Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in French and English Literature With Year Abroad

at University of Westminster - Regent Campus United Kingdom

Our Translation Studies BA Honours will give you the skills, knowledge and competencies to build a career as a professional translator.

You'll develop knowledge of language structure, register, textuality and discourse, by applying linguistic concepts to practical translation tasks. You'll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

Depending on your entry point, you can combine the main language, Spanish, with another language (Arabic, Chinese or French) or the Global Communication route. You'll study an integrated curriculum, with a focus on professional context and communication skills, bilingual translation skills and theory. Your studies may include developing your skills in a new foreign language or modules in cultural studies. Teaching and learning take place through a combination of formal lectures, seminars, practical workshops, guided self-study, and exposure to professionally relevant simulations and real-work environments.

Alongside core modules in translation, the course offers a wide range of option modules, covering topics including global communications, world cultures, current affairs, politics and gender issues. You'll also have the option to spend a year abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, studying or, depending on your language level, working or volunteering.

As well as careers in professional translation, our graduates have found employment as interpreters, teachers (both in foreign languages and English as a foreign language), and in various other sectors including law, marketing, journalism, and the Civil Service.

We accept intermediate (post-A Level) and proficient speakers in Spanish. This is a linguistically challenging course and we may need to assess you in order to determine your entry point and suitability.

You'll examine how languages differ and what elements they share, as well as developing your knowledge of the historical and cultural aspects of the English language in particular.

The course provides a rare opportunity to combine in-depth formal linguistic study with a consideration of the ways in which the English language is used and how it reflects its social context. As a result, the course nurtures research and analytical skills at the same time as enhancing your own abilities with the English language.

You'll develop your knowledge and understanding of how the English language works in terms of its structure, how it has changed over time and how it's employed in different spoken and written contexts. Your knowledge of English will be informed and contextualised by your wider study of language as a human faculty. You'll examine what languages have in common and how they vary in terms of their grammatical structures and their sound systems.

The course appeals to students interested in the nature of the English language and its variants, as well as students interested in language in general and the fundamental role it plays in our understanding of the world around us. It includes practical and theoretical modules that are invaluable for students interested in teaching English, speech therapy, editing, journalism, or advertising, but also helps to prepare you for any career that requires an advanced and sophisticated use of language.

Top reasons to study this course

• Academic expertise – the teaching staff on this course are industry experts, with experience in topics ranging from creoles and pidgins, to sociolinguistics, language and gender
• A holistic approach – study the underlying structure of language and how it's used, all in one course
• Study in a true polyglot city – with over 250 languages spoken, London is one of the world's most linguistically diverse cities
• An international experience – you'll have the option to spend one or two semesters at a partner institution in Europe, the USA, Canada, or Australia
• Get experience before graduating – you’ll have the option to do a work placement as part of this course
• Personal support throughout your degree – our small group tutorials are designed to support you, your studies and your career goals

Psychology is the study of the human mind and our behaviour, while criminology is all about the causes of crime and ways to prevent and control it.

This is a unique degree covering both British Psychological Society accreditation and QAA standards for criminology, which will allow you to study both psychology and criminology, and will equip you to understand human motivation and behaviour and apply that insight to legal and criminal contexts, opening up an exciting range of career opportunities once you graduate.

At Westminster, we have a solid background of teaching and research in these highly desirable subjects. We take an international perspective and draw on our expertise related to human trafficking and issues connected to the Global South.

We make the most of our long-established links with key partners in the criminal justice and forensic psychology areas to enhance your student experience. This includes links with a number of local Magistrates' Courts, the Central Criminal Court, Broadmoor Hospital, victim support at the Old Bailey, HMP Whitemoor, Feltham YOI, and the Metropolitan Police, all of which offer opportunities for educational visits and/or work placements.

We make full use of our central London location, with learning taking place both inside and outside the classroom and including visits to a theatre and a museum, field walks and opportunities for work-based learning.

Top reasons to study with us

• A wide range of option modules provides a truly multidisciplinary perspective on crime and psychology
• Our experienced team draw on their research and scholarly activity to provide you with a global perspective on crime and psychology
• Our degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Gaining a BPS accredited qualification is necessary if you wish to pursue a career as a Chartered Psychologist in the areas of forensic, clinical, occupational, counselling, health, educational, and sports and exercise psychology
• Based in our Regent Campus and Cavendish Campus in central London, you'll enjoy the benefits of studying in a major global city
• A work placement module is built into the course, to help you get ahead before graduating
• Between Years 2 and 3 you'll have the option to complete an additional year on a work placement or studying abroad

On our French and English Literature BA, you'll develop the skills you need to become a competent linguist, ready to enter graduate employment. Our course places particular emphasis on employability and the contemporary cultural context of language learning, offering high-quality teaching in all language skills and a thorough knowledge of the way language is used in real-life situations.

The course will develop your French reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in a culturally aware style, giving you the ability to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations. You'll study an integrated curriculum with a focus on applied language skills and cultural studies, supported by a rigorous development of your foreign language skills in all areas.

In English Literature you'll have the opportunity to examine literary and non-literary works of all periods, from Shakespeare to the present day, taking in a wide range of authors and themes, with a full and balanced coverage of dramatic, poetic and prose works. You'll consider the wider historical and political contexts in which cultural and literary works have been produced and received, and relate the works both to intellectual history and to work in other arts and media, such as architecture and the visual arts. You'll also have the opportunity to consider the theoretical tools of textual, cultural and literary analysis in detail.

