The document summarizes information about studying modern languages at Aberystwyth University. It highlights that Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic, and German are the most important languages globally apart from English. It also notes that Aberystwyth's modern languages department ranks highly in the UK for student satisfaction and outcomes. Key aspects of studying languages at Aberystwyth include opportunities for study abroad, employability support like mentoring in local schools, and research-led teaching from expert staff.
4. Which are the most important languages in the world
(apart from English)?
British Council Study 2017
Spanish
Mandarin Chinese
French
Arabic
German
‘Languages for the Future’ identifies these as the top five languages for the UK’s prosperity once the country leaves the European
Union, based on extensive analysis of economic, geopolitical, cultural and educational factors.
https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/press/top-languages-uk-needs-most-post-brexit
5. Which are the most important languages in the world
(apart from English)?
British Council Study 2017
The top five are significantly ahead of the next five languages in the
ranking
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Japanese
Russian
6. Which are the most important
languages in the world (apart from
English)?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMC6
XtkPuEM
Mosalingua
7. Why study languages now?
British Council Study 2017
• UK success post-Brexit - international awareness and skills - such as
the ability to connect with people globally beyond English - have
become more vital than ever.
• The UK is currently facing a languages deficit:
The percentage of 18-34 year olds who can hold a basic
conversation in the top five languages is as follows:
French (14 per cent)
German (8 per cent)
Spanish (7 per cent)
Mandarin (2 per cent)
Arabic (2 per cent)
8. Why study languages now?
British Council Study 2017
• Language learning in schools is also facing a difficult climate.
• 7.3 per cent drop in the number of pupils in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland taking GCSE language exams in the past year –
and a 1 per cent drop at A Level.
• Situation is similar in Scotland with significant drops in French
and German uptake in the past year.
A big advantage for all of you!
9. Why Study Languages at Aberystwyth?
Fantastic NSS 2018 scores
92% student satisfaction for the subject of
Languages - 86% sector-wide
98% agree that staff are good at explaining things
for the subject of Languages - 93% sector-wide
94% of Languages students are satisfied with the
teaching on the course - 88% sector-wide
AU was top in Wales for overall
student satisfaction
10. 2019 Guardian League Tables
• Modern Languages at Aberystwyth 8th out of 65
overall (above Bristol, Birmingham, Bath,
Lancaster, Bangor, Swansea, Cardiff,
Newcastle…)
• https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-
interactive/2018/may/29/university-league-
tables-2019
• Satisfied with Teaching – 2nd/65
• Satisfied with Course – 6th/65
11. 2018 Aberystwyth named University of the Year
for ‘Teaching Quality’
• The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide
2018.
• First time a university in Wales has been awarded this
prestigious accolade
• For ‘Student Experience’, Aberystwyth
University is in the top ten in the UK
and first in Wales – up 11 places on 2017.
12. What and How Will I study?
• Languages – 4 contact hours per week per language
(covering writing, translation, conversation and listening)
• A host of extra materials provided via BlackBoard virtual
learning
• Chance to study language and cultural context (film,
literature, linguistics, politics, current affairs) through lectures
and seminars
• Languages available post-A level and for Beginners
13. How will I be assessed?
• Language modules – regular assessment using
traditional grammar tests, longer written pieces,
presentations, contributions in conversation classes,
listening assignments, blogs, personal development
portfolios, CV writing…and exams!
• 50% coursework and 50% exams
• Content modules – essays, presentations, exams
14. A Wide Choice of Modules
• https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/modules/deptfuture/M
odern+Languages/
15. Will I get a job with a degree from AU?
• 100% of our graduates were in work or further
study within 6 months, 7% more than MFL
graduates nationally (DLHE 2017)
• Employability skills and the language of
employability embedded in our courses
17. MFL Mentoring Project
• Assistant Teaching of MFL in local schools
• Available for 2nd and Final Year Students
http://mflmentoring.co.uk/
18. What are our alumni doing?
• Journalists, e.g. one worked on Panorama
• Translators, e.g. at a pharmaceutical company
in Paris
• HR department of American newspaper in Paris
• Export manager of global courier company
based in Midlands
• Working in Brussels with a group lobbying for
more women in parliament
• Assistant head teacher and teacher of
MFL at grammar school in
Buckinghamshire
19. Flexibility/Choice
Many students study two or three languages
(French / German / Spanish / Italian)
You need at least one A level in a language but
you can start from Beginners level with up to two
other languages here
20. Combinations of a language with other
subjects, e.g. Business, Tourism, Law,
History or Mathematics, are also popular.
You spend the third year abroad, which
strengthens your linguistic competence and
also gives you a range of valued transferable
skills which do wonders for your
employability
21. The Third Year Abroad
• Dedicated members of staff for each language
• Support and advice to find the best option
• A variety of choices
Staff Contacts
Kader Izri (Departmental Year Abroad Tutor and Year Abroad Tutor for French)
Dr Alex Mangold (Year Abroad Tutor for German)
Roberta Sartoni (Year Abroad Tutor for Italian)
Dr Jennifer Wood (Year Abroad Tutor for Spanish)
22. Year Abroad Options
• Studying at a university (on Erasmus+ exchange
or independently)
• Working as an assistant teacher (British Council
scheme, 10 or 5 months)
• Working (e.g. in industry), Erasmus+ work
placements
• Combination of above
23. Year Abroad Options
• Links with universities in France, Spain,
Germany, Italy, Costa Rica, Canary Islands,
Colombia.
