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CHOOSE A SUBJECT
2023/24
2024/25
Undergraduates
Postgraduates
Undergraduates
Postgraduates

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Science
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise
  • Creative Writing

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

Subjects A-B

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Bioveterinary Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminology
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Accounting
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise
  • Creative Writing

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teacher training
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

This course is available in Clearing. Call +44 (0) 118 402 0900.


BA Modern Languages and History

  • UCAS code
    R9V1
  • Clearing BTEC Extended Offer
    MMM
  • Clearing Offer
    CCD
  • Year of entry
    2023/24 See 2024/25 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years
  • Year of entry
    2023/24 See 2024/25 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  4 Years

Study a modern language, and discover the richness and variety of the human experience, with our BA Modern Languages and History degree.

This highly flexible degree enables you to study a modern language – choosing from our core languages of French, German, Italian and Spanish – alongside your studies in history.

Taught by experts from the Department of Languages and Cultures and the Department of History, you'll acquire transferable skills with a global focus and understanding.

Throughout, you'll be encouraged to follow your interests as they develop and tailor your learning to your career goals.

Learn a language

At the University of Reading, you’ll join a lively, multilingual community and study alongside students from all over the world.

Learn from internationally recognised researchers whose wide-ranging expertise includes migration, literature, history, cinema, linguistics, publishing, and translation. 100% of our research is of international standing (Research Excellence Framework 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Modern Languages and Linguistics).

Choose to study one of our four core languages:

  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Spanish

These languages are offered at beginner's, intermediate or advanced level, depending on your experience.

Our flexible, supportive teaching style will enable you to become confident and highly skilled in your chosen core language. You will master the fundamentals of the language – both written and spoken – graduating with near-native command.

Direct access to our staff for help and feedback ensures you develop your language skills to the best of your ability. 

The study of language includes cultural modules that develop your understanding of the cultures of the countries in which the language is spoken, from their literary and cinematic traditions to their history, politics and linguistics. As well as complementing your joint studies, this enables you to develop as a specialist with an international, comparative approach.

Optional modules also include introductory study of one of the following languages (subject to approval and availability):

  • Arabic
  • British Sign Language
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Modern Greek
  • Japanese

Overview

Study a modern language, and discover the richness and variety of the human experience, with our BA Modern Languages and History degree.

This highly flexible degree enables you to study a modern language – choosing from our core languages of French, German, Italian and Spanish – alongside your studies in history.

Taught by experts from the Department of Languages and Cultures and the Department of History, you'll acquire transferable skills with a global focus and understanding.

Throughout, you'll be encouraged to follow your interests as they develop and tailor your learning to your career goals.

Learn a language

At the University of Reading, you’ll join a lively, multilingual community and study alongside students from all over the world.

Learn from internationally recognised researchers whose wide-ranging expertise includes migration, literature, history, cinema, linguistics, publishing, and translation. 100% of our research is of international standing (Research Excellence Framework 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Modern Languages and Linguistics).

Choose to study one of our four core languages:

  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Spanish

These languages are offered at beginner's, intermediate or advanced level, depending on your experience.

Our flexible, supportive teaching style will enable you to become confident and highly skilled in your chosen core language. You will master the fundamentals of the language – both written and spoken – graduating with near-native command.

Direct access to our staff for help and feedback ensures you develop your language skills to the best of your ability. 

The study of language includes cultural modules that develop your understanding of the cultures of the countries in which the language is spoken, from their literary and cinematic traditions to their history, politics and linguistics. As well as complementing your joint studies, this enables you to develop as a specialist with an international, comparative approach.

Optional modules also include introductory study of one of the following languages (subject to approval and availability):

  • Arabic
  • British Sign Language
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Modern Greek
  • Japanese

Clearing A Level CCD BTEC offer MMM

A level: CCD, including C in a History-related subject. 

BTEC: MMM

Accepted subjects: History, Ancient History, Classical Civilisation

We've listed A level and BTEC qualifications here, but please be assured that we also accept a wide variety of A level-equivalent qualifications.

For more information about Clearing at Reading, please visit our Clearing pages.

You can also visit our international student pages for information about English language qualifications.

Structure

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4

Compulsory modules include:

X

Module details


Title:

Journeys through History 1:Power and People

Code:

HS1JH1

Convenor:

DR Daniel Renshaw

Summary:

This module offers an introduction to the political and social history of Europe and the world in the last millennium. The module is compulsory for all Part 1 History students on both single subject and joint honours programmes.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Journeys through History 2: Culture and Concepts'

Code:

HS1JH2

Convenor:

PROF Anne Lawrence

Summary:

This module offers an introduction to the cultural history of Europe and the world in the last millennium, and to important concepts used by historians. The module is compulsory for all Part 1 History students on both single subject and joint honours programmes.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Set exercise 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Research Skills and Opportunities in History

Code:

HS1RSO

Convenor:

DR Ruth Salter

Summary:

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop and hone your skills as a historian, making sure you feel prepared for your academic journey with us in History, and helping to support progress in employability. The module is compulsory for all Part 1 History students on both single subject and joint honours programmes.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 25%, Set exercise 25%, Project 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Code Module Convenor
HS1JH1 Journeys through History 1:Power and People DR Daniel Renshaw
HS1JH2 Journeys through History 2: Culture and Concepts' PROF Anne Lawrence
HS1RSO Research Skills and Opportunities in History DR Ruth Salter

Optional modules include:

X

Module details


Title:

Introduction to French Culture

Code:

FR1IFC

Convenor:

DR Veronica Heath

Summary:

