BA (Hons) Modern Languages with Translation · OBUBachelor's degree · 3 years
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Oxford Brookes University · Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Modern Languages with Translation Bachelor's degree at Oxford Brookes University

BA (Hons) Modern Languages with Translation at OBU. Over three years, you'll progress from beginner to fluent proficiency whilst building practical translation skills.

BA (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
95%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

Our Modern Languages with Translation degree at Oxford Brookes is designed for all language learners. You can join with no previous language study, choosing from French, Spanish, Mandarin or Japanese. We'll support you to go from beginner to fluent during your course. And you'll gain key skills for working and From the provider’s course page.

BA (Hons) Modern Languages with Translation is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at OBU, based in Oxford Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Languages and area studies graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 65% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £29,500. (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.

8.8
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent86

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
Exceptional95

Limited evidence Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Excellent83

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 83% (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.

Year 1 10 modules
  • Becoming a Modern LinguistCompulsory
    Module details

    Find your footing as a linguist and cultural scholar, building on your first year to develop a deeper understanding of your subject and your own potential. Through hands-on projects, collaborative challenges and structured reflection, you'll explore what it means to engage with language, culture and the wider world. You'll develop research skills - learning to find, evaluate and use academic sources with confidence and integrity. You'll build analytical and intercultural communication skills, co

  • Language StudyCompulsory
    Module details

    You can choose to study one or more languages, from Beginners (French, Spanish, or Japanese) and/or Intermediate (French or Spanish).

  • Culture, Identity and SocietyCompulsory
    Module details

    In this module, you'll gain core analytical skills for your degree as you explore the intercultural differences between societies and expressions of identity. You'll also enhance your communication skills, which are essential for any future career.

  • Understanding Languages and TranslationCompulsory
    Module details

    In this module, you'll get to understand language and how to study it. You'll look at language as a system, and how we use it in different instances of communication. You'll understand language and its associated terms and definitions. You'll gain core linguistic skills as you explore linguistic analysis in: sound (phonetics and phonology) language as meaning (semantics) language as structure (syntax). You'll gain a strong grounding in these concepts by studying instances of written and spoken l

  • From Empires to States: the Origins of International RelationsOptional
    Module details

    In this module, you'll dive into International Relations, and its key theories. You'll explore how International Relations emerges from specific cultural and historic concerns. You'll gain core analytical skills, as you interpret historical events and use them to explore pressing debates on International Relations. You'll learn how International Relations has been shaped as a Western discipline, and how to challenge this by learning about aspects of international relations that have been erased

  • Customs, Icons and SymbolsOptional
    Module details

    Explore the study and understanding of Culture and Society by looking at relevant Customs, Icons and Symbols with a particular emphasis on communicative practice of reading and written language in contexts.

  • Introduction to East Asian CulturesOptional
    Module details

    In this module, you'll use anthropological perspectives to make an in-depth investigation of contemporary life in Japan. You'll cover factors and topics that affect Japanese everyday life such as: child rearing education and early socialization households, marriage and kinship work and employment gender and sexuality religion and ritual immigration and diversity Japanese popular culture and the globalization of Japanese culture. This will give you a good base of knowledge for taking more advance

  • Sustainable and Ethical MarketingOptional
    Module details

    You are the marketers of tomorrow, so it is key you understand and are able to respond to the ethical and environmental sustainability challenges that will be faced. As such, your learning is tied to the Business School's commitment to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management. You will discuss the meaning of ethical marketing and key environmental issues, such as: global warming pollution biodiversity loss freshwater depletion. You'll examine the role of marketing in causing, as

  • Placement 1: Understanding EducationOptional
    Module details

    This is your chance to work in the community and learn about education in real-life situations. The goal is to give you a wide range of experiences and show you that education also happens away from the school environment. You'll also discuss important things like: keeping people safe being fair and inclusive and doing the right thing. You'll have the choice to pick a place locally that interests you, and we'll help you arrange your experience there.

  • Politics in Comparative PerspectiveOptional
    Module details

    In this module, you'll investigate politics, and the struggle for power, across the nations. You'll have a clear introduction to how and why political systems differ in our world today. You'll examine case studies from a wide range of states, and gain a strong insight into how different regimes function – from the democratic to the totalitarian.

