About this course
Improve your understanding of global languages, cultures and societies on this MA Languages and Cultures degree at the University of Southampton.
On this language master’s, our expert tutors will give you specialist multicultural knowledge and skills necessary to take on a wide range of careers.
On this course you’ll study a variety of cultural and literary topics, and their history, ethnography and anthropology. We’ll give you thorough training in the theory and research methods you'll need to understand events and texts from across our regions of specialisation, which include:
- modern Europe
- Latin America
- Africa and the black diaspora
- East and South Asia
- the Jewish diaspora
Throughout the course, we'll work closely with you to help develop your own research interests in relation to the degree.
As a postgraduate student, you’ll be a full member of the dynamic research environment here at Southampton. Your learning will be enriched by events hosted by the multidisciplinary Centre for Transnational Studies, which hosts research seminars, postgraduate workshops, public lectures and engagement events throughout the year.
You’ll also have access to the Modern Languages Research Group, and to events run by other research groups, including the:
- Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies
- Centre for Global Englishes
- Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing
- Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations
Our faculty has close links to Southampton’s internationally recognised cultural institutions, such as the John Hansard Gallery and Nuffield Theatre, which offer additional opportunities for globally-oriented cultural enrichment.
You will also have the opportunity to improve your foreign language skills through the Language Opportunity Programme. You could pick up a new language from scratch or increase your proficiency in one you already know. We offer a variety of levels in many languages.
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course lead
The course leader is Dr Eleanor Jones, a lecturer in Portuguese and world literatures within Modern Languages. Her interests range across the literatures, cultures and social histories of Portuguese- and English-speaking Africa and the Portuguese-speaking world more broadly. Find out more on Dr Jones’s staff profile page.
Learn more about this subject area
Course location
This course is based at Highfield.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the Course Description Document
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
You’ll need a 2:1 in a humanities or social science subject.
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
Pre-masters
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
In each semester, you’ll take 2 specialist research-led modules in the field of world cultures and societies. In semester 1, we’ll guide you through key ways of engaging with the materials on the course.
During your studies you’ll take 2 optional modules from a selection of humanities subjects, including:
- history
- film
- linguistics
- translation
- creative writing
In the second semester, you’ll begin preparing for your 15,000-word dissertation, with an intensive practical research skills module and guidance from a supervisor allocated according to specialism.
You’ll complete your dissertation during the summer.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules :
Approaches to Languages and Cultures
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the analytical frameworks at the heart of the MA Languages and Cultures programme. Through guided weekly readings, discussion-based seminars and reflective short assessments, you will develop the skills...
MA Dissertation (Languages & Cultures and Translation & Professional Communication Skills)
The dissertation is an extended piece of work of 12,000 words, which results from independent research on a topic in Languages & Cultures or Translation & Professional Communication Skills. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to explore a topic of ...
Memory in National and Transnational Contexts
Whether in the form of monuments, stories or rituals a desire to remember seems to be everywhere in most if not all contemporary nation states. In some respect this has been fuelled by the continually evolving international situation, which has posed a se...
Narrative, Place, Identity
This module investigates how cultural narratives have been produced, disseminated and consumed across national boundaries since the mid-twentieth century. Through examination of a range of narrative forms, including fiction, essay, memoir, film and photog...
Nation, Culture, Power
This module offers an in-depth exploration of three concepts that have shaped the modern world: nation, culture, and power. Drawing on staff expertise in cultural and critical theory, the module will investigate the key questions that worldwide thinkers a...
Research Skills (Dissertation Preparation)
The purpose of this module is to help you prepare your Masters dissertation in Languages & Cultures or Translation & Professional Communication Skills, including the oral presentation that forms part of its assessment. The emphasis is on skills required f...
Transnational Movement in the Age of Globalisation
The module investigates transnational approaches to migration, global mobility and diversity. It combines theoretical approaches with empirical case studies and methodological issues.
You must also choose from the following modules :
Exiles, Migrants and Citizens: Narrating and documenting displacement in contemporary Spain
Migration has been a recurrent theme that has characterized Spain’s social, political and cultural history since its emergence as a modern nation in 1492. By drawing on narrative inquiry, this module will focus on the most recent migration movements of th...
After the Holocaust: Jews and Others after 1945
This module examines aspects of Jewish experience in the aftermath of the Holocaust. It explores refugee experiences in the aftermath of war; it explores Jewish debates over post-Holocaust futures, in Europe, in Israel, elsewhere; it examines attempts to...
An ambivalent asylum: the histories and memories of refugees in early twentieth-century France
Where does the idea of a stateless person come from? Why did France become one of the foremost nations for refugee reception? How were refugees fleeing from persecution in other parts of Europe treated in France? Why did France establish a system of ‘conc...
Barrios and Borders: Language and Identity amongst US Latinos
This module will introduce the main theoretical ideas of language and identity alongside tracing the historical, social and linguistic background to the presence of the so-called Latinos in the USA. By considering a range of texts, as well as cultural ou...
Communicating the Cultural Industries
Encounters with Bodies in Lusophone Cultural Narrative
Based on written texts, films and visual materials from and about Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, this course is intended to show you the cutting edge of cultural production and research from the Portuguese-speaking wo...
French Sociolinguistics: Challenges to Francophonie
This module in French sociolinguistics aims to build on and re-evaluate your existing knowledge of the French language from a sociolinguistic perspective. The module has three major themes: language change, language variation and language identity in rela...
German-Jewish Writing Across the Twentieth Century
The turbulent history of Austrian and German Jews during the twentieth century was accompanied by the production of a diverse and influential body of German-language literature by Jewish authors. Prior to World War Two, Jews played a crucial role in the c...