The aim of this module is to introduce students to a range of aspects of French culture through the study and analysis of key literary genres and visual art forms, mainly drawn from the late nineteenth to twenty first century period, including the novel and prose fiction, drama, film, poetry and music. The texts studied reflect the diversity of contemporary French society.
This module provides an excellent foundation for further study of literature and culture in more specialised modules in Part 2 and Part 3 of the French programme. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Assignment 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Beginners French Language

Code:

FR1L1

Convenor:

DR Marine Orain

Summary:

This module aims to introduce students with no previous knowledge of French to the study of French language and culture.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of French. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in French comparable to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate French Language

Code:

FR1L2

Convenor:

DR Marine Orain

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved AS Level in French or equivalent, as well as of students with an excellent GSCE Level qualification in French or equivalent.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of French to Honours degree level.  Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in French comparable to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced French Language I

Code:

FR1L3

Convenor:

MRS Celine Biart

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved Advanced Level or equivalent in French. Students with an excellent AS Level qualification in French may also be considered for this module.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of French to Honours degree level, but will also be an effective study and career tool for students who are not intending to continue with French after Part 1. 

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in French comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

The Making of Modern France

Code:

FR1MMF

Convenor:

DR Marjorie Gehrhardt

Summary:

The aim of this module is to examine events that shaped modern French society, ideas and institutions.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Assignment 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Icons of Modern Germany

Code:

GM1IMG

Convenor:

DR Ute Wolfel

Summary:

An introduction to aspects of the culture and history of post-1945 Germany.

Assessment Method:

Exam 60%, Assignment 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Beginners German Language

Code:

GM1L1

Convenor:

MS Regine Klimpfinger

Summary:

This module aims to introduce students with no previous knowledge of German to the study of German language and culture.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of German. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in German comparable to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate German Language

Code:

GM1L2

Convenor:

DR Claire Ross

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved AS Level in German or equivalent, as well as of students with an excellent GSCE Level qualification in German or equivalent.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of German to Honours degree level.  Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in German comparable to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced German Language I

Code:

GM1L3

Convenor:

DR Alice Christensen

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved Advanced Level or equivalent in German . Students with an excellent AS Level qualification in German may also be considered for this module.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of German to Honours degree level, but will also be an effective study and career tool for students who are not intending to continue with German after Part 1. 

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in German comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

German Texts and Genres

Code:

GM1TG

Convenor:

DR Ellen Pilsworth

Summary:

In this module students develop their textual analysis skills by exploring a range of literary texts from different genres including short stories, novels, and poetry. Our readings of these texts will focus on questions about identity: How do we define ourselves? And what makes us who we are? How are we affected by others?

The course introduces students to some ‘classics’ of German literature, e.g. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Bertolt Brecht, Heinrich Heine, and Anna Seghers, and contemporary authors with hybrid German identities, such as Emine Sevgi Özdamar, and Saša Stanišic. Through these texts, students gain insights into German culture from the eighteenth-century to the present day, and can reflect on the questions of how literature shapes who we are, both as individuals and as national collectives.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 60%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Making Italians: A Journey in the History and Culture of Modern Italy

Code:

IT10MI

Convenor:

PROF Daniela La Penna

Summary:

This module introduces students to the history and culture of modern Italy from the struggle for Unification (achieved in 1861-1870) to the present day. Through a series of lectures and seminars students will learn about the factors and people that contributed to the birth of Italy as a nation and how these continued to shape the political debate in the fascist regime and in the Republic. Students will also learn how the narrative of national identity was used in the subsequent years after the Unification in literature and film.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 90%, Oral 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Introduction to Linguistics

Code:

IT1IL

Convenor:

PROF Federico Faloppa

Summary:

This module aims to familiarise students with principles in general linguistics, and to give students an overall picture of what a language is, how it works, and what its main structures are, with a particular focus on Italian. It will also provide useful meta-linguistic competence which can be applied to the study of any other language.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Oral 20%, Set exercise 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Beginners Italian Language

Code:

IT1L1

Convenor:

MS Rita Balestrini

Summary:

This module aims to introduce students with no previous knowledge of Italian to the study of Italian language and culture.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Italian. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Italian comparable to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate Italian Language

Code:

IT1L2

Convenor:

MRS Enza Siciliano Verruccio

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved AS Level in Italian or equivalent, as well as of students with an excellent GSCE Level qualification in Italian or equivalent.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Italian to Honours degree level.  Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Italian comparable to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced Italian Language I

Code:

IT1L3

Convenor:

DR Chiara Ciarlo

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved Advanced Level or equivalent in Italian . Students with an excellent AS Level qualification in Italian may also be considered for this module.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Italian to Honours degree level, but will also be an effective study and career tool for students who are not intending to continue with Italian after Part 1. 

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Italian comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

What is Comparative Literature?

Code:

ML1COMP

Convenor:

DR John McKeane

Summary:

This module will introduce students to some of the major critical and theoretical issues in the study of Comparative Literature, as well as to important methodologies for studying literature in a comparative context. Approaching a cluster of texts from different cultural and historical traditions, students will be encouraged to reflect on the practices and consequences of reading transnationally. 

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Greats of European Cinema

Code:

ML1GEC

Convenor:

DR Marta Simo-Comas

Summary:

The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the ways in which European Cinema – and the various national cinemas that comprise it – reflects the changing political, social and cultural climate of the twentieth century. The course is designed to introduce students to key features of film analysis and to develop their ability to apply these to the films studied.

