Program Overview

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English & Modern Languages (French, German, Portuguese or Spanish) with a year abroad BA

Key information

Course type: Joint honours

Delivery mode: In person

Study mode: Full time

Required A-level: AAB

Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements

Duration: Four years

Application status: Open

Start date: September 2025

Application deadline: 29 January 2025

Study abroad

Optional internships

Apply via UCAS

Course essentials

At King’s we offer you a lively and intellectually stimulating home in the heart of London where you will be taught by leading experts. Our Department of English prides itself not only on the range and diversity of the modules we offer - from medieval literature to modern poetry and women’s writing - but also on the diversity of our approaches, from contemporary literary theory to close textual examination and historical scholarship. In Modern Languages, you will attain a high level of proficiency in speaking, writing and reading the language of your degree, whilst developing your knowledge and critical understanding of its culture and society. Students can take this course either with an A-level (or equivalent) in the degree language, or as a beginner, following a specially-designed language course (known as ‘ab initio’ – ‘from the start’), and our cultural curriculum is innovative and diverse, covering a range of modules in literature, from the medieval period to the contemporary, cultural studies, film studies, politics and history. You will spend the third year of your four-year degree studying, teaching or working in a French-, German-, Portuguese- or Spanish-speaking country, putting your language learning into practice.

Key benefits

• One of the oldest English departments in the country, with an enduring international reputation for the quality of its teaching and research.
• Our language departments are ranked 5th in the UK (QS University Rankings 2024) and offer our graduates excellent career prospects.
• Central location offers access to Shakespeare’s Globe, the British Library, and a variety of cinemas, galleries, theatres, specialist libraries and resources, including the Goethe-Institut and Austrian Cultural Forum, the Institut français, Canning House, Camões Centre for Portuguese Language and Culture, and the Instituto Cervantes, as well as events organised by embassies and other related cultural institutions.
• Graduates develop transferable analytical and communications skills making them highly desirable to employers across a range of sectors.
• Broad range of specialist modules in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, from medieval to contemporary literature as well as politics, history, cultural studies, and film. You can study French, German, Spanish or Portuguese language either post A-level (or equivalent) or with no previous knowledge of the language (ab initio).
• The Year abroad in a French-, German-, Portuguese- or Spanish-speaking country offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in culture and society and attain language fluency. We have exchanges with a wide variety of partner universities across Europe, in Martinique and Quebec, and in Middle and South American countries such as Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.

Entry requirements

• Required subjects: English Literature or English Language and Literature
• Preferred subjects: A Level in French, German, Spanish or Portuguese at grade B or equivalent is required if you plan to take the language at Advanced level. The ab initio pathway allows students to start studying one of these languages from scratch.
• A-Levels: Required grades: AAB
• Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.
• Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process. Must include grade A in English Literature or English Language and Literature.
• Contextual A-Level information: BBB Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels. Must include English Literature or English Language and Literature. Notes: If you are taking linear A Levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels. Must include Higher Level English Literature or English Language and Literature. Notes: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.
• Contextual International Baccalaureate information: 32 points overall or an aggregate score of 15 from three Higher Levels. Must include Higher Level English Literature or English Language and Literature. Note: The total point score of 32 includes TOK/EE.

Alternative accepted qualifications

• Access to HE Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

English language requirements

• English language band: B
• Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test. For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection process

• Contextual consideration: We make contextual offers for this programme, which can be found in the entry requirements. As part of the assessment process, we take into account contextual information to gain a more complete picture of each application. More information can be found on the Contextualised admissions website.
• Deferrals: Applications can be submitted for deferred entry by choosing the appropriate year of entry on the UCAS application. If your circumstances change and, therefore, you need to request a deferral after an offer has been made, then we can generally permit these for this programme. However, each deferral request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we reserve the right to decline any post-offer deferral request. Requests should be submitted via a message on King’s Apply with an explanation of the reason for making the request. Please note, second deferral requests will only be considered where the request is due to extreme unforeseen extenuating circumstances, for example, health reasons. We are unable to permit deferral requests that go beyond two years and you would need to apply again. This is with the exception of deferrals which are due to military
  ational service.
• Foundation courses: Applicants studying Foundation Year programmes in the UK are welcome to apply for this programme. Foundation programmes from other universities and further education providers in the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis. Whether or not we can consider a particular foundation year as suitable for study at King's depends on the content of the syllabus and modules studied. In the past we have accepted foundation programmes from a number of other institutions. We are unable to accept Foundation programmes that are integrated as part of a main degree at another institution. These may be called Year 0 or Integrated Foundations. We are also unable to accept non-UK Foundation courses.
• Graduates: Our general entry requirements are based on A-level or equivalent. However, where an applicant is completing/has completed a degree, we are able to consider the degree study as part of the assessment of the application. Generally, we would consider a minimum of a UK Bachelor degree with a 2:1 grade profile (or overseas equivalent) as meeting the entry requirements for our undergraduate degrees. However, those who have achieved/are predicted a high 2:1 or a First may be considered more competitive. Where a programme has subject requirements, these will still need to have been met. If you have not met the subject requirements via A-level (or equivalent) then we may be able to consider the content within your degree. We would be looking for significant study of the subject across the degree programme with a 2:1 or above grading on those modules.
• Personal Statement: Your personal statement is one of the many factors in the overall assessment of your application, and is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and inform us of your commitment to the programme and how the programme fits into your career plans, as well as any work experience or extracurricular activities you have done.
• Resits: We are able to consider applicants who have retaken or are retaking their qualifications.
• Transfers: Transfers into this programme are not permitted.

