Immerse yourself in languages through the study of society and cultures.
Year of entry: 2025/26
R2R4
Y50
4 years full-time
AAB (full entry requirements)
September 2025 (semester dates)
in linguistics (National Student Survey 2024)
Complete University Guide 2025
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
in Iberian studies (National Student Survey 2024)
Complete University Guide 2025
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
Learn German and Spanish and explore the history, politics and culture that have shaped German and Spanish-speaking countries around the world. You’ll develop the critical skills needed to prepare you for an international career.
At York, you can choose:
We have a distinctive approach to studying languages. From the start, you'll be taught in the language you are learning. Our expert staff, many of whom are first language speakers, will support you to develop your fluency and communication skills rapidly. If you choose a language as a beginner (ab initio), you’ll join post-A level students in your second year. You’ll be amazed how much you can achieve.
You’ll join a vibrant modern languages community, with regular language and community events and talks. We’re a highly international department, and have excellent partnerships with other universities and organisations which you can work with during your year abroad.
If you want to extend your language learning even further, you can choose elective modules from a wide range of languages or take extracurricular classes as part of our Languages for All programme.
Get a head start in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at York
You'll benefit from being able to take TEFL modules in-house, as part of your degree. You can count the work you complete in your TEFL modules towards a qualification. This teacher training programme, also offered in-house, can qualify you to teach English to non-native speakers.
Coming to Mexico as an ab initio student, I was so nervous about improving my Spanish. In my first week, I met so many locals. They quickly became my best friends out there and they were always happy to practice Spanish with me.Caitlin, BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad)
During your degree, you'll study modules in German, Spanish, and Linguistics. Your language modules will explore the society and culture of German- and Spanish-speaking societies and you'll be taught almost exclusively in German and Spanish. These modules will help you to develop the cultural and linguistic knowledge you'll need to become a high-level communicator in each language.
Your linguistics modules will help you understand the nature of language itself: how it is structured, how it has evolved, and how we use and understand it within our society. These modules will enable you to think critically and approach your studies from an analytical point of view.
You’ll go abroad in your third year. You can choose a work placement, internship or studying at one of our partner universities. Our internship students have been to a wide range of organisations including in schools, the heritage sector, the media, translation, marketing and finance sectors around the world. Your plans will be supported by our departmental year abroad coordinators.
Throughout your programme, you can tailor your degree to your interests. You can:
You can choose to study either German or Spanish ab initio, meaning you don't need to have any knowledge of the language before you arrive. You'll study with other ab initio students during your first year, and will focus on improving your language skills, before joining the post-A level students during your second year.
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
Post-A level core modules:
Ab initio core modules:
You will study one option module. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You'll study language modules in German and Spanish. Examples may include:
You will also study four option modules, including at least one option in German and one option in Spanish. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Your studies will focus on issues of cultures and society in the German- and Spanish-speaking worlds. You will develop skills in critical analysis of sources and communicate your findings using German and Spanish in different registers. You'll tackle questions such as:
The options available to you will be confirmed later in the year. For further information please get in touch.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
You can divide the year abroad between two locations (a German-speaking country and a Spanish-speaking country), or you can choose to spend the whole year in one location. We assist you in setting up overseas university study, teaching or work placements, and offer guidance on all aspects of the year. You can even get a CertTESOL qualification to teach English to non-native speakers before you go. See our current year abroad pages for more information.
You'll complete two assignments while on your year abroad. These are assessed on a pass/fail basis and do not contribute to your final degree grade.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
You'll study core language modules in your final year. These are designed to consolidate your critical skills through in-depth research and analysis. By this stage in your degree, you'll be able to demonstrate oral and written fluency, as well as accurate language use in its social and cultural contexts.
You will also study four option modules, including at least one option in German and one option in Spanish. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Language modules:
Linguistics modules:
The options available to you will be confirmed later in the year. For further information please get in touch.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
At York, we teach all of our core language modules in their language of study. Our students develop fluency and confidence quickly, benefiting wholly from this approach.
Observe different transcultural practices and values first-hand, and gain valuable experience speaking in your language of study.
You can get involved in volunteering, with the Linguistics Society, which involves running events for other students, or with an external company that works with people who need speech and language therapy-based support, for example.Laura, BA Linguistics
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £25,800 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
Set texts are available from the Library or online, but you may wish to buy your own copy for some modules. These typically cost between £10 and £30. For ab-initio languages you may need to buy books with a total cost of £50 to £60. Second hand books are often available more cheaply.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
Find out more about funding specific to Languages and Linguistics.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Doing two languages can keep you quite busy but there is still plenty of time to explore other hobbies of yours. Here at York, we have societies for many different languages. Some of the exciting socials you can look forward to include movie nights, cooking classes and quizzes!Lucy, BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad)
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
We offer you extra study support in several ways. Our Peer Assisted Learning programme gives you the opportunity to work with other students.
Our focus at York is on effective communication in German and Spanish. That is why:
In the first year of the degree, you will typically have between 9 and 11 hours of contact time per week per semester, most of which is organised as seminars or workshops. Contact hours in the second and final year can vary depending on individual module choices.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
We have our own e-Lab for teaching. Here, you'll have access to a variety of resources, including specialist linguistics software and online language-learning materials.
You will be based in the Language and Linguistic Science buildings on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
You'll be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, projects, presentations, and written and oral exams. Assessments include formative work which will help you practise or develop skills, but will not count towards your final degree mark.
Instructors provide you with feedback in a variety of forms, for example: written feedback including annotations of your work, in-class discussion of common problems, model answers, one-on-one discussion of projects, or responses and comments to work submitted online.
Your year abroad is assessed. If you are studying at a university, you must satisfactorily attend courses and complete two assessments in the language of study which will be submitted to York during the year. If you are on a teaching assistantship, you must satisfactorily carry out your teaching duties. However, your marks on the year abroad assessments do not contribute towards your overall degree mark.
We can make reasonable adjustments to assessment procedures for students with disabilities. However, if you have dyslexia please note that it is not possible to make adjustments in the marking of work written in a closed language exam. This is because accurate spelling is one of the assessment objectives for language exams. Closed exams make up only a proportion of the assessment types used for languages. There are other assessment types such as coursework and oral presentations which are also used. As a student with dyslexia you could apply for extra time in closed exams, if this would be of assistance. See the University's disability support pages for further details.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB including at least one of German or Spanish |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | Obtain Access to HE Diploma with 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher. An A level or equivalent qualification in either German or Spanish will be required. |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD. An A level or equivalent qualification in either German or Spanish will be required. |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 including at least one of German or Spanish |
| European Baccalaureate | 80% overall average including 80% in at least one of German or Spanish |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points including 6 in at least one of German or Spanish, at Higher Level |
| T levels | We are currently not accepting T Levels for this course unless an additional A Level (or equivalent qualification) in either German or Spanish has been taken. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Advanced Highers - B in German or Spanish Scottish Highers - BBBB We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| International foundation programme | Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
You can study both of your languages on the post-A level route. Alternatively, you can study one of your languages ab initio (from scratch, or with a qualification at AS level or below).
To study one language ab initio, you must have an A level (or equivalent) in your other language. If you don't have a formal qualification but do have additional language experience (for example, if you took a GCSE or AS level and then spent considerable time in a country where the language is spoken), we may conduct an informal interview to assess whether you can join the post-A level route.
Our language programmes are designed to develop fluency. For this reason we do not normally offer places to native or near-native speakers who wish to study their own language.
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| MOOCs | If you successfully complete our online course Accents, attitudes and identity do let us know, as you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about MOOCs. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 Communicator with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
| Other English language qualifications | We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates. |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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