Assessment Method:

Exam 55%, Set exercise 45%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Introduction to Linguistics

Code:

ML1IL

Convenor:

PROF Federico Faloppa

Summary:

This module aims to familiarise students with principles in general linguistics, and to give students an overall picture of what a language is, how it works, and what its main structures are, with a particular focus on French, German, Italian and Spanish. It will also provide useful meta-linguistic competence which can be applied to the study of any other language.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Oral 20%, Set exercise 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Thinking Translation: History and Theory

Code:

ML1TRANS

Convenor:

DR John McKeane

Summary:

This module introduces students to the history of translation as a literary practice, as well as to the main theoretical approaches to it and the influential concepts that have been used to reflect on translation practice.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Icons of Spain and Latin America: From conquest to independence; from revolution to globalisation

Code:

SP1I1

Convenor:

DR Camila Gonzalez Ortiz

Summary:

This module introduces students of Spanish to the historical trajectory that forms the roots of modern-day Spain and Latin America, through the guided analysis of written and visual texts that span over five centuries. Through a series of lectures and seminars, in the Autumn Term, students will learn about the factors that contributed to the development of both Spain and Latin America, from Columbus’s voyage in 1492 to the decline of the Spanish Empire, and the push for independence in Latin America that characterised the nineteenth century. In the Spring Term, students will learn about the factors that contributed to the more recent development of both Spain and Latin America, from the Mexican Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, immigration, and the growing presence of the US across the continent, to contemporary debates about globalisation.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 40%, Report 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Beginners Spanish Language

Code:

SP1L1

Convenor:

DR Denisse Lazo-Gonzalez

Summary:

This module aims to introduce students with no previous knowledge of Spanish to the study of Spanish language and culture.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Spanish. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Spanish comparable to level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate Spanish Language

Code:

SP1L2

Convenor:

MR Oscar Garcia Garcia

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved AS Level in Spanish or equivalent, as well as of students with an excellent GSCE Level qualification in Spanish or equivalent.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Spanish to Honours degree level.  Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Spanish comparable to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

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Module details


Title:

Advanced Spanish Language 1

Code:

SP1L3

Convenor:

MS Angela Mira Conejero

Summary:

This module aims to develop the language skills of students who have already achieved Advanced Level or equivalent in Spanish . Students with an excellent AS Level qualification in Spanish may also be considered for this module.

The course will provide the necessary basis for the study of Spanish to Honours degree level, but will also be an effective study and career tool for students who are not intending to continue with Spanish after Part 1. 

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Spanish comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 65%, Oral 25%, Class test 10%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

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Module details


Title:

Introduction to Spanish and Latin American Culture

Code:

SP1SLAC

Convenor:

DR Marta Simo-Comas

Summary:

The aim of this module is to introduce students to Spanish and Latin American culture through the study and analysis of key literary and visual art forms, including short stories, poetry, documentaries and feature films, fine art and popular music. Key authors may include Pablo Neruda, Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, Pío Baroja, Juan Rulfo, Ariel Dorfman, Julio Medem, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, José Luis Guerín, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Iciar Bollain, Fernando Trueba, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Fernando Pérez, and others. Texts will be read in the original language if the student is taking that language to degree level, but translations will be available.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Code Module Convenor
FR1IFC Introduction to French Culture DR Veronica Heath
FR1L1 Beginners French Language DR Marine Orain
FR1L2 Intermediate French Language DR Marine Orain
FR1L3 Advanced French Language I MRS Celine Biart
FR1MMF The Making of Modern France DR Marjorie Gehrhardt
GM1IMG Icons of Modern Germany DR Ute Wolfel
GM1L1 Beginners German Language MS Regine Klimpfinger
GM1L2 Intermediate German Language DR Claire Ross
GM1L3 Advanced German Language I DR Alice Christensen
GM1TG German Texts and Genres DR Ellen Pilsworth
IT10MI Making Italians: A Journey in the History and Culture of Modern Italy PROF Daniela La Penna
IT1IL Introduction to Linguistics PROF Federico Faloppa
IT1L1 Beginners Italian Language MS Rita Balestrini
IT1L2 Intermediate Italian Language MRS Enza Siciliano Verruccio
IT1L3 Advanced Italian Language I DR Chiara Ciarlo
ML1COMP What is Comparative Literature? DR John McKeane
ML1GEC Greats of European Cinema DR Marta Simo-Comas
ML1IL Introduction to Linguistics PROF Federico Faloppa
ML1TRANS Thinking Translation: History and Theory DR John McKeane
SP1I1 Icons of Spain and Latin America: From conquest to independence; from revolution to globalisation DR Camila Gonzalez Ortiz
SP1L1 Beginners Spanish Language DR Denisse Lazo-Gonzalez
SP1L2 Intermediate Spanish Language MR Oscar Garcia Garcia
SP1L3 Advanced Spanish Language 1 MS Angela Mira Conejero
SP1SLAC Introduction to Spanish and Latin American Culture DR Marta Simo-Comas

These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Optional modules include:

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Module details


Title:

Going Public: Presenting the Past, Planning the Future

Code:

HS2GPP

Convenor:

PROF Kate Williams

Summary:

This module provides students with an opportunity to explore public interpretations of the past beyond academia, to work collaboratively with external partners on a group project which involves researching and communicating about history for public audiences, and to develop key areas of employability. This module is compulsory for all Single Subject History students, and optional for Joint Honours History students.

Assessment Method:

Oral 40%, Portfolio 40%, Report 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

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Module details


Title:

Historical Approaches and My Dissertation

Code:

HS2HAD

Convenor:

MISS Liz Barnes

Summary:

This module introduces students to a wide range of primary sources and to the methods and approaches used by historians to analyse those sources, to prepare you to plan, research, and write your final-year dissertation.

