What is an MLang?

Incorrect answer above - ignore.

MLang at Southampton is what is called 'an Integrated Masters degree' - ie. it combines a 3 year undergraduate degree and a 1 year Masters degree into one 4-year degree. So you can do it straight from school - or of course you can just do the 3 year BA.
See : https://www.southampton.ac.uk/ml/undergraduate/courses/modern_languages_integrated_masters_programmes.page

This is mostly the correct answer. The MLang is an integrated masters lasting four years, but as you are probably aware, most language degrees including Southampton's BA also last four years, due to the compulsory year abroad in the third year (usually).

This is mostly the correct answer. The MLang is an integrated masters lasting four years, but as you are probably aware, most language degrees including Southampton's BA also last four years, due to the compulsory year abroad in the third year (usually).

The way Southampton gets around this is by prescribing a certain study structure on the year abroad. As you can see from the link above, you have to go to a partner university and study a combination of their modules and distance-learning Southampton modules. This is different from the normal BA year abroad structure, in which you normally have a free choice of institution and subject, and module marks don't usually count for your main degree classification. On a BA course, you'd also have the choice to work or teach instead of studying, or to split the year between two places.

So the MLang lacks some of the flexibility of BA courses, but you do get a masters degree for it. I don't know how that would compare to the usual standalone masters if you were to seek admission and funding for doctoral work after your degree, but I imagine it'd still be competitive, given that these things usually depend more on research proposals and dissertation grades anyway. So in that respect, it's a cheaper way to a masters than the normal route. From what I understand of the course (and although I am a modern languages graduate, I don't have personal experience of this option or know anyone who's taken it), it certainly seems well worthy of consideration alongside other good modern languages courses.

Incorrect answer above - ignore.

MLang at Southampton is what is called 'an Integrated Masters degree' - ie. it combines a 3 year undergraduate degree and a 1 year Masters degree into one 4-year degree. So you can do it straight from school - or of course you can just do the 3 year BA.
See : https://www.southampton.ac.uk/ml/undergraduate/courses/modern_languages_integrated_masters_programmes.page