English with Languages BA (Hons)

About the course

English with Languages is distinct from the Single and Joint Honours courses as it combines the study of English Literature with the study, from beginner or post GCSE level, of a foreign language. Studied alongside and as part of your English degree, the languages pathway is ideal for students who dropped languages at school after year nine or GCSEs, and for those who have no background in languages. The pathway offers you an additional essential skill for success in the global job market.

You will take a 30 credit beginners or post-GSCE module in your chosen language which will equate to two hours of language classes and one hour of intercultural studies per week, learning about intercultural communication and studying the society, culture and institutions of the country and its people.

We currently offer the following language combinations:

• English with French (at beginner or post-GCSE level)
• English with Spanish (at beginner or post-GCSE level)
• English with Mandarin Chinese (at beginner level only)
• English with Japanese (at beginner level only)

Note: Only French is available for 2013 entry.

Reasons to study a language

• Languages are “strategically important” (HEFCE, 2010); there is a real shortage of foreign language skills among English native speakers
• Employers are finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish graduates; having a recognized competence in a foreign language distinguishes you from among other graduates
• Opportunity to study abroad between years two and three of your study – learning to live in a different culture, practicing your language skills and making new and useful contacts, as well as adding to your CV.

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Key facts

UCAS course code:

• English with French: QR39
• English with Spanish: Q3R4
• English with Mandarin Chinese: Q3T1
• English with Japanese: Q3T2

Duration: Three years full-time, six years part-time.

Institution code: D26

Teaching and assessment

The English course is taught by a team of internationally-renowned scholars and uses varied teaching methods, including lectures, guest lectures by visiting academics, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one tutorials. Students normally have eight to ten hours of scheduled contact time per week, with each course usually consisting of one lecture and one seminar per week or one two-hour workshop. In addition, staff are available each week for one-to-one tutorials.

Each year the language module focuses on language competence/skills classes and a ‘cultural awareness’ class each week which introduces the history, culture, institutions, politics and literature of your chosen language. In the final year there may be an opportunity to study language for specific purposes (e.g. business language). You will take a 30 credit module in your chosen language which will equate to two hours of language classes and one hour of cultural studies per week, learning about the country and its people.

Course modules

Year one modules

• Introduction to the Novel
• Poetry and Society
• Introduction to Drama
• Language module (Basic User or Independent User depending on entry language level)

Year two modules

• History of English: Medieval to Augustan Literature (compulsory)
• Romantic and Victorian Literature
• Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Literature
• Ways of Reading
• Rewriting Film and Literature
• Language module (Basic User or Independent User depending on entry language level)

Year three modules

• Dissertation (compulsory)
• British Drama 1956 to the Present
• Contemporary Fiction
• Contemporary Poetry
• English in the Workplace
• Modernism and Modernity
• Postcolonialism
• Shakespeare and Marlowe
• Studies in Literature and Film
• The Working Class in Literature and Film
• Writing the Self
• medieval.com
• Text Technologies
• Sex and Death in Romantic Writing
• Practical Oral History: The DMU/British Theatre Archive Project
• Language module (Basic User or Independent User depending on entry language level)

Work experience and placements

In the third year Single Honours students taking ‘English in the Workplace’ have the chance to do a work placement with a local employer. The placements allow students to reflect on the skills that they have acquired during their degree, while also gaining valuable work experience before entering the world of full-time work.

Graduate careers

With their advanced level of communication and reasoning skills, accompanied by their ability to work independently and as part of a group, English graduates are highly employable, with 93 per cent of recent graduates finding employment or going on to further study within six months of their degree (2011). Our graduates go into a wide range of careers including banking, charity work, the civil service, library services, marketing, the media, public relations, publishing, primary and secondary teaching, and postgraduate study.

Fees and funding

2013 entry

UK/EU Fees: £9000
International Fees: TBC

Learn more about fees and funding information 2013|

Scholarships

Learn more about our Undergraduate scholarships and awards| information.