BA Modern Languages and International Relations (Portuguese)

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The BA in Modern Languages and International Relations will give you the opportunity to understand how states interact and co-operate in an increasingly globalised and interdependent world. At the same time, you will develop the language skills and cultural competence that will enable you to engage with and understand the interaction between different 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.

This particular programme offers you the chance to learn about how states interact with each other, as well as the impacts and contributions of organisations such as the UN. You will combine core modules on key topics such as security and the concepts, theories and research methods of international relations with a range of optional modules. You can explore topics that interest them, from the politics of aid to the complexities of Middle Eastern politics and the rise of extreme right parties in Europe. This will be complemented by the study of a cultural and linguistic context outside the United Kingdom. You will gain an additional perspective on the United Kingdom’s position on the world stage by both the academic study of another culture and by the experience of living and working/studying elsewhere. This will enrich your understanding of the global context.

Having begun your studies with anything from beginner to post-A-level competence in their language of choice, you will graduate with the ability to communicate and defend their 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. 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.

Year 1

[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 International Relations (IR) and a minimum of 40 credits in Portuguese as well as the cornerstone module MODL1100.

Students on Route A must take the remaining 20 credits as discovery modules.

Compulsory Modules

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
PIED1511	International Politics	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)	PFP
SPPO1035	Introduction to Brazil, Portugal and Portuguese Speaking Africa	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Route A
Students with prior language competence in Portuguese (A2 level of the CEFR) will be required to study the
following optional module:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SPPO1240	Lower Intermediate Portuguese (A2+ B1)	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

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

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SPPO1230	Beginners Portuguese (A1)	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SPPO1235	Pre-intermediate Portuguese (A2)	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP

Discovery Modules

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

Route A
Students with prior language competence in Portuguese (taking SPPO1240) will be required to study 20 credits of discovery modules.

Year 2

[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 IR and a minimum of 40 credits in Portuguese.

Students take the remaining credits as further options from Portuguese and may take up to 20 credits as discovery modules.

Compulsory Modules

Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules: 

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
PIED2501	Theories of International Relations	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)	PFP
PIED2559	Global Security Challenges	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)	PFP
SPPO2090	Portuguese Language Skills	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
SPPO2412	Culture and Society in the Portuguese-Speaking World	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Students may study up to 40 credits from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
FILM2020	From Brazil to Africa: World Cinemas in Portuguese	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
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.

Discovery Modules

Students may choose to take 20 credits of discovery modules.  

Year 3

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

Compulsory Modules

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

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 Portuguese and a minimum of 40 credits in IR. 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 Portuguese.

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 IR OR Portuguese).

Compulsory Modules

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

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SPPO3110	Advanced Portuguese Language	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP

Optional Modules

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 Portuguese (MODL3050) are required to take 40 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from Basket 1 and Basket 2). Students can take only ONE module per Basket:

Students who take their FYP in International Relations (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)
PIED3343	Gender, Violence and Security	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PIED3402	American Foreign Policy	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PIED3565	Terrorism: Concepts, Debates, Cases	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
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 IR (PIED377550) are required to take 20 credits and may take up to 60 credits from the following lists of optional modules (from Basket 3 or Basket 4). Students can take only ONE module per Basket.

Students who take their FYP in Portuguese (MODL3050) may take 20 credits from the following optional modules (from Basket 3 or Basket 4):

BASKET 3: PORTUGUESE OPTIONAL MODULE

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
SPPO3720	Urban Cultures of the Portuguese-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.

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)
MODL3200	Representing the Holocaust: Transgression and the Taboo	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
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.

Discovery Modules

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

Last updated: 12/05/2026 10:59:32

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team