Historical Memory in Modern Latin America
Language and Intercultural Communication
This module will combine a theoretical understanding of intercultural communication with reflections and evaluations of your own intercultural experiences and applications of this to pedagogic settings and other practical settings.
Language and the City
One of the socially and culturally most significant consequences of transnational mobility is that urban populations in particular are increasingly multilingual: in global cities such as London, New York and Berlin there are speakers of hundreds of differ...
Language in Society
This module will introduce you to ways of exploring the reciprocal relationship between language and society from contemporary sociolinguistic perspectives.
Literary Industries and New Media
The global industries shaping contemporary literary cultures are diverse, dynamic and rapidly changing. They incorporate children’s literature, graphic novels, plays and poetry, site-specific and experimental writing, popular genre fiction, as well as the...
Minorities and Migrants: Exploring Multicultural Germany
Germany has had a long tradition of immigration and is one of the most multi-cultural countries in Europe today. We will examine the impact of diverse immigration movements on recent German history and notions of German identity. This includes examining b...
Narrative Non-Fiction: From Literary Journalism to Memoir
Writing is inherently an interdisciplinary art. From novelists to poets to narrative non-fiction writers, writers tend to delve into fields that are not their own. Ian McEwan shadows neurologists for several years as he was researching Saturday; Hilary Ma...
Second Language Learning
This module introduces the different theoretical approaches which have been adopted for studying the acquisition of language, and examines and assesses current theories of first and second language acquisition in the light of empirical evidence.
Sex, Gender and Desire in French Literature and Culture
Fuelled by the sexual revolution, the women’s movement and gay activism, the late twentieth century saw a flourishing of critical interest in questions of sex, gender and desire and their relation to literature and culture. This module will develop your u...
Sex, Soap Operas and Female Dissidents: Representations of Women in the Hispanic World
This course will introduce you to a range of examples of Spanish American (e.g. may include Puerto Rican, Argentinean, and Mexican [American]) and Iberian cultural production from the period of the 1980s to the 21st century, in order to provide a sense o...
The Art and Craft of Fiction
This module offers advanced training in the writing of fiction, and does so in a wider international context than the usual selection of UK and possibly US texts allows. Instead of basing our examples of good practice only in British and American fiction,...
The Holocaust in Art, Film, Literature, and Music
This module examines both canonical and non-canonical representations of the Holocaust in the post-war world. It examines responses from survivor, victim and exile communities, from former perpetrator societies and from others; it explores the interplay ...
Themes in Imperial History
This module will provide students with an opportunity to explore some key themes in imperial history, with a likely focus on the history and historiography of the British Empire. Topics may be drawn from any period in imperial history, from the beginnings...
Themes in Jewish History
This module offers an overview of the development of Jewish/non-Jewish relations from antiquity to the post-Holocaust era. We will explore change and continuity in the nature of responses towards Jews, and the creation of Jewish identities in relation to ...
Themes in Modern European History
This module offers an extended exploration of the question: what is European history, and how do we go about writing it? It explores how the development of the discipline, and indeed the field, has trained us to see (and not to see) certain histories in...
Travel and Identity in Francophone writing and film
The module examines selected written texts and films in the areas of travel, cultural encounter and identity. These will cover a variety of topics and cross-cultural encounters, within the broad area of Francophone film and non-fiction writing. Critical...
Writing for Children and Young People
This module covers the essential elements of writing for children and young people. It is a practical module that will look at a range of texts from picture books to novels for teenagers. It will cover the essential elements of writing quality fiction and...
Learning and assessment
Learning
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- lectures
- classes and tutorials
- coursework
- individual and group projects
- independent learning (studying on your own)
Assessment
We’ll assess you through:
- coursework, laboratory reports and essays
- a dissertation
- essays
- group essays
- individual and group projects
- written exams
Dissertation
You’ll need to write a 15,000-word dissertation and will need to finish this during your own time in the summer.
The dissertation is a chance for you to develop your research skills and show your expertise in a particular specialism.
Academic Support
A supervisor will be available to offer you help and advice when you write your dissertation.
Careers
The course will give you the analysis, communication and critical thinking skills to excel in a wide range of careers. In particular you’ll learn about what working across cultures entails, meaning you’ll be well suited to work in multicultural and multilingual environments.
Should you choose to continue an academic career, you’ll benefit from our department’s track record in securing places and funding for postgraduate research.
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £24,200.
Deposit
If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.
Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.
Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:
10% alumni discount
If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.
Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)
This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.
Southampton Humanities Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship
Twenty scholarships of £5,000 are available to international students joining our postgraduate master’s courses at the School of Humanities in September 2023.
Find out more about the Southampton Humanities Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship
Ten scholarships of £10,000 each are available to international students studying for an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate master’s degree in Arts and Humanities.
Find out more about the Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Other postgraduate funding options
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
- Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
- Search for the course you want to apply for.
- Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
- Submit your application.
For further details, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications.
Application deadlines
There are different deadlines for this course. Depending on which country you permanently reside in, applications are expected to close:
- Applicants permanently resident in China: Closed on Wednesday 29 November 2023
- Applicants permanently resident in other countries: Wednesday 29 May 2024 - midday UK time
- Applicants permanently resident in the UK: Wednesday 3 July 2024 - midday UK time
We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.
Our admissions process for this course means that we look at batches of applications together. We send offers to applicants on a continuous basis. Due to the high number of applications, we may not be able to make you an offer, even if you meet the course criteria.
Application assessment fee
We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.
This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.
If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.
Supporting information
When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.
You’ll need to include information about:
- your knowledge of the subject area
- why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
- how you intend to use your qualification
References are not required for this programme.
Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.
What happens after you apply
You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.
We receive a high volume of applications for this course. This means you may not receive a response to your application for up to 12 weeks.
Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
