Modern Languages with Translation (with Foundation Year)

BA (Hons)

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UCAS code: Q15F

Start dates: September 2025 / September 2026

Full time: 4 Years, or 5 if a work placement is chosen

Part time: Up to 11 years

Location: Headington

School(s): School of Education, Humanities and Languages

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Overview

Languages open doors to global careers, and our Modern Languages with Translation degree is designed for all learners, whether you’re starting from scratch or building on existing skills.

The foundation year gives you the academic skills needed for degree-level study while exploring big questions in humanities, such as global identities and cultural influences. You’ll develop research and communication skills before progressing to your language studies.

In the degree, beginners can achieve fluency in French, Japanese, or Spanish, while intermediate learners can advance to C1 level in French, or Spanish. Alongside language proficiency, you'll gain translation expertise and explore cultural perspectives valued by employers worldwide.

With options to study abroad or complete your degree in three years, this course offers flexibility, academic depth, and real-world application, preparing you for an international career.

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Students working together in the library at Oxford Brookes University

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Learn a modern language from scratch

    You can start our programme with no previous knowledge and work up to being fluent. Or you can advance your language skills if you join us at intermediate level.

  • Gain the knowledge to live like a local

    You’ll understand the culture, the humour and feel confident to live, work and study across the world.

  • Stand out from the crowd

    Compete in the competitive international market with your exceptional language skills.

  • Perfect preparation

    Build essential study skills with an integrated foundation year. Gain academic confidence, improve critical thinking, and strengthen subject knowledge for your degree journey.

  • Supportive environment

    We’re a tight-knit language department and we’ll get to know you as an individual. Tutors are on hand to support all aspects of your development, from academic research to career preparation.

  • Study abroad

    You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Most exchanges take place in the second year. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.

Course details

Course structure

Languages shape how we understand the world and connect across cultures. In your foundation year, you’ll study a foundation in humanities, building confidence and essential academic skills.

In your first degree year, you’ll begin to develop your practical language and translation skills while exploring intercultural communication. We’ll introduce a range of themes to help you understand the global context of language learning and translation.

As you progress, you’ll choose from optional modules in areas like Business, Education, International Relations, and Politics—tailoring your degree to suit your interests and career ambitions.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools like Wordfast, courtesy of Wordfast LLC and Yves Champollion. In your final year, you’ll complete a substantial independent project, exploring an area of translation or language study that excites you.

Student group work

Learning and teaching

Year 1

In your first year, you will either choose one language to learn as a beginner:

  • Japanese
  • Spanish.

Or, if you have previous language study, you can choose two languages in your first year from:

  • French
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Spanish.

Year 2

In year 2, you will have the chance to take part in our international collaborative online learning - Virtual Exchange Britain Algeria (VEBA). This project aims to develop your ability and confidence to work in all disciplines.

Year 3 (optional placement year)

In your third year you will have the opportunity to study abroad at a partner university or undertake a work placement. You'll develop your vocational practice and cultural experience in a professional setting in the UK or abroad, depending on your language skills and programme of study.

Year 3 (4 with a placement year)

You will study 4 compulsory modules and 4 optional modules. 

Assessment

Your continuous assessment will take the form of methods that include:

  • Essays
  • In class tests
  • Oral presentations
  • Module examinations.

Our expectation on the course is that you will progress through the course developing your language skills and you will graduate with a C1 Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level of proficiency in your primary language.

Study modules

Teaching for this course takes place face to face and you can expect around 9 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.

Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.

Foundation Year

Compulsory modules

  • Being Human: Love, Sex and Death

    Love, sex and death - how do these make us human? In this module, you’ll gain core analytical skills, key to studying Humanities at university, as you explore human bodies and emotions through time. 

    You’ll understand the ideas, practices and experiences that we have around bodies and feelings. You’ll also explore how bodies and emotions are shaped by: 

    You’ll analyse texts, images and artefacts to understand the core role of human emotions and bodies in our world. 

    • politics
    • religion
    • science
    • medicine
    • literary and artistic fashion.
  • Cultural Moments

    How do genres - styles or categories of literature - grow from major events in history and culture? In this module, you’ll explore how drama and literary studies relate to genre. You’ll get to grips with genres as categories that have evolved historically to become key influences on culture, taste and fashion. You’ll investigate real life cases of key movements across a range of disciplines. You’ll also consider how art responds to life and life to art.

