Skip to main navigationSkip to main content
The University of Southampton
Languages, Cultures and LinguisticsPart of Humanities

European Studies

Whether you are hoping for a career in a European framework, or simply want to acquire a wide-ranging and up-to-date knowledge of modern European institutions, society and culture, you will find the four year BA in Languages and Contemporary European Studies tailored to your needs.

Most students will spend their third year abroad
European studies

Apart from work in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe, many graduates are employed as conference organisers, in non-governmental organisations, in telecommunications, banking, marketing, European publishing, as research consultants, in the media or PR. In fact, the possibilities of Europe-related work are virtually endless as the EU expands its political, cultural, and commercial links.

Find about more about course combinations either through our Flexible study page or by looking at our programmes pages in the Find a course section of the Humanities website.

Contemporary Europe at Southampton

This programme is one of the few European Studies programmes based in a Modern Languages programme, focusing mainly on Western Europe, but also covering Southern and East-Central Europe in the context of the expanding European Union.

We also offer variations of the Languages and Contemporary European Studies programme for European Union and international students who wish to learn about British culture, society and the English language at a leading British university.

Modern Languages and the Humanities will provide an important focus for at least part of your social life at University. In particular you will be encouraged to take an active part in the student-run societies, which organise talks, parties, film series, etc and provide excellent opportunities for you to meet the many foreign-language speakers studying and working at the University.

Language learning

You will study two languages throughout the four year course, from French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Advanced English in the case of non-native speakers of English, who complete the degree in three years. One of these must be from post-A level standard, but the other may be started from scratch. Although you will devote equal time to each language, one will be denoted your first language when you choose the country for your year abroad.

In your first year, you will be allocated to one of seven language stages in each language according to your proficiency, and in all years of study you will benefit from the expertise and wide range of teaching and learning resources.

The first year
In addition to your first and second language study, five common core courses introduce you to the history and politics of European integration, the institutions and operation of the European Union and other European bodies, and main themes in contemporary European economics, society, ideology and culture.

The second year
In the second year, you will continue your language study and take two core courses introducing you to major European institutions, business environments and economic issues. You can then choose two further courses from a number of options according to your interests and special subjects.

The third year - the year abroad
Your third year will be spent studying at a university in a country of your first language and will be part of the Socrates European student exchange scheme. We have links with universities in Rouen, Grenoble, Liege, Heidelberg, Siegen, Barcelona, Salamanca and Coimbra, among others.

Alternatively, you can take up an appropriate work placement or job abroad. We do not guarantee placements, but will often be able to give you help in finding them.

International students
International students taking English as their first language are exempt from the year abroad and complete the programme in three years.

The final year
For examples of final year course module options and programmes, see the Find a course section on the Humanities website.

Postgraduate study opportunities

We offer a range of postgraduate programmes from one-year masters to four-year PhDs including a four-year programme focusing on socio-political, historical, cultural and linguistic aspects of transnationalism. These programmes are run in collaboration with the other disciplines within Humanities.

Privacy Settings