Year 1: As well as acquiring a high level of language skills, both written and spoken, students take modules in contemporary social issues and the history and culture of the country of their main language; in politics students concentrate on international relations since 1945; introduction to political systems, or current issues in international relations; students taking additional modules in politics can also study political theory; other possible options include: law; history; history of art; economics; geography; alternatively, students may take a second language either to intermediate or to full degree level. Year 2: further courses and options to develop skills in students' chosen language(s); a choice of politics and international relations modules, which could include in the first semester political theory, the British government or globalisation; in the second semester, all students take European Union politics. Year 3: Study Abroad: students can choose to spend the year at a university in a country where their main language is spoken or divide the year between universities in 2 countries (1 of which may be in Central or Eastern Europe), such as Tampere in Finland; Pécs in Hungary; Salamanca, Pisa, Paris, or Heidelberg; students may alternatively work as an assistant in a foreign school, or alternatively make their own arrangements for the year abroad, subject to the approval of the Head of School. Year 4: a choice of politics options with a European focus, which include: democratisation in East-Central Europe; politics and society in Italy; parliamentary politics; written and spoken skills in the chosen language(s) will continue to be developed, and students have a choice of options covering areas such as film; popular culture; contemporary literature; historical and social issues; specialist aspects of language; students may also choose to write a dissertation in place of 1 of the options in politics or the language(s).
