This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

University Beginner's courses in languages...

Do they exist?

I know that at many places you could study all language modules as part of the optional models of you degree.

Are there any places where you can study social scienes along with a beginner's language, perhaps without a level?

Furthermore, are there any places where after doing a Law degree, or history degree of something, you could do a one year postgrad in a language to get fluency?

Thanks

Reply 1

clozet

Yep. If you have an A Level in any language then you can start any language from scratch as part of your degree. Birmingham's rather good :wink:

I don't know about other places but I'd assume most universities offer evening classes from beginners to advanced for a variety of languages for a subsidised cost so you could do a language alongside your degree should you so wish.

Reply 2

hobnob

14

hazzypants

Do they exist?

Yes. Not necessarily as part of the course but certainly through language centres. Those courses are usually only for languages for which there will be enough demand, though, i.e. French, Spanish, German, Italian, and maybe Latin, but very little else.

I know that at many places you could study all language modules as part of the optional models of you degree.

Are there any places where you can study social scienes along with a beginner's language, perhaps without a level?

Hmm, I don't think there are that many social science / languages joint courses, especially if you're hoping to learn the language ab initio... Have you tried UCAS course search and/or rummaging around the websites of universities you might be interested in yet?

Furthermore, are there any places where after doing a Law degree, or history degree of something, you could do a one year postgrad in a language to get fluency?

You may be able to find a place willing to admit you as long as you can show your undergraduate degree is in some way related (which would probably be easier with a history degree than with a law degree). I don't think you'd be able to find any MAs which are primarily about teaching people the language, though. As far as I know, language postgrad courses are all aimed at people who are fluent already and are interested in working on either the linguistics or the literature of the language(s) in question. So you'd probably be better off with a language course.

Reply 3

hazzypants

OP

16

hobnob

Hmm, I don't think there are that many social science / languages joint courses, especially if you're hoping to learn the language ab initio... Have you tried UCAS course search and/or rummaging around the websites of universities you might be interested in yet?

Could you get fluency form the added modules in your social science degree? I've looked on UCAS, nottingham and Exeter and liverpool have good programmes, but all need an A level language.

The reason I'm asking is I'm taking french a level and I'm thinking of dorpping it. For my first choice subject (medicine) i need to get ABC at AS up to AAA/AAB and would appreciate the free time. However if medicine does go to pot, i would probs reapply for a languages related degree. I'm predicted a B which is suitable for most places and got a B at AS, but everybody keeps telling me to drop it; it's common sense really as I need to work at my sciences, but yeh..... I'm hoping that maybe there is a langauge degree that might take me if I do drop!

Reply 4

hobnob

14

hazzypants

Could you get fluency form the added modules in your social science degree?

Hmm, I think it would depend on how much time you'd be willing to invest, really. I wouldn't say it isn't possible, but in practice, most people would probably end up prioritising their main subject.

The reason I'm asking is I'm taking french a level and I'm thinking of dorpping it. For my first choice subject (medicine) i need to get ABC at AS up to AAA/AAB and would appreciate the free time. However if medicine does go to pot, i would probs reapply for a languages related degree. I'm predicted a B which is suitable for most places and got a B at AS, but everybody keeps telling me to drop it; it's common sense really as I need to work at my sciences, but yeh..... I'm hoping that maybe there is a langauge degree that might take me if I do drop!

Can you do medicine without having a biology A-level? I always thought that was a basic requirement for pretty much all courses. :confused:

Since you'd have to reapply to do languages anyway, though, would it be possible for you to drop French now and then do the A2 (and possibly an AS-level in a second language) if it turns out you have to take a gap year because you didn't get a place for medicine?

OP

hobnob

Hmm, I think it would depend on how much time you'd be willing to invest, really. I wouldn't say it isn't possible, but in practice, most people would probably end up prioritising their main subject.

Can you do medicine without having a biology A-level? I always thought that was a basic requirement for pretty much all courses. :confused:

Since you'd have to reapply to do languages anyway, though, would it be possible for you to drop French now and then do the A2 (and possibly an AS-level in a second language) if it turns out you have to take a gap year because you didn't get a place for medicine?

For medicine about 12 unis don't need biology past GCSE at all. Only chemistry + bio/maths/physics.

In my gap year I hope to go and work somewhere where i can learn languages, ie a campsite in france, or school in africa or something.

What I think I'm guna have to do, is carry on french A level for now, if it all gets too much I can drop it later on during the year.

Reply 7

arturo291

Reading Uni has the IWLP, which caters for most skill levels through a variety of languages (including Japanese, Chinese and Arabic). I'm studying Law here, and will soon be taking up Japanese as a module within my degree.

Reply 8

hobnob

14

hazzypants

For medicine about 12 unis don't need biology past GCSE at all. Only chemistry + bio/maths/physics.

Ah, OK. Didn't realise that. :smile:

In my gap year I hope to go and work somewhere where i can learn languages, ie a campsite in france, or school in africa or something.

That's good, but a full French A-level would probably still help more with a language application than work-experience in a French-speaking country, simply because it's a formal qualification.

What I think I'm guna have to do, is carry on french A level for now, if it all gets too much I can drop it later on during the year.

That's always another option, of course - just make sure that if you decide to do this, you drop French in time and not when it's already too late and your other subjects have suffered...

Reply 9

emmielociraptor

10

I'm a Birmingham Uni NatSci student and I'm studying Ab Initio German as my minor subject :smile:

You can do open access courses as well for a reasonable fee if you either don't want to include it as part of your degree or you already have 120 credits.

Reply 10

clozet

^^ yeah birmingham offers virtually any combo with a language. Also, i think they encourage med students to do a language alongside, through the centre for modern languages. there's a special bit on the cml website for med students anyway!

University Beginner's courses in languages...

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you