Department of Modern Languages

The Department of Modern Languages is a dynamic and friendly place, which prides itself on the quality of its teaching, predominantly in the target language, and its excellent research, and the support that it provides to undergraduate as well as postgraduate students. We encourage our vibrant award-winning student French, Spanish and Japanese societies.

In addition, our newly established, highly successful Modern Languages Unit delivers non-specialist language modules,  Short Courses and Continuing Professional Development training sessions.

Modern Languages offer good graduate employability and industry contacts

We have long-standing international partnerships with industry and with other universities in Europe and Japan. The employment of our graduates is higher than the national average, and in fact many companies contact us when they have opportunities.

An Enhanced Undergraduate French Year Abroad

Unusually, our French undergraduate year abroad is in the 2nd year of study, meaning that for the final 2 years of study students benefit from higher levels of linguistic competency and cultural understanding. We offer 3 distinct placement options (instead of the usual 2) which channels students' interests at an early stage, leading to enhanced employability.

Our Modern Languages Department is expanding

We are one of the few Modern Language Departments in the UK that are expanding both staff and student numbers. As part of this expansion we have recently launched a single honours BA in Japanese Studies, and are extending our current French undergraduate degree to allow entry at beginner and intermediate levels, as well as at advanced level.

In our Modern Languages Unit we introduced Italian this year and expanded Mandarin. The Spanish (Minor) degree was oversubscribed this year, proving to be very successful.

For postgraduate study we offer the MA by Research in French.

Main Research Areas in Modern Languages:

• Contemporary and Urban Culture
• French Theatre and Performance
• Francophone studies (the cultural understanding of other French speaking parts of the world)
• 19th & 20th Century Literature and Thought
• Artistic and Literary Avant Garde
• The Relationship between text and image
• France within a contemporary European context
• Developing ICT and language learning in French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Mandarin
• Japanese religions
• Spain: immigration, language acquisition, interculturality
• Spanish Translation, Literature, Cinema, History of Sexuality

In March 2008 Brookes Modern Languages were commended by an External Review Panel for:

• The interesting research and scholarship activity, particularly in French, and specifically the extent to which students were involved in research and the way research relates to teaching in modules.
• The ambition and commitment of the Modern Languages Team to their subject and students.
• The impressive links that the Department has built with other organisations and its success in setting up good external relations, particularly with other universities.

Language Consultancy

The Modern Languages Unit offers a wide range of services including language tuition, translation services, cultural briefings and other tailor-made programmes to suit your personal and/or organisation's needs. For any advice, please contact us.

I hope that our website will give you a flavour of what we have to offer - if you want to know more or to arrange to visit Brookes and take a campus tour, please get in touch. Dr Irène Hill, Head of Modern Language