Modern Languages (Foundation Entry)

Level
Chinese (ab initio), for students who have limited or no knowledge of the language and will be able to learn the basics.

Studying Chinese
Learning Chinese (Mandarin) at the University of Central Lancashire is a truly transformative process. You’ll be able to grasp the language spoken by most people in the world, explore its fascinating history and culture, and embrace the wide-ranging opportunities offered by the second largest economy. It will lead you down a path where you meet experts in Chinese studies, experience various cultural activities, and understand the outside world from different perspectives such as cultures, politics and histories.

Learning Chinese could be a big challenge for you, but it will also be one of the most rewarding experiences that you gain.

As the world’s second largest economy, China is a new land of opportunities, attracting growing attention on the world stage. With Chinese language competence and cross-culture communication skills, you will widen your horizon. You will also gain related important soft skills that many employers are looking for, such as ‘a strong work ethic’ and ‘adaptability’.

Another notable highlight is the opportunities to visit China. The Chinese courses draw on the support of our Confucius Institute and our extensive links with China to include an intensive summer study tour in Beijing at the end of Year 1, and a full year abroad at the end of Year 2.

Why choose Chinese?

• We offer a wide range of Chinese modules at the University for intensive and non-intensive learning. The contact hours of language and content lessons are very generous. For example, you will have 8-14 contact hours of Chinese language and content lessons per week in Year 1 and Year 2. Sufficient help and support from teachers are available inside and outside classroom. With the content-based modules, you’ll also develop a real understanding of how the Chinese language and civilisation have evolved over time to reflect the world views it takes today.
  
  
• The year abroad keeps the cohesion of the two parts of Chinese language and business studies by including a study placement at a Chinese university and an internship in an international company based in China, the only undergraduate course with an embedded work placement in the UK.
  
  
• We provide 360-degree support on your Chinese learning journey. You will not be alone in our learning community. You can gain advice from senior students at Peer Assisted Study Session, academic and personal guidance from your academic advisors and other support from a broader university student support network. We also offer wide-ranging extra-curricular activities organised by the Confucius Institute, the China Research Centre and student-led Chinese Society.

No matter whether you are a total beginner or someone with prior Chinese learning experience, we are happy to accommodate your learning needs. If you are ready to explore the world of Chinese, join us and we will work with you to get where you aim to be.

Level
French is available for students who have previously studied the language at A2 Level.

Studying French
As a student of French you’ll take part in interactive seminars and workshops. You will work towards a proficient level of French while developing a comprehensive knowledge of the cultures and societies where French is spoken.

Our post A-Level route enhances your level of French. As you progress you’ll have the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests and develop skills and knowledge that are relevant for you.

In addition to the formal tuition, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your language skills, cultural knowledge and explore areas of research by engaging in a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as conversation groups, research seminars, employability workshops and cultural events.

You will have the chance to put your French and intercultural skills into practice by spending time working or studying in France or French speaking countries during your period abroad.

By studying French, you will be learning a global language. French is the fifth most spoken language in the world, with more than 300 million speakers living on five continents. It can open a whole new world of job opportunities in a variety of sectors including teaching, business, translation, interpreting as well as progression into postgraduate studies in linguistics, cultural studies, translation and interpreting, amongst others.

Proficiency in a language is already a skill that makes a significant difference in the job market. In the wider context of Brexit, fluency in European languages will become even more desirable, and being able to work in French and with French people, to know the language and the culture of our closest continental neighbours, will be a boost to your CV.

Why choose French?

• Small student cohorts will give you the chance to actively participate in class and develop your writing, reading, speaking and listening in a friendly, inclusive and supportive learning community.
  
  
• Employability is one of our keywords and we keep close contact with various companies that offer internships and jobs opportunities to our students and alumni, in France and in the UK.
• In addition to the period abroad, there may be other opportunities to visit French speaking countries. Past students have had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultures of exciting places such as Metz, Nantes, Lyon, La Rochelle and Québec, amongst others.

Level
German is available for students who have previously studied the language at A2 Level.

Studying German
Learning the German language is an enjoyable and rewarding process. You will not only expand your vocabulary in an accelerated manner and deepen your understanding of grammar but also have plenty of opportunities to practise your listening and speaking skills. You’ll get the opportunity to immerse yourself in the German culture and will be introduced to the German geography, arts, politics and the people of Germany today.

German history is particularly important to understand the people, life and politics of today and the life and politics before and after the German reunification will be explored. You’ll also get an insight into the culture of the Austrian and Swiss and other German speaking areas throughout the world.

