety of IT skills in researching and reporting on a topic (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Internet, etc).
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA2132
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
The Fantastic in Latin America (20 credits)The Fantastic in Latin America
Overview
Harry Belevan has written that the Fantastic mode of literature is revolutionary because it created a new type of reader, one attuned to the limits between reality and unreality in a text. With this in mind, this course begins with a reflection on the practice of close analysis in order to develop the tools of active reading that will allow a proper engagement with the rich tradition of lo fantástico in Latin America. Students will then learn how the Fantastic has been theorised by critics, before using this knowledge as a lens through which to explore a range of texts by some of Latin America’s most important cultural icons (e.g. Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortázar) and exciting new authors (e.g. Samanta Schweblin, Mariana Enriquez).
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Provide a close reading of both image and text using a range of critical terminology
• Discuss and identify the most common characteristics of the Fantastic mode in literature and film
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the work of important, 20th century Latin American artists
• Argue at length and in detail about an aspect of the topic, supporting the argument with evidence from the text and with opinions from secondary literatureSkills
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Identify own areas of strength and interest
• Closely analyse the subtleties of a written text
• Undertake independent research
• Time management and working to deadlines
• Adopt a critical approach to the selection and organisation of a large body of material in order to produce a written argument of some complexity
• Extract relevant information for presentation and discussion based activities.
• Demonstrate ability to combine a variety of IT skills in researching and reporting on a topic (Word, PowerPoint, Internet)Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA2040
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Paris, City of Modernity (20 credits)Paris, City of Modernity
Overview
As the effects of political and industrial revolution in the nineteenth century transformed Paris into one of the great metropolises of the modern world, it became identified as a place of contrasts and contradictions which challenged, fascinated and even appalled observers. This module explores representations of modern life following Haussmann’s controversial redesign of Paris in the 1850s and l860s. Focusing on the impact of a changing urban space on gender, class, politics, capitalism and social experience, we examine the multiple and shifting identities of this city of modernity in a variety of texts (both literary and non-literary), as well as the narrative techniques used to represent its material, cultural and emotional effects.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
a. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the chosen texts, including reference to their place in the historical / literary / cultural context of their time;
b. Understand better how a variety of writers integrated Paris into their writings, and how they depicted social, cultural and economic transformations;
c. Discuss, in oral and written form, the essential features of urban space and life in Paris as depicted by a number of French writers;Skills
This module will equip students with the capacity to:
a. Analyse selected target language texts, relating them to significant elements in their cultural / historical / generic context.
b. Deploy close reading skills and make meaningful contrasts and comparisons between the various texts studied.
c. Adopt a critical approach to the selection and organisation of material in order to produce, to a deadline, a written or oral argument.
d. Research, plan and present a cogent and sustained essay, in English or French, on a topic chosen from a range of options provided.
e. Demonstrate general competence in word-processing and in use of the Internet.
f. Manage their time effectively.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH2032
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
The Sociolinguistics of Modern French (20 credits)The Sociolinguistics of Modern French
Overview
This module introduces students to key concepts and topics in French sociolinguistics. It explores language variation and change in French along a number of social dimensions, including the age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status of the speaker. It will also look at the effect of situational variables such as style, register, medium and context on language use. The module will examine linguistic data on variation in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, and we will also consider some key theoretical and methodological issues which arise in the study of sociolinguistics.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, students will:
• be able to identify and explain the main dimensions of sociolinguistic variation and the ways in which these affect language use;
• be able to identify and explain the main dimensions of situational variation and the ways in which these affect language use;
• be able to assess the significance of linguistic data relating to areas of variation ;
• be able to critically assess some theoretical and methodological issues concerned with the study of sociolinguistics;
• have an understanding of some topics of language variation in French in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary;
• develop the ability to marshal large amounts of information and to construct a detailed argument;
• develop transferable skills in critical thinking, approaching the analysis of data, written and oral expression, group work, and presentation.Skills
Critical thinking; approaching the analysis of data; written and oral expression skills; group work; presentation
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH2034
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Afterlives: Rogues and Mystics of the Spanish Golden Age
Overview
Just as the 'Renaissance' sought to establish a dialogue with the classical past, artists and writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have looked to Spain's past to make sense of its present. In this Level 2 module students will explore the creative responses of new generations to the innovations of the Spanish Golden Age. Students are introduced to two key modes of expression associated with the Spanish Golden Age and go on to consider their appropriation and transformation in the modern and post-modern era. They will engage with the anonymous tale of the irresistible rogue, Lazarillo de Tormes, and explore select writings of the Spanish mystic, Santa Teresa de Ávila.