  • Language, Vision and Representation

    In this module, you’ll learn about basic theories of meaning-making. You’ll begin to undertake a critical analysis of systems of representation - which could be spoken or written language, and virtual or physical texts. You’ll come to understand how meaning is made, but also challenged, through acts of interpretation which often we’re not conscious of making. You’ll also be encouraged to reflect on your own role in producing ‘meanings’. 

  • Nation and Identity

    What is a nation? Do nations develop through shared language or the history of a people? Are they about laws and governance, or habits and customs? In this module, you’ll get to grips with core themes from Humanities subjects, including: 

    You’ll develop a strong understanding of the concepts of a nation (including elements such as borders and national identity) and its challenges.

    • Philosophy
    • Religious Studies
    • History
    • English Literature 
    • English Language.
  • Research Project

    This module gives you the chance to do independent research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll gain the key skills you need to succeed as a university student, as you create, manage and complete your own research project. You’ll have one-to-one guidance from an expert academic supervisor in your chosen subject area who will support you to shape your research from your initial ideas through to your completed project. 

  • The Reflective Learner

    Do you dream of studying a Humanities subject at university? In this module, you’ll gain the core skills and strategies you need to succeed as a university student. You’ll build up knowledge of each of the subjects within our Foundation in Humanities course and learn how to turn critical reading into clear and successful undergraduate assignments. You’ll also learn effective study strategies, including: 

    • learning from lecture content 
    • taking part in seminars 
    • working and studying in groups.

Optional modules

  • Creating Criminology 2

    On this module, you'll build your sense of a criminology community. Through collaborating and planning a criminology newsletter. Helping you take ownership of your criminology studies.

    You'll build on the skills and knowledge you gained on Creating Criminology (1) where you interacted with guest speakers from careers and with recent alumni. You'll get to use alumni as interviewees for your Criminology newsletter. You'll also engage with discussions for your future after university, and where you can make a positive impact with your Criminology degree.

  • Customs, Icons and Symbols

    Explore the study and understanding of Culture and Society by looking at relevant Customs, Icons and Symbols with a particular emphasis on communicative practice of reading and written language in contexts.

  • Development Studies

    This is your opportunity to explore some of the key issues (e.g.urbanisation, poverty and social exclusion, environmental concerns and gender issues) within the field of Development Studies. You’ll also look at the factors causing poverty in countries defined as less developed. 

    Exploring the fundamentals of how sociology, human geography and economics interact in the process of development. You’ll study key topics that will teach you to draw on your own knowledge and experience where possible to evaluate the policies in pursuit of development, and to address the problems faced by least developed countries. You’ll build your skills in identifying and reflecting on some of the key social, economic and environmental issues that challenge sustainable development.

  • French Beginners 2

    As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of French, you’ll develop stronger skills in French speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in French, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between France and other countries. 

  • Global Issues

    What is ‘global politics’? What do we mean by ‘international relations’? and how do our personal values affect our understanding of politics and historical events? In this module you’ll explore the global challenges we face, and how they are understood by different groups. You’ll examine issues like power structures and global conflict and  come to understand how these issues impact societies and the environment we live in.

  • Modern British Art

    In this module, you’ll dive into art and artists through the century - from the Camden Town Group, to Modernists like Barbara Hepworth and Pop Artists like Peter Blake. You’ll examine paintings, sculptures and films as you discuss how British artists tried to create modern forms of expression. You’ll also investigate the ways they promoted their work, like:

    • exhibitions
    • manifestos
    • books
    • little magazines.

    You’ll enjoy on-site visits, where you’ll examine works of art firsthand. You’ll also attend exciting lectures and seminars where you’ll explore your ideas and enrich your understanding of modern British art.

  • Origins of the Climate Crisis: A Global History of the Environment

    You will engage with the ways in which the environment and the climate have changed over the past six centuries. Looking at:

    • sustainability
    • climate change
    • conservation.

    Which are pressing issues with a rich and compelling history. You will investigate environmental changes and how they were contested and experienced at communal, national and international levels. You'll think about the political, economic, social and cultural contexts of resource management, energy use and food production. Including a focus on future policy solutions.

  • Political Philosophy

    How is political opinion, authority and democracy shaped and influenced? In this module, you’ll explore foundational issues in political philosophy through exploring the main political ideologies.

    You’ll start your journey with Liberalism as the default position in the West since the English, American and French Revolutions. Your focus then shifts to the ideologies that arose in response to Liberalism, including:

    • Conservatism
    • Communism
    • Fascism
    • Communitarianism
    • Anarchism
    • and Feminism. 

    You’ll also consider questions linked to the theory of knowledge, such as can any ideology be rationally justified?

