BA
Modern European Languages and History with Year Abroad BA (Hons)
Immerse yourself in the life, language and history of a chosen modern European culture. Develop advanced language skills and in-depth historical and cultural awareness.
How to apply Apply via UCAS
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BA
UCAS Code
RV92
Course length
4 years full-time
Typical offer
AAA
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): 9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): 27,500 per year
Overview
This Joint Honours degree will allow you to further your interest in the study of a modern European language (French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish) and related cultural topics alongside exploring different periods and themes of history.
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BA
UCAS Code
RV92
Course length
4 years full-time
Typical offer
AAA
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): 9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): 27,500 per year
What you'll study
In Year 1 you will focus on the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening in your chosen language. In addition, you will explore aspects of the literature, film, art, history and politics of the culture you are studying. You will also study a range of History subjects, including Medieval/Early Modern History and Modern History. In Year 2 you will continue your language, culture and history studies, building on your skills and allowing you to begin to specialise in areas that interest you. Second-year History modules tend to focus more on particular periods and events, or historical debates and phenomena. You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 abroad, either as an English assistant in a school, a student at university, or on a work placement. This is a time of enormous linguistic and personal development, when you should gain fluency in your language and enjoy a unique opportunity to make new friends, appreciate other cultures and learn to work and study in new ways. You can also apply to add a placement year to your degree, increasing the course from four years to five. In Year 4 you will develop your advanced language skills, and you may be able to take a specialist language module such as translation or interpreting. You will also continue your culture and history studies, with final-year History modules encouraging you to think about how historical knowledge is produced. You will also choose your own dissertation topic in Year 4, researching and writing about either a historical issue or an aspect of culture or cultural production.
Core modules
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Languages
FrenchGermanItalianRussianSpanish
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Reading French LiteratureItaly and the ArtsIntroduction to Russian History and CultureIntroduction to Hispanic Literature and CultureConnected Histories: Early Modern Europe, c.1450–1750The Atlantic Archipelago, c.1500–c.1750Power in AfricaImagining East Asia in the Modern WorldThe Rise and Fall of American Slavery, 1607–1865
Core modules
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Languages
FrenchGermanItalianRussianSpanish
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Mediterranean Sexualities: Cultural Stereotypes and Transcultural ExchangesSex and Identity in Germanic CulturesCatalan (Beginners)The World of DanteRenaissance and Baroque in Image and WordReading Russian LiteratureThe Book of Hours in Medieval Life and ArtThe Court: Art and Power in Early Modern EuropeThe “Vast” Early Modern AmericasModern China’s TransformationsThe United States and the Cold War
Core modules
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Study abroad
The third year is spent abroad as an English assistant in a school, as a student in a university, or in employment of some kind. During the year abroad you complete a Year Abroad assignment with guidance from Durham staff.
Core modules
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Dissertation
Your Dissertation in History allows you to pursue your own historical interests, to work independently in some depth, and to develop more advanced techniques of research, analysis and exposition.