24. Year Abroad Options
• French – Bordeaux, Paris, Nice, Nantes, La
Rochelle, Lyon, Luxembourg, Québec
• Spanish – Sevilla, Zaragoza, Córdoba, Madrid,
Alicante, Mallorca, Málaga, Gijón, Tenerife, San
José, Colombia
• German – Emden, Frankfurt, Heidelberg,
Leverkusen, Weinsberg
25. The Year Abroad
Testimonies from former students
Kristiina Napritson, Spain and Costa Rica 2015-16
I spent my Year Abroad in Spain and Costa Rica. I did an internship in a youth hostel in
Barcelona. It was a great and valuable experience, but my most memorable time was in
Latin-America. I did an internship in a 5-star hotel in Costa Rica, in a small town called
Santa Ana near the capital San José. It was one of the best experiences of my whole life. I
met amazing people and got to try different departments in the hotel, as well as improving
my Spanish. It was very difficult to understand local people at first, because they spoke
really fast, but over time my listening comprehension improved significantly and I became
more confident.
26. The Year Abroad
Testimonies from former students
Bonnie Price, France, 2015-16
I stayed in La Rochelle, France, for my year abroad. I did a French language course in the
University of La Rochelle, which I would recommend anyone to do. I became almost fluent
in French in the first month, as I shared a house with people from a variety of different
countries and no-one could speak English. I enjoyed the French course, it made me more
confident in speaking the language and I have also become more confident and
independent whilst being in France.
I thoroughly enjoyed my year abroad and would recommend anyone to take a language
course.
27. The Year Abroad
Testimonies from former students
Ruth Madder, Germany, 2015-16
I was recommended to spend longer in Germany because of starting German as a
Beginner in the first year.
I spent a month at a language course in Frankfurt before moving on to start university. The
University is linked to Aberystwyth through the Erasmus scheme, which gives grants to
students and also permits a very open study programme. I took a practical course for
example in theatre and also a seminar based course for second and third year interpreting
students. However, considerably more beneficial than any pedagogic input for improving
my German was without doubt the friendships I made. I also found a part-time job in a
café and made friends with people other than those there through the Erasmus scheme
and was introduced to German students who hailed from diverse backgrounds.
The year abroad assured me that I can be equally at home living on the continent as here
in Britain and I fully intend to return there to work.
28. Research Led Teaching
• Many of our teaching staff are experts in their field of research
• They publish regularly and teach their subjects on the more specialist modules
• These subjects include:
• Cuban culture and Revolution
• Kindertransport
• French travel writing
• Spanish literature
• German drama
29. Cuba and Revolution
A book of essays on authentic Cuban
cinema. A comprehensive overview of
the history behind current practices, an
examination of key case studies as well
as 'snapshots' of individuals working
within the industry today. Chapters
celebrate the shared creativity as well
as diversity of Cuban cinema, including
both productions of the Cuban Film
Institute as well as those from the
industry margins.
30. Negotiating a Space for Women’s Writing
Women novelists of 1789-1815 are frequently
overlooked in favour of their canonical male
counterparts. Their writing is often considered
apolitical and domestic, at odds with France's
violent convulsions.
Yet, this monograph shows that they used
landscape settings to expose and confront the
everyday reality and emotional suffering faced by
women in the Revolutionary decade and
Napoleonic Empire.
Highlighting self-expression, and by celebrating
the figure of the melancholic wanderer, the social
misfit, or the visionary, in the setting of
tempestuous Nature, they also exerted
substantial influence on the literary Romanticism
which was soon to capture the European
imagination.
31. The Kindertransport 1938/39
10,000 unaccompanied child refugees
fled from Germany, Austria and
Czechoslovakia to the UK between 1
December 1938 and the beginning of
the Second World War. This volume
examines the Kindertransport to Britain
1938/39. The volume questions widely
held myths and assumptions and
provides new insights into the
Kindertransport phenomenon. This topic
is especially relevant when discussing
issues relating to refugees in Europe
today. Dr Hammel has published widely
on the topic and teaches a module on
‘German-speaking Refugees from
National Socialism’.
32. The History and Literature of Travel
Dr Gelléri is an internationally
recognized specialist of the history and
literature of travel. His book on French
travels to England, Philosophies du
voyage, was published by the Voltaire
Foundation (Oxford) in 2016; he is
currently finishing another book,
Lessons of Travel, on educational travel.
In Aberystwyth, he teaches a module
introducing students to ways of
understanding travel literature. He
organized the 2017 edition of the large-
scale travel writing conference Borders
and Crossings, with delegates from all
continents.
33. The Modern Languages Department also hosts a Liberal
Arts Degree
BA or Integrated Masters (3 or 4 years – transfer possible)
Breadth with focus: you focus on a major area, but top up
with options from other areas within the Humanities (incl.
English, History, Art, Film & TV)
Core modules in each year of study to give the scheme
coherence and cohesion and to create a community of
scholars
Not a languages degree but you can choose to focus on a
language or take language options
34. Modern Languages at Aberystwyth
https://courses.aber.ac.uk/undergraduate/modern-
languages/