Teaching methods - what to expect

• Lectures
• Small Seminars or Tutorials
• Expert One-to-One Supervision
• Language classes involve in-depth work with different kinds of media
• literary and academic texts

Modules are taught by leading academics through a combination of lectures, small seminars or tutorials, and expert one-to-one supervision. Language classes target oral and written competency, specific skills such as translation, and involve in-depth work with different kinds of media, literary and academic texts. Teaching is in both English and the language studied, according to the subject area. Our teaching style is interactive; you will participate informally in small group discussions, in seminars or online discussion platforms, and formally through seminar presentations and oral assessments.

Assessment

• Coursework
• Assessed Essays
• Language Assignments (Written, Oral, Aural)
• Individual or group presentations
• Year abroad project work
• Examinations
• Dissertation

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include coursework and assessed essays; language assignments (written, oral, aural); individual or group-based presentations; year abroad project work; examinations; and dissertation. You will also have a variety of formative assessments (not for credit) throughout your programme.

Structure

Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

This is a four-year degree course in which you will take a combination of required and optional modules to total 360 credits.

Required modules

• ENGLISH
  • Students will take a total of 60 credits of modules from the English Department.
  • You are required to take the following modules:
    • Introducing Literary Theories (15 credits)
    • Reading Poetry (15 credits)
• MODERN LANGUAGES
  • Students will take a total of 60 credits of modules from the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
  • French Pathway
    • You are required to take ONE of the following language modules, depending on linguistic competence in French:
      • French Core Language (First Year) [Post A level] (30 credits)
      • Introductory French [Ab initio beginner’s stream] (30 credits)
      • Intermediate French [ab initio intermediate stream] (30 credits)
    • AND TWO of the following literature modules, depending on linguistic competence in French:
      • Cultures of the French-Speaking World: Critical Approaches [Post A level] (15 credits)
      • Cultures of the French-Speaking World: Forms & Representations [Post A level] (15 credits)
      • Cultures of the French-Speaking World for ab initio: Critical Approaches (15 credits)
      • Cultures of the French-Speaking World for ab initio: Forms & Representations (15 credits)
  • German Pathway
    • You are required to take ONE of the following language modules, depending on linguistic competence in German:
      • German Language and Culture I [Post A level] (30 credits)
      • Introductory German [ab initio beginner’s stream] (30 credits)
      • Intermediate German [ab initio intermediate stream] (30 credits)
    • AND TWO of the following literature modules, depending on linguistic competence in German:
      • Being Many: Vocabularies of Difference in German-speaking Worlds [Post A level] (15 credits)
      • Being Many: Cultural Practices in German-speaking Worlds [Post A level] (15 credits)
      • Being Many for ab initio: Vocabularies of Difference in German-speaking Worlds (15 credits)
      • Being Many for ab initio: Cultural Practices in German-speaking Worlds (15 credits)
  • Portuguese Pathway
    • You are required to take ONE of the following language modules, depending on linguistic competence in Portuguese:
      • Portuguese Language 1A [post-A level] (30 credits)
      • Introductory Portuguese [ab initio beginner’s stream] (30 credits)
      • Intermediate Portuguese [ab initio intermediate stream] (30 credits)
    • AND the following modules:
      • Global Iberias Perspectives: Introduction to the Spanish and Portuguese Speaking Worlds (15 credits)
      • Global Iberias Themes: Rethinking the Portuguese and Spanish Speaking Worlds (15 credits)
  • Spanish pathway
    • You are required to take ONE of the following language modules, depending on linguistic competence in Spanish:
      • Spanish Language I [Post A level] (30 credits)
      • Introductory Spanish [ab initio beginner’s stream] (30 credits)
      • Intermediate Spanish [ab initio intermediate stream] (30 credits)
    • AND the following modules:
      • Global Iberias Perspectives: Introduction to the Spanish and Portuguese Speaking Worlds (15 credits)
      • Global Iberias Themes: Rethinking the Portuguese and Spanish Speaking Worlds (15 credits)

Optional modules

• ENGLISH
  • You will select two further modules from a range of optional modules in the English Department that may typically include:
    • Reading Past, Reading Present (15 credits)
    • Medieval Literary Culture (15 credits)
    • Early Modern Literary Culture (15 credits)
    • Writing Race, Writing Gender (15 credits)
    • Introduction to American Literature (15 credits)

Employability

By encouraging critical reflection on both the past and the present contexts of the French-, German-, Portuguese- or Spanish-speaking worlds, and the skills of criticism, interpretation and reasoning that are also fundamental to English studies, the programme broadens students’ knowledge base and strengthens their interdisciplinary profile, challenging narrow, monocultural assumptions, thus preparing students for the challenges of multicultural and global realities.

Studies of graduate employability repeatedly stress the career value of language degrees, which provide graduates with international experience and enhance cultural awareness, helping them to develop flexibility, resilience and resourcefulness. Employers value foreign language ability, not just as a specialist skill, but as a personal quality that develops relationship-building, teamwork, and the capacity to move easily in international contexts. Typical destinations of graduates from this degree include international business, the press and media, IT and technology, marketing and public relations, public administration, international development, law, finance, teaching and lecturing, interpreting, translating and others.

Tuition Fees

• Full time tuition fees UK: The UK tuition fee for the academic year is currently £9,535 per year. This is based on the UK Government's cap.
• Full time tuition fees International: The International tuition fee for the academic year is £27,100 per year.
• Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
• All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King's.
• If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying). King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees. You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling. Please see the Study Abroad web pages for details of the relevant partner universities and detailed information on the fees that apply under the Course Essentials tab.

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.