Course overview
Our Modern Languages and International Relations BA Honours degree will give you the opportunity to explore other languages, cultures and societies whilst developing a better understanding of the nature and significance of politics and international relations. Languages play a central role in international relations by facilitating the sharing of ideas and negotiation. The course will prepare you for an international or internationally focused career.
During your course you’ll develop proficiency in reading and listening, writing and speaking, and mediating skills in one or two languages.
You can choose from French, German, Portuguese and Spanish, as well as Chinese or Japanese.
Alongside this you’ll study global issues such as power, race and gender, allowing you to expand your international outlook and gain a wider perspective on international affairs and interactions.
You will have the option of spending the third year of your degree abroad, so you can develop your language skills among native speakers and experience a different culture.
Alternatively, you’ll have the options to undertake a Careers Placement Year in the UK or to complete your degree in 3 years without either a Year Abroad or a Careers Placement Year.
Your course and study experience – disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Quality and ranking
- 11th in the UK – The Complete University Guide 2025 (French category)
- 14th in the UK – The Complete University Guide 2025 (Iberian Languages category)
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Top 150 for Politics and International Studies – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- Top 90 for Arts and Humanities – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- Top 200 for Modern Languages – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 9th in the UK – Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 (French category)
- 9th in the UK – Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 (Iberian Languages category)
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024
- Top 125 for Arts and Humanities – Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025
- Top 125 for Social Sciences – Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
Modules and learning
Modules
The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you’ll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions
This degree is run by the School of Modern Languages with either half or a third of your modules taught by the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. You can combine your languages in one of three ways:
- one language at beginners’ level
- one or two languages at post-A level (or equivalent)
- two languages – one at post-A level (or equivalent) and one at beginners’ level
Stage 1 of your degree lets you study your language(s) at post-A Level or beginners’ level, depending on your current language ability. You can choose from Chinese or Japanese, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
You will also study modules in the culture, history, cinema or linguistics of the countries where your chosen languages are spoken.
In addition you will study compulsory International Relations modules, providing you with a foundation in the discipline.
If you study two languages in your first year, you may reduce this to just one language for the remainder of your degree before moving on to Stage 2.
Modules
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Key Concepts in International Politics | 20 |
| Becoming a Political Analyst | 20 |
| Academic Study and Research Skills | 0 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) French | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) German | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Spanish | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) French I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) French II | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) German I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) German II | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Portuguese I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Portuguese II | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Spanish I | 20 |
| Level A (HE Entry Level) Spanish II | 20 |
| Interconnected World | 20 |
| Order and Disorder: The Shaping of the 21st Century | 20 |
| Power and Inequality | 20 |
| Introduction to Chinese Culture | 20 |
| France and the Francophone World (optional with FRE1071 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to German history, culture and society (optional with GER1071 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to Japanese History and Culture | 20 |
| Introducción a América Latina (optional with SPA1071 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to Literature (optional with FRE1071, GER1071 and SPA1071 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to Linguistics (optional with FRE1071, GER1071 and SPA1071 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to International Film | 20 |
| Introduction to Cultural Studies | 20 |
| Language & Cross Cultural Communication | 20 |
| Introduction to History, Culture and Society of Iberian Peninsula (optional with SPA1071 only) | 20 |
You will continue to develop your language skills at an advanced/intermediate level. You will again choose optional modules that explore the cultures and histories of the countries where your chosen languages are spoken.
You’ll also study Becoming a Political Researcher and further optional international relations modules including Political Geography, Power and Poverty in the Global Economy and The Politics of Race.
