Languages courses
Whether you’re a complete beginner or want to develop your existing skills, learn step-by-step on an OU languages course. Modern linguistics opens the door to new cultures and opportunities; it could be your key to the global workplace. Choose from French, German and Spanish.
Languages
Degrees
- Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.
- Internationally respected, universally understood.
- An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.
- Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.
- Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Languages
Diplomas
- Widely recognised qualification.
- Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
- Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
- Study for interest or career development.
- Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Languages
Certificates
- Widely recognised qualification.
- Equivalent to the first third of an honours degree.
- Study for interest or career development.
- Shows that you can study successfully at university level.
- Count it towards further qualifications such as a DipHE or honours degree.
- Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
- One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
- You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
- For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long will it take?
Why study Languages with The Open University?
With more than 12,000 students on language or applied linguistics modules, you’ll join a diverse community of peers, academics and support staff in your studies on an Open University languages qualification.
Studying languages with the OU:
- Offers you the opportunity to become a proficient user (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages level C1) of at least one modern language.
- Gives you the option of a week in France, Germany and/or Spain, depending on the languages you choose to study.
- Develops advanced knowledge of the cultures that use your chosen languages.
- Offers you the opportunity to learn about the English language – it’s history, impact on the word today and role in communication from Shakespeare to social media.
Careers in Languages
With increasing demand for language skills in education, and more broadly across the economy in client-facing roles, the ability to communicate in more than one language could be your ticket to a new career, or your passport to a new life abroad.
The breadth of skills you’ll develop on an OU language qualification could unlock any number of new careers, including:
- Diplomatic Service Officer
- Interpreter
- Translator
- PR Consultant
Looking for something other than a qualification?
The majority of our modules can be studied by themselves, on a stand-alone basis. If you later choose to work towards a qualification, you may be able to count your study towards it.
Our Languages courses
Browse all the Languages courses we offer or those that include French, German or Spanish.
See our full list of Languages courses
Email us
From exploring the right course for you to helping you register, our advisers can help.
Call us
As part of the OU’s response to Coronavirus, we have temporarily removed this option.
Please use the ‘Email us’ option to contact us.
Write to us at:
Student Recruitment
The Open University
PO Box 197
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BJ