Learning Outcomes
1. To establish a familiarity with a representative selection of texts from the Spanish Golden Age to encourage sensitivity to the ways in which later writers and artists reproduce, rework, or contest these discourses and paradigms.
2.To examine critically the rich flowering of literature in Spain during the twentieth century through the study of a representative selection of literary texts by major and minor writers.
3. To consider the continued relevance of Early Modern literature and culture to later, and especially modern, cultural and intellectual concerns.
4. To promote students’ acquisition of generic skills in textual analysis as a means to support progression to study of Hispanic Studies at level three and beyond.Skills
By the end of this course students will be equipped to:
-Demonstrate an understanding of the dialogue with earlier cultural epochs which has defined twentieth and twenty-first century cultural movements in Spain
- Consider Spanish literature in this period against the backdrop of developments in European culture and history generally, and in relation to particular circumstances in Spain
-Apply knowledge of general artistic and historical trends to individual texts
-After initial input from the course tutor, apply and evaluate critical approaches to the material under analysis independently.
-Argue at length and in detail about an aspect of the topic, supporting the argument with evidence from the text and with opinions from secondary literature.
-Use a range of critical terminology, applying it to independently researched material as well as to material introduced by the course tutor
-Analyse texts in the Target language in a variety of genres and styles, showing awareness of their relation to the social, historical and generic context in which they were written, and present the results orally / in writingCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA2037
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
French Noir (20 credits)French Noir
Overview
This Level 2 module introduces French postwar Film Noir and Crime Fiction. It will contextualize this cultural production within historical circumstances and trends of the period, such as American influences on French Culture, Existentialism, 'Leftism' and 'Néo-Noir'. Aesthestics of the 'Noir' genre will be studied through a variety of Media, including Film, Novel, Comics and Posters. Among the themes discussed will feature Depiction of the City, Slang ('argot') and Modern Morals.
Learning Outcomes
Students should, after completion of this module: have acquired an awareness of the relation between commercial culture and artistic culture; have gained an understanding of the process of reception and assimilation of foreign cultural products; be able to analyse how art forms converge in a cultural phenomenon such as the 'Noir'; be able to analyse different kinds of documents and draw upon relevant primary and secondary sources in order to present structured, cohesive arguments in oral and written form; have developed transferable skills in group work, time-management and in the use of Powerpoint.
