DipHE Language Studies Foundation degree at the Open University
DipHE Language Studies at Open University is nationally recognised as a UK degree-awarding body and achieved Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
About this course
DipHE Language Studies is a Foundation degree (DipHE) at the Open University. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Language and area studies graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £43,000. (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.
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)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 70% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Modern Languages degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Core Language I Intensive grammar, speaking and writing towards fluency. |
| Year 1 | Cultures & Societies History, film and literature of the language's cultures. |
| Year 1 | Linguistics Foundations How languages work: sounds, structure and meaning. |
| Year 2 | Core Language II Advanced production, debate, translation and register. |
| Year 2 | Specialist Cultural Studies Deeper study of periods, authors or media. |
| Year 2 | Translation & Interpreting Skills Professional technique between your languages. |
| Year 3 (abroad) | Year abroad Study or work placement immersed in the language, most four-year courses. |
| Final year | Advanced Language & Specialist options Near-native skills plus research-led cultural options. |
| Final year | Dissertation Research in the target language or on its cultures. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This foundation degree builds language skills from core fluency towards specialist study. You'll usually start with intensive grammar, speaking and writing, alongside exploration of the cultures and societies where your language is spoken, through history, film and literature, and foundational linguistics on how languages work. In the second stage, you'll progress to advanced language production including debate and translation, deeper cultural study of specific periods or authors, and translation and interpreting technique. A typical course like this moves towards research-led specialist options such as translation, interpreting, cultural studies, linguistics, or two-language combinations, culminating in a dissertation or final project conducted in or on your target language.
Who it's for
This course suits part-time learners seeking a foundation degree in language studies. Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent qualifications. You'll need commitment to flexible, self-directed study alongside other commitments.
Careers & job market
Across Modern Languages courses nationally, 85% of graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 70% were in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. National earnings data shows starting salaries of £24,000–£33,500 (15 months post-graduation), rising to £25,500–£36,000 after three years and £32,725–£46,200 after five years. These figures reflect the broader graduate population and vary by individual role and sector.
University & format
The Open University is a public university founded in 1969. This DipHE Language Studies foundation degree is studied part-time and taught in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and this course carries Gold 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.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
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
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 | 45% |
| a previous degree | 30% |
| another higher-education qualification | 15% |
| Other | 15% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
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.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. 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.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Open University →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
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.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
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 | £43,000 | £30,500 – £60,000 | 45 |
| 3 years after | £19,500 | £8,500 – £49,000 | 15 |
| 5 years after | £19,000 | £7,000 – £26,500 | 15 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 45; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 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
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.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 45; 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.
Compared with 931 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Modern Languages graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
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.
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 SchoolIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £43,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.9 out of 10: NSS 88.7% · continued 70%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The Open University
Language and area studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Modern Languages right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Open University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Open University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 Open University’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 Open University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Open University
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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