The BA in Modern Languages and Politics will give you the opportunity to explore the political ideas and questions that shape our globalised world. At the same time, you will develop the language skills and cultural competence that will enable you to engage with and understand other peoples and societies.
Studying for a Joint Honours degree allows you to gain an in-depth knowledge of two subjects, through first-class teaching and including a period of residence abroad.
The programme offers you a broad grounding in the academic study of politics, both domestically and globally. You will also be provided with conceptual and methodological tools to enable you to critically analyse political events and phenomena. The programme provides you with a solid grounding in the core areas of political studies, including political theory, comparative politics, international politics and British politics. In addition, you are given the opportunity to pursue more specialist modules on a broad range of crucial topics including, but not limited to: the media and democratic politics, gender, race and culture, the far right, British political parties, human rights, foreign policy, contemporary political theory, national identity, African politics, US politics and Chinese politics.
Having begun your studies with anything from beginner to post-A-level competence in, your language of choice, you will graduate with the ability to communicate and defend your views clearly in this language, either orally or in writing. In addition, you will have strong research and organisational skills and be confident working independently or in a team. You will also have a strong understanding of cultural diversity, allowing you to work effectively with people whose backgrounds differ from your own.
You will also have the opportunity to pursue study in the wider set of courses offered in your schools, including within development studies and international relations. In the third and final year, you undertake a dissertation on an in-depth and specialised topic with advice from tutors.
The programme gives you a diverse skillset, useful for career development in a broad range of fields and professions, including journalism, research, advocacy, the civil service, and roles in local and national government. Other language-based careers such as translating or interpreting or training in these, will also be open to you. What is more, this programme will help you to become a better citizen, equipping you with the skills and confidence required to successfully navigate the increasingly challenging political landscape we face.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
At Level 1, students must study 120 credits. Students must take 100 credits across their two subjects. Students are required to take 40 credits in Politics and a minimum of 60 credits in German as well as the cornerstone module MODL1100.
Students on Route A may take the remaining 20 credits as discovery modules or as further options with German.
Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL1100 | Politics, Culture and Society | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| PIED1110 | Comparative Politics | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
| PIED1601 | Freedom, Power and Resistance: An Introduction to Political Ideas | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | PFP |
Route A
Students with prior knowledge of German (B1 of the CEFR) will be required to study the following modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM1140 | Exploring German-Speaking Cultures, Histories and Societies | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| GERM1160 | Upper Intermediate German (B2) | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Route B
Students with no prior knowledge of German will be required to study the following modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM1145 | Exploring German-Speaking Cultures, Histories and Societies for Beginners | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| GERM1150 | Beginners German (A1) | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| GERM1155 | Pre-intermediate German (A2) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | PFP |
Route A
Students taking GERM1160 may take up the following optional module:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM1200 | 20th Century German History | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Route A
Students taking GERM1160 may take up to 20 credits of discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
At Level 2, students must study 120 credits. Overall, students must take at least 100 credits across their two subjects. Students are required to take 40 credits in Politics and a minimum of 40 credits in German.
Students take the remaining credits as further options from German and may take up to 20 credits of discovery modules.
Route A
Students who took GERM1010/GERM1160 in year 1 will be required to study the following modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM2010 | German Language Skills in Context | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Route B
Students who took GERM1020/GERM1150 and GERM1021/GERM1155 in year 1 will be required to study the following module:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM2020 | German Language Skills (B1/B2 of the CEFR) | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
All students are required to study a minimum of 20 credits and may study up to 60 credits of the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FILM2030 | Introduction to German Cinema | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| GERM2082 | Dealing with difficult pasts: German memory cultures | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| GERM2084 | Language, Society and Translation in the German-Speaking World | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
All students may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL2003 | Global Queer Politics and Cultures | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| MODL2006 | Social Class across Cultures | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep 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) | |
| MODL2090 | Languages in Action: from Theory to Practice | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| MODL2250 | Digital Communications Across Cultures | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Students will be required to study 40 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from Basket 1 AND Basket 2). Students can take only ONE module per Basket:
Basket 1
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED2601 | Revolution and Reaction: Political Problems in the 20th Century | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED2602 | Justice, Community and Conflict | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Basket 2
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED2161 | Media and Democracy | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED2301 | Politics and Policy in the EU | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED2455 | State and Politics in Africa | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED2463 | United States Politics | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED2721 | Approaches to Analysis | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Students may choose to take 20 credits of discovery modules.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL9500 | LCS Year Abroad | 120 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
[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 Politics.
Overall, students must take at least 100 credits across their two subjects. The remaining 20 credits may be taken as discovery modules or as further options with German.
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 Politics OR German).
Students will be required to study the following compulsory module
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERM3010 | Advanced German Language in Contemporary Discourses | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
All students will be required to study ONE of the following Final Year Project (FYP) modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODL3050 | Final Year Project | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| PIED3775 | POLIS Final Year Project | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
Students who take their FYP in German (MODL3050) are required to take 40 credits and from the following lists of optional modules (from EITHER Basket 1 OR Basket 2). Students can take only ONE module per Basket.
Students who take their FYP in Politics (PIED3775) may take up to 20 credits from the following list of optional modules (from EITHER Basket 1 OR Basket 2).
Basket 1
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED3158 | British Foreign Policy | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3171 | The Politics of national identity in the UK | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3305 | The Far Right in Europe and Beyond | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| PIED3325 | Europe in the World | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3640 | Ethics and Politics of Human Rights | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Basket 2
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIED3170 | The End of British Politics? | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3590 | The Global Politics of Climate Change | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3605 | Confronting Tyranny: Adventures in Democratic Theory | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| PIED3810 | Video Games: Politics, Society and Culture | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Students who take their FYP in Politics (PIED3775) are required to take a minimum of 20 credits and may take up to 60 credits from the following list of optional modules (from basket 3 or 4).
Students who take their FYP in German (MODL3050) may take up to 20 credits from the following list of optional modules (from basket 3 or 4).
BASKET 3: GERMAN 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) | |
| MODL3200 | Representing the Holocaust: Transgression and the Taboo | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
BASKET 4: TRANSNATIONAL CULTURE AND SOCIETY OPTIONAL MODULES:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOAH3230 | Transnational Feminism and Creative Practice | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| MODL3130 | Languages in Action: from Theory to Practice | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| MODL3410 | Contemporary World Literature | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| 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) |
Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.
Students may choose to take 20 credits of discovery modules.
Last updated: 12/05/2026 10:48:18
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