Your own interests in the language and culture are at the heart of your studies and we put you in control of your learning. As you progress you will have the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests and develop skills and knowledge that are relevant for you.

German is one of the world’s most prominent languages and is the most widely spoken native tongue in the European Union. Officials estimate that about 95 million people speak German as a first language, and many have learned it as a second language.

Studying German can open a whole new world of job opportunities in a variety of sectors including teaching, business, translation, interpreting as well as progression into postgraduate studies in linguistics, cultural studies, translation and interpreting, amongst others.

Proficiency in German makes a significant difference on the job market. In the wider context of Brexit, fluency in European languages will become even more desirable, and being able to work in German and with German speaking people, to know the language and the culture of our closest continental neighbours, will be a boost to your CV.

Why choose German?

• Small student cohorts in German will give you the chance to actively participate in class and develop your writing, reading, speaking and listening in a friendly, inclusive and supportive learning community. In addition to the formal tuition, you will have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as conversation groups, research seminars, employability workshops and cultural events.
  
  
• As a student of German at the University of Central Lancashire you will also benefit from the team’s research expertise in contemporary German culture and literature, as well as professional skills in translation and interpreting.
  
  
• We develop your employability skills and we keep close contact with various companies that offer internships and jobs opportunities to our students and alumni, in Germany and in the UK.

You will have the chance to put your German and intercultural skills into practice by spending time working or studying in Germany during your period abroad. ‘Tandem’ programmes with universities in Germany (i.e. Kassel) are encouraged.

Level
Japanese (ab initio), for students who have limited or no knowledge of the language and will be able to learn the basics.

Studying Japanese
Challenging, but rewarding, Japanese is one of the most studied languages. Japanese language skills enable you to dive into a society in which tradition meets modernity. You will learn how to write in three different scripts and experience the beauty of the spoken language. But learning Japanese is not just about learning a language, but rather experiencing a culture with a rich history and world-famous literary tradition.

You’ll learn how to communicate efficiently in written and spoken Japanese with an appropriate degree of fluency and accuracy in a range of situations. Get to grips with translating/interpreting between English and Japanese texts/speeches of a varied nature in a number of registers and genres. You’ll get to demonstrate your language skills through interactive portfolios, presentations and creative writing.

You’ll also get the opportunity to take part in lectures given by staff and guest speakers representing major disciplines in the sphere of Japanese Studies. You are encouraged to get actively involved in Japan-related events and student-led associations. Working with your peers you’ll practise your Japanese skills with native speakers, including exchange students at the University.

And don’t miss our Classical Japanese reading group and lots of other Japanese language related sessions.

Why choose Japanese?

• You can experience many facets of Japanese culture on campus before heading to one of our almost 30 partner universities in Japan for your period abroad. We cooperate with Japanese culture associations at the University and on a national level.
  
  
• We offer a comprehensive exploration of Japanese language, culture and history with immediately applicable employment skills and competences (translation/interpreting, business Japanese).
  
  
• We take pride in our research-led teaching approach: our lecturers are active in research and incorporate their own expertise into teaching a variety of modules (discourse analysis, gender and language, translation theory and practice, history and politics).

In addition to our extensive study abroad opportunities at a vast selection of partner institutions in Japan, you’ll be encouraged to apply for Japanese government scholarships to support your postgraduate studies. We have also referred candidates to the DAIWA foundation and the European Association for Japanese Studies. There is also the opportunity to be considered for academic prizes, such as the Ivan Morris Prize.

Level
Korean (ab initio), for students who have limited or no knowledge of the language and will be able to learn the basics.

Studying Korean
The Korean subject offers you a variety of modules including not only language learning, but also Korean history, culture, linguistics and politics.

Language learning starts from the absolute beginner level and conveys all four skills of speaking, reading, listening and writing. The classes are featured with interactive activities, together with conversation classes run by Korean native students, giving our students sufficient opportunities to practice and communicate using the language.

Besides the module setting, we provide many different experiences in the area of Korean studies. Korean speaking/poetry-making contests are held regularly every year, allowing you to explore more possibilities with your language.

Conferences and seminars invite scholars to bring in new frontier knowledge to share with you. We also organise the Korean Festival which students take a great part in making Korean food, trying traditional Korean dresses and K-pop.

In addition, the Korean Society is one of the largest student societies at the University. Liaising with them, we offer a buddy system for our students to connect with a Korean native student or students of different years in the Korean subject. It formulates a great learning-help environment for every one of our students.

Why choose Korean?