Year 2 3 modules
  • Oxford Stories: Professional Development in PracticeCompulsory
    Module details

    The world's most pressing challenges don't fit neatly into one subject or discipline. This module puts you at the heart of tackling them. Working alongside academics, fellow students and external partners, you'll contribute to real, cross-disciplinary projects addressing complex, real-world problems. The experience is designed to stretch you, building confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of your subject in the context of today's world and tomorrow's workplace. This is also a space f

  • Translation as Intercultural CommunicationCompulsory
    Module details

    You will engage with key models and concepts that form the field of intercultural communication. This will help you as a basis for the analysis of practical examples taken from a variety of texts. Which will be in your main languages of study, including audio-visual support. You will learn to detect intercultural components in the source text. Translating the text in respect of the target cultural and linguistic conventions. Building your linguistic and intercultural skills Working with differen

  • Cultural Competence for the World of WorkCompulsory
    Module details

    This module provides an introduction to organisations, their structure and culture, and the behaviour of individuals and groups within them. This module incorporates elements which will enable you to understand your personal tendencies and will significantly contribute to your

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 is designed for all language learners, you can begin with no previous study, choosing from French, Spanish, Mandarin or Japanese, and progress to fluency during your course. You'll usually start with intensive grammar, speaking and writing foundations, alongside the history, film and literature of the language's cultures, and how languages work at the level of sounds, structure and meaning. In your second year, you'll advance to fluent production through debate and translation, pursue deeper cultural study, and develop professional translation and interpreting skills. A final year typically involves advanced language work and specialist cultural options such as further translation, interpreting, cultural studies or linguistics, culminating in a dissertation. Many courses of this type also incorporate a year abroad for immersed study or work placement.

Who it's for

You're drawn to language, culture and translation. You want genuine fluency and the ability to work across languages professionally. You may have studied languages at school, or you might be starting fresh, this course is built for both. You're curious about how languages work, prepared for sustained study, and interested in careers where linguistic precision and cultural understanding open doors. You're comfortable with close analytical work and enjoy the gradual mastery that language learning demands.

Careers & job market

Across Modern Languages courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 70% are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Graduate earnings (national figures for Modern Languages) start at £24,000–£33,500, rising to £25,500–£36,000 after three years and £32,725–£46,200 after five years. Translation, diplomacy, public services, cultural organisations and multinational business all value this qualification.

University & format

Oxford Brookes University is a public university founded in 1865 and located on its Oxford Campus. This BA (Hons) Modern Languages with Translation is taught full-time over 3 years in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and its degrees are nationally recognised. The course received a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
84%
Learning opportunities
82%
Assessment and feedback
87%
Academic Support
92%
Organisation and management
84%
Learning resources
87%
Student voice
84%

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.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

PlacementPublished placement option

Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.

Open daysAttend an open day or webinar

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent95% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 80 - 95 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check OBU's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent95%
No / unknown prior qualifications5%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Accessible entry

Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

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 by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesCCDA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeQ150quote this on your application
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course (code Q150). One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write 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.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results 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 OBU 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£17,250 / yr

Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).

Check fees at OBU →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

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

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All OBU funding →
No verified named award is shown for this provider yet.

That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.

We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.

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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

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£29,500£25,500 – £30,00010
3 years after£23,000£18,000 – £30,00035
5 years after£27,000£21,000 – £33,00035

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

95%
in work or further study 15 months on
65%
in highly skilled work or study
83%
continue past their first year
100%
find their work meaningful
80%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in modern languages · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Modern Languages nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£29,500
£24,000 – £33,500
After 3 years LEO
£23,000
£25,500 – £36,000
After 5 years LEO
£27,000
£32,725 – £46,200
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £21,000 – £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.

95 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

95% working0% working and studying0% in further study65% in highly skilled work or study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. 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 £27,000Peer median £38,500Middle 50% £31,000–£42,500
5th 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.

  • Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
  • Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
  • Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087

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: 30; 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 Outcomes
70%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How 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.

Where they work

  • Translation agencies
  • International businesses
  • Government (FCDO)
  • Tourism & education

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

95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £29,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.8 out of 10: NSS 85.7% · in work or study 95% · continued 83%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

Oxford Brookes University

All students26,095
International11.3%
Aged 25+50.1%

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 Oxford Campus

900 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 317Shoplifting 102Anti Social Behaviour 85Other Theft 74Public Order 67

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 OBU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is £17,250 / 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 OBU’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 OBU and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is historically accessible, accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 80 - 95 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by OBU. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Languages and area studies graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 65% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £29,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
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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