Modern Languages

Studying two modern languages to degree level is one of the most demanding and rewarding things you can do academically. Spanish and Italian are both Latin-derived languages with rich literary traditions, complex grammatical structures, and immense contemporary cultural relevance. Spanish is one of the world's most widely spoken languages, used across four continents, while Italian carries an extraordinary artistic and intellectual heritage and remains central to European business, design, and culture.

Studying both develops a finely tuned sensitivity to how language works, how it shapes thought, and how it differs across communities and historical periods.

At the University of Bath, this four-year, full-time programme takes you from advanced language competence to genuine fluency, combining rigorous linguistic training with the study of literature, culture, film, and contemporary society in Spanish and Italian-speaking contexts. You will develop skills in translation and interpretation, analyse literary and non-literary texts critically, and engage with historical and contemporary debates within both linguistic traditions. Bath's programme is structured with a strong emphasis on professional language use, preparing graduates for international careers as well as cultural and academic ones.

The programme includes a placement year, giving you structured professional experience in a Spanish or Italian-speaking environment. This might be through a work placement, study at a European university, or a combination of both, and it is an integral part of building the fluency and cross-cultural competence the degree aims to develop.

Graduates from modern languages programmes at Bath have gone on to careers in international business, diplomacy, translation and interpreting, teaching, journalism, law, finance, and public policy. The analytical, communicative, and cross-cultural skills you develop are highly valued by employers across many sectors. Postgraduate study in translation, linguistics, European studies, international relations, or law with languages is a natural next step for those who wish to specialise.