www.bath.ac.uk/polis
BA (Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (MLES)
BA (Hons) Language and Politics
Dr Nick
Startin
Admissions Officer for Modern Languages and
European Studies ( MLES)
Dr Nick Startin
Admissions Tutor,
Modern Languages and European Studies (MLES)
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Why Languages at Bath?
•
Excellent reputation for high quality teaching and research
•
A broad-based contemporary and interdisciplinary
approach
•
Total immersion in the language
•
An integrated year abroad programme
•
Excellent graduate employment prospects
•
High level of personal and academic support
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Aims of the BA in MLES
The aims of the BA in Modern Languages and
European Studies are that graduates:
• read, write and speak two European languages with
proficiency
• understand the social, political, economic and cultural
evolution of contemporary Europe
• develop skills in research, analysis, communication and
debate
• experience direct exposure to the cultures you have
studied
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Degree programmes with Languages at Bath
BA Modern Languages and European Studies
(Two languages from French, German, Italian Russian & Spanish)
BA Language and Politics
(One language from French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish)
BSc International Management and Modern Languages
(One language from French or German or Spanish)
N.B. French, German & Spanish can be studied post ‘A’ level, Italian
post ‘A’ level and ab initio for beginners and Russian ab initio only
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Aims of the BA in MLES
The aims of the BA in Modern Languages and
European Studies are that graduates:
• read, write and speak two European languages with
proficiency
• understand the social, political, economic and cultural
evolution of contemporary Europe
• develop skills in research, analysis, communication and
debate
• experience direct exposure to the cultures you have
studied
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Admission requirements
Grade requirements for MLES:
ABB (with A in language); AAB for French/Spanish
The intake:
French: 70
German: 20
Italian: 35 (Combination of ab.initio & ‘A’ level)
Russian: 25
Spanish: 65
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
BA in Modern Languages and European Studies (MLES)
An overview of the programme
Year 1
Year 2
•
Language 1
•
Written & Spoken Language •Written & Spoken Language
•
Politics, Society & Culture
• Politics, Society & Culture
Language 2
•
•
Written & Spoken Language Written & Spoken Language
• Politics, Society & Culture
Politics, Society & Culture
European Studies
•
Intro to Europe
•
Europe since 1945
Year 3
•European Integration
•European options
Year 4
Abroad
•
Written & Spoken Language
•
National Options
•
Written & Spoken Language
•
National Options
•
European Options
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Typical MLES Year 1 Programme Structure
Language
• 40% weighted
• 3 or 4 hrs per language per week
Written & Spoken
Language
(20)
Politics, Society & Culture
• 40% weighted
• approx 3 hrs per language per week
Seminar
(20)
European Studies
• 20% weighted
• approx 2.5 hrs per week
Lecture
(all)
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
European Studies at Bath
POLIS - A leading centre for European Studies in the UK. Staff expertise
ranges over a wide variety of disciplines such as:
•
Memory, history and identity
•
Europeanisation and Euroscepticism
•
EU public policy
•
Conflict and security in Europe
•
Democratisation in Europe
•
Political corruption and scandal
•
Migration in Europe
•
Extreme Right parties in Europe
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Why European Studies?
In the midst of a European and global economic crisis the study of the issues
and cleavages that divide Contemporary Europe have never been more
salient:
Totalitarianism v Democracy
East v West
North v South
Left v Right
Neo Liberal Europe v Social Europe
Big states v small states
EU ‘soft power’ v US ‘hard power’
European integration v national sovereignty (More Europe/less Europe)
Euro v national currency
Religion v secularism
More migration v less migration
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Research-led teaching : A selection
of final year Language content options
French: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité - La France et ses idées; La persuasion et la Propagande; La montée du
Front National; Les identités qui voyagent: Les cultures postcoloniales dans les arts et les lettres; Aux armes
etc. - La France en chansons; Politique et Esthétique: Les avant-gardes Européens; Les banlieues dans la
république; la France postcoloniale
Spanish: The Post-Franco Party Political System in Spain; Gender in contemporary Spain; The Politics of
Democracy & Development in Latin America; In search of Latin America: Diversity and the Dream of Unity; In
the Shadow of Franco: Repression, Denial and Memory; International Relations of Latin America; Rebellion
and Utopia in Latin American Popular Struggles; Latin American visual cultures
German: Multikulturelles Deutschland; Protest und Widerstand; Heimat und Identität; Deutschland in Europa
im 21. Jahrhundert
Italian: Scrittrici Italiane del ventesimo secolo; Organised crime & democracy in Italy; The Berlusconi years
(1994-2012); Political Terrorism and its legacy in Italy
Russian: Modern Russian Cinema; Gorbachev and Perestroika; Politics in Post-communist Russia; Literature
and Society in Modern Russia
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Can I study a 3rd language?
