Master of Arts in Art and Visual Culture

at University of Westminster - Regent Campus United Kingdom

At Westminster, we'll train you to become a competent linguist in modern languages, ready to enter graduate employment. 

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

Our course offers you an opportunity to study the French and English languages and cultures in an integrated interdisciplinary way, exploring the connections between them and the broader historical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced.

This course will enable you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic competence in French in all four skill areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking), enhance your skills in using English, and develop linguistic and cultural knowledge and understanding.

You’ll be able to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations and you’ll gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

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.

You'll study an integrated curriculum with a focus on applied language skills and cultural studies, supported by a rigorous development of your foreign languages skills in all areas.

You’ll develop your understanding of the English language in terms of the way it is structured, its linguistic diversity in Britain and around the world as a global language, the ways in which it varies between different texts, and, at a wider level, the ways in which it reflects and contributes to wider meanings in society.  You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the history of the English language and consider the theoretical tools of both literary analysis and language research in detail.

You may have the option to spend a full academic year abroad at a partner institution and/or approved form of employment in a country where French is the official language. You can also study an optional module from a range of topics across the University in each year.

Our English Language and Global Communication BA develops your understanding of the English language and the complexities of global communication in order to help you thrive in a professional global context.

You'll achieve a thorough knowledge of culture through comparative, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approaches and via the analysis of the forms and practices of cultural transmission. You'll develop the linguistic resources, strategies and intercultural awareness and flexibility essential for effective communication in global professional environments.

Our combination of disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning will ensure that you graduate with an array of important transferable skills including cultural insight, the ability to evaluate and apply theory, undertake research and utilise creative and precise analytic capabilities. Engagement in small research projects and the associated ethical issues ensures that you'll have experience of considering and complying with ethical requirements.

Top reasons to study with us

• Enhance your communication skills abroad – You'll have the option to immerse yourself in another culture by spending a full academic year abroad. You can spend one or two semesters at a partner institution in Europe, the USA, Canada, or Australia
• Interdisciplinary learning – Our course enhances your written and spoken English skills while developing your knowledge of the English language and your understanding of communication within cross-cultural settings
• Become a global citizen – Studying our degree, you'll gain a high degree of linguistic and cultural autonomy, and develop the skills and international outlook to thrive in intercultural settings
• Learn transferable skills – Our degree will prepare you for a variety of careers by helping you to build your communication, research, critical and analytical skills

Our International Liaison and Communication MA is a dynamic, pioneering interdisciplinary course which meets the global demand for greater professionalism in interpersonal and inter-institutional bilingual communication. We focus on enhancing your skills as a communicator and facilitator of communication. This can be as an advocate, as a mediator, communication strategist, intermediary or communication facilitator. Grounded in the latest international communications theories and using real-life simulations, you'll learn to locate and analyse resources, pre-empt communications challenges and develop strategies to overcome obstacles to successful interaction.

The course will enrich your knowledge and application of the key models of international communication, information handling and presentation in a range of contexts from the field of public diplomacy to international media, intelligence, business and international NGOs. It will also enhance your competencies in handling information across and between languages and cultures, in various professional settings. You'll have the training and preparation to make significant contributions in your chosen profession.

The English Language and Literature MA aims to allow you to explore the interconnections between language and literature. It will provide you with a thorough understanding of the linguistic features of English from a wide range of perspectives (theoretical and applied, synchronic and diachronic), as well as leading you to explore a wide array of texts in connection with the social, historical and political circumstances from which they emerge. Furthermore, the MA will equip you with the intellectual perspectives and the scholarly skills that will prepare you to conduct independent research.

The MA is suitable for students who have taken English language and/or literature modules at undergraduate level, and others who have taken allied disciplines such as TESOL. It is of particular interest to those wishing to pursue further study and those teaching English who wish to gain a further qualification and investigate recent and current developments in the field.

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. 

This course provides you with the foundation subjects required to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree along with the opportunity to spend a year of study in one of our partner universities in Europe, gaining knowledge of other legal systems, experiencing another legal culture, enhancing your European language skills and developing international links.

A law degree is seen as a valuable asset by a variety of employers, as is knowledge of another European legal system and another European legal language. When you apply, you'll need to demonstrate an aptitude for European language study, but this does not necessarily mean that you'll need to have a formal qualification. While abroad, depending on your language skills, you may study in English or in another European language.

You'll spend the third year of your degree studying at one of our partner universities in the EU, which offer a wide range of law courses, including some taught in English. We have partner institutions in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. On successful completion of your year abroad, you'll return to Westminster in Year 4 to complete your studies.

Top reasons to study with us

• International experience – our European Legal Studies course gives you the opportunity to live and study abroad with one of our European partner universities. You will gain invaluable international experience and can and learn a foreign language as a part of your studies
• Practise in a real-world environment – as part of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your legal skills at the Westminster Law School Legal Advice Clinic
• Develop mastery of an area of the law – with our subject streams, developed by our research-led experts, alongside the core professional modules, you can specialise in entertainment and media law, commercial law, international law, theory and human rights law, criminal law and justice, or welfare law
• Boost your employability – skills and work-based learning modules are available in every year of the course

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

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.

On our Spanish 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 Spanish reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in a culturally aware style, allowing you 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.

Top reasons to study with us

• Learn real-world language skills – our authentic teaching, which focuses on language in a cultural context, equips you for real-life situations in the Spanish-speaking world
• Study literature in the heart of London – discover a historic literary city with centuries of literature to uncover and explore
• Practise your language skills abroad – spend a year abroad perfecting your language skills in a Spanish-speaking country
• Academic support – individually focused academic support through our tutorial modules ensures you'll get the most out of your course

This is an exciting, interdisciplinary degree at the heart of the humanities. It allows you to explore a wealth of literary texts while thinking deeply about the circumstances of their production and reception, and to learn about a range of events, themes and ideas in history and consider the literary and cultural responses to them.

You'll develop your knowledge and understanding of the key periods, themes, styles and techniques in literary studies, and be able to use that learning in critical form. You'll also develop substantial knowledge and understanding of the modern history of London, Britain and the world.

English Literature 

You'll study literature from a wide range of periods and genres, from Shakespeare to the present day, including non-fiction texts as well as novels, poetry and drama. In the first year,  you'll develop your skills, knowledge and confidence in literary studies in the context of our small group tutorial system.

History 
You'll have access to a variety of interesting modules, many of them unique to our University. Our focus is explicitly modern, but within a very broad geographical sweep, including core modules in modern world history. We offer options on the fascinating history of London in peace and at war, along with an extensive range of other modules on topics such as France in the Second World War, the US civil rights movement, the history of international organisations, Irish history and the history of feminism. You can also take a credit-bearing internship in a museum, library or archive in London.