  • Spanish Beginners 2

    As someone with a beginner’s knowledge of Spanish, you’ll develop stronger skills in Spanish speaking and writing, translating and interpreting. You’ll be able to express yourself effectively in Spanish, and gain a critical sensitivity to the intercultural differences between Spain and other countries.

  • Young Children's Outdoor Learning

    You’ll explore how young children learn through play. You’ll also discover how adults plan exploration and play for children in outdoors environments. You’ll get to grips with two key areas: 

    • maintaining good provisions and interactions in an early years outdoors area
    • teaching and learning through the Forest School approach. 

    You’ll look at how children and adults interact in a variety of situations. You’ll also gain core knowledge of health and safety training, as you study issues such as: 

    • children as risk-takers
    • off-site travel
    • maintaining a safe environment.

    You’ll develop core analytical skills as you explore how research and government policy affect children’s outdoor learning. 

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Culture, Identity & Society

    In this module, you’ll gain core analytical skills for your degree as you explore the intercultural differences between societies and expressions of identity. You’ll also enhance your communication skills, which are essential for any future career.

  • Understanding Languages and Translation

    In this module, you’ll get to grips with language and how to study it. You’ll look at language as a system, and how we use it in different instances of communication. You’ll understand language and its associated terms and definitions. You’ll gain core linguistic skills as you explore linguistic analysis in:

    • sound (phonetics and phonology)
    • language as meaning (semantics)
    • language as structure (syntax).

    You’ll gain a strong grounding in these concepts by studying instances of written and spoken language. You’ll develop valuable insights into language and its systems and uses. 

  • Language Study

    You can choose to study one or more languages, from Beginners (French, Spanish, or Japanese) and/or Intermediate (French or Spanish).

Optional modules

  • Placement 1: Understanding Education

    This is your chance to work in the community and learn about education in real-life situations. The goal is to give you a wide range of experiences and show you that education also happens away from the school environment. You'll also discuss important things like:

    • keeping people safe
    • being fair and inclusive
    • and doing the right thing. 

    You'll have the choice to pick a place locally that interests you, and we'll help you arrange your experience there.

  • Foundations of Marketing

    In this module, you’ll dive into core marketing principles. You’ll develop a strong knowledge of key marketing content, and how it applies to business environments large and small. You’ll gain a firm grounding in different marketing concepts, ensuring that you succeed in your level 5 marketing modules.

  • Global Challenges in International Relations

    In this module, you’ll explore the major issues in current world politics.

    In Part 1, you’ll investigate the key figures, structures and processes in world politics. You’ll look at some core themes, including:

    • international states
    • multinational societies
    • the worldwide political economy
    • international organisations and institutions
    • figures with worldwide, multinational impact.

    You’ll also analyse concepts such as:

    • anarchy
    • order
    • sovereignty
    • conflict and cooperation among states, and non-state figures.

     In Part 2, you’ll investigate the chronic issues of world politics, including:

    • gender
    • migration
    • human rights
    • humanitarian intervention
    • energy resources and the environment
    • development, inequality and poverty.

    We’ll explore how different nations manage these issues and what this tells us about international governance.

  • Politics in Comparative Perspective

    In this module, you’ll investigate politics, and the struggle for power, across the nations. You’ll have a clear introduction to how and why political systems differ in our world today. You’ll examine case studies from a wide range of states, and gain a strong insight into how different regimes function – from the democratic to the totalitarian.

  • Customs, Icons and Symbols

    Explore the study and understanding of Culture and Society by looking at relevant Customs, Icons and Symbols with a particular emphasis on communicative practice of reading and written language in contexts.

Year 2

Compulsory modules

  • Cultural Competence for the World of Work

    This module provides an introduction to organisations, their structure and culture, and the behaviour of individuals and groups within them. This module incorporates elements which will enable you to understand your personal tendencies and will significantly contribute to your further professional success.

  • Translation as Intercultural Communication

    You will engage with key models and concepts that form the field of intercultural communication. This will help you as a basis for the analysis of practical examples taken from a variety of texts. Which will be in your main languages of study, including audio-visual support.

    You will learn to detect intercultural components in the source text. Translating the text in respect of the target cultural and linguistic conventions. Building your linguistic and intercultural skills

    Working with different language combinations will show the importance of intercultural communication skills. Within a multilingual environment, and in the role of the translator as a cultural mediator.

  • Language Study

    Continue to improve your language skills in your chosen language/s as a beginner or as an intermediate entry language student.

Optional modules

  • Language Study Option

    Continue your study of a second language.