In addition, you will have the opportunity to study beginners’ modules in:
- Catalan or Italian if you study Spanish
- Catalan or Italian if you study French
- Dutch if you study German
- Korean if you study Chinese or Japanese as a single language
Modules
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Becoming a Political Researcher | 20 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) French | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) German | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Spanish | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) French (Ex-Level A) | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) German (Ex-Level A) | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Portuguese | 20 |
| Level B (HE Intermediate) Spanish (Ex-Level A) | 20 |
| Political Geography | 20 |
| Politics of the Middle East | 20 |
| International Institutions and Organizations | 20 |
| The Politics and Policy of the European Union | 20 |
| Power and Poverty in the Global Economy | 20 |
| The Politics of Africa: Africa’s place in Global Politics | 20 |
| Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Social Issues in Contemporary Political Philosophy | 20 |
| Critical security studies | 20 |
| Sex, Gender and Power | 20 |
| The Politics of Race | 20 |
| Contemporary Chinese Society: Issues and Challenges | 20 |
| Classic French Cinema | 20 |
| Paris: Aspects of History and Culture | 20 |
| Linguistic Variation in France | 20 |
| The French Caribbean – Literature, Language and Society | 20 |
| Berlin: culture, literature and film from the Weimar Republic to the Berlin Republic | 20 |
| Dutch I | 20 |
| Writers, media, society in West Germany | 20 |
| Contemporary Japanese Popular Culture | 20 |
| Comparative History of Hispano-America and Brazil: from Independence to the Mexican Revolution (1789/1810-1917) | 20 |
| Italian language and culture 1 | 20 |
| Cities in East Asian Cinema: Culture, History and Identity | 20 |
| Reading in Translation | 20 |
| Korean I | 20 |
| World Spanish | 20 |
| Catalan I | 20 |
| Representaciones de Revolución, Dictadura y Democracia en España y América Latina | 20 |
| Food, Football and Fiction: Constructing Catalan Cultural Identity | 20 |
| France and the Francophone World (optional with FRE1070 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to German history, culture and society (optional with GER1070 only) | 20 |
| Dutch I | 20 |
| Introducción a América Latina (optional with SPA1070 only) | 20 |
| Cultures and Societies of the Portuguese-Speaking World | 20 |
| Introduction to Literature (optional with FRE1070, GER1070 and SPA1070 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to Linguistics (optional with FRE1070, GER1070 and SPA1070 only) | 20 |
| Introduction to International Film | 20 |
| Introduction to Cultural Studies | 20 |
| Introduction to History, Culture and Society of the Iberian Peninsula (optional with POR2010 and SPA1070 only) | 20 |
| Career Development for second year students | 20 |
| Year Abroad Preparation | 0 |
Year abroad
Studying abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in local cultures, meet new people and improve your language skills.
Our year abroad is optional, meaning you can choose to study abroad in your third year (making your degree four years) or you can opt out (which will make your degree three years). You do not have to choose right away, and you can talk through your options with your Degree Programme Director once you arrive at Newcastle.
The way you spend your year abroad is up to you. You can:
- work as a British Council teaching assistant in a school (UK nationals only)
- study at a partner university
- undertake an approved work placement
The year abroad is highly flexible and students can choose to either spend their year abroad in one country or divide it between two countries. You can also study at a partner university in one semester and undertake a work placement in another.
Careers placement year
Work experience can enhance your career prospects beyond university. All modern language students not taking a year abroad have the opportunity to undertake a Careers Placement Year in the UK. This will be in the third year of your study and will make your degree four years long in total.
With a placement year you can choose to do:
- one placement lasting 9-12 months
- two placements which last at least 4.5 months each
Again, you don’t need to decide now if you’d like to choose a Placement Year and you’ll have the chance to talk to staff about your options.
Your language studies build on the levels you developed in Stage 2 or during your Year Abroad and you also develop more professional skills and for European languages will choose to study language for professional and academic purposes or translation and interpreting.
As in Stages 1 and 2, you choose optional modules to further develop your knowledge of the countries where your chosen language(s) are spoken as well as choosing from optional international relations modules that include Cities and World Politics, International Political Thought and Political Citizenship.
