Modern Languages, University of Southampton

Some students decide to spend a year in a Latin American country

Opportunities for year abroad

All Modern Languages students, except those taking English as their first foreign language, spend their third year abroad in a country where one of the languages they are studying is spoken.

Combined honours students studying two languages are expected to spend the year in one country, as dividing it between two countries has significant disadvantages - for example students who do this tend to find it very unsettling to move halfway through the year. It is better to spend the summer vacations before and after the year abroad in your ‘second’ country.

You can spend the year abroad either as:

• an English language assistant in a school

• studying at one of our partner universities under the Erasmus scheme

• at a university in a non-EU country (eg Latin America)

• (for Spanish students only) working as a language resources assistant in a Mexican or Chilean university

• on a work placement

Most students spend the year in a European country, but many go further afield. Contemporary Europe students either go to a university or find a work placement

During the year, you will maintain contact with us, as you will work on an investigative project, exploring an issue of current importance in the place where you are staying. You will have a project supervisor, who will be able to advise you (typically by email) on the progress of your project.

How you spend your year abroad is one of the most important decisions you will make during your degree course. As this decision will have to be taken early in your second year, it would be wise to give it some thought, and perhaps do some research into how you may like to spend your year abroad, during your first year of study. During your second year there will be an intensive programme of preparations for the residence abroad.

Residence abroad preparation

At the beginning of November during your second year a meeting is held for all second year students where the Regulations for Residence Abroad (available to download from the right hand side of this page) are distributed. It is on this form that students declare their intended activity during their residence abroad.

General information and advice is available from the International Exchange Administrator, and it is also useful to speak to other students who have just completed their year abroad and also incoming students that are currently here. Contact lists for these students are displayed on the Modern Languages Year Abroad notice board.

Residence abroad: key contacts

Co-ordinator (and Latin America)
Mark Dinneen
Email:mad@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 3981

International Exchange Administrator
Maddy McNeill
Room 3045, Avenue Campus
Humanities
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton SO17 1BJ
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 2209
Fax: +44(0)23 8059 3288
Email: mm16@southampton.ac.uk

France
Laurence Richard
Email: lr4@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 3942

Germany and Austria
Kirsten Söntgens
Email: ks5@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 3002

Spain and Portugal
Jaine Beswick
Email: jb14@southampton.ac.uk
Tel : +44 (0)23 8059 3247

Italy
Paola Visconti
Email: pv@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)23 80 593983