This module is compulsory for all Single Subject History students and History with Study Abroad students. It is available as an optional module for students taking a joint degree in History, and strongly recommended for Joint History students wishing to complete their Part 3 Dissertation in History. Joint History students opting to complete their Part 3 Dissertation in History without taking this module will be required to complete (as a formative assessment) the dissertation proposal which forms one element of the summative assessment on this module.

Assessment Method:

Portfolio 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intellectuals and Society in Twentieth Century Italy

Code:

HS2INT

Convenor:

PROF Daniela La Penna

Summary:

The aim of the module is to provide a clear historical overview of the main conflicts between the intellectual class and the state in twentieth-century Italy, focussing specifically on the Fascist period and the Republican years. Through carefully selected case studies, the students will learn about the always dynamic and sometimes openly conflictual relationship between some key Italian intellectuals and institutions such as the State, the Universities and the media. At the end of the module, the students will be able to give cogent, structured, and informed answers to the following questions: what is an intellectual? Who may become a public intellectual and how does one acquire that status? What are intellectuals' responsibilities towards society?

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

The Colonial Experience: Africa, 1879 to 1980

Code:

HS2O10

Convenor:

DR Heike Schmidt

Summary:

This module explores the impact of colonialism in Africa, considering this impact in broad terms but with a particular focus on the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and reflects on how historians can understand the colonial past without reproducing a Eurocentric point of view.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Hollywood Histories: Film and the Past

Code:

HS2O11

Convenor:

PROF Patrick Major

Summary:

Part 2 Options can be either chronological or thematic. Chronological Options will usually take the form of a survey of a particular geographical area or nation over a defined period of one or two centuries. These Options aim to acquaint students with the causes and consequences of continuity and change over the long term in the political, social, economic and cultural systems under study. Thematic Options take key concepts, ideas, or debates in history and study them in a number of different contexts, either geographically or across historical periods. The aim again is to acquaint students with the causes of continuity and change, but this time by a more comparative approach.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Rebel Girls: The Influence of Radical Women 1792-1919

Code:

HS2O14

Convenor:

DR Jacqui Turner

Summary:

This module considers changing perceptions of women in Britain from the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, and examines the influence of those women who challenged social stereotypes and the Victorian double standard.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

‘The brightest jewel in the British crown’: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947

Code:

HS2O16

Convenor:

DR Rohan Deb Roy

Summary:

This module introduces students to the history of modern South Asia. Students learn how British colonial rule and anti-colonial Indian nationalism shaped modern South Asia.  

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’

Code:

HS2O17

Convenor:

DR Dina Rezk

Summary:

Part 2 Options can be either chronological or thematic. Chronological Options will usually take the form of a survey of a particular geographical area or nation over a defined period of one or two centuries. These Options aim to acquaint students with the causes and consequences of continuity and change over the long term in the political, social, economic and cultural systems under study. Thematic Options take key concepts, ideas, or debates in history and study them in a number of different contexts, either geographically or across historical periods. The aim again is to acquaint students with the causes of continuity and change, but this time by a more comparative approach.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Europe in the Twentieth Century

Code:

HS2O19

Convenor:

DR Daniel Renshaw

Summary:

This module surveys European history over the course of the twentieth century, a period of dramatic conflicts and social, political, and cultural changes which transformed Europe itself, and European relationships to the wider world.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

People, power and revolution: political culture in seventeenth-century England

Code:

HS2O3

Convenor:

DR Rachel Foxley

Summary:

The political narrative of seventeenth-century England is eventful: one Stuart monarch, Charles I, was tried and executed by his own subjects in 1649 following two civil wars; another, James II, was ousted and replaced in the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688-9. In the middle of the century England came under republican government and experienced the rise to power of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. In this module we will ask who ruled England in the seventeenth century, why two revolutions occurred, and how different politics was by the end of the century compared to the situation when James I came to the throne in 1603.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Women and Medieval History

Code:

HS2O4

Convenor:

DR Ruth Salter

Summary:

This module will study women’s history in the context of centuries which saw major social and economic change across medieval societies, as well as the impact of cultural revolution and natural disasters. Its first key aim is to study the impact of these changes on those labelled ‘the weaker sex’. The first step will be to look at the beliefs which supported that label.  The second will be to look at the contributions which women in major social groups were actually making.  The vexed question of political power, and women’s access to it, will be given special consideration.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Revolutionary Cities

Code:

HS2O51

Convenor:

DR Jeremy Burchardt

Summary:

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

The American Civil War

Code:

HS2O53

Convenor:

MISS Liz Barnes

Summary:

In 1861, long-standing divisions over the place of slavery in American life erupted into war. The ensuing conflict between the national government and Southern rebels, to date the United States’ bloodiest war, resulted in significant constitutional changes that expanded the nation’s commitment to liberty and equality. In this module, we will examine the outbreak of hostilities, the course of the war, and the route to peace, examining the ways the conflict reshaped American life. We will also explore the memory of the conflict, considering ongoing debates about Confederate memorialisation across the United States.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 70%, Oral 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

American Century: United States history since 1898

Code:

HS2O55

Convenor:

DR Mara Oliva

Summary:

The module will investigate the impact that US foreign policy had on the development of a modern American state and society since the Spanish-American war of 1898.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Encountering the Atlantic World, 1450-1850

Code:

HS2O57

Convenor:

DR Richard Blakemore

Summary:

This module introduces students to the ‘Atlantic world’, the idea that from the late fourteenth to the late eighteenth century new connections were established around and across this ocean, connections which drove profound and often turbulent changes to cultures, economies, and political structures, and which have left an important and sometimes unsettling legacy for the modern world.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Black Britain: Race and Migration in Post-war Britain