Skills
Textual analysis skills; written and oral expression skills; critical analysis.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
2
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH2030
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
- Year 3
Core Modules
International Placement: Languages Year Abroad (100 credits)International Placement: Languages Year Abroad
Overview
Students complete a work, volunteer or study placement in fulfilment of the residence abroad requirements of their Modern Languages degree.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to demonstrate:
- Advanced linguistic skills
- Enhanced cultural and intercultural awareness
- An understanding of the work environment and professional skills OR an understanding of a different university system and enhanced academic skills
- Personal development
These skills will be assessed as part of the co-requisite module, either FRH3050 or SPA3050Skills
Students undertaking the placement will develop their skills in the following areas: linguistic skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking); professional or academic skills; cultural and intercultural awareness; personal development.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
100
Module Code
MML3040
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
30 weeks
Optional Modules
Working and Studying Abroad (20 credits)Working and Studying Abroad
Overview
The project will require the student to reflect on their extended period of residence abroad and the skills acquired as a result. It will include a 2000-word essay in the target language or languages. There will also be an oral examination in the target language or languages to be completed in the first half of the first semester following re-enrolment into Level 3.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module it is intended that you will:\n\nLinguistic Skills:\ndemonstrate advanced competence in the target language in both oral and written contexts\nbe able to understand the spoken language at near-native level\nhave developed enhanced strategies for independent language acquisition\nbe able to prepare and deliver an analytical report and oral presentation in the target language\n\nAcademic/Professional Skills\nhave demonstrated an ability to adapt to a new educational/professional context\nbe able to analyse and reflect critically on these experiences, and to communicate your conclusions orally and in writing\nhave developed an awareness and understanding of the structures and ethos of an educational institution (school/university) or workplace in a foreign country, and draw comparisons with the UK/Ireland\nhave enhanced your employability profile\n\nCultural Awareness\nhave gained an enhanced understanding of the culture and society of the foreign country through the experience of living and working/studying there\nbe able to draw comparisons with those of the UK/Ireland, and reflect critically on your own culture and society
Skills
have enhanced personal skills in six key areas (self-management & development, managing tasks, communication, working with others, applying knowledge, problem solving)\nbe able to articulate these skills in such a way that you are able to maximise personal development during residence abroad for your future career
Coursework
50%
Examination
0%
Practical
50%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3050
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
30 weeks
Working and Studying Abroad (20 credits)Working and Studying Abroad
Overview
The project will require the student to reflect on their extended period of residence abroad and the skills acquired as a result. It will include a 2000-word essay in the target language or languages. There will also be an oral examination in the target language or languages to be completed in the first half of the first semester following re-enrolment into Level 3.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module it is intended that you will have developed skills in the following areas: (i) Linguistic Skills: demonstrate advanced competence in the target language in both oral and written contexts; be able to understand the spoken language at near-native level; have developed enhanced strategies for independent language acquisition; be able to prepare and deliver an analytical report and oral presentation in the target language (ii) Academic/Professional Skills: have demonstrated an ability to adapt to a new educational/professional context; be able to analyse and reflect critically on these experiences, and to communicate your conclusions orally and in writing; have developed an awareness and understanding of the structures and ethos of an educational institution (school/university) or workplace in a foreign country, and draw comparisons with the UK/Ireland; have enhanced your employability profile (iii) Cultural Awareness: have gained an enhanced understanding of the culture and society of the foreign country through the experience of living and working/studying there; be able to draw comparisons with those of the UK/Ireland, and reflect critically on your own culture and society.
Skills
At the end of the module, it is intended that you will: have enhanced personal skills in six key areas (self-management & development, managing tasks, communication, working with others, applying knowledge, problem solving); be able to articulate these skills in such a way that you are able to maximise personal development during residence abroad for your future career.
Coursework
50%
Examination
0%
Practical
50%
Stage/Level
3
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH3050
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
30 weeks
- Year 4
Core Modules
Spanish 3 (40 credits)Spanish 3
Overview
Building on skills acquired at level 2, and during residence abroad, this module aims to develop advanced competence in the target language. Linguistic, sociolinguistic and cultural awareness will be consolidated and deepened. The module will contain the following elements:
1. Text- based work in the target language (1 hour per week)
This contact hour is centred upon skills in persuasive and report writing, drawing upon a variety of contemporary source texts in Spanish, which are grouped thematically. A range of language acquisition and development methods will be employed: group discussion, reading and critical analysis, summary & paraphrase and responsive writing.
2. Translation into English (1 hour per week)
Students will build upon translation skills embedded at Levels 1 and 2 to deepen their ability to respond to a range of source text types of an advanced level of difficulty, grouped according to the course themes as for Hour 1. They will also develop editing skills and improve their expression in English.
3. Contextual study (1 hour per week)
The research led strand will introduce students to literary, cultural and historical source material from Spain and Latin America, deepening and contextualising the linguistic elements of the module by placing them in a broader socio-historical context.