  • Marketing Management

    In this module, you’ll gain fantastic project management skills for your career, as you develop and construct your own marketing plan. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of marketing planning, and how to create effective strategies and groundbreaking products through this. You’ll deepen your knowledge of marketing, as you get to grips with core concepts of marketing management. You’ll understand how different elements of marketing integrate, and how we can use these to succeed over competitors in the business world. 

  • English Language Teaching to Adults

    Do you dream of working as an English language teacher? Do you want to help adult learners grasp the English language? In this module, you’ll get to grips with English language teaching. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of teaching English, and essential skills in effective language teaching. You’ll also develop key practical skills for teaching English to adult learners. If you take this course, you’ll be able to apply to British Study Centres Oxford to complete your teaching practice, and acquire a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). This is recognised by Cambridge Assessment as a pre-service training qualification.

  • Language, Culture and Globalisation

    In this module, you’ll explore the relationship between language, culture and globalisation. You’ll gain key analytical skills as you observe how language operates in local and global contexts. You’ll look at language through a sociolinguistic approach - considering the relationship between language and society and how they affect each other. You’ll explore how English rose to become an international language, spoken in countries all over the world. You’ll explore a range of topics, including: 

    • language and gender
    • language and politics
    • language and standardisation 
    • globalisation discourses
    • linguistic imperialism (when we impose our language on speakers of another language).
  • Borders & Solidarities in World Politics

    How do we govern the world, when it’s no longer dominated by states and national governments? How do different types of migration shape the movement of people across the world? In this module, you’ll get to grips with a key part of international relations - borders and solidarities (groups with a common identity or interest). You’ll explore the various forms of borders and solidarities, including:

    • movements across national boundaries 
    • regional organisations
    • trade agreements.

    You’ll link them to key forces and events, such as: 

    • NGOs
    • corporations
    • colonisation
    • refugee movements
    • the migrant ‘crisis’.

    You’ll gain valuable practical and professional knowledge, as you explore major issues today, and how global governance or migration shape our lives. 

  • State and Society: Europe and the United States

    In this module, you can investigate the politics of either Europe or the USA, subject to student numbers and staff availability. 

    In the European strand, you’ll explore themes of democracy and citizenship. You’ll look closely at what democracy and citizenship might mean to people living in the UK, France, Germany and in Europe’s post-communist countries. You’ll also look at the future of European states and societies, and how they can adapt to challenges such as migration.

    In the American strand, you’ll focus on governmental and political institutions. You’ll also explore explosive issues in American politics, including religion, race and capital punishment.

  • Independent Study in Modern Languages with Translation

    This module gives you the chance to study a topic that interests you in Modern Languages with Translation. You’ll work independently, with the support of our expert academic team, and will carry out work on a small project of your choosing. You’ll gain core skills for work, including in:

    • enquiry
    • research 
    • analysis 
    • evaluation.

Optional Year Abroad

Optional modules

  • Year Abroad

    This module offers the opportunity to study abroad, experience a new culture, and apply your skills in different contexts to enhance your employability. It will help you develop self-management, cross-cultural communication, and interpersonal skills.

    You’ll receive support to secure a place at a partner institution abroad, where you can choose modules related to your degree or explore new areas that complement your studies.

    Studying at an international university will help you enhance your interpersonal skills through cross-cultural communication with students and tutors, allowing you to build lasting relationships. You'll also improve your study skills by focusing on your chosen areas of interest, gaining valuable international experience that will strengthen your CV.

    This year abroad module lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of study, once you’ve completed all your level 5 studies. Your year abroad is not credit-bearing.

Final Year

Compulsory modules

  • Researching Cross-Cultural Experiences

    In this module, you’ll collect, analyse and present primary data of cultural aspects that interest you, using methodological approaches and techniques that best fit your research. You’ll gain core critical skills for your final year, as you analyse your data and the data-collection process, as well as the wider cross-cultural experiences of individuals, groups and communities, either in the UK or abroad. You’ll also present the outcomes of your independent research at an academic conference, giving you vital skills for your future career.

  • Translating Culture - Word and Image

    On this module you'll have the the opportunity to:

    • Improve your knowledge and competence in cross-cultural communications
    • Explore challenges posed by visual culture; its translation and adaptation
    • Understand the main translation strategies available for types of material in context
    • Expand your cultural and/or linguistic understanding of the cultures of your chosen language
    • Engage with a broad variety of materials from the target culture in its visual and written forms
    • Advance and develop your presentation skills
    • Improve and progress your ability to work well and collaborate as part of a team
    • Undertake extensive research on material from the visual culture of your target language.

