Modern Languages |
www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics | E
admit@essex.ac.uk | T +44 (0)1206 873666
After graduating, Magdalena continued her postgraduate studies at Essex and is now studying MSc Finance and Management.
I wasn’t planning on studying abroad until I attended a guest presentation about Essex in my high school in Poland. It seemed
like such a great place to live and study, and looking at the prospectus I found a course that would allow me to study four modern languages at one time – something that is rarely possible in Poland.
Magdalena Twardowska, BA Modern Languages ’10, Poznan, Poland
Graduate profile
study of a wide range of politics and/or international relations options, with the study of one or two modern languages. See Politics, for details of the modules.
What does the year
abroad involve? If you are taking a course which involves a year abroad, we offer two possibilities. The first allows you to teach English in a school, gaining valuable work experience and transferable skills whilst earning money. Alternatively you can study at one of the prestigious universities with which we have exchange links. These are: France (Lyon 3 and Nice), Quebec (Université Laval), Germany (Berlin FUB and Trier), Italy (Bologna, Trento and Urbino), Portugal (Coimbra) or Brazil (Florianopolis and Salvador), Spain (Murcia and Granada), Argentina (Córdoba), Cuba (Havana) or Mexico (Mérida and Monterrey). You may be eligible for an ERASMUS grant if you spend the year abroad at one of the European universities listed above. For further details, please see page 56.
184 | Undergraduate Prospectus 2012
My first days were quite challenging as I didn’t know anybody, but everyone was in the same position and I quickly met new friends on my course and in my flat. Living in the Towers enabled me to improve my English language, as well as learn more about the culture. Becoming a student ambassador and joining clubs and societies also helped me to settle in really well.
The Department was very friendly and I always found that my lecturers were approachable and helpful. I enjoyed having small class sizes; it meant that we received a lot of close attention and we could all get the most out of our learning. I particularly enjoyed my dissertation in Italian; it gave me a unique opportunity to complete my first real translation project. I also got the chance to go out to Valencia for a month after my second year. It was a fantastic summer school and I learnt Spanish beyond my expectations.
I truly believe that my knowledge of four languages, which I have learnt at Essex, will be a good asset for whichever career path I choose to follow. I had a fantastic time studying for my undergraduate degree at Essex and staying here for my Masters degree was a no brainer!
How will I be assessed? We use a wide variety of techniques to assess knowledge and understanding on our modern languages modules, including role-play activities, class presentations, essays, book reports, translations, project work, web-based assignments (eg involving a web search or producing web materials), as well as class tests, written exams and oral exams.
Career opportunities The 2008 report, Graduate Employability: The Views of Employers, published by the Council for Industry and Higher Education, stated that: “In the highly competitive job market of today, foreign language skills are at a premium and add great value to a candidate’s portfolio of skills, giving them a comprehensive edge when applying for jobs.” The following are among the most common career paths chosen by modern language graduates:
n commercial, industrial or public sector management (eg conference organiser, leisure manager, recruitment consultant);
n advertising, marketing, sales, public relations (eg advertising accounts manager, export sales executive, public relations consultant);
n business and finance (eg business analyst, investment banker, accountant);
n media and publishing (eg TV researcher, publishing assistant, internet journalist);
n the Civil Service, Commonwealth Office, GCHQ and European Union institutions;
n further study (eg translation studies, international relations, law, filmmaking);
n various others (eg teaching, health care, the police, the armed forces).
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