BA Modern Languages (German and Russian)

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme in 2023/2024 or before. For students entering the programme from September 2024 or after, you can find the details of your programme:

BA Modern Languages (German and Russian)(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)

On this programme, students will become highly competent in their two chosen languages while acquiring an understanding of, analysing, interpreting and engaging with the cultures and societies where these languages are spoken.

A compulsory period of residence abroad will provide students with the unique opportunity to develop language skills in a rich and varied context of use, while engaging with other cultures and societies, thereby fostering intercultural awareness and pluricultural competence, self-reliance and flexibility.

This dual-language programme offers opportunities for students at all levels to engage with the connections and contrasts between the languages they study (e.g. through ‘MODL’ modules that span multiple language areas), enabling them to deepen their critical understanding of their chosen languages. There might also be an opportunity to take discovery modules, which include modules in an additional language for students wishing to expand their linguistic repertoire.

At Level 1, students will study core language modules that are tailored to their ability alongside modules which will introduce them to the cultures and societies of the languages they are studying. They will also receive training in crucial academic skills such as critical analysis, argumentation, research and academic writing.

At Level 2 and 3 students will continue to develop their communicative proficiency and their linguistic and intercultural awareness through core language modules. They will also choose from a range of optional modules exploring various aspects of the cultures, history, politics, and social and economic structures of the countries of the languages of study. They will analyse and critically interpret a wide diversity of cultural forms, products and practice, and will learn to mediate, analyse and compare ideas and events that cross national, cultural or linguistic boundaries.

Throughout the programme, students will develop valuable interpretative, analytical and digital skills, as well as becoming confident researchers. Students will demonstrate these qualities when they undertake a Final Year Project on a topic of their choice in one of the language subjects they study.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
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Students are required to take a minimum of 40 credits in German and a minimum of 40 credits in Russian.

The remaining 20 credits may be taken as a MODL module, which can count towards either of their two subjects (German AND Russian), a further option with German, or discovery modules.

Compulsory Modules

All students will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
GERM1010	German Language Awareness and Skills	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
GERM1140	Exploring German-Speaking Cultures, Histories and Societies	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SLAV1120	What is Russia? An Introduction to Russian Studies	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Route A (Russian)
Students entering with A level Russian or equivalent will be required to study the following module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV1101	Core Russian Language 1	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Route H (Russian)
Students entering with heritage knowledge of Russian language will be required to study the following module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV1140	Russian Language for Heritage Speakers	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Route B (Russian)
Students with no prior knowledge of Russian will be required to study the following modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV1010	Beginning Russian 1	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SLAV1020	Beginning Russian 2	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Routes A/H (Russian)
Students with prior knowledge of Russian (taking EITHER SLAV1101 OR SLAV1140) may study the following optional module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
GERM1200	20th Century German History	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

All students may take up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL1050	Introduction to Audio-Visual Culture	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1060	Language: Structure and Sound	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL1070	World Histories	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1090	Intercultural Competence: Theory and Application	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL1100	Politics, Culture and Society	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1150	Worlds of Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL1401	Discourse, Culture and Identity	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

All students may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
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Compulsory Modules

Students will be required to study the following compulsory residence abroad module.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL9500	LCS Year Abroad	120	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
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At Level 2, students must study 120 credits. Overall, students must take 100 credits across their two subjects. Students are required to take 40 credits in German and a minimum of 40 credits in Russian.