Code:

HS2O58

Convenor:

DR Natalie Thomlinson

Summary:

Black Britain is an optional module that looks at race and migration in twentieth century Britain, a period in which Britain became ‘multicultural’. It looks at the lived experience of migration, and the political debates around it, though the various lenses of political, social, and cultural history. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Kingship and Crisis in England, c.1154–1330

Code:

HS2O7

Convenor:

DR Elizabeth Matthew

Summary:

This module investigates continuity and change in English politics from the late twelfth to the early fourteenth century. In this era, government was royal government: the prime mover in politics was the king. But kings had concerns outside England. Succession could be problematic. What happened when a king was absent or too young to rule in person? What constrained kings’ freedom of action? What part did queens and subjects play in shaping politics?

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Society, Thought and Art in Modern Europe

Code:

HS2STA

Convenor:

DR Veronica Heath

Summary:

This module aims to provide students with a systematic historical and cross-national understanding of the key ideas, institutions and symbols that have come to constitute and represent modernity in Europe and, at the same time, new conceptions of Europe. This module examines the birth of modern men and women in Europe in the late eighteenth century and the broad intellectual, cultural, economic, political and social conditions which have been shaping and re-shaping them since. The module further shows a) the contributions of different European nations to a common European reaction to and re-evaluation of tradition and modernity; and b) the diffusion of modernity (Westernisation) from Europe to Asia and Africa and its role in the creation of a global world. Finally, it shows how art has played a leading role in the transformations of modernity; not only recording it but also constituting one of its central components.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe

Code:

HS2UNR

Convenor:

DR Athena Leoussi

Summary:

The aim of this module is to study how two ideas became two of the most important  forces which shaped modern Europe from the 18th century to the present day. These were the idea of the nation and the idea of the European community. With this aim in mind, the module is divided into two thematic sections:

The first section explores the origins of the idea of the nation as it emerged as a revolutionary idea in Enlightenment Europe, remoulding states and peoples across Europe and the rest of the world. The section gives historical depth to current debates on nations and nationalism exploring the development of ideas about the nation, national identity, nationalism and the nation-state, through the study of classic and foundational texts such as Ernest Renan’s famous lecture at the Sorbonne of 1882, ‘What is a nation?’, Woodrow Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points’ of 1918, and close examination of a variety of nationalist movements in Europe, from the French Revolution of 1789, through the making of the first German nation-state, to the national revolutions of 1989 in communist Eastern Europe,  and the challenges to established nation-states by the nationalisms of the European regions which have persisted into the 21st century (e.g., Catalan, Flemish, Scottish). 

The relationship between majority, ruling nations and ethnic and national minorities is also examined as an important factor in nation-building. Does the nation-state exclude minorities?  

The second section engages with public debates about European integration and the nature of European identity as these interact with the member states of the EU and with processes of globalisation.  

Assessment Method:

Assignment 70%, Oral 10%, Set exercise 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Medieval Europe: power, religion and death

Code:

AR2M8

Convenor:

DR Gabor Thomas

Summary:

This single-term module gives students an overview of how archaeology has changed our understanding of European society over the course of the ‘Long Middle Ages’ (5th-16th centuries AD). It comprises 10 weekly sessions involving a combination of teacher-led content with student-led discussions, is assessed by an essay and site interpretation panel and has a field trip to Winchester - one of the richest medieval urban landscapes in southern England.  It will also include a formative assessment in the form of group poster presentations designed to support students in developing essay topics.  

Assessment Method:

Assignment 60%, Set exercise 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

The First World War: Then and Now

Code:

FR2FWW

Convenor:

DR Marjorie Gehrhardt

Summary:

This module aims to give students a clear understanding both of the French experience of the First World War and of the wider impact of the war on twentieth-century France. It explores aspects such as combatants’ lives in the trenches, but also medical advances, propaganda, the impact of the conflict on children, women and the French empire. The second part of this module focuses on long-term legacies and examines representations of WW1 in French literature and cinema over the past century, as well as commemorative practices that emerged as a result of WW1, including museum displays, ceremonies and war memorials.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Global French Life-Stories

Code:

FR2GFLS

Convenor:

PROF Julia Waters

Summary:

French is a global language, spoken by over 275 million people across the world. Modern-day metropolitan France is itself an increasingly diverse, multicultural space, shaped by waves of migration from across the globe. This module explores how diverse experiences of migration and mobility – social and geographic; internal and global - are represented in a range of short 20th-century, French-language life stories, all of which blur generic, geographic and linguistic boundaries and complicate received notions of ‘Frenchness’.   

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Class test 60%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

How to Think in French

Code:

FR2HTF

Convenor:

DR John McKeane

Summary:

This module aims to strengthen the links between the linguistic and cultural study that are so important when studying a language. It does this by pursuing three interlinking strands, each associated with not merely writing French, but ‘thinking in French’. 

The first strand concentrates on French rhetoric and style: what are the main features of expression in French, how are they used by prominent public figures, and how can you start to recognize and utilize them yourself? 

The second strand looks at the French education system, the way that such ways of writing and thinking are taught, and the social and political implications of this.

The third strand briefly dives into the way ideas about the French Republic (liberty, equality, fraternity, secularism) have developed over time, and debates on those topics today.  

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate French Language

Code:

FR2L2

Convenor:

DR Marine Orain

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed FR1L1 Beginners French Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced French Language I

Code:

FR2L3

Convenor:

MRS Celine Biart

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed FR1L2 Intermediate French Language and build on the work done in either of those modules. Students that achieve exceptional results in FR1L1 Beginners French Language might be considered for this module.  