Modules
| Optional Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Level D (HE Further Advanced) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): French for Professional and Academic Purposes | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): French Translation and Interpreting | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): German for Professional and Academic Purposes | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): German Translation and Interpreting | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): Spanish for Professional and Academic Purposes | 20 |
| Level D (HE Further Advanced): Spanish Translation and Interpreting | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese I | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Chinese II | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) French | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) German | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Japanese I | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Japanese II | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Portuguese | 20 |
| Level C (HE Advanced) Spanish | 20 |
| Geopolitics | 20 |
| Final Year Dissertation | 20 |
| Final Year Project Semester 1 | 20 |
| Final Year Project Semester 2 | 20 |
| Cities and World Politics | 20 |
| Applied Data Science for Political Research | 20 |
| The Politics of Protest in the Middle East | 20 |
| International Political Thought | 20 |
| Documentary Film and World Politics | 20 |
| Politics of Immigration | 20 |
| Politics of Citizenship | 20 |
| Apartheid Regimes – from the local to the global | 20 |
| Gender and Sexuality in the Middle East | 20 |
| Political Psychology and Experimental Methods | 20 |
| China and its Peripheries: Repression, (In)stability and Conflict in the 21st Century | 20 |
| Historical and Cultural Interpretations of China through classics and newspaper reading | 20 |
| Occupation and Resistance: Literary and Cinematic Responses to the Second World War in France | 20 |
| Images d’Algerie | 20 |
| Historical Perspectives on the French Language | 20 |
| From Experimental to Explicit: Translating Women’s Writing in French | 20 |
| Contemporary Life Writing in French: Textual and Visual Experiment | 20 |
| Writing Elsewhere: Cultures of Travel in French | 20 |
| Social Justice in French and Francophone Culture | 20 |
| Dutch II | 20 |
| A Comparative History of German and English: phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon | 20 |
| Berlin: culture, literature and film from the Weimar Republic to the Berlin Republic | 20 |
| Place, belonging and identity in the German-speaking Alps | 20 |
| Contemporary Japanese Animation | 20 |
| Literary and cultural expressions in contemporary Japan | 20 |
| Inter-American Relations from the Spanish-American War (1898) to the end of the Cold War (1989/1991) | 20 |
| Language Endangerment and Revitalisation in Latin America | 20 |
| Latin American Art: Indigenous Contemporary Art and Activism | 20 |
| Cultura y política en Colombia | 20 |
| Advocating and Teaching Languages in Schools | 20 |
| Italian language and culture II | 20 |
| Korean II | 20 |
| Dissertation/T&I Project | 20 |
| Catalan II | 20 |
| Cultura Popular en España y Cuba | 20 |
| Spectres of the Past: Memory in Contemporary Spanish Culture | 20 |
| Spanish and Romance word analysis | 20 |
| Youth Cultures in Spain, Portugal & Latin America | 20 |
| Contemporary Japanese Animation | 20 |
| Literary and cultural expressions in contemporary Japan | 20 |
| Dissertation/T&I Project | 20 |
| Classic French Cinema | 20 |
| Paris: Aspects of History and Culture | 20 |
| Linguistic Variation in France | 20 |
| The French Caribbean – Literature, Language and Society | 20 |
| Berlin: culture, literature and film from the Weimar Republic to the Berlin Republic | 20 |
| Writers, media, society in West Germany | 20 |
| Comparative History of Hispano-America and Brazil: from Independence to the Mexican Revolution (1789/1810-1917) | 20 |
| Reading in Translation | 20 |
| World Spanish | 20 |
| Representaciones de Revolución, Dictadura y Democracia en España y América Latina | 20 |
| Food, Football and Fiction: Constructing Catalan Cultural Identity | 20 |
| Translation for Singing | 20 |
| Career Development for final year students | 20 |
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
You will be taught via a combination of:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Group discussions
- Online based group work
- One-to-one tutorials
Skills and experience
Research skills
You have the option of writing a dissertation in your final year, which allows you to explore and discuss a topic of interest in detail, while developing your research skills.