4. Conversation class (1 hour per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of Spanish and complements the content of the Language Hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate, and present on the main themes of the courseLearning Outcomes
On Successful completion of the Module Students should:
1) Be able to demonstrate a high level of fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in their written and spoken Spanish, including the use of a broad variety of linguistic structures and vocabulary, congruent with carrying out activities in Spanish in a professional environment
2) Be able to deal with a broad variety of material in the target language, including material which is complex and abstract, and which involves a variety of genres, dialects and registers;
3) Be able to synthesise knowledge, identify key points, and structure and present arguments at a high level in a range of formats and registersSkills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: Advanced skills in translation and textual analysis; the ability to argue at length and in detail about a topic in both Spanish & English, lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
40
Module Code
SPA3101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
French 3 (40 credits)French 3
Overview
Building on skills acquired at level 2, this module aims to develop the skills and understanding required to deal with a broad variety of language tasks. Linguistic, sociolinguistic and cultural awareness will be consolidated and deepened. The module will contain the following elements:
1. Written Language Skills (2 hours per week) which will offer students an opportunity to enrich their linguistic skills, consolidate grammatical awareness and develop facility in handling the structures of standard, modern French, across a variety of genres, by means of practical engagement with a range of texts carefully selected for both their linguistic interest (varying in style and register) and the insights they offer into aspects of contemporary France and the Francophone world. Emphasis is placed on accuracy, fluent and idiomatic expression, and linguistic flair. A variety of language acquisition and development methods will be employed: grammar practice, editing work, essay-writing, translation into English and into French.
2. Spoken Language (1 hour per week), which will focus on aspects of contemporary France and the Francophone world, with the aim of training students to speak accurately and fluently in French, to express a range of different ideas and opinions, and to organise material logically and coherently when presenting. This component of the module includes a presentation and extended discussion.
3. Contextual Study (1hr per week). This component, which will vary across the two semesters, will deepen and contextualise the other elements of the module by placing them in a broader cultural context and will include, for example, literary texts, films, art and linguistics. A specific languages for special purposes strands equip students in law or business with skills for legal and professional contexts. This element includes an essay in the target language.Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the modules students should:
1) be able to demonstrate a high level of fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in written and oral French, including the use of a broad variety of linguistic structures and vocabulary;
2) be able to deal with a broad variety of material in the target language, including material which is complex and abstract, and which involves a variety of genres and registers; 3) be able to demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the structures of the language and their broader linguistic context and the ability to use appropriate reference works effectively;
4) be able to structure and present arguments at a high level in a range of formats and registers.Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: Communication skills; translation skills; textual analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; IT skills; presentation skills; employability skills, such as report writing and editing skills; problem solving and critical thinking.
Coursework
45%
Examination
35%
Practical
20%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
40
Module Code
FRH3101
Teaching Period
Full Year
Duration
24 weeks
Optional Modules
Home Matters: Space, Gender and Class in 19th-Century France and Belgium
Overview
This interdisciplinary course focuses on the home in literature, art and architecture in 19th-century France and Belgium. Drawing upon a series of 19th-century artworks, poetry, prose, domestic advice manuals, magazines, housing plans and other artefacts, we will question how domestic space was configured and represented.
In particular, we will consider how issues of gender and class are articulated via divisions and tensions around space. Our discussion will centre firstly on the construction of the modern city, with a particular emphasis on housing in Paris and Brussels. We will draw upon a series of 19th-century and present-day critics (eg. Duranty, Benjamin, Bachelard, Marcus, Heynen) to interrogate the relationship between the home and its inhabitant in the age of modernity. We will then apply this contextual and theoretical knowledge to a series of case studies in three distinct fields: literature, art and architecture.
In literature, we will discuss the poetry of Charles Baudelaire and Max Elskamp, together with extracts from Balzac’s novels; in art, we will consider the Impressionist paintings of Mary Cassatt, Gustave Caillebotte and Berthe Morisot and, in architecture, we will study Henry van de Velde’s own home Bloemenwerf House, a gesamtkunstwerk, which sought to exemplify artistic and social unity at the turn of the century.
Prescribed material: class dossier (available on Canvas)Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will:
1. Have acquired an in-depth understanding of the socio-political and cultural context of nineteenth-century France and Belgium.
2.Be familiar with a wide range of 19th-century texts, paintings and media.
