4 years full-time with integrated year abroad
UCAS Code: RL92
Typical Offers
A Levels: AAB - ABB from 3 A-levels, including at least one of French, German or Spanish Grade B. General Studies accepted. Aston DOES NOT accept the double AS qualification in lieu of 2 AS-levels.
IB: 35 points in the IB diploma including TOK/Bonus points. Standard level Maths and English 5 required and 6 in Higher Level French, German or Spanish.
Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in each module. Humanities or Social Sciences Access course preferred, but other courses considered on an individual basis. A-level grade B in French, German or Spanish or equivalent.
BTEC: National Extended Diploma DDD. A-level grade B in French, German, Spanish or equivalent. Mix of Diploma/ Subsidiary Diploma/A-levels acceptable.
We accept a wide range of UK, EU and International qualifications: please contact us for further advice.
Specific subject requirements:
GCSE English Language and Maths Grade C.
*Subject to full approval
Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.
Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2012). More on fees
Scholarships available for 2012
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1st for graduate level jobs after 6 months for European Languages (unistats.com 2011)
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Internationally recognised research, backed by the Aston Centre for Europe (ACE)
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90% of Politics students at Aston are satisfied with the quality of their course (Guardian University Guide 2012)
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Aston is ranked 51st in the world for graduate employability as judged by employers. (2012 QS Guide to Global Universities)
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Teaching is conducted by research experts with international reputations in their fields
If you want a truly international career, which relies on proficiency in a foreign language as well as an understanding of the international arena, our International Politics and Languages (IPL) degree will be ideal for you. You will study International Politics alongside French, German or Spanish. In addition you can also choose to study a new language - Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German or Spanish - from beginners' level.
Taught within the School of Languages and Social Sciences, our IPL degree is designed as an integrated degree so that the language knowledge gained will enhance your understanding of international politics. The course combines modules in your chosen language(s) – language skills, media, politics, cultural studies and linguistics – with an emphasis on European politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and modern European history.
Campus accommodation guaranteed for first year and final year students returning from year abroad.
The Third Year of your course is spent abroad in a French, German or Spanish speaking country, increasing your fluency in your language(s), immersing yourself in an exciting new culture, and adding value to your degree. The Year Abroad is an integral, assessed part of your studies at Aston, fully supported by us, and of direct relevance to your degree programme.
A distinctive feature of our Year Abroad is the flexibility that we offer. You will be able to choose between undertaking a work placement with a company abroad; working as a teaching assistant in a school or studying at one of our partner universities abroad. You may even choose to combine several of these different options! If you are studying two languages you will normally divide your time equally between the two countries where each of your languages are spoken.
Find out more about the Year Abroad at Aston
You will take part in interactive seminars, presentations and group work as well as
attending lectures and tutorials. There are also opportunities for individual research and guided study. We teach our courses in the language(s) being studied, which means that our students are at a real advantage when it comes to gaining maximum benefit and experience from the year abroad.
You will be allocated a personal tutor who you can provide help and advice.
Assessment is through a combination of written and oral exams, coursework, essays, presentations and an extended dissertation during your final year.
Aston is 1st for graduate level jobs after 6 months for European Languages (unistats.com 2011)
Our graduates are in demand from a wide range of employers who value their understanding of different cultures and societies, their communication skills and motivation for team work. Recent destinations for our Languages and Social Sciences graduates include:
The School of Languages and Social Sciences has a dedicated Learning Support Team and excellent facilities including:
- 70 computers in 4 rooms
- Streamed satellite television (French, German, Spanish)
- TRADOS and memoQ Translation Software
- Free DVD library (French, Spanish, German, English)
- Audio and video-editing tools
Read what the IPL Staff have to say about the course:
John Gaffney - Professor of Politics
''By integrating the study of politics with specific countries and languages, the degree broadens the study of politics to include its cultural, historical, and discursive aspects. Such an approach offers a thoroughgoing understanding of politics in context. This new degree creates synergies between the study of a foreign language and of international politics, providing graduates with an ideal basis for a career in business, public services, education or media.''
Jim Shields - Professor of French Politics and Modern History
''If I were a student today, this is the degree I would want to do - combining politics with the study of languages, cultures, history, society, and more. We live in a world whose borders exist on multiple levels - regional, national, European and global - a world in which political power, cultural exchange, economic forces, and even governing institutions are increasingly internationalised. IPL is a degree for which the moment is right, and I am delighted to be among those Aston colleagues bringing their combined expertise to this exciting new programme!''
School of Languages and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions
Tel: 0121 204 3700
Email: lss_ugadmissions@aston.ac.uk
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