Opportunities
Optional Year Abroad
This Modern Languages degree includes an optional Year Abroad, meaning the degree can be 3 or 4 years.
Students studying a European language can:
- study at one of our partner universities
- undertake a work or voluntary placement
- undertake a combination of both (ensuring they do not overlap)
You usually divide the year between the countries relating to your chosen languages, although it may be possible to spend the entire year in one country.
If you’re studying Chinese or Japanese, you’ll spend either a semester or the full academic year studying at one of our partner universities in China or Japan. If you also study European languages you can split your time and do one of the options above for your European language.
Support for Year Abroad
You will receive lots of help to prepare for your year abroad, including:
- briefings covering practicalities like insurance, student safety and country-specific information
- support in finding a work placement
- a Tandem Learning Scheme, to practice conversation in your foreign language and make in-country contacts, before you travel
- a training course for British Council language assistants
There are also events in your second year where you can meet students who have already done their year abroad and students from our partner universities in Europe, Latin America, China and Japan.
You’ll be in contact with our Year Abroad team during your time abroad, and will communicate with your personal tutor. You’ll also write compulsory blog posts, reflecting on your linguistic, personal and professional development.
Optional Careers Placement Year
Work experience can enhance your career prospects beyond university. If you choose not to take a year abroad, you can undertake a Careers Placement Year in the UK. This will be in the third year of your study and will make your degree four years long in total.
With a placement year you can choose to do:
- one placement lasting 9-12 months
- two placements which last at least 4.5 months each
You don’t need to decide right away if you’d like to choose a Placement Year and you’ll have the chance to talk to staff about your options once you arrive.
Facilities and environment
Facilities
As a Modern Languages student, you’ll be based at our city centre campus. We’ve been teaching languages in Newcastle for more than 100 years.
You will have access to PC-equipped rooms and the award-winning Language Resource Centre, with self-study resources for over 50 languages.
You’ll also have access to:
- specialist language learning software
- films
- live foreign-language TV channels
- online or on-campus tandem schemes
Support
You’ll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.
Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.
Your future
This course will prepare you for a wide range of careers in the private, public or voluntary sector, in the UK or abroad.
Ability in languages is highly regarded by employers across all sectors, including industry and business. Employers value the linguistic, interpersonal, intercultural and skills of language graduates. International businesses need employees who not only speak another language but also understand the history, politics and culture of the region.
The international outlook and knowledge our students develop alongside advanced language skills will allow you to consider career options in a range of fields. Our graduates find employment in sectors such as business services, marketing, advertising, management, banking and communication.
Some work as researchers, internet consultants, United Nations translators, in local government, with community groups or in refugee support. Many work in the digital industries or the arts. Teaching is also a popular choice, undertaking primary or secondary Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) or teaching English abroad.
You’ll also be able to think critically, assess complex material and data, carry out research and construct well-informed arguments. Our graduates have used these skills to progress into careers in politics, economics, and international relations, for employers such as:
- the Houses of Parliament
- HM Treasury
- Local government
- the Civil Service
- inter-governmental organisations
- public affairs consultancies
Careers support
The School of Modern Languages works with the University’s Careers Service to run an annual Employability Week, including an opportunity to network with recent graduates.
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Visit our Careers Service website
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Check the government’s website for more information.
Entry requirements
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements and offers below apply to 2025 entry.
| A-Level | |
|---|---|
| ABB including Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish. Where a candidate wishes to study a single language from beginners level and is not studying an A Level in a modern foreign language, a grade B or 6 in any modern foreign language or English language at GCSE is required. | |
| International Baccalaureate | |
|---|---|
| 32 points with Higher Level in Chinese, French, German or Spanish at grade 6 or above.
Where a candidate wishes to study a single language from beginners level and does not have a language at IB Higher Level, a grade 5 in any modern foreign language or English language at IB Standard Level is required. |
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