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in French comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced French Language II

Code:

FR2L4

Convenor:

MRS Celine Biart

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed FR1L3 Advanced French Language I or FR1L2 Intermediate French Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Cinema of Germany

Code:

GM2CG

Convenor:

DR Ute Wolfel

Summary:

Assessment Method:

Assignment 60%, Oral 10%, Set exercise 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Glorification, Denial and Contempt – Reconstructing Austria’s Past

Code:

GM2GDC

Convenor:

MS Regine Klimpfinger

Summary:

The module aims to provides students with insight into several aspects of Austria’s turbulent past and present.?It introduces major turning points in Austrian history, identity and memory.?We examine the ways in which writers and film-makers have reappraised their country’s past, whether through praise, glorification, patriotism and heroism, or through denial, contempt and scorn. By drawing on texts - e.g. novellas, poems, short stories, extracts from plays – and visual sources (film), we explore the different ways in which narratives of the past have reconstructed and refashioned Austrian identity across the 20th and 21st centuries. 

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Set exercise 20%, Project 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

German Language II

Code:

GM2L2

Convenor:

DR Claire Ross

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed GM1L1 Beginners German Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced German Language I

Code:

GM2L3

Convenor:

DR Alice Christensen

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed GM1L2 Intermediate German Language and build on the work done in either of those modules. Students that achieve exceptional results in GM1L1 Beginners German Language might be considered for this module.  

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in German comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced German Language II

Code:

GM2L4

Convenor:

MS Regine Klimpfinger

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed GM1L3 Advanced German Language I or GM1L2 Intermediate German Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

'Apocalittici e integrati': Intellectuals and Society in Twentieth Century Italy

Code:

IT2INT

Convenor:

PROF Daniela La Penna

Summary:

The public intellectual is usually a person who has an established reputation which gives him/her the authority to move beyond the boundaries of his/her specialist field and to intervene in wider cultural and political debates. This module explores the role played by intellectuals in contemporary Italian culture and evaluates the impact that intellectuals have had in the political and socio-cultural history of twentieth-century Italy. This module will look at the ways in which historical circumstances unique to Italy have shaped the role of the intellectuals into two broadly defined categories: those who strike alliances with the establishment (‘integrati’) and the heretics - those who, instead, challenge the dominant discourse and exert pressure to foster social change (‘apocalittici’). Lecturers and students will address the various motivations that led some many gifted young Italians to criticize the Italian political system in significant historical periods (e.g. the Fascist dictatorship and the post-war period), to be ready to pay the highest price for their independence of mind (and some actually did), and to feel that literature and culture in general has to have an ethical and socially committed dimension in order to mean something.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate Italian Language

Code:

IT2L2

Convenor:

MRS Enza Siciliano Verruccio

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed IT1L1 Beginners Italian Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced Italian Language I

Code:

IT2L3

Convenor:

DR Chiara Ciarlo

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed IT1L2 Intermediate Italian Language and build on the work done in either of those modules. Students that achieve exceptional results in IT1L1 Beginners Italian Language might be considered for this module.  

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Italian comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced Italian Language II

Code:

IT2L4

Convenor:

DR Chiara Ciarlo

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed IT1L3 Advanced Italian Language I or IT1L2 Intermediate Italian Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). 

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

One country, many languages. Linguistic variety and society in contemporary Italy

Code:

IT2LVS

Convenor:

DR Chiara Ciarlo

Summary:

One nation = one language. This equation emerged with the geo-political unification of many European countries across the 19th century. However, far from representing the reality, the equation has proved to be oversimplifying, and barely applicable to countries like Italy where linguistic diversity and multilingualism had been experienced by speakers’ communities for centuries.

To prepare students for their year abroad in Italy, this module analyses the linguistic complexity of the Peninsula from before Unification in 1861 until the present day, focussing on the socio-historical events that have contributed to the spread of the standard language, and to the decline (but also survival) of the regional dialects and the minority languages, all of which are spoken in Italy today.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 40%, Practical 20%, Project 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Science, perversion, and dream in global fantastic literature

Code:

ML2GF

Convenor:

DR Alice Christensen

Summary:

This module will explore a number of key literary texts that engage the Fantastic mode of literary representation. The module aims to promote critical awareness of the ways in which French, Hispanic, Italian and German literary traditions adapted and transformed the Fantastic narrative so that it spoke to a number of specific issues such as the advances in science and technology, the changing roles of women, the pressures of modernisation, the impact of psychoanalysis, and fears related to changes brought about by colonisation, the political structure of the Nation-state, and the economy. Texts will be read in the original language if the student is taking that language to degree level, and in English translation if not.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe

Code:

ML2STA

Convenor:

DR Veronica Heath

Summary:

This module aims to provide students with a systematic historical and cross-national understanding of the key ideas, institutions and symbols that have come to constitute and represent modernity, in its original cradle in Europe and the rest of the world. The module examines the birth of modern men and women in Europe in the late eighteenth century, in the fulcrum of the Enlightenment and Romanticism, and the broad intellectual, cultural, economic, political and social conditions which have been shaping and re-shaping them since. The module further shows a) the contributions of different European nations to a common European reaction to and re-evaluation of tradition and innovation and b) the diffusion of modernity (Westernisation) from Europe to Asia and Africa and its role in the creation of a global world. Finally, it shows how art has played a leading role in the transformations of modernity - not only recording it but also constituting one of its central components.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe

Code:

ML2UNR

Convenor:

DR Athena Leoussi

Summary:

The aim of this module is to study how two ideas became two of the most important forces which shaped modern Europe from the 18th century to the present day. These were the idea of the nation and the idea of the European community. With this aim in mind, the module is divided into two thematic sections:

The first section explores the origins of the idea of the nation as it emerged as a revolutionary idea in Enlightenment Europe, remoulding states and peoples across Europe and the rest of the world. The section gives historical depth to current debates on nations and nationalism exploring the development of ideas about the nation, national identity, nationalism and the nation-state, through the study of classic and foundational texts such as Ernest Renan’s famous lecture at the Sorbonne of 1882, ‘What is a nation?’, Woodrow Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points’ of 1918, and close examination of a variety of national movements in Europe, from the French Revolution of 1789, through the making of the first German nation-state, to the national revolutions of 1989 in communist Eastern Europe.

The second section engages, first, with public debates about European integration and the nature of European identity as these interact with the member states of the EU and with processes of globalisation; second, with challenges to established nation-states by the nationalisms of the European regions which have persisted into the 21st century (e.g., Catalan, Flemish, Scottish); and third with the relationship between majority, ruling nations and ethnic and national minorities in the 20th and 21st centuries. This section explores relations between ethnic and national majorities and minorities by using examples from Europe and the rest of the world.  

Assessment Method:

Assignment 60%, Oral 20%, Set exercise 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Culture & Revolution in Modern Latin America

Code:

SP2CR

Convenor:

DR Camila Gonzalez Ortiz

Summary:

The revolutions of the twentieth-century in Latin America were not only political projects; they also promoted radical changes at socio-cultural levels, with new cultural forms, ideas and policies evolving in particular contexts as a part of a wider project of nation-building through revolution. Within this context of broad change, these revolutions also raised many important questions about culture: Why was culture so important to political change? How could revolutionary culture be defined and what was its role in the revolutionary project? For whom was this culture intended, and what socio-cultural policies and initiatives (in literacy, education and cultural production) were developed in order to foster the development of culture within the revolutionary context? Were these revolutionary projects inclusive or did they exclude sectors of the population from participation in culture? How have these projects been refashioned in the twenty-first century? By exploring key moments of revolution and cultural policy in practice through the revolutions of, for example, Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, and the ALBA alliance, as represented in prose, poetry, documentary film from these contexts, this course unit develops an understanding of the various interactions and relationships between radical political change and culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Finally, it examines whether a coherent tradition and trajectory of culture and revolution can be discerned from these case studies, which can then be extended into the twenty-first century.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Class test 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Intermediate Spanish Language

Code:

SP2L2

Convenor:

MR Oscar Garcia Garcia

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed SP1L1 Beginners Spanish Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced Spanish Language I

Code:

SP2L3

Convenor:

MS Angela Mira Conejero

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed SP1L2 Intermediate Spanish Language and build on the work done in either of those modules. Students that achieve exceptional results in SP1L1 Beginners Spanish Language might be considered for this module.  

Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved a level of competence in Spanish comparable to level B1/B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Advanced Spanish Language II

Code:

SP2L4

Convenor:

MR Raúl Marchena Magadan

Summary:

This module is aimed at students who in Part 1 have successfully completed SP1L3 Advanced Spanish Language I or SP1L2 Intermediate Spanish Language. The course will build on the work done in the core language module at Part 1 and provide students with the necessary linguistic competence and proficiency for the Year Abroad. Students who successfully complete this module will have achieved level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Assessment Method:

Practical 80%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Modern and Contemporary Spanish Narratives

Code:

SP2MCN

Convenor:

DR Marta Simo-Comas

Summary:

The primary aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the main narrative trends in Modern and Contemporary Spanish culture through the study of a selection of fictional works (short stories, novels and films) spanning the period from the end of the 19th Century to the present. A secondary aim of the course is to introduce a conceptual framework for analysing such works through their narrative devices and for situating them within the intellectual and socio-cultural contexts in which they were produced. Themes to be discussed include: realist representation; the irrational and the fantastic; symbolic representation; issues of identity; narrative structure; intertextuality; aspects of genres such as detective and historical fiction. 

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Class test 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

X

Module details


Title:

Transatlantic Exchanges: Latin America in the Global Nineteenth Century

Code:

SP2TT

Convenor:

DR David Rojinsky

Summary:

