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  • Linguistics and Language (French / German / Japanese / Portuguese / Spanish) (BA) (Part-time)
  • 2013/2014 entry
  • Contact us
  • Assessment

    • A variety of forms, including continuous assessment, coursework and, for language modules, a written and oral examination.

  • Attendance
      • Two–three evenings a week.
      • October–June.
  • Duration
      • Four years part-time.
      • Six years decelerated part-time.
  • Entry requirements
      • You can join this programme with French/German/Japanese/Portuguese/Spanish at any level, from complete beginners to proficiency (native speakers are also welcome to apply).
      • Admission is based on a written test, a language entry test (except for complete beginners) and an interview
      • Entry requirements: No formal qualifications required for applicants over 21. Information for applicants under 21 can be found here.
      • English language requirements (for non-native speakers): our normal requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
      • Credit for prior studies may be possible depending on whether your earlier studies are relevant and on when they took place.
  • Fees and funding
  • Location
      • Central London.
      • Please note: this programme is not available online or via distance learning.
  • Teaching


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Study at Birkbeck | Undergraduate study | Undergraduate courses, 2013/2014 entry: browse by course title - (A-Z) | Linguistics and Language (French / German / Japanese / Portuguese / Spanish) (BA) (Part-time)

Linguistics and Language (French / German / Japanese / Portuguese / Spanish) (BA) (Part-time) - 2013/2014 entry

Undergraduates do not commonly get the chance to study applied linguistics, but this course offers you the opportunity to learn about the central ideas and concerns of contemporary linguistics. Also, you can reach near-native standard in one language (French, German, Portuguese or Spanish), while practising allied skills such as translating, summary-writing, and delivering written and oral presentations. Depending on your level of entry, the Japanese language component will enable you to reach an upper-intermediate or advanced level. Students with a wide range of language abilities are welcome – from beginner’s level to GCSE, A-level and, depending on your chosen language, native-speaker level.

This course is also available for full-time evening study.

  • Course structure

    • The programme comprises 12 modules: four at Level 4; four at Level 5; and four at Level 6. Of these, at least five modules must be taken in linguistics. All students must take the Level 4 module Approaches to Language, and the Level 5 module Analysing Language Structure and Use. In the final year, you complete a linguistics project. Other linguistics modules are selected from those offered by the department. These may include:

      You will follow one of five language pathways, depending on your level of attainment in your chosen language at entry. French, German, Japanese and Spanish may be taken from beginner’s level. The language module taken in the first year of study is at Level 4 and is always zero-weighted (i.e. it does not count towards your degree). Subsequent modules follow in sequence. Starting at beginner’s or near-beginner’s level, you will attain a language level equivalent to at least one year’s study beyond A-level. With the higher levels of entry, the aim is to raise your language level to near-native standard in your chosen language. Depending on your level of entry, the Japanese language component will enable you to reach an upper-intermediate or advanced-level (Japanese Language Proficiency Test N2 equivalence)  in the four skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing, with an emphasis at the higher levels on your reception skills (reading and listening).  Some students may be able to progress onto Upper Advanced Japanese which focuses on your Japanese skills in an academic context.

      Remaining modules may be chosen from those relating to the culture of the language studied (many taught primarily in that language), or from a range of cross-cultural modules (taught in English).

  • Study resources
  • Further study opportunities
  • Careers information

    • Graduates go on to careers in publishing, teaching, translating, policy-making and language education.

    • To speak to an independent careers advisor, booking onto one of our Future Focus — Careers Workshops
  • Apply now
  • Key information set

    • Welcome to Birkbeck, London's evening university: Number 1 in London for teaching and student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2012).

      Birkbeck specialises in part-time, evening study. The Key Information Set has been developed for full-time, daytime courses. We are providing some additional information about our evening courses to help you make an informed choice.

      Fees:
      The Key Information Set (KIS) for this degree course shows the annual fee for a 3-year, full-time degree. This is a 4-year, part-time evening degree and the annual fee is lower than the fee shown in the KIS. See 'Fees and funding' in the left hand menu for the correct fee for this course.

      Years of study:
      The KIS presents all degrees as 3-year courses. Birkbeck's standard part-time, evening degree is a 4-year course.