The remaining 20 credits may be taken as a MODL module, which can count towards either of their two subjects (German AND Russian), a further option with German, or discovery modules

Compulsory Modules

All students will be required to study the following compulsory module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
GERM2010	German Language Skills in Context	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

Route A/B (Russian)
Students who took SLAV1101 OR SLAV1010 and SLAV1020 in Level 1 will be required to study the following module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV2101	Core Russian Language 2	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Route H (Russian)
Students who took SLAV1140 in Level 1 will be required to study the following module: 

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV2230	Applied Russian Language for Heritage Speakers	20	Not running in 202526	PFP

All students will be required to study 20 credits and may take up to 40 credits from the following optional modules: 

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
FILM2030	Introduction to German Cinema	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
GERM2080	Translating German-Speaking Cultures: The German Language in Intercultural Relations	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
GERM2082	Dealing with difficult pasts: German memory cultures	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
GERM2083	Language and Society in the German-speaking world	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Route A/B (Russian)

Students taking SVAL2101 will be required to study a minimum of 20 credits and may take up to 40 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from Basket 1 AND Baskets 2-3). Students can take only ONE module per Basket. (Basket 2 and Basket 3 are offered in alternate years):

Route H (Russian)

Students taking SLAV2230 will be required to study a minimum of 20 credits and may take up to 40 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from EITHER Basket 2 OR Basket 3) (Basket 2 and Basket 3 are offered in alternate years):



Basket 1 (Route A/B)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV2103	Applied Russian Language 2	20	Not running in 202526

Basket 2 (Route A/B/H)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV2111	The Sounds of Russian	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SLAV2113	The Spaces of Russophone Literature	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Basket 3 (Route A/B/H)

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV2120	The Structures of Russian	20	Not running in 202526

All students may study up to 20 credits from the following list of optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL2001	Linguists into Schools	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL2003	Global Queer Politics and Cultures	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL2015	Black Europe	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL2070	Reception, Transmission and Translation: The Global Circulation of Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL2075	Global Environmental Humanities	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL2250	Digital Communications Across Cultures	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

All students may choose to take up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 4

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

At Level 3, students must study 120 credits. Students are required to take a minimum of 40 credits in German and a minimum of 40 credits in Russian. Overall, students must take 100 credits across their two subjects.

All students must take 40 credits as a Final Year Project (FYP) module, which can be taken in - and count towards - either of their two subjects (EITHER German OR Russian).

The remaining 20 credits may be taken as a MODL module, which can count towards either of their two subjects (German AND Russian), a further option with German OR Russian, or discovery modules.

Compulsory Modules

Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules: 

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
GERM3010	Advanced German Language in Contemporary Discourses	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
MODL3050	Final Year Project	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
SLAV3101	Core Russian Language 3	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

Students who take their FYP in Russian are required to take a minimum of 20 credits and may take up to 40 credits from the following list of optional modules.

Students who take their FYP in German may take up to 20 credits from the following list of optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
FILM3026	Contemporary German Cinema	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
GERM3092	Advanced Translation from German into English	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
GERM3240	Cultures of protest and resistance: challenging state and society in German-speaking cultures	20	Not running in 202526
MODL3200	Representing the Holocaust: Transgression and the Taboo	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Students who take their FYP in German are required to take a minimum of 20 credits and may take up to 40 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from Basket 1 AND Baskets 2-3). (Baskets 2 and Basket 3 are offered in alternate years).

Students who take their FYP in Russian may take up to 20 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from EITHER Basket 1 OR Baskets 2-3). (Baskets 2 and 3 are offered in alternate years). 

Basket 1

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV3114	Russian Advanced Translation	20	Not running in 202526

Basket 2

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV3117	The Sounds of Russian	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SLAV3118	The Spaces of Russophone Literature	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Basket 3

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SLAV3119	The Others of Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet Culture	20	Not running in 202526
SLAV3120	The Structures of Russian	20	Not running in 202526

All students may study 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MODL3410	Contemporary World Literature	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MODL3600	Material Cultures and Cultures of Consumption	20	Not running in 202526
MODL3610	Adventures of the Imagination: Crime and the Fantastic Across Continents	20	Not running in 202526
MODL3620	Decolonial Approaches	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL3630	Social Movements across Cultures	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL3650	Minoritised Languages, Dialects and Cultures from Past to Present	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL3800	Linguists into Schools	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Students may choose to take 20 credits of discovery modules.

Last updated: 24/07/2025 15:44:29

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