• We have a strong teaching team and diverse Korean modules to choose from.
• We offer a great exchanging programme with our partner universities in South Korea.
• Get involved with our dynamic student activities to promote every student’s learning and extra-curricular experience.

Many students of the Korean subject will have the opportunity to go to top universities in South Korea as exchange students. Currently, we hold great partnerships with 15 universities, nine of which are located in Seoul and others in Pusan and other exciting cities.

Before going on the year abroad, you’ll be prepared by step-by-step guidance from staff and multiple experience talks from students who returned from their year abroad. We engage to help students maximise their learning and life experience in the Korean culture.

Level
Russian (ab initio), for students who have limited or no knowledge of the language and will be able to learn the basics.

Studying Russian
Learning the Russian language doesn’t just involve expanding your vocabulary and conversational skills – you’ll also get to immerse yourself in Russian culture.

Expand your linguistic horizons by taking part in our vast programme of Russian events which will introduce you to the art, culture, geography, politics and people of the Russian-speaking world. And you’ll have opportunities to travel overseas and experience the wonders of Russia for yourself.

We’ll help you transform language learning into a truly creative process. As soon as you’ve grasped the structural principles – the ‘skeleton’ of the language - we’ll teach you how to dramatically enhance your vocabulary using a range of creative techniques. So you might find yourself inventing memorable mnemonics or drawing parallels with other languages to help you master complex grammar structures and commit thousands of new words to memory. You’ll get a real understanding of how the Russian language has evolved over time to reflect the cultural world surrounding it.

This course offers lots of opportunities to immerse yourself in Russian culture as you develop your language skills with native speakers.

You can get involved in themed events which run throughout the year. In recent times we’ve welcomed more than 60 visiting speakers and performers to the University, including a BAFTA award-winning Russian film director, poets, translators, classical musicians, rock bands, theatre groups, and even a Russian Orthodox icon-painting workshop delivered by Belorussian nuns.

As a regular host of international conferences featuring leading Russian academics, we also collaborate with Russian institutions. Our students have been to Russia to compete in international competitions for young scientists, and we regularly hold online events with Russian students.

Why choose Russian?

• Immerse yourself in Russian culture by getting involved in everything our Russian Society has to offer – from tasting Russian cuisine to watching Russian movies, discussing Russian books and celebrating major Russian festivals.
• Our School is home to the Vladimir Vysotsky Centre for Russian Studies, which seeks to bring Russian culture to western audiences and carries out research in the field of Russian thought, literature, music, history and art.
• You’ll have the chance to experience Russia for yourself by spending time studying there in leading Russian universities.

The very best way to become a fluent speaker in Russian is by spending time living and breathing Russian culture and getting to know the Russian people. During this course you’ll have opportunities to travel to Russia and spend time studying at an institution there. We have links with some of the top universities in Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan.

Level
Spanish (ab initio), for students who have limited or no knowledge of the language and will be able to learn the basics. We also offer Spanish who have previously studied the language at A2 Level.

Studying Spanish
As a student of Spanish you will take part in interactive seminars and workshops. You’ll work towards a proficient level of Spanish while developing a comprehensive knowledge of the cultures and societies where Spanish is spoken.

In addition to the formal tuition, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your language skills, cultural knowledge and explore areas of research by engaging in a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as conversation groups, research seminars, employability workshops and cultural events.

You’ll have the chance to put your Spanish and intercultural skills into practice by spending time working or studying in Spain or Latin America during your period abroad.

By studying Spanish, you will be learning a global language with more than 450 million speakers which can open a whole new world of job opportunities in a variety of sectors including teaching, business, translation, interpreting as well as progression into postgraduate studies in linguistics, cultural studies, translation and interpreting, amongst others.

Why choose Spanish?

• In the National Student Survey (NSS) 2020 for Iberian Studies, Spanish at the University was ranked within the top 10 Universities in the UK for overall student satisfaction.
• Small student cohorts will give you the chance to actively participate in class and develop your writing, reading, speaking and listening in a friendly, inclusive and supportive learning community.
• Study Spanish as part of a wide range of distinctive study combinations which includes subjects as Chinese, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Russian, English Literature and Linguistics, International Business and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

In addition to the period abroad, there might be other opportunities to visit Spanish speaking countries. Past students have had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultures of exciting places such as Granada, Alicante, Barcelona and Argentina, amongst others.

The University’s Research Centre for Migration, Diaspora and Exile (MIDEX) develops interdisciplinary analysis on contemporary issues such as Spanish literature in exile.