Languages topics at university

RH1990s

What topics do Language Degrees cover?

I think most of these language degrees will just focus on helping you to read, write and help in understanding the basics of the desired language.

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by laninadeidiomas

What topics do Language Degrees cover?

Usually about half the degree is language learning, and the other half will be "studies" courses relating to the target language.

For the language learning side this will usually be the core skills of reading/writing and listening/speaking, and the grammar and vocab to back those up - although the emphasis on these can vary a bit between universities and individual languages. For example I've been told that Oxford Japanese focuses a lot more on reading and writing than listening and speaking, whereas Edinburgh Japanese has more emphasis on the listening and speaking. Obviously both (and all others) would cover all areas but as noted, the exact split between how much time is spent on each can differ.

The "studies" side varies a little between universities but typically encompasses the history, culture, politics, literature, and other such matters relating to countries speaking the target language and using texts in the target language. For example Oxford emphasises literature a lot to the point that their language degrees are largely literature degrees, except the texts in question are all in the target language. Others have other emphases though - Cambridge is a little more varied in their coverage, I gather Edinburgh has a lot of history related things for their target languages, I believe UCL has a lot more sociopolitical/general "cultural" topics etc.

You'll also usually do a year abroad in a country speaking the target language - I gather this is often considered the part of the degree that develops language abilities the most, and the fastest.