    Examples of explored themes can include translation of cultural references. Such as:

    • humour, of visual elements such as emoji 
    • censorship 
    • ideology
    • translation/adaptation of pragmatic aspects such as register, politeness etc.
  • Language Study

    Continue to progress your language skills in your chosen language/s as a beginner or as an intermediate entry language student.

Optional modules

  • Advanced Translation Skills

    For this advanced module, you need a very high linguistic competence in French or Spanish. You’ll translate texts from the target language into English. We’ll cover a broad span of texts, contexts, styles and registers, including newspapers, literary texts and blogs. You’ll enhance your ability to translate texts creatively and precisely, following parameters of

    • register
    • style
    • purpose
    • audience
    • meaning.
  • Language Study Option

    Continue further with your study of a second language.

  • International Marketing

    How can a powerful marketing strategy put international businesses at the forefront of the corporate world? How can marketing help businesses sustain their competitive edge? In this module, you’ll explore and build on the concepts you learned in your level 5 marketing modules. You’ll apply marketing theory to real-life business situations, allowing you to analyse the most successful factors in the international marketing context. You’ll pick up the ethics, professionalism and social responsibility to succeed in the international marketing world. 

  • Tandem Language Learning

    In this module, you’ll build fantastic teamwork skills for your career, and accelerate your knowledge of the Japanese language. You’ll come together as a mixture of native Japanese and English speakers, and work in groups to improve your language skills, and learn more about each other’s cultures. You’ll increase your skills in oral communication, allowing you to speak in Japanese on topics from culture and politics, to life in the UK or Japan. You’ll gain critical knowledge of your own language development as you set goals to improve your language skills, and support each-other as students.

  • The politics of public space: The EU and Russia

    In this module, you’ll develop key critical skills as you explore the democratic challenges facing Russia and the EU. Both are currently facing enormous social, political and economic transformation.You’ll gain a strong grounding in the key issues of diverse, multi-ethnic states and multinational organizations. You’ll look at core themes, such as:

    • the role of the media,
    • the role of civil society and political institutions
    • in identity, and the formation of states. 

    In this module, you can choose to study Russia or the EU. You’ll take either Democratic Challenges in Contemporary Russia: State and Society, or Democratic Challenges in the European Union: Integration and Disintegration, depending on staff and student availability. 

  • Violence, Militarism and Terrorism

    How does violence occur in different societies? How do people’s ideas of violence affect their cultures? In this module, you’ll look at how states manage violence such as terrorism. You’ll also consider how social norms and military values of violence shape our lives. You can choose to specialise in terrorism or counter-terrorism, or critical militarism studies. 

  • Independent Study Module

    This module gives you the chance to study a topic in depth or take a work based project that interests you. You’ll work independently, with the support of our expert academic team, and will carry out work on a small project of your choosing. You’ll gain core skills for the future, that include:

    • enquiry
    • research 
    • analysis 
    • evaluation.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Careers

You’ll graduate with a unique combination of skills that are prized by international employers.

You’ll have highly developed language skills - and you’ll competently speak two languages or more. Your advanced intercultural awareness will equip you for any transnational workplace. You’ll have a professional specialism relevant to major international careers. And you’ll have credible work experience on your CV.

Graduates from our language programmes have progressed into fields such as:

  • media and journalism
  • tourism and travel
  • publishing
  • NGOs and international development
  • governmental and diplomatic posts
  • teaching 
  • banking and insurance.

Entry requirements

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 48

A Level: DD

IB Points: 24

BTEC: PPP or MP

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£5,760 (Foundation); £9,535 (Degree)

Home (UK) part time
£720 per single module (Foundation); £1,190 per single module (Degree)

International full time
£16,750

Home (UK) full time
£5,760 (Foundation); £9,535 (Degree)*

Home (UK) part time
£720 per single module (Foundation); £1,190 per single module (Degree)*

International full time
£17,250

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£5,760 (Foundation); £9,535 (Degree)

Home (UK) part time
£720 per single module (Foundation); £1,190 per single module (Degree)

International full time
£16,750

2026 / 27
Home (UK) full time
£5,760 (Foundation); £9,535 (Degree)*

Home (UK) part time
£720 per single module (Foundation); £1,190 per single module (Degree)*

International full time
£17,250

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

*Tuition fee level for 2025-26. Tuition fees for home undergraduate students in 2026-27 will be confirmed by the Government later in 2025 and will be updated on our website as soon as the information becomes available.

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

For further information please see our 2025-26 tuition fees FAQs.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

Part-time study

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.