Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (French, German and Chinese)

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

A Philosophy and History degree at Southampton provides you with an opportunity to explore the events and ideas which have shaped, and continue to shape, the world around us. You'll explore some of the biggest questions of philosophy: Is there a god? What is morality? Can there be objective facts in ethics and politics? How should we think about global poverty or sexual morality? As a history student you'll be able to develop your own interpretations of disputed narratives across a wide range of periods, from Alexander the Great to New World slavery and the Space Age, and many specialist areas including East and Central European history, South East Asian history and Jewish history. Strengths of the degree are a wide choice of topics in the history of philosophy, including non-Western philosophical traditions, and an exceptional diversity of options to choose from in both subjects.

You’ll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You'll benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

Compulsory modules will give you a strong grounding in both subjects. Optional module choices will give you the freedom to pursue your own interests in topics as varied as metaphysics, Reagan’s America, and witchcraft in 17th century England.

You can broaden your knowledge by taking modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology. You can also study a language.

In this degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of basic philosophical arguments in matters of ethics, reason, and responsibility
• Learn about different approaches to history and gain access to a large collection of primary evidence
• Explore how political motives and other forms of bias shape the way we think about the past
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, sex and other aspects of life
• Study areas of history rarely taught in most other UK universities, for example: East and Central European history, South East Asian history and Jewish history

Philosophy and English literature have between them tackled some of the biggest questions of our age: Is there a god? What is morality? What does it mean to be human? On this joint honours course you’ll examine these and other fundamental concepts from 2 complementary angles, enriching your understanding and appreciation of each discipline in the process.

This BA degree will give you an excellent education in literature, theory and critical thinking.

In your degree you can:

• Learn about philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Explore philosophy and literature through diverse times and places, from Viking to Victorian eras, from Eastern to African settings
• Study themes like the Islamic Golden Age, classical Indian philosophy, and holocaust literature
• Study abroad at one of our partner institutions
• Explore contested narratives, for example, race and culture in American literature

You’ll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment, and benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

Compulsory modules provide a strong grounding in philosophical and critical thought, while optional modules give you the freedom to pursue your own interests in subjects as varied as scriptwriting, short stories and Islamic philosophy. You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules.

Explore the evolution, biology and behaviour of humankind through the study of our Stone Age ancestors. With this specialist master’s in palaeoanthropology you’ll gain expertise in the analysis of stone tools and hominin skulls to understand our evolutionary journey. You’ll work closely with experts in our Centre for the Archaeology of Human Origins (CAHO) and benefit from opportunities to apply your learning in real-world settings.

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

Your specialist palaeoanthropology learning will cover:

• handling and interpreting stone tools
• the role of evolutionary models, experimental testing, primatological data and ethnographies in the study of human origins
• developing methods to interrogate meaning from collections of stone tools
• using SPSS statistical analysis software

Palaeolithic symbolism and language, migration and responses to environmental change
Beyond your specialist modules you can personalise this palaeonthropology MSc to your areas of interest.

We bring expertise together from across the University, including Medicine, Humanities, the National Oceanography Centre, Engineering and Winchester School of Art, to help you gain both scientific skills and cultural understanding through a range of optional modules.

This is a very practical degree, but you don’t need prior knowledge of biology or anthropology. You’ll be based in our dedicated John Wymer Laboratory, with its own specialist library and large collection of stone tools and hominin skulls. Staff, PhD students and MSc students work in the same space, creating a lively learning environment. As a student on this course you automatically become a member of the CAHO research group.

You’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills on a 4-week placement, 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.

This  Palaeoanthropology course offers a balance between vocational and research skills. During your dissertation you’ll be able to embed with one of our research groups to do original research on a topic of 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.

If you’d prefer a less specialised archaeology master’s degree, or you’d like to focus on a different specialism, you can choose from our 3 other Archaeology MSc pathways. When you join us you’ll have 2 weeks in which you can change pathway if you wish.

Discover how the world works on our BA Philosophy Politics and Economics degree. Explore past and current socio-economic orders. You'll learn quantitative tools, historical data, and the technical knowledge to carefully analyse them. Through our philosophy modules, we'll teach you to critique the present order with logic and ethics. You'll graduate with the skills for a range of careers linked to politics, philosophy and arts.

On this broad, combined honours course, you’ll get a balanced education in all 3 Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) subjects.

The degree helps you properly frame the questions that unite the subject of the PPE degree, and answer them in a rigorous but free-spirited way. These include questions on:

• Inequality
• Democracy
• Justice
• Globalisation
• Happiness
• Work
• Money

Compulsory modules provide a strong grounding in key areas of study. Optional modules will let you pursue your own interests in topics as varied as:

• Logic
• International security
• Chinese politics

As part of this course, you can:

• Study topics that are unique to either philosophy, economics, or politics
• Gain professional skills in economics that will be useful in your future careers
• Learn how to conduct and present research
• Take part in other Philosophy events held by the Lifelonglearning team, where you can discuss philosophy in a relaxed atmosphere

Explore people's changing relationships with the world’s oceans and seas on this science-focused maritime archaeology master's degree at the University of Southampton. You’ll study the technologies of seafaring, histories of environmental change, and underwater landscapes. This subject incorporates elements of traditional archaeology, ethnography, maritime history and marine science.

