Bachelor of Arts in German and History

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

Become a highly proficient linguist in French, German and Chinese on this 4 year Modern Languages degree. You'll develop a strong understanding of the cultures and societies you study by spending a year abroad, before graduating prepared for professions in which these languages are a key requirement.

This programme will immerse you in international experiences. This is our broadest range of languages offered, and will prepare you to communicate and work in a range of diverse and multilingual contexts.

You will:

• Become highly proficient in French, German and Chinese
• Develop your knowledge and understanding of key aspects of the cultures and societies you study, enabling you to ‘read’ and interpret different cultural traditions
• Get to know foreign cultures first hand by spending a year abroad, either as a student or in a work placement
• Develop a range of communicative and intercultural competencies, as well as analytical, research and personal skills

Knowing a range of languages opens up many opportunities in today's globally interconnected economy. French is native to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and the French Caribbean, and it’s an official language in much of Africa and Asia.

German has around 95 million speakers, and is spoken in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It also comes first in terms of first-language speakers in the European Union and the EU.

Chinese itself is spoken by a quarter of the world’s population, and both a command of the language and an understanding of cultural traditions can help set you apart in the context of global business.

This programme complements your language learning with modules on:

• History and contemporary society
• Literature and film
• Ethnography and anthropology
• Linguistic studies

You can choose to combine these areas of study for a broad-based curriculum or focus on the area that interests you most.

Explore 19th century English literature in-depth with a master’s degree at the University of Southampton.

Our course gives you the opportunity to specialise in the culture and history of the 19th century, covering topics such as:

• Key debates in 19th century studies
• The literary marketplace and its cultures
• Changes to aesthetics and taste during the 19th century
• Issues of gender, race, class, science and capitalism
• Material culture and print culture

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a career in teaching, publishing, librarianship or cultural heritage.

You’ll get the chance to carry out advanced-level research and independent critical thinking, and to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries.

This pathway is linked to the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-Century Research, where an interdisciplinary group of over 70 staff, student and external researchers debate key issues in 19th century studies. The centre also hosts events including guest speakers, seminars and conferences.

We offer a flexible module structure which is designed to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation and theoretical method.

You’ll explore the interrelations of text, theory and culture across the field of English literary and cultural studies. We’ll work with you to:

• develop your knowledge of critical and research methods
• raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature in various periods
• explore the role of literature in a contested cultural framework

Follow your interests in ancient history and gain specialist knowledge in your chosen areas of study. We offer you an engaging, supportive and successful research environment to study in. You'll learn about the ancient world and explore the foundations of how we live today. You'll study ancient history abroad for a year and experience another culture and gain new perspectives.

Ancient history is an interdisciplinary field, so you can study topics that you’re already passionate about, or choose to try something new.

You’ll have the choice of a wide range of topics from ancient Egypt to the rise of Islam in the Middle East. You can also explore what happened during the conquests of Alexander the Great and at the end of the Roman Empire.

You'll study ancient history with year abroad at a university in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia in your third year.

On BA Ancient History with Year Abroad you can:

• Learn from experts in the ancient world (including history, archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literatures, philosophy and film)
• Carry out archaeological fieldwork and take part in study tours
• Develop your research and dissertation skills
• Learn Latin and Ancient Greek

Learn the history and theory of film and gain a global perspective on cinema on this MA Film Studies master's degree at the University of Southampton. On this course you’ll develop in-depth knowledge of the most influential theories and approaches to understanding film. You’ll also find out about the latest debates and concerns around the industry.

This MA in film studies will give you the chance to examine the evolution of cinema and develop your own analytical skills.

You’ll gain valuable insights into the movie industry, looking at everything from film theory to current issues in film distribution.

You'll also benefit from:

• Being taught by expert academics with an international reputation  
• Regular talks from industry professionals and acclaimed film scholars
• A flexible approach that allows you to pursue your own areas of interest

With the practical and theoretical skills you learn, you’ll be in a great position to move into a career in the arts or media.

Southampton is ranked 3rd in the UK for film in the Guardian University Guide 2020.

Develop the analytical skills for success in business and industry on this Operational Research MSc at the University of Southampton. You’ll work with multinational organisations on real-life case studies as you develop the knowledge to solve complex challenges. Prepare for a rewarding career in industry or research.

Operational Research is the application of scientific methods to the study of complex organisational problems.  

As an operational researcher, you’ll play an important role in business and industry, providing analytics and guidance to management teams. If you’re good at maths, enjoy problem-solving and have strong communication skills, this could be a rewarding area for you. 

On this UK master’s course you’ll learn the key skills and knowledge to provide effective solutions to organisational issues. 

You’ll study topics such as revenue management and forecasting, and learn techniques to improve organisational efficiency and productivity. 

You’ll work closely with industry throughout, and have the chance to develop your research skills in a commercial setting as you work on your dissertation over the summer. Our industrial liaison team will help you find a project that suits your skills and career plans. 

On this course you’ll learn: 

• The mathematical, computational and communication skills needed for the practical application of operational research
• An appreciation of related disciplines important in operational research
• How to use operational research tools in a wide range of applications  
• Research methods and current issues in operational research

You’ll also benefit from regular seminars featuring guest speakers from a wide range of organisations.

Learn French - a major international language with some 300 million speakers worldwide - while increasing your knowledge of politics. You’ll study abroad for a year to get complete proficiency in French and also take modules on political systems and French history.

On this BA Politics and French degree, you’ll start French at a level that matches your spoken and written ability, which helps ensure rapid progress. You’ll also have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for working and studying abroad in year 3.

