Postgraduate Courses in Modern European Languages
Pourquoi – warum – perché - porqué – למה – why study modern languages? The first reason is they can lead to a career in almost any field. If you apply for a postgraduate course in modern european languages employers will know that you come to them armed with a specific skill which is also transferable. You have learned French, German, Spanish, Arabic or Japanese to a very high level, and this means they can either send you to work in France, Germany, Venezuela, Jordan or Japan, or ask you to acquire Portuguese, Russian or Chinese from scratch. They also know you are a good communicator, who can cope well with new experiences: that’s because of the year abroad –anyone who has survived the stresses and strains of landladies, different university systems, customs, dress-codes, food and slang and come home full of stories to tell has proved their maturity, cheerfulness and the ability to adapt to anything. If you are interested in applying for a postgraduate course in modern european languages then read on to find out more.
Où – wohin – dove – adónde – לאן – where can it take me ?
Modern language graduates go into a huge variety of fields, not just the ones you might commonly associate with the subject, like teaching or translation – but finance, law, fashion, tourism, the voluntary sector, politics, and all kinds of careers in industry. There is no future path that the study of modern languages cannot help to open to you.
Comment – wie – come – cómo – אך – how can I study modern languages?
The second reason is that studying a course in modern languages can be done in a huge variety of ways. You can do a whole degree in Russian or European studies - in which you learn the language in depth while also learning about the history, culture, media, society or politics of the area concerned. Or you can study a language as part of a joint degree – or as a minor subject alongside your main subject, whether it is closely connected, like Psychology or Classics, or completely different, like Engineering or Medicine. Whatever you choose, a modern language will serve you well in your future life.
Que – was – che – que – מה – what can I study?
For postgraduate courses in modern european languages, the same range of options is available. There are masters courses in historical language studies or linguistics, or applied language studies, from literary translation using state of the art technology to face-to-face interpreting. There are many courses in literature, including comparative literature, and even more in cultural studies – defined by an area or a period like the 18 th century or contemporary studies. Or you can use your languages to develop your knowledge of a cross-disciplinary field: the politics of conflict, cultural exchange, sexuality and gender, holocaust studies, poetry, cinema and media, cultural memory or identity and representation. It really is true that modern languages is the most interdisciplinary of subjects.
Qui – wer – chi – quién – מי – who can take these courses?
Two kinds of people take postgraduate courses in modern languages. First there are those with a degree in one or more foreign languages, who want to develop or extend the field they have been studying. Most courses prefer students with a 2.1 or 1 st, but many will also consider you with a 2.2; the key thing is enthusiasm and motivation, the ability to take on new challenges and work hard. Second there are native or near-native speakers of languages other than English (though you will need a good level of English too). You might come with an unorthodox academic background, but that shouldn’t exclude you, as long as you can show what you are capable of. You don’t need to come straight out of university: mature candidates make particularly good masters students, and life-experience is an excellent qualification.
There are also many ways forward at the end of the masters degree, and these might well condition your choice. You may want a vocational qualification or an advanced degree in your language in order to work in a particular country. Or you may be taking an MA or MSc as a stepping-stone to research and an academic career. If you want to be in the running for PhD funding, you should make sure the course of your choice has a strong research-training component, one that is validated by AHRC (for arts and humanities) or ESRC (for social sciences). And the larger part the dissertation plays in the course, the better start it will give you for doctoral research. Some masters degrees – usually called MRes or MStuds – have a particular focus on individually building research skills and exploring a research field; graduates of one of these courses might go on to a PhD at the same university or a different one, in the UK or abroad. Or again, a modern language degree may just enrich your life, by developing your ideas, giving you the chance to dig deeper into whatever most interests you – while at the same time enhancing the language skill that is the gateway to a good job.
Alors… – also… – allora… – entonces… –… עז – so… what do I do now?
Check out a website that lists postgraduate courses in modern european languages. Contact the postgraduate secretary or Course Director, who will send you information and discuss your needs. They should call you to interview, and you can explain your particular interests and background. Enthusiasm, commitment and motivation are the best qualifications – but you’ll have these already, being the possessor of a lively mind, a well-used backpack, and of course maturity, cheerfulness and the ability to adapt to anything. Don't delay, apply now for a postgraduate course in modern european languages and enhance your career prospects.
Contributed by:
Prof. Naomi Segal,
Director, Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies,
School of Advanced Study,
University of London
Tel: +44 (0) 207 862 8739
Web: http://iqrs.sas.ac.uk
Related Links:
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
