Birmingham’s fusion of language and culture places employability at its heart, preparing students to live and work as an engaged citizen of the world.

At Birmingham, undergraduate language is taught through the lens of the target culture's literature, history, politics and society, and through total immersion on the Year Abroad. 

Students will choose to study one, two or three languages to a high level in their degree course. If students choose to study one language, they must have either French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish at advanced level. Alongside this, students can study up to two other languages, which can include up to two from scratch (as long as one of these is French or Spanish). Languages offered at beginner level include the languages mentioned above, as well as Portuguese, Catalan, Chinese and Japanese. Students will also complement their studies with a vocational understanding of the working world, in areas which can include translation, language teaching, legal cultures, business and enterprise.

If students study two languages for their undergraduate degree, they have the option to vary the amount of time they spend on each language from year to year. If students study three languages, their time will be equally split.  The BA Modern Languages degree course also offers a dedicated Translation Studies minor that can be taken alongside one or two modern languages. This minor will occupy one third of undergraduate studies and has a vocational focus which will strengthen students' theoretical and practical translation skills.