Program Overview

Our BA Italian Studies and Modern Languages (including foundation year) is open to Home and EU students. It will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills.

This five-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further four years of study. During your Year Zero, you study four academic subjects relevant to your chosen course as well as a compulsory academic skills module.

After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with the Department of Language and Linguistics. On our course you’ll become highly proficient in Italian and will be able to study a further two of the modern languages taught at Essex, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Mandarin Chinese. These languages can be studied alongside the language expert modules which cover a range of cultural and professional skills.

For most of our languages, we offer modules in all six different levels recognised by the Common European Framework. With two modules completed in Italian each year, you are expected to reach Mastery level in the language by the end of our course, and are also encouraged to gain confidence in one or two other languages of your choice. As well as gaining fluency in Italian, you become proficient in a broad range of its practical use, from professional translation to creative writing.

We also offer a month-long summer course with fees paid for by us if you start a language from scratch via the intensive route.