3-Term Pathway - International Foundation Year in Social Sciences and Humanities - Continue to Bachelor of Arts - Film and English Literature

This program will prepare students for entry to Year 1 of an undergraduate degree in a wide range of subjects, including many based at the £10m LICA building. Popular subjects include law, film studies, sociology, linguistics and politics.

This four-year combined degree is provided by the renowned Department of Languages and Cultures and the highly-ranked Department of Linguistics and English Language. The international placement year gives students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the language and culture. They don’t need to have studied Chinese before as an Intensive course for beginners is offered.

Students will learn language and culture in innovative and engaging ways. For example, students learn the Chinese language in its social and cultural context by participating in a wide range of activities through the Chinese Friendship Project. Recent activities have included a day trip to Manchester Chinatown, Chinese Food Corner, Chinese Film Night, Chinese festival celebration, and more.

In Chinese Studies, the aim is to help students become truly fluent. Taking Linguistics in tandem with Chinese Studies will give them increased awareness of the grammar of the language, and allow them to really understand the structure of English, Chinese, and a wide range of other languages from around the world.

The first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context, as well as a core module in Linguistics. Alongside this, students can choose a minor subject.

Building on their language skills in Year 2, students will study the culture, politics and history of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth in the module, Shaping Chinese Society: Moments and Movements, as well as selecting a module which is international in scope and which promotes comparative understanding at a global level. Students will combine these with core Linguistics modules and choose from a range of Linguistics option modules.

The third year - the International Placement Year - in a Chinese-speaking country will deepen students intercultural sensitivity and their command of the language. They can study at a partner university and practise their language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with students to ensure that they are fully prepared before embarking on their placement.

In the final year, students will consolidate their Chinese language skills, and study specialist culture and comparative modules. They will also choose from modules in Linguistics and have the option of a dissertation on a topic they would like to explore in depth.

Beginners Languages

Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so students are only allowed to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at the first year module options. If students apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, their optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.