Modern Languages and Music
University of Birmingham
UCAS Code: R752 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Birmingham
UCAS Code: R752 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
To include A level Music at grade A. You normally require an A Level grade B or above in the advanced language(s) you wish to study. If you do not have the relevant language A Level(s), please feel free to contact us to discuss your options. Grade 6-8 ABRSM Theory or ABRSM grade 8 Performance is acceptable if you are not studying A Level Music, provided it is completed alongside three A levels. Equivalent Trinity or LCM Music theory qualifications are still considered.
Accepted in place of A levels with the following grade equivalencies: D2 = A*; D3 = A; M2 = B. Combinations of A levels and Principle subjects are accepted. NB required subjects must be offered (see A level Section)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
6,6,5 in Higher Level subjects, to include Music. You normally require Higher Level language(s) at 5 or above in the advanced language(s) you wish to study.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus AB at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above. BTEC Diploma: DD, plus AB at A-level in the required subject/s mentioned above. BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A-level in the required A-level subject/s mentioned above.
Accepted in place of a non-required A level with the equivalent grade.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
An undergraduate Modern Languages and Music degree at the University of Birmingham blends language and culture, placing employability at its heart and preparing you to live and work as an engaged citizen of the world.
Studying an undergraduate modern language from beginner or advanced level (French, German, Spanish or beginner Portuguese) alongside Music is highly complementary and an exciting opportunity to contextualise your knowledge in each discipline. At the Univeristy of Birmingham, language is studied through the lens of the target culture's literature, history, politics and society, and through total immersion on the Year Abroad. You can choose from a range of exciting optional modules.
Some combinations we are unable to offer due to timetabling restrictions.
Your Music degree will encompass musicology, performance and composition, with opportunities to specialise in one of these disciplines.
All undergraduate students receive a scholarship for lessons for up to two instruments (including voice) working with tutors at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire or tutors employed directly by the Department of Music, some through the Centre for Early Music Performance and Research.
**Why study this course?**
**You’re seeking a variety of performance opportunities** – You will have access to a wide variety of choirs, orchestras, ensembles, music groups and musical theatre organised by the Department of Music, University Music Society and the Guild of Students.
**You want world-class teaching facilities** – Our newly built, £16 million, Bramall Concert Hall hosts audiences of up to 450 people. Enjoy access to practice rooms and electro-acoustic music studios, as well as a library full of resources from listening booths to manuscript scores and early editions.
**You want a degree with real world relevance** – Participate in our vocational modules such as Arts Management in Practice, enhancing your professional experience and joining our 100% of undergraduate Music graduates who enter work or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2022).
**Join the Modern Languages community** – Enhance your skills with a wide range of exciting extracurricular activities, including cultural trips organised by the Modern Languages Society, our multilingual Linguist Magazine, specialist talks, research seminars and additional free languages classes at Languages for All
**12th for undergraduate Music in the Complete University Guide 2024**
**Top 100 for Modern Languages in the QS World Subject Rankings (2024)**
Modules
First-year modules cover a broad base of the subject and are designed to introduce you to ways of studying at university. By the final year the modules you take will become more specialised and reflect the research expertise of the academic staff. More detailed module information can be found on the ‘Course detail’ tab on the University of Birmingham’s coursefinder web pages.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Birmingham
Department of Modern Languages
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Music
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Others in language and area studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Music
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Others in language and area studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a broad subject for a variety of European languages. No matter which you take, the general theme is that some graduates go to that country to work, often as English language teachers, some go into further study, often to train as teachers or translators, but most get jobs in the UK in education - most often as language tutors, unsurprisingly, or translators. Modern language grads can also be in demand in business roles where communication and language skills are particularly useful, such as marketing and PR, and in finance or law. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Music
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£16k
£23k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Others in language and area studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£28k
£34k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
Lower entry requirements
Nearby University
Higher entry requirementsSame UniversityThis is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