3. Be able to engage with the work of different theorists in Art History, Literature, Cultural Studies, Material Culture and Architecture.
4. Know how to compare the works of artists, architects, designers and writers.
5. Be able to analyse works of art and literature in detail.
6.Understand the importance of interdisciplinary methodologies in learning about the past.Skills
Close textual analysis.
Close visual analysis.
Comparative analysis.
Interdisciplinary analysis.
Critical engagement.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH3037
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Afterlives of the Empire: Decolonisation in the Portuguese-speaking World
Overview
This module aims at discussing decolonisation (from political and military to cultural; from the 1970s to present day), and its effects in contemporary Portugal and in the former Portuguese colonies in Africa through a critical study of the end of the empire and its aftermath. Focusing on specific
themes and case studies, the module will enable students to become familiar with relevant postcolonial and decolonial theoretical approaches and use them in the in-depth study of different types of primary sources (e.g. film, biography, speeches, literary text, photography, posters, music). Although the detail of the programme may be subject to variation, the topics for discussion are likely to include the following: representation, self-representation, race, gender, identity, heroic reputations, citizenship and nationalism.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students should be able to: - Demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of the specific topics studied; - Employ relevant theoretical and analytical approaches to the reading of primary sources; - Demonstrate the ability to analyse primary source materials; - Discuss key topics in a critical and analytical way, and build a coherent argument, both orally and in written form; - Demonstrate the ability to work efficiently in collaboration with colleagues; - Demonstrate an ability to summarise and critically engage with scholarship on the area of study; - Identify and develop relevant topics for independent research and study, with the support of the tutor.
Skills
On successful completion of this module students should have demonstrated: - Interpretive and analytical skills through the study of postcoloniality and decoloniality in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa; - Organisational skills through their use of non-contact time to effectively prepare for classes and assessment; - Oral and written communication skills through class discussion and presentations; - Independent study skills through identifying and using relevant secondary reading material; - The ability to formulate independent views and their effective expression and deployment in verbal and written form.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3132
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
2666 by Roberto Bolaño (20 credits)2666 by Roberto Bolaño
Overview
This module gives students the opportunity to engage with one of the so-called ‘classics’ of contemporary Hispanic literature. It is hoped that reading Roberto Bolaño’s novel 2666, which extends to almost 1000 pages, will prove a challenging yet rewarding experience for final year students. The course will require students to embark on a semester long endeavour to develop a comprehensive understanding of the novel and its complexities. Students will be required to compile an annotated bibliography, consisting of 6 journal articles or chapters, in preparation for writing an essay on a question that they will set, in consultation with the lecturer, on a topic of their choosing. At least two of the texts discussed in the annotated bibliography must be written in Spanish. This module is designed to introduce students to some of the skills they would need to undertake an independent research project.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, student should:
• Be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge of the text 2666 and identify suitable evidence from the text to construct an argument on a given topic
• Understand the range of critical debates surrounding the text and use evidence from secondary literature to construct an argument
• Have an understanding of the various contexts to which the novel refers
• Have demonstrated the ability to read and understand works of fiction and academic criticism in Spanish.Skills
On successful completion of the course, student should be able to:
• Conduct a simple literature search and be familiar with resources such as JSTOR, Project Muse and SciELO
• Select the most relevant sources from a wide selection available
• Summarise and evaluate secondary academic literature with particular attention to whether it is useful in addressing a particular question
• At an advanced level students should be able to point out problems or gaps in scholarly literature and analysis
• Begin to formulate research question(s) based on reading primary and secondary literature.
