Culture and Language (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish) (Certificate of Higher Education)
This part-time introductory course enables you to study a language - French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean or Spanish - to intermediate or advanced level, while also exploring the culture, history and society of the countries associated with it.
If you work in an international or multicultural setting, by the end of our Culture and Language Certificate of Higher Education you will feel much more confident about your linguistic ability and your understanding of the cultures associated with the language of your choice.
Each of the languages has three pathways, so you can start at beginner, intermediate or upper intermediate level, depending on your existing knowledge and experience.
Highlights
- Our academics in this subject area bring together research and teaching in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish, making them an outstanding multidisciplinary team.
- Birkbeck is at the heart of a multicultural city and you will join students from around the globe to study under world-class researchers.
- You will be studying close to some of the world’s most renowned museums and galleries, and we also have our own state-of-the-art cinema and exhibition spaces, all housed in a historic building that was a former home to key members of the Bloomsbury Group, including the author Virginia Woolf and the artist Vanessa Bell.
- Ours is a community of scholars with shared interests in interdisciplinary topics and cross-cultural research. Our affiliated research centres, the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies (CFFCS) and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), provide an important platform for this exchange. We also co-convene the Eighteenth-Century Research Group.
Progression to degrees at Birkbeck
The credits gained on this course can be counted towards the following undergraduate degrees at Birkbeck:
- BA Japanese Studies
- BA Modern Languages - single language or two languages
- BA Language Teaching and Languages (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish)
If you are considering one of our language BA programmes on completion of your CertHE, we recommend you take Doing Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics as your option in Year 1.
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Entry Requirements
Entry requirements
No prior knowledge of the target language or culture is required.
Students under 21 require a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent. All other students may be admitted as mature students on the basis of other indicators such as employment criteria, skills required or relevant experience.
Students may enter the course with skills in their target language from beginner to upper intermediate. With the exception of complete beginners, all students are asked to complete a language placement exercise.
Visa requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).
For full information, read our visa information for international students page.
Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant requirements by country.
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Fees
Fees
Fees are payable per module and vary depending on the course. Please view the Course Structure and then click on the title of individual modules to see the fees for each module. The overall cost of the certificate will depend on the modules you choose.
Please note: if you intend to study this certificate part-time and fund your studies via a student loan, this may affect your entitlement for future full-time funding. Find out more about funding your studies with a student loan.
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Teaching and assessment
Teaching
For French, German, Italian and Spanish pathways, a combination of lectures, individual and group work, open discussion and presentations.
For the Japanese and Korean pathways, task-driven language activities including individual, pair and group work, and study of historical and cultural texts in various media; seminar presentations and essay writing; and group work.
Assessment
French, German, Italian and Spanish modules are assessed via in-class tests, oral presentations, essays and other written tasks.
Japanese and Korean modules are assessed via coursework, a final examination and attendance.
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Careers and employability
Careers and employability
Graduates can pursue careers in international organisations and businesses, education, research or editing. Possible professions include:
- translator
- magazine/newspaper journalist
- editorial assistant
- primary/secondary school teacher.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
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How to apply
How to apply
This is a modular enrolment certificate, so you will need to enrol onto individual modules (rather than onto the entire course). Please view the Course Structure and then click on the title of individual modules to see class dates and times and to enrol.