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Languages
FrenchGermanItalianRussianSpanish
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Contemporary French Writers: Autobiography and FictionRebellion, Feud and Crusade in Medieval TextsRemembering the HolocaustContemporary Spanish CinemaThe Italian Renaissance in Literature and ArtScreening the Nation: Russian Cinema and the National QuestionInterpreting Conflict in Post-Colonial AfricaHistory and Its AudiencesHealth, Wealth and Happiness: Investigating Standards of Living and Wellbeing in the Past
Learning
Language modules cultivate speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. For cultural and historical modules, lectures will introduce themes, context and commentary. Seminars then provide an opportunity to develop your critical skills through discussion with other students and staff. Classroom teaching is only the start – in general, there is an increasing emphasis on independent learning and research, culminating in your dissertation in Year 4. Much of your time will be spent working independently – reading widely, making notes, finding sources and watching/listening to audio-visual materials. Rather than delivering detailed information, the course aims to help you learn how to learn, guiding you towards independence in using resources effectively, thinking critically and formulating persuasive arguments. The year abroad is a key element in your developmental education, enhancing your language skills and expanding your intercultural competence. During your time abroad you will continue to work independently on your Year Abroad assignment and in preparation for your final-year dissertation.Assessment
Cultural and historical modules are assessed by essays, commentaries, projects and examinations, while language modules are assessed by a mixture of oral, listening and written examinations. You will also complete a 12,000-word dissertation in your final year. During your year abroad you will complete a Year Abroad assignment.Entry requirements
Fees & Funding
Choose which fees you want to see:
Home / Island students
9,535 per year
International / EU Students
27,500 per year
Home / Island students
Part Time - per year
International / EU Students
Part Time - per year
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
Find out moreDepartment Information
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In an era of increasing globalisation, a skill set that includes cultural understanding and proficiency in languages will help you view the world through a different lens while equipping you with the skills that global employers are looking for. Our language-based courses offer the flexibility to specialise in one or two languages and the cultural worlds associated with them – choose from Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese and Russian. You can study from beginners’ level or opt for a more advanced route if you already have an A level or equivalent qualification. All of our language degrees include a year abroad, a valuable experience that will broaden your horizons, boost your skills and give you the confidence to adapt to different environments. You will return to Durham for the final year with a deeper understanding of language and cultures, and be better equipped to make meaningful connections with people around the world. The BA in Visual Arts and Film includes optional modules in languages and an opportunity to apply for a placement year or a year abroad. Course content is almost global in geographical reach covering art, film, and visual culture from the Western world, the Middle East, Eurasia and East Asia. For more information see our department pages.
Read moreFacilities
Our highly skilled academics share their expertise in languages, as well as in literature, cultural history, cinema and visual culture, and translation. Many of our language academics are native speakers, while others have lived experience of the culture and language of the country. Our location on Elvet Riverside is close to the ancient Elvet Bridge, and within easy walking distance of the colleges, Students’ Union and the historic centre of Durham. Learning facilities include language laboratories, computer classrooms and a large study area. There are satellite and recording facilities for viewing programmes in all the major taught languages. The University's fully equipped Centre for Foreign Language Study is housed in the same building, and Languages and Cultures students have access to its facilities.
Find out more -
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The History programme at Durham is designed to give you a sense of the diversity of human experience – geographically and chronologically. We offer an unusually broad range of options that will take you to very different places and times. You can also explore diverse themes and approaches, such as environmental and scientific history, visual cultures, and gender and sexuality. The course will equip you with critical and presentational skills that are valuable in many careers. Year 1 offers you an induction into advanced historical study, engaging with different periods and approaches to the study of the past. Year 2 raises new questions about the human past, setting these in specific periods and parts of the world. It develops your understanding of historiography - the history of history-writing – and gives you experience of writing an extended historical argument. You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four. In Year 3 the focus is on intensive study and independent learning. The special subject guides you through the primary and secondary material on a specific period or phenomenon; the dissertation allows you to choose your own topic, and devise your own question, for an extended piece of writing. The dissertation is an opportunity to focus on a topic that fascinates you – and brings together the skills you have developed through your time at Durham. Throughout your degree, you will be encouraged to attend an extensive programme of activities, including research seminars and public lectures from high-profile guest speakers. For more information see our department pages.
Read moreFacilities
The Department of History occupies the heart of Durham World Heritage Site. Our location is within easy reach of all University colleges, lecture halls and libraries. Our work incorporates everything from manuscripts to photography, printed sources to museum collections. You will work with staff on a rich array of primary sources, which range from medieval manuscripts in the cathedral archive, through the ceramics, prints and textiles held by the Oriental Museum, to the documents of the Sudan Archive, and more. Durham holds historical resources of international significance.
Find out more -
Career Opportunities
Of those students who graduated in 2021-22
85%
HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk
Employability
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