• Construct an argument based around a research question
• Use evidence from primary and secondary literature to construct an argument
• Be able to acknowledge differing opinions found in secondary sources
• Interpret a literary text recognising nuance and ambiguityCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3004
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Ideologies of Death in Modern French Literature (20 credits)Ideologies of Death in Modern French Literature
Overview
Death has traditionally been one of the great taboos of Western culture. While it is often discussed euphemistically, in English and French (he is “at peace”; she has “passed away”; “elle s’est éteinte dans son sommeil”; “il nous a quittés”…), there have been signs of a recent shift in our reluctance to confront, let alone discuss, death. The popularity of the modern Death Café network demonstrates that there has been something of a cultural revolution of late in respect of our desire to explore mortality. This interdisciplinary module, drawing on important new fields of enquiry, such as death studies and medical humanities, aims to explore what modern French literature reveals to us about ideological (cultural, ethical, religious, gendered) attitudes towards death. Using podcasts and sociological writings to frame our discussions, the module will focus on what some of France’s literary masterpieces from the nineteenth century to the present day can tell us about aspects of death. Engaging with topics such as sacrifice, suffering, (assisted) suicide, accompagnement, palliative care and bereavement, the module will be an opportunity for students to think about the following questions:
• What are the ideological and aesthetic concerns linked to representations of death in French literature?
• What does French literature tell us about the idea of a ‘good death’?
• How does French literature portray grief and mourning?
• How does French literature deal with sensitive social and ethical issues surrounding end-of-life care?Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this module, students will be able to:
a. Discuss knowledgably the issues raised by representations of death in a selection of French literary texts from the nineteenth century to the present day;
b. Understand better some of the cultural, ethical and legal issues raised by literary reflections on dying and death;
c. Develop close reading skills and make meaningful contrasts and comparisons between the various texts studied;
d. Appreciate better the role of literature in providing a voice to the patient, his/her carer(s) and medical professionals at the end of life.Skills
This module will equip students with the capacity to:
a. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the chosen texts and an understanding of their significance in the broader historical / literary / cultural context in which they were produced;
b. Analyse and reflect critically on texts in the target language;
c. Argue at length and in detail in essay form about a specific topic, supporting the argument with evidence from the text and with opinions from secondary literature;
d. Use a range of literary-critical terminology, applying it to independently researched material as well as to material introduced by the course tutor;
e. Use recommended bibliographical tools and present a critical bibliography giving a balanced overview of an aspect of the subject;
f. Manage time effectively.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH3036
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
Romance and Realism in Media Cultures (20 credits)Romance and Realism in Media Cultures
Overview
This module will introduce to the art and structures of storytelling in multimedia cultural industries. It will discuss and analyse how contents are presented in various textual and media forms, from the novel to film, popular songs, TV series, news items, commercials and stand up comedy. Discourse analysis and media criticism will provide some of the tools and theoretical frames for reading the sources studied. Special attention will be paid to the challenges faced by each medium in relation to verisimilitude and how narrative codes can be used to emphasize romance or realism in order to influence the audience.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should;
Be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of discourse analysis and media criticism and will be able to apply these for both contextual analysis and textual commentary purposes in their academic and professional cursus.
Be able to operate understanding of key concepts of social, media, literary and film criticism.
Have a familiarity with French mass media discourse and icons of French culture and an ability to contextualize them within historical, political and ideological debates.
Demonstrate engagement with seminal critical texts and reflected on issues of representation and the construction of discourse/images.Skills
On successful completion of this module the students should have developed:
- Analytical skills in relation to both still and moving images and be able to draw upon relevant critical sources in order to present structured and cohesive arguments in oral and written form.
Transferable skills in group work, time management and in the use of Powerpoint.Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH3035
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
The Spanish Enlightenment (20 credits)The Spanish Enlightenment
Overview
The module looks at the literature and history of Spain between 1700 and 1814, when the war of independence finished. It concentrates especially on the reign of Carlos III, which opened the doors of the nations to modernity.
Learning Outcomes
To familarise students with the principal ideas of the enlightenment and to assess their impact on the development of Spanish history; to enable students to trace XIX and XX century cultural and political conflicts back to their XVIII century roots.