• MLES students can study another language alongside
their degree programme with the courses offered by
the Foreign Language Centre (FLC)
• Languages available: Arabic, French, German, Greek,
Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
• See following web-link for more details:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/flc/
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
How is the degree assessed?
Two examination periods (S1 & S2)
• Assessment consists of a combination of
coursework essays, class exercises, projects,
oral presentations and examinations
• We also place strong emphasis on developing
presentation and discussion/communication
skills which, in many units, is part of the
assessed work
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
How is the degree assessed?
BA in Modern Languages & European Studies
Weightings towards final degree
Year 1
Pass & proceed
Year 2
24%
Year 3
8% extended essay or examinations at overseas
institution
Year 4
68%
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Languages at Bath and employment
Skills and Employment
The key transferable skills gained popular with employers in business
and industry :
•
•
•
•
•
Communication
Research
Critical analysis
Organisation and Presentation
Team work
http://www.bath.ac.uk/careers/destinations/2012/modernlangeurostudies.pdf
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Our performance in the KIS Data 2014
KIS stands for Key Information Set. The KIS is an official overview of
comparable information on higher education courses for prospective
students
http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/ug/prospectus/subject/modern-languageseuropean-studies
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Year Abroad - Choices
• Language Assistant in School
• Study at Foreign University (Student Exchange)
• Work Placement
• Can mix and match
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Benefits of the year abroad:
•
Improved language skills
•
Improved confidence and problem solving
skills
•
Immersion in the country you have been
studying
•
Fun!
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Current Exchange Partners
France
•
•
•
•
•
Institut d’Etudes Politiques, Paris &
Strasbourg
University of Paris III
University of Toulouse
University of Aix-en-Provence
University of Lyon
Italy
• University of Naples
• University of Parma
• University of Rome
• University of Siena
• University of Trento
Russia
• Voronezh
• Tomsk
Germany
•Free University of Berlin
•University of Konstanz
•University of Leipzig
Spain/Latin America
•University of Alicante
•University of Madrid – Carlos III
•University of Madrid – Complutense
•University of Malaga
•University of Zaragoza
•Pontificada University, Santiago
•University of Guadalajara, Mexico
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Language Assistant
• Usually September to May
• Apply through British Council (except Russian)
• Paid Employment
• Teach approximately 12 hours per week
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Student Placements – a few examples
•
Château de la Baudonnière, Normandy
•
Simmons and Simmons Lawyers, Paris
•
CBI Lobbying, Brussels
•
‘I Love Chile’, online newspaper, Santiago
•
Open House Marketing, Barcelona
•
IDEI, Human Rights, Bolivia
•
Di Palma, PR, Milan
•
Ernst and Young Technical Translation Department, Stuttgart
•
LKW Walter, Logistics, Vienna
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Fees
• In the new fee regime: £1,350.00
• Eligible for student loan (work
placement/assistantships receive 50%)
• Eligible to apply for an Erasmus grant for
study/placements in Europe
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Why study Languages at Bath? (a re-cap)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Excellent reputation for high quality teaching and
research
A broad-based contemporary and interdisciplinary
approach
Total immersion in the language
An integrated year abroad programme
High level of personal and academic support
Top-ranking university in a beautiful
city in a safe, campus environment
www.bath.ac.uk/polis
Who to contact?
Nick Startin
Email: [email protected]
Admissions Tutor
Modern Languages and European Studies
Central Admissions
[email protected],
Website: www.bath.ac.uk/polis