The nineteenth century saw dramatic political change in Latin America. As the region achieved independence from the Spanish and Portuguese empires, the newly emerging nations faced questions over how to shape their political, economic and cultural futures. This module explores both the factors that led to this profound shift and the way that Latin America approached its new future throughout the century. The module views these changes through a global lens, examining the impact of influential ideas, the movement of people and international political interactions. By examining key historical and cultural texts, and important elements such as the wars of independence and the abolition of slavery, the module will explore how Latin America faced the challenges of the nineteenth century and how this period left its political and cultural mark on the region.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Report 20%, Class test 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Code Module Convenor
HS2GPP Going Public: Presenting the Past, Planning the Future PROF Kate Williams
HS2HAD Historical Approaches and My Dissertation MISS Liz Barnes
HS2INT Intellectuals and Society in Twentieth Century Italy PROF Daniela La Penna
HS2O10 The Colonial Experience: Africa, 1879 to 1980 DR Heike Schmidt
HS2O11 Hollywood Histories: Film and the Past PROF Patrick Major
HS2O14 Rebel Girls: The Influence of Radical Women 1792-1919 DR Jacqui Turner
HS2O16 ‘The brightest jewel in the British crown’: The Making of Modern South Asia, 1757-1947 DR Rohan Deb Roy
HS2O17 Reform and Revolt in the Modern Middle East: Egypt from Ataturk to the ‘Arab Spring’ DR Dina Rezk
HS2O19 Europe in the Twentieth Century DR Daniel Renshaw
HS2O3 People, power and revolution: political culture in seventeenth-century England DR Rachel Foxley
HS2O4 Women and Medieval History DR Ruth Salter
HS2O51 Revolutionary Cities DR Jeremy Burchardt
HS2O53 The American Civil War MISS Liz Barnes
HS2O55 American Century: United States history since 1898 DR Mara Oliva
HS2O57 Encountering the Atlantic World, 1450-1850 DR Richard Blakemore
HS2O58 Black Britain: Race and Migration in Post-war Britain DR Natalie Thomlinson
HS2O7 Kingship and Crisis in England, c.1154–1330 DR Elizabeth Matthew
HS2STA Society, Thought and Art in Modern Europe DR Veronica Heath
HS2UNR Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe DR Athena Leoussi
AR2M8 Medieval Europe: power, religion and death DR Gabor Thomas
FR2FWW The First World War: Then and Now DR Marjorie Gehrhardt
FR2GFLS Global French Life-Stories PROF Julia Waters
FR2HTF How to Think in French DR John McKeane
FR2L2 Intermediate French Language DR Marine Orain
FR2L3 Advanced French Language I MRS Celine Biart
FR2L4 Advanced French Language II MRS Celine Biart
GM2CG Cinema of Germany DR Ute Wolfel
GM2GDC Glorification, Denial and Contempt – Reconstructing Austria’s Past MS Regine Klimpfinger
GM2L2 German Language II DR Claire Ross
GM2L3 Advanced German Language I DR Alice Christensen
GM2L4 Advanced German Language II MS Regine Klimpfinger
IT2INT 'Apocalittici e integrati': Intellectuals and Society in Twentieth Century Italy PROF Daniela La Penna
IT2L2 Intermediate Italian Language MRS Enza Siciliano Verruccio
IT2L3 Advanced Italian Language I DR Chiara Ciarlo
IT2L4 Advanced Italian Language II DR Chiara Ciarlo
IT2LVS One country, many languages. Linguistic variety and society in contemporary Italy DR Chiara Ciarlo
ML2GF Science, perversion, and dream in global fantastic literature DR Alice Christensen
ML2STA Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe DR Veronica Heath
ML2UNR Unity, Nationalism and Regionalism in Europe DR Athena Leoussi
SP2CR Culture & Revolution in Modern Latin America DR Camila Gonzalez Ortiz
SP2L2 Intermediate Spanish Language MR Oscar Garcia Garcia
SP2L3 Advanced Spanish Language I MS Angela Mira Conejero
SP2L4 Advanced Spanish Language II MR Raúl Marchena Magadan
SP2MCN Modern and Contemporary Spanish Narratives DR Marta Simo-Comas
SP2TT Transatlantic Exchanges: Latin America in the Global Nineteenth Century DR David Rojinsky

These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Year abroad.

We offer a range of destinations that currently includes:
  • If you are taking French as a core language: Montpellier, Paris, Geneva, Toulouse, La Réunion
  • If you are taking German as a core language: Augsburg, Regensburg, Vienna, Potsdam, Graz, Tübingen
  • If you are taking Italian as a core language: Florence, Siena, Naples, Padua, Bologna, Pisa, Rome
  • If you are taking Spanish as a core language: Havana, Madrid, Sevilla, Oviedo, Mexico (Puebla), Salamanca

Core modules include:

  • Language modules in French, German, Italian or Spanish (depending on your chosen core language)

Optional modules include:

  • Medieval Magic and the Origins of the Witch-Craze
  • The Colonial Experience: Africa, 1879-1980
  • Gothic: Architecture, Money and Cultural Identity

    At least one cultural module focusing on the countries where your core language is spoken, for instance:

    • French Popular Music and Society
    • Migration in Germany
    • Crisis, Change, Opportunity: Italy from 1968 to the Present
    • Writers and Publishers in Spain

    You may choose to take one or more of our ‘comparative’ modules, which enable you to study the literature, cinema or history of not one but several countries in a comparative fashion, for example:

    • Cinemas of the World
    • Language and Power

    Please note that all modules are subject to change.



    Fees

    New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250*

    New international students: £20,300

    *UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

    UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

    EU student fees

    With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

    Year abroad fees

    If you spend a full year abroad, you will only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee for that year. For more information, please see our fees and funding pages or contact studyabroad@reading.ac.uk.

    Additional Costs

    Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

    Financial support for your studies

    You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

    Careers

    In the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019-20, overall, 88% of graduates from Languages and Cultures are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation*. 91% of graduates from the Department of History are in work or further study 15 months after the end of their course [1].

    Recent modern languages graduates have found careers in translation, teaching, business and finance, the arts, and marketing. Recent employers include Sony Europe, the Civil Service, Oxford University Press, BNP Paribas, Dow Jones, Vodafone and PwC.

    Employers of past history graduates include the Museum of London, British Army, BBC News, BBC Radio Berkshire, KPMG, Price Forbes & Partners, Department for Education, Deloitte, and National Trust.

    *Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20; includes all Languages and Cultures responders.

    [1] Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018/19; First Degree responders from History.

    CLEARING IS OPEN

    Call us to apply for an available course, or visit our Clearing pages for more information.

    +44 118 402 0900

    These related courses also have places available through Clearing:

    • BA Modern Languages (4 years)
    • BA History
    • BA Modern Languages and English Literature

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    • History
    • Spanish

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