You'll have the option to spend a full academic year abroad at a partner institution and/or, depending on your language level, an approved form of employment in a country where French is the official language. A year abroad will not only improve your language skills but also contribute to your employability, encourage intercultural awareness, and build confidence. You can also study an elective module from across the University in each year.

We accept students at two different entry points – beginner or intermediate. Please note that we may need to test you to determine your entry point.

With globalisation, international law is becoming increasingly important and this course prepares you for a future career in the international arena. Our teaching team is composed of world-renowned scholars that are leading the way in their respective subjects, including - but not limited to - international human rights law, the law of armed conflict, development law, energy and climate change law, international cyber security law, refugee law, the law of the sea, international courts and tribunals.

Our LLM is one of the oldest and most popular courses in international law in London. It attracts students from every nationality and background, not only those who have previously studied law, but also those with a degree in political science, international relations, or other relevant discipline. This creates a uniquely vibrant and stimulating learning environment in which to study international Law.

The International Law LLM at Westminster Law School is taught in our central London campus, just a short distance from most major British institutions and international organisations. The Course can be taken full-time or part-time, and we have both a September and a January start each year.

Our Arabic and Global Communication BA develops your knowledge of the Arabic language and culture, and develops your communication skills for the professional global environment.

Our course helps you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic proficiency in Arabic in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also gives you insight into and practice in communicating internationally as well as mediating between English and Arabic speakers.

The curriculum integrates applied language skills and cultural studies, while ensuring a rigorous development of your foreign language competence in all areas. We teach in an integrated interdisciplinary way, exploring the connections between language and culture and the broader historical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. 

You'll improve your ability as an intercultural communicator by studying how our ideas are shaped and communicated in a global society, where our interactions are no longer confined by national, regional or cultural boundaries.

Studying the Arabic and Global Communication BA, you'll acquire qualities and skills in areas such as interpersonal communication and organisational skills, analysis and argument, autonomy and team working, and team management. You’ll also build your flexibility, tolerance and organisational skills to enable you to be an effective international communicator. On graduation, you'll be able to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

Our French and Global Communication BA develops your knowledge of the French language and culture,  and develops your communication skills for the professional global environment.

Our course helps you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic proficiency in French in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also gives you insight into and practice in communicating internationally as well as mediating between English and French speakers.

The curriculum integrates applied language skills and cultural studies, while ensuring a rigorous development of your foreign language competence in all areas. We teach in an integrated interdisciplinary way, exploring the connections between language and culture and the broader historical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. 

You'll improve your ability as an intercultural communicator by studying how our ideas are shaped and communicated in a global society, where our interactions are no longer confined by national, regional or cultural boundaries.

Studying the French and Global Communication BA, you'll acquire qualities and skills in areas such as interpersonal communication and organisational skills, analysis and argument, autonomy and team working, and team management. You’ll also build your flexibility, tolerance and organisational skills to enable you to be an effective international communicator. On graduation, you'll be able to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

You'll have the option to spend a full academic year abroad at one of our partner institutions, or undertake an approved form of employment in a country where French is the official language, such as France, Canada or Belgium. You can work as a paid language assistant in a foreign school or undertake a work or volunteering placement, both of which give you a valuable opportunity to boost your employability while improving your language competence. You'll have the option to undertake a combination of both study and work. 

The question of security now dominates contemporary international politics. Issues such as the 'War on Terror', pre-emptive self-defence and humanitarian intervention constitute seminal international concerns that have implications for all states and all peoples.

This course provides you with a detailed understanding of the nature of the contemporary security agenda, its origins, theoretical foundations and future trajectory. You will examine the theories of international security and those key security issues that have dominated security discourse in the post-Cold War era. You will also develop your analytical skills in order to facilitate understanding of the seminal contemporary security issues in a broader theoretical and historical framework.

Our Arabic and International Business BA will help you develop the skills and knowledge you'll need to succeed in the internationalised business world.

In today's global economy, language skills are of significant value to prospective employers when combined with business expertise. This combination can greatly enhance your career opportunities.

On our course, you'll have the opportunity to study Arabic language, culture and international business in an integrated way, exploring the relationships between these elements and the broader economic, financial and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced.

Our comprehensive language training places strong emphasis on the use of language in a professional environment, while our business modules will allow you to gain a solid understanding of international business – a combination that will enable you to gain the real-world skills required to progress to a rewarding career.

The training you'll receive in cross-cultural communication will equip you with the flexibility, adaptability and creativity required in global interactions.

You'll also have the opportunity to benefit from experiencing life, culture and the world of work or study outside the UK by taking part in an optional year-long placement overseas. Study placements take place at a partner educational institution in a country where Arabic is the official language.

Our Chinese and International Relations course focuses on questions of governance, democracy and human rights while training competent Chinese linguists ready to enter graduate employment.

You'll have the opportunity to study language, culture and international relations in an integrated way, exploring the connections between them and the broader geopolitical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. You'll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

We place particular emphasis on employability and the contemporary cultural context and offer high-quality teaching in all language skills.

Top reasons to study with us

• Combine language skills with a knowledge of global affairs – develop your language skills against a backdrop of political and social understanding
• Learn Chinese in context – our authentic teaching, which focuses on language in a cultural context, equips you for real-life situations in the Chinese-speaking world
• Practise your language skills abroad – spend a year abroad perfecting your communication skills in a Chinese-speaking country
• Benefit from an expert teaching team – you'll learn from internationally recognised experts and benefit from the significant amount of contact time allocated to language learning on the course