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Modern Languages with Translation

BA (Hons)

Find out more by joining our live webinar and course information session

UCAS code: Q150

Start dates: September 2025 / September 2026

Full time: 3 years or 4 years with a placement year

Part time: 6 years or 7 years with a placement year

Location: Headington

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

Overview
Course details
Careers
Entry requirements
How to apply
Tuition fees

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Overview

Our Modern Languages with Translation degree is designed for all language learners. You can choose from two routes: beginners, or intermediate.

You can join with no previous language study, choosing from French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin or Spanish. We'll support you to go from beginner to fluent during your course.

If you already have language skills and want to advance your proficiency we'll support you to achieve an advanced level (C1) in your chosen language (French, Spanish and EFL) and you can add a second language too (Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish).

Alongside your modern language studies, you’ll gain skills for working and living globally. You'll explore global identities, customs and even humour. You'll also gain translation skills valued by businesses worldwide. You can study modules from Business, International Relations, Politics and Education, including Marketing Management and Violence, Militarism and Terrorism.

You can choose to study abroad for a year, or you can finish your degree in 3 years and leave travel and work until after you graduate.

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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.

  • Explore new horizons

    Study our 4 year programme and undertake an optional study year abroad. 

  • 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

Our degree programme has two options: 3 years, or 4 years with a placement year. In each year you will advance your practical language and translation skills whilst also gaining knowledge and understanding across the areas of intercultural communication, as well as selecting modules from the study of Business, Education, International Relations and Politics.

You’ll also have access to Wordfast translation tools, courtesy of Wordfast LLC and Yves Champollion.
 

Student group work

Learning and teaching

Year 1

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

  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Mandarin
  • Spanish.

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

  • Chinese
  • English as a Foreign Language
  • 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.

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

    If you are joining the degree as a beginner learner, you will focus on one language (French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese) in this module. If you are joining as an intermediate learner (English as a foreign language, French, Spanish) you are able to take up a second language.

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.
 

Year 3 or Year 4

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.
     

Student profiles

Giuseppe Motta

"The course is great, it is well designed and it offers a thorough overview of what you have to do in order to achieve your objectives. Brookes is more than my university. It is a community and it is family"

Read more about Giuseppe

Grace Cooper

"My course was exactly what I was looking for. It gave me everything I needed for my year abroad, and for the future"

Read more about Grace

Miriam Manco

"My course was really enhanced by the support of tutors and lecturers. I love the environment of Oxford Brookes, and everything it has to offer"

Read more about Miriam

Niall Plumb

"I visited other universities, but they weren’t as coordinated as Oxford Brookes. I’ve been able to tailor my course to exactly what I want to do in the future."

Read more about Niall

Rory Springbett

"My course let me pick two extra languages, which is why I chose Oxford Brookes. The staff are really excellent"

Read more about Rory
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Related courses

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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: 104

A Level: BCC

IB Points: 29

BTEC: DMM

How to apply

Application process


Full time Home (UK) applicants
Apply through UCAS


Part time Home (UK) applicants
Apply direct to the University


International applicants
Apply direct to the University

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£1,600
International full time
£15,950
International sandwich (placement)
£1,600
Home (UK) full time
£9,250*
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module*
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£1,700
International full time
£16,750
International sandwich (placement)
£1,700

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£1,600
International full time
£15,950
International sandwich (placement)
£1,600
2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£9,250*
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module*
Home (UK) sandwich (placement)
£1,700
International full time
£16,750
International sandwich (placement)
£1,700

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

* Following the government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we expect to increase our undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Please visit The Education Hub for more information about the changes. We will confirm our fees for 2025/26 as soon as possible.

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.

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.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

Oxford Brookes Bursary for home students Undergraduate maintenance loans for part-time UK students Undergraduate maintenance loans for full-time UK students Undergraduate tuition fee loans for UK students Oxford Brookes Bursary Scheme

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

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.