Skills
To situate literature in its historical and political context;critical reading of texts leading to a deeper understanding of literary strategy; analysis of the interplay between the history of ideas and politics.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3022
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Imperfect Heroines: Spanish Fiction in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Overview
This module will look at fictional works featuring female protagonists in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Spanish fiction, starting with the Romantic period and ending around 1975. Through studying a group of fictional works together with a selection of essays and non-fictional writing from the same authors, the module will consider how women have been portrayed as individuals and how they have been typecast. Students will gain an understanding of how these approaches were justified, how they related to other contemporary concerns and debates, and how they evolved over time, from Romanticism’s ideal woman, to the gender conventions of the Restoration, the ‘mujer nueva’ of the fin de siglo, or the ‘chica rara’ of Francoist Spain. Texts studied will be subject to availability and may include Espronceda’s El estudiante de Salamanca, Alas’s La Regenta, Pardo Bazán’s Memorias de un solterón, Chacel’s Memorias de Leticia Valle, Quiroga’s Tristura, or Martín Gaíte’s El cuarto de atrás.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
-demonstrate a broad understanding of the major developments in Spanish literature from the 1830s to the 1970s;
-demonstrate broad knowledge of the major political and social developments of this period;
-demonstrate detailed knowledge of the primary texts;
-analyse literary fiction in terms of socio-political context;
-effectively summarize and critically evaluate theoretical and abstract arguments while demonstrating an awareness of the context in which they were produced;
-identify a work of literary fiction that meets specific criteria and compile a bibliography of academic studies on that textSkills
On successful completion of this module, students should have demonstrated:
-information processing skills, through surveying, evaluating, comparing and synthesizing information from a broad range of sources relating to Spanish literary, political and social history, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries;
-the ability to present clear and convincing arguments with appropriate and cogent use of evidence from primary and secondary sources, through oral discussions in the classroom and written work submitted for formal assessment;
-independent study and research skills, by carrying out independent bibliographical searches and presenting findings in a scholarly fashionCoursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3054
Teaching Period
Autumn
Duration
12 weeks
The Structure of Modern French (20 credits)The Structure of Modern French
Overview
An exploration of the linguistic structure of contemporary French.This module will look at key elements in French syntax and lexis, notably word order, tense and aspect, as well as neologisms and borrowings. We will analyse and evaluate different theoretical approaches to problematic issues in these areas.
Learning Outcomes
To acquire a detailed critical understanding of the linguistic structure of contemporary French, particularly as regards major areas of syntax (tense, word order) and lexis (neologisms, borrowings).
Skills
Marshalling and synthesising diverse material; critical awareness; skills in written and oral expression and close textual analysis.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
FRH3015
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
Rewriting Love in the Renaissance (20 credits)Rewriting Love in the Renaissance
Overview
This course will explore the development of the amorous lyric in Golden Age Spain through the study both of major and minor writers of that period. Close readings of these poets will raise questions about poetic canons, intertextuality and the practice of imitation in the Renaissance, relations between poetry and nationality. Emphasis will be placed upon the function of classical mythology both as allusive reference highlighting individual poetic concerns and as social indicator reflecting Spain's changing perception of its place in the World.
Learning Outcomes
To familiarise students with a crucial period of Spain's cultural history, adetailed critical understanding of the work of representative poets.
Skills
Enhanced appreciation of an important literary genre of Golden Age Spain, close reading skills; the ability to relate poetic texts to a cultural context and developing tradition.
Coursework
100%
Examination
0%
Practical
0%
Stage/Level
4
Credits
20
Module Code
SPA3021
Teaching Period
Spring
Duration
12 weeks
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Entry Requirements
Entrance requirements
A level requirements Post A-level French ABB including A-level French. Note: for applicants who have not studied A-level French then AS-level French grade B would be acceptable in lieu of A-level French. Beginners Level French ABB + GCSE French grade B or evidence of linguistic ability in another language. Note: the Beginners' option is not available to those who have studied A-level or AS-level French. Post A-level Spanish ABB including A-level Spanish. Note: for applicants who have not studied A-level Spanish then AS-level Spanish grade B would be acceptable in lieu of A-level Spanish. Beginners Level Spanish ABB + GCSE Spanish grade B or evidence of linguistic ability in another language. Note: the Beginners' option is not available to those who have studied A-level or AS-level Spanish. A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level. |
Irish leaving certificate requirements H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H3 in French and Higher Level grade H3 in Spanish |
International Baccalaureate Diploma 33 points overall, including 6(French),6(Spanish),5 at Higher Level |
Graduate A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirements are also met |
Selection Criteria
In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance below on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your UCAS application.
Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
For last year's entry, applicants for this BA programme offering A-level/BTEC Level 3 qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.
For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry applicants for this degree must have had, a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.
Offers are normally be made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
Access courses, BTEC Extended Diplomas, Higher National Certificates, and Higher National Diplomas can be considered, provided the subject requirements for entry to French and Spanish are also fulfilled.
The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.
If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
- Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes
INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.
These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
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Careers
Career Prospects
Introduction
Studying for a French and Spanish degree at Queen’s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by employers (local, national and international) for their communication and critical thinking skills, and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline.
Typical careers pursued by our graduates include business, media, marketing, translation, publishing, education/teaching, translation/interpreting, PR, journalism, fast stream Civil Service, and banking.
88% of our graduates are in employment or further study within 6 months of graduation. Starting salaries are in the region of £21,800. They are employed in a range of organisations, from the BBC and UTV to the Civil Service, from the Irish News to the European Parliament, and including a very wide range of local, national and international companies.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk
Employment after the Course
Graduates in French and Spanish go on to work in a very wide range of sectors, including media and communications, advertising, journalism, tourism, civil service, teaching and translation. They are particularly in demand in careers requiring a high level of communication and presentation skills, as well as strong critical and analytical thinking.
Employment Links
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, Santander and the British Council.
Placement Employers:
Our past students have also gained work placements with organisations such as the British Council Assistantships Program and with Citibank.
Alumni Success
"The communication skills I learnt during my degree have been extremely valuable in my current position, from being able to give client presentations with confidence to editing, writing and proofreading advertisements across different media channels. The skills I developed from completing my year abroad, submitting translations and résumés, as well as presenting in three different languages throughout my degree, trained me to work effectively within the Communications industry and made me stand out as a candidate during the interview process."
Susannah who graduated in 2014 with a joint honours degree in French and Spanish, is now an Account Executive at ASG & Partners, a Communications and Advertising agency based in Belfast.
Additional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Prizes and Awards
In French, the AN Troughton Award and The Samuel and Sarah Ferguson Travel Prize recognise academic achievement at Stages 1 and 2.
In Spanish, the O’Rawe prize is awarded for excellence at Stage 2.
Students in both languages who achieve a first class mark in their final year oral examination are awarded a certificate of distinction.
The Chris Shorley Prize rewards the best performances in the French Language exam in Stage 3.
The Richard Bales Prize is awarded to the student with the highest mark in a French optional module in Stage 3.
The Xavier Giralt prize is awarded to a Stage 3 student whose performance has been deemed exceptional.
There are a number of undergraduate prizes available to top-performing students on this pathway. In addition to Foundation Scholarships recognizing outstanding achievement in Stage 1, we have a range of endowed prizes.
Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
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Entry requirements
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Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
Northern Ireland (NI) 1 | £4,710 |
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 | £4,710 |
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 | £9,250 |
EU Other 3 | £18,800 |
International | £18,800 |
1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study and will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.
Additional course costs
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library.
If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. A programme may have up to 6 modules per year, each with a recommended text.
Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a final year includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
French and Spanish costs
Students have a compulsory year abroad in year 3 of their degree. Students who undertake a period of study or work abroad are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placement.
Students should be aware that placement and internship modules do not normally involve payment or financial support from either Queen’s or the placement/internship provider.
Queen's University Belfast is committed to providing a range of international opportunities to its students during their degree programme. Details of this provision are currently being finalised and will be available from the University website once confirmed.
A limited amount of funding may be available to contribute towards these additional costs, if the placement takes place through a government student mobility scheme.
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.
International Scholarships
Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships/.
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Apply
How and when to Apply
How to Apply
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.
When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2023 from 1 September 2022.
Advisory closing date: 25 January 2023 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.
Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2023) subject to the availability of places.
Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2023. If you apply for 2023 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.
The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.
Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.
Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students
- Applying through UCAS
Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2023. - Applying direct
The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more. - Applying through agents and partners
The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.
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Fees and Funding