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Birkbeck, University of London · Undergraduate
BA (Hons) Japanese Studies Bachelor's degree at Birkbeck, University of London
BA (Hons) Japanese Studies at BUL. Birkbeck's BA Japanese Studies will take your Japanese to near-native level whilst developing a critical understanding of Japanese culture.
BA (Hons)
Award
–
Years
Part-time
Study mode
65%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
This BA Japanese Studies degree will improve your Japanese to near-native level and give you a critical appreciation of Japanese culture. Study the course over three, four or six years. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Japanese Studies is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at BUL, based in Birkbeck College. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Languages and area studies graduates from this provider, 65% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 75% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Modern Languages, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
7.1
/ 10
Strong
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent89
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Solid65
Moderate evidence Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-22. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 65% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Solid60
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 60% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Modules 4 modules
- Doing Languages, Cultures and Applied LinguisticsCompulsory
- Culture and Text: 'Imagined Communities'Optional
- Culture and ImageOptional
- Industry Placement/Career Development ReportOptional
Level 4 9 modules
- Rethinking Japan: Introduction to Modern Japanese Society and CultureCompulsory
- Japanese 1
- Japanese 2
- Japanese 3
- Japanese 4
- Korean 2Optional
- Korean 3Optional
- Chinese 2Optional
- Chinese 3Optional
Level 5 11 modules
- Popular Culture of East AsiaOptional
- Theorising Japanese CinemaOptional
- Reading Transnational CulturesOptional
- Representations of Gender, Love and SexualityOptional
- Culture and CrisisOptional
- Film and PoliticsOptional
- Korean 1Optional
- Chinese 1Optional
- Cities and Cultures: Urban Experience in Comparative PerspectiveOptional
- Iberian Political Cultures: Multilingual Approaches to 20th and 21st Century SpainOptional
- Word and Image: Creative Encounters across Cultures and MediaOptional
Level 6 4 modules
- Manga and AnimeOptional
- Advanced Seminar in Japanese Culture and SocietyOptional
- Advanced Seminar in Japanese Linguistics and TranslationOptional
- Languages and cultures dissertationOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree will develop your Japanese to near-native level whilst giving you critical insight into Japanese culture. You'll usually begin with intensive grammar, speaking and writing, alongside study of Japanese history, film and literature. As you progress, you'll move into advanced language production, debate, translation and register, alongside deeper cultural analysis of specific periods, authors or media. A course like this typically offers specialisations such as a year abroad, translation, interpreting, cultural studies, linguistics, or two-language combinations. In your final year, you'll refine near-native skills and pursue research-led cultural options, often culminating in a dissertation conducted in or about Japanese.
Who it's for
This course suits people with genuine enthusiasm for Japanese language and culture who want to study flexibly around other commitments. You'll thrive if you're disciplined, self-directed and enjoy sustained intellectual engagement with a language and its cultural context. The part-time structure means you can balance study with work or family responsibilities. Most successful applicants held A-levels or equivalent qualifications. You'll find the gradual immersion, building fluency over years rather than months, satisfying if you prefer depth over speed, and the independent project appeals to those keen to pursue their own research interests.
Careers & job market
Across Modern Languages degrees nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating, with 70% in highly skilled roles or postgraduate study. Graduate earnings data shows starting salaries of £24,000–£33,500, rising to £25,500–£36,000 after three years and £32,725–£46,200 after five years. These are national figures based on Graduate Outcomes and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes survey, individual outcomes vary depending on your career choices and field. Japanese language skills, paired with cultural knowledge, open doors in translation, diplomacy, education, business and media.
University & format
This BA (Hons) degree is studied part-time at Birkbeck, University of London, a public university founded in 1823. You can complete it over three, four or six years, depending on your pace. Instruction is in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; your degree is nationally recognised. Birkbeck received a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
2027 entry deadlineApply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Open daysBook open days
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
2026 entryLive availability check
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent65% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check BUL's official course page for the current offer.
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 65% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
| an Access course | 10% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Offer-based entry
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
Apply byApply directly to the providerfor this course
UCAS codeT211quote this on your application
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code T211). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask BUL whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Homeup to £9,790 / yr
International£18,500 / yr
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at BUL →For students who normally live in England
illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
Check providertuition used per year, no published course home fee, total not estimated
total borrowing, course length not published
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Funding matched to this course
All BUL funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
Careers & earnings
What Modern Languages graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £30,000 | £22,500 – £38,000 | 50 |
| 3 years after | £30,500 | £19,500 – £43,500 | 35 |
| 5 years after | £40,000 | £25,000 – £50,500 | 35 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
65%
in work or further study 15 months on
75%
in highly skilled work or study
60%
continue past their first year
60%
find their work meaningful
40%
say work fits their future plans
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in modern languages · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Modern Languages nationally
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£30,000
£24,000 – £33,500After 3 years LEO
£30,500
£25,500 – £36,000After 5 years LEO
£40,000
£32,725 – £46,200national rangethis course’s medianaxis £22,000 – £48,000
National figures for Modern Languages graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
65 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
55% working5% working and studying5% in further study75% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Modern Languages courses at the same study level.
This course £40,000Peer median £38,500Middle 50% £31,000–£42,500
62nd percentile
Compared with 931 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 55; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Modern Languages graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Modern Languages courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes70%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Modern Languages graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Translation agencies
- International businesses
- Government (FCDO)
- Tourism & education
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Modern Languages graduates.
Head of Modern Languages, Inspire, Lead & Develop MFLSuffolk County Council11 To 18 (Secondary) QTS Programme - Modern Languages (French, Spanish or German)Diversity DashboardHead of Modern Languages - Inspire & Lead GCSE FrenchCoast and Vale Learning TrustHead Of Department of Modern LanguagesSheringham High SchoolHead of MFL: Lead & Grow our Modern Languages DepartmentWayman Learning TrustModern Foreign Languages Assistant (French) 18 hrs p/w (temporary position)The Cherwell SchoolLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
💷
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
📈
Where graduates go
65% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £30,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
⭐
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.1 out of 10: NSS 89% · in work or study 65% · continued 60%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Birkbeck College
All students7,720
International12%
Aged 25+66.6%
Language and area studies across the UK
Students75,355
Aged 25+23.7%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Birkbeck College - Bloomsbury Campus
14,111 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Theft From The Person 3001Other Theft 2876Violent Crime 1994Anti Social Behaviour 1989Shoplifting 1625
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Modern Languages right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to BUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £18,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check BUL’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with BUL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at BUL
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
Set by BUL. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Languages and area studies graduates from this provider, 65% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 75% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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