You could spend your year abroad working in:

• France
• Switzerland
• Belgium
• Canada
• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• La Réunion

We have partner universities in the Erasmus exchange programme across France and Switzerland.

In your final year you can specialise in an area of politics or French that suits your interests and combines well with what you’ve studied so far.

Study the history, influence and the many genres of film, from Hollywood to Europe, and world cinema on our Film and German degree with year abroad. You'll look at the cultural context of the various styles and movements, and the work of key filmmakers. You'll explore the language, culture and politics of Germany and can study German films across all genres.

On this joint course at Southampton, you'll study film from a variety of perspectives: as popular art, big business and as a cultural record. You'll look at familiar classics alongside modern cinema, and genres including:

• film noir
• horror
• science fiction
• documentary
• animation

You'll take German language modules based on your ability, and will spend your third year in a German-speaking country. Your year abroad will improve your language and linguistic skills.

As part of this course you can:

• take modules to learn more about German history and culture
• discover early film through archive visits
• use our Centre for Language Study, including a dedicated German resources room
• join a website for anyone interested in German life, language and culture
• submit your own film to our annual student film festival

This BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion degree provides you with the opportunity to explore deep  and far-reaching issues. You will engage with questions that have puzzled great thinkers for millennia, and are still relevant today: How should we live? What can we really know? Can religious beliefs be justified? And what is their role in society? How can we apply philosophy to real world problems such as global poverty?

You will explore these fundamental issues using the philosophical method of reasoned argument and critical scrutiny. You’ll investigate ethical questions and the nature of religion in society, across a wide range of fields including anthropology, history, and politics.

Our broad curriculum allows you to approach topics from multiple perspectives, with the flexibility to pursue your own interests. You can also take modules outside your main degree subject, to diversify your learning.

• Develop an understanding of basic philosophical arguments in matters of ethics, reason, and responsibility
• Study questions such as the duties of affluent people towards those living in poverty around the world
• Learn about the ethics of global poverty, science and technology, plus moral questions, and the nature of moral judgments
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, sex and other important aspects of life

You’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You can also take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, study a language, or choose from a range of cross-disciplinary modules

From the Aztecs and Mayans to Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire and the medieval world, you'll study the story of human activity and the origins of civilisation. A BA in archaeology explores how human societies came into being, how and why they changed over time, and the underlying reasons for human diversity today.

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. Our archaeology bachelor degree teaches you transferable skills through exploring questions about people in the past and in the present. You'll learn in the laboratory, the library or in the field and develop the skills needed to explore contested narratives.

You'll have the opportunity to experience fieldwork, including at least 3 weeks as part of an active research project. This is usually done during the summer period, and may be in the UK or overseas, preparing you for a career as an archaeologist.

BA Archaeology covers a wide range of world archaeology. You can study topics such as:

• Excavation and field survey techniques
• Underwater archaeology
• Artefacts analysis
• Medieval archaeology
• Museums, heritage and public archaeology

Archaeology combines the humanities and the sciences, working with historical texts and artefacts. You'll develop a range of transferable skills, including:

• Evidence-based reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Project management

This archaeology BA degree gives you the opportunity to study a minor subject alongside your main programme.

We’re also offering up to 10 bursaries of £1000 each to incoming students (subject to criteria). These are from the Terry Mason Bursary and the University of Southampton Archaeology Bursary Fund.

Build the skills you need for a career in archaeological research or the heritage industry with this flexible archaeology master’s. You’ll gain practical experience and benefit from our close ties with museums and organisations involved in commercial archaeology, heritage management and fieldwork.

We’re ranked Top 30 in the world for archaeology (QS World University Rankings, 2019)

With this MSc in Archaeology you can personalise your studies to areas that interest you, without having to specialise in a particular area. We bring expertise together from across the University, including the National Oceanography Centre, Humanities, Medicine, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to help you gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding through a range of optional modules.

This master's in archaeology enables you to develop your skills in a practical way, whilst learning from theoretical and period-based insights. You’ll have full access to a wide range of dedicated facilities and specialist teachers.

These include:

• A dedicated library
• A large collection of stone tools and hominin skulls
• Specialist isotope labs and a scanning, imaging and micro-CT suite
• An extensive collection of human and animal skeletons

We have relationships with a number of leading heritage institutions and companies. You’ll have the opportunity to spend 4 weeks on placement with one of these institutions, where you’ll gain valuable real-world experience of the archaeology sector and heritage industry. Previous placements have included Historic England, Wessex Archaeology and The Nautical Archaeology Society.

In addition to your vocational training, you'll develop advanced research skills. When you write your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to undertake original research on a topic that you choose. There is the possibility that this work will be published.

Southampton is close to the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury and we have research projects engaged with both sites, as well as a range of other archaeological projects across the globe.

We offer 4 pathways on our MSc Archaeology degree. If you’re not sure which area of archaeology you want to specialise in, then this general pathway gives you the chance to explore a number of different areas.

Your other Archaeology MSc pathway options are:

• Archaeology Bioarchaeology - Gain specialist skills in human anatomy and faunal analysis to make sense of the past. Benefit from dedicated archaeology laboratories and specialist research.
• Archaeology Higher Archaeological Practice - Discover our Archaeological Practice master's degree at the University of Southampton. Learn how to get a job in archaeology and commercial archaeology.
• Archaeology Palaeoanthropology - Discover our Palaeoanthropology master's degree at the University of Southampton. Learn to analyse stone tools and hominin skulls to understand our evolution.