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St Salvators Quad, University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews

Studying at St Andrews

Hi,

I was wondering if any St Andrews current or former Modern Languages students could help me out?

I currently study French and Spanish at A-level (I live in England) and at St Andrews I'd like to study those two but also an additional language from beginner's level, German. Is this possible? If so, what are the grade requirements and is it fun?
(edited 1 year ago)
Are you talking about double degree majoring in two languages?
St Salvators Quad, University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
Reply 2
No, the triple honours degree with the study of French, German and Spanish.
Original post by Anonymous
Are you talking about double degree majoring in two languages?
Original post by erinj0
No, the triple honours degree with the study of French, German and Spanish.


I hope more St Andies can see your post and offer genuine advice
Original post by erinj0
Hi,

I was wondering if any St Andrews current or former Modern Languages students could help me out?

I currently study French and Spanish at A-level (I live in England) and at St Andrews I'd like to study those two but also an additional language from beginner's level, German. Is this possible? If so, what are the grade boundaries and is it fun?


Triple honours are absolutely possible, life of languages belongs to some FH I can’t remember who I think maybe @artful_lounger
Original post by _Rusty_
Triple honours are absolutely possible, life of languages belongs to some FH I can’t remember who I think maybe @artful_lounger

Thanks for the tag, I have been/will be doing ancient languages though which is a little different to modern languages in some respects, although I know a little about it from others who have done modern languages degrees :smile:

Original post by erinj0
Hi,

I was wondering if any St Andrews current or former Modern Languages students could help me out?

I currently study French and Spanish at A-level (I live in England) and at St Andrews I'd like to study those two but also an additional language from beginner's level, German. Is this possible? If so, what are the grade boundaries and is it fun?


I believe it is possible to do three languages at St Andrews, and it's not uncommon across the UK generally, if two are post A-level languages. It's usually just that you can't do more than one ab initio language (as they are normally taught more intensively and also I guess there might be a concern you wouldn't reach a high enough level of proficiency in all your languages that way).

@Quick-use did do initially three languages at Edinburgh, one ab initio and two post-qualification, although I think in the end he dropped Spanish and focused on the other two (mainly on Japanese which was his ab initio language). So it's definitely possible in theory! However I imagine it's a lot of work, especially if one is less/not related to the other two, as in the case of Japanese for him, and to a much lesser extent German for you (you might find another Romance language like Italian or Portuguese easier to pick up for example, although German is an IE language at least so shares some features, although French is very analytic like English I gather outside of pronouns maybe, I think Spanish is at least slightly synthetic like German).

Not sure what you mean by grade boundaries - if you mean how you'll be marked at uni then that's individual to each uni. If you mean entry criteria then it should be listed on their webpages.
Reply 6
ahhh sorry I meant grade requirements but I have found them now! thanks for the advice :smile:
Original post by artful_lounger
Thanks for the tag, I have been/will be doing ancient languages though which is a little different to modern languages in some respects, although I know a little about it from others who have done modern languages degrees :smile:



I believe it is possible to do three languages at St Andrews, and it's not uncommon across the UK generally, if two are post A-level languages. It's usually just that you can't do more than one ab initio language (as they are normally taught more intensively and also I guess there might be a concern you wouldn't reach a high enough level of proficiency in all your languages that way).

@Quick-use did do initially three languages at Edinburgh, one ab initio and two post-qualification, although I think in the end he dropped Spanish and focused on the other two (mainly on Japanese which was his ab initio language). So it's definitely possible in theory! However I imagine it's a lot of work, especially if one is less/not related to the other two, as in the case of Japanese for him, and to a much lesser extent German for you (you might find another Romance language like Italian or Portuguese easier to pick up for example, although German is an IE language at least so shares some features, although French is very analytic like English I gather outside of pronouns maybe, I think Spanish is at least slightly synthetic like German).

Not sure what you mean by grade boundaries - if you mean how you'll be marked at uni then that's individual to each uni. If you mean entry criteria then it should be listed on their webpages.
Original post by artful_lounger
Thanks for the tag, I have been/will be doing ancient languages though which is a little different to modern languages in some respects, although I know a little about it from others who have done modern languages degrees :smile:


You were the closest person I could think of. Thanks for replying anyways:biggrin:
Original post by _Rusty_
You were the closest person I could think of. Thanks for replying anyways:biggrin:


NP, I don't know how many other FHs we have focusing on modern languages either, the only person I can think of offhand is @Snufkin :smile:
Original post by artful_lounger
NP, I don't know how many other FHs we have focusing on modern languages either, the only person I can think of offhand is @Snufkin :smile:

No neither do I, that’s the main reason I created that thread:biggrin:

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