Program Overview

BA Comparative Literatures and Cultures and Modern Languages (QR21)

2026 entry

Course summary

Do you enjoy the adventurous and analytical work of interpreting texts? Are you keen to explore literatures and cultures in an unbordered way, so that national boundaries, disciplinary divisions and linguistic know-how are no barrier to where your curiosity and intellectual ambition might lead?

Our BA Comparative Literatures and Cultures and Modern Languages degree offers an unmatched opportunity to study international cultural production in both depth and breadth, while also studying French, German, Italian, Portuguese (beginners only), Russian or Spanish.

Comparative Literatures and Cultures takes you on a journey across and between cultures that will sharpen your analytical skills and equip you with a cultural agility fit for our globalized world. The programme challenges ideas of capital-L Literature or of ‘the canon’ and knocks down false boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture by exploring the diversity of literary and cultural production both across the globe and across the centuries. Through both core and optional units, our comparatists examine the long and fascinating history of interactions between literary works and other forms (portraiture, book illustration, film), media (video, digital literature) and disciplines (visual arts, philosophy, history, social sciences).

On the language side of your degree, you will follow a structured language course in your chosen language. You will also take a range of core and optional units that focus on topics such as the literature, history, cinema, religion, politics and visual art of culture(s) where your chosen language is spoken. Your third year is spent abroad, extending your language skills and cultural knowledge.

The degree fosters qualities valued by employers: intercultural understanding, analytical and critical thinking, self-confidence and daring in communication, an aptitude for collaborative work, and creativity. It will instil habits of curiosity, openness, rigour, self-reflection, and evidence-based thinking, which will prepare you for a flexible career across a wide range of sectors.

Overview

Typical offer

• A-level standard offer: ABB
• A-level contextual offer: BBC
• Go to entry requirements for the full entry criteria and contextual offer eligibility.

Programme duration

• 4 year(s) full-time.
• Part-time study is not available for this course.

Application method

• UCAS (Code: QR21)

Location

• Clifton campus, Placements

Fees

• £9,535 per year, home students
• £27400 per year, international students

Course structure

Your degree will be made up of a combination of core and optional units.

On the Comparative Literatures and Cultures side, core units will introduce you to the practices and debates of comparative literature and the study of visual cultures (e.g., photography, street art and film). These show how insights and methods from postcolonialism and decolonization, translation studies, multiculturalism, and multilingualism can throw new light on the comparative study of literatures and cultures. In the final year, you will do an independent research project. In all years, you will also be able to choose optional units based on the culture of a single language or a combination of cultures, or from other departments in Arts (for example, Classics, Art History, English or Theology).

On the language side of your degree, you will do core language units each year in your chosen language of study (reading, writing, listening, grammar and speaking). Alongside these, you will take a range of core and optional units relating to the culture/cultures in which your language is spoken. These will focus on topics such as literature, history, film, politics, linguistics or visual art.

The cutting-edge research interests and methods of our dedicated and dynamic staff inform our teaching, which takes place through lectures, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one project supervision. Assessments combine rigour and creativity and may include presentations, essays, exams, collaborative projects, debates and video essays.

Entry requirements

We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.

• A-level standard offer: ABB
• A-level contextual offer: BBC
• BTEC: DDM in any Applied General BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: 32 points overall with 16 at Higher Level
• International Baccalaureate Diploma contextual offer: 29 points overall with 14 at Higher Level
• European Baccalaureate: 77% overall
• Scottish Qualifications Authority: Advanced Higher: AB, and Standard Higher: AABBB
• Access to HE Diploma: Access to HE Diploma in Humanities, Social Sciences, Law or History (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include 15 credits at Distinction and 30 at Merit or above.
• Welsh Baccalaureate: Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales or the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
• Cambridge Pre-U: Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/M2 is B, and M3 is C.

Selection process

• Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
• If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
• Full information about our selection processes for Comparative Literatures and Cultures and Modern Languages can be found in the Admissions Statement.

Applicants must also meet these requirements

• GCSE profile requirements: No specific subjects required.
• English language requirements: If English is not your first language, you need to have one of the following:
  • IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other skills
  • GCSE English Language grade B or 6
  • an alternative qualification outlined in our Profile level B.