Leicester, University of, BA (Hons), Modern Language Studies

Year 1: special attention is paid to living, contemporary language, both written and spoken; beginners in German, Italian or Spanish follow an intensive language course enabling them to catch up with post-GCSE/A level students as rapidly as possible; modules are taken in society, literature and civilisation, and written skills are developed through the production of small pieces of creative writing and other activities including online language learning and the use of videos and satellite television; oral classes in each language are conducted in small groups by native speakers; the School of Modern Languages also offers special training for linguists with its core skills module for language learners; all students are normally required to spend a 3-week period in France, Germany, Italy or Spain during the first summer vacation, for which financial assistance is provided through the University’s vacation awards board. Year 2: all students continue with their 2 main languages and their 3rd subject which may also be a language, and choose from a variety of cultural, linguistic and literary options on offer; the range is broad, including: film; popular culture; literature; introduction to Francophonie; Italian linguistics; and the theatre of Federico García Lorca. Year 3: Study abroad: students spend the 3rd year abroad, usually dividing the year between 2 countries; students may make their own alternative arrangements for the year abroad, subject to the approval of the Head of School. Year 3: in addition to advanced language tuition a wide range of specialist options including areas such as: cinema; Latin American boom literature; the Spanish Picaresque; contemporary Italian fiction; Dante; popular culture and literature; interpreting; gender studies; life writing; and immigration and ethnicity; students may also choose to write a dissertation in place of 1 of the options.