This MSc version offers the same course content as our MA Maritime Archaeology degree but you’ll take a more science-based approach through your module choices and dissertation topic.

The course draws on the world-leading expertise of the Centre for Maritime Archaeology to offer an unparalleled breadth and depth of content.

The course is designed to allow rapid development of the diverse academic knowledge and practical skills required to work in this field, including:

• The latest methods for data acquisition and integration
• Academic research and dissemination
• Archaeological fieldwork

This means you’ll cover all aspects of maritime archaeology, from those who wish to focus on field-based activities, both above and under water, through to laboratory or library-based research.

Develop strong language skills on this Spanish and Portuguese degree and gain a deep understanding of both cultures. You'll improve your fluency and employability skills by spending a year living and working abroad.

We'll make sure you start at a level that matches your ability in written and spoken Spanish and Portuguese. This means, if you’re a strong student, you can start one of these languages from scratch - and make rapid progress in both.

You'll have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.

You can tailor your degree to areas that interest you. These might include:

• Taking a third language
• Choosing modules from other subject areas
• Exploring more about Spanish or Portuguese linguistics, history and culture

In your year abroad you could choose to go to Spain, France, Switzerland or Latin America - we have links in Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Through our innovative scheme in Mexico, developed in partnership with the Mexican Education Ministry, you could work as a Language Resources Assistant in a University.

Learn how we make sense of past events, ideas and problems with this dual honours modern history and politics degree. You'll understand how society organises itself and makes decisions. You’ll study contemporary issues such as international security, migration and globalisation. The skills you gain will prepare you for a wide range of career options.

Modern History at Southampton challenges you to critically interpret histories of societies. The study of politics encourages you to explore people’s organisation and behaviour.

On this course you can:

• Study the modern history of an extraordinary range of places, from Western Europe and the Americas, to Africa and South Asia
• Learn about rare artefacts from the University’s own collections, as well as take part in guided visits to other museums and galleries
• Learn about democracy, the modern state, comparative politics and international relations
• Spend time at a university abroad in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia

From the Aztecs and Maya to Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire and the medieval world, you'll study the story of human activity and the origins of civilisation on BA Archaeology with Year Abroad. Through the latest techniques and technologies, you'll investigate how our ancestors lived, from the earliest human origins, to Neolithic Britain, Ancient Egypt and the Medieval Middle East.

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains, such as its:

• Buildings
• Monuments
• Artefacts
• Biological remains
• Written sources
• Landscape

Whether in the laboratory on a dig, you'll develop transferable skills through exploring questions about people in the past and in the present. This archaeology bachelor degree with year abroad explores world archaeology, on topics such as:

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

You'll have the opportunity to experience fieldwork, including at least 3 weeks of fieldwork as part of an active research project.

We have a purpose-built archaeology building, equipped with the latest science-based laboratories. You'll gain hands-on experience with archaeological artefacts and materials, and receive practical training for a career in archaeology.

You'll spend a year abroad at one of our partner institutions such as the University of Malta or the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. This will give you the chance to discover theories and findings in exotic locations and boost your career opportunities.

This degree gives you the opportunity to study a minor subject alongside the 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.

Some of the greatest mathematicians have also been philosophers, and vice versa. On this joint BA Philosophy and Mathematics degree you’ll explore the close relationship between the two, tackling some of the biggest questions in philosophy - is there a god? What is morality? What does it mean to be human? - while developing advanced maths skills. You'll get to spend a placement year abroad at a university in Europe.

This degree will give you an excellent education in mathematics and philosophy. In your degree you can:

• Develop an understanding of philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Gain a thorough understanding of key mathematical areas, including linear algebra, calculus, statistics and differential equations
• Apply philosophical thought to language, morality, sex and other important aspects of life
• Learn skills in mathematical investigation and research
• Study abroad at one of our partner institutions

You’ll be taught in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment, and benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose researches feed directly into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules. These include topics such as social enterprise, risk management, and living and working on the web.

This degree will give you complete proficiency in German and you’ll gain valuable experience spending a year living and working in a foreign country.

Following our system of language development, you’ll start at a level that matches your ability in German. This means we can personalise your learning so you make the best progress.

You’ll also have all the resources you need to support you in our excellent Centre for Language Study.

You’ll have the freedom to tailor your degree to areas that interest you. Whether you want to learn another language, take modules from other subject areas, improve your employability skills, or explore German culture, society, or history, the choice will be yours.  

In your year abroad you can choose to work as an English assistant in a school, study at a university or take a work placement. Our partner universities in the Erasmus programme are in Germany and Austria.

This German course has a strong focus on employability. You’ll have the option to take practical modules looking at teaching, you could take advantage of our vacation work placement schemes and you’ll develop a wide range of transferable skills.