All Combined Honours students who choose a Modern Language (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish and Latin American Studies) as one of their subjects spend an intercalating year abroad making the programme four years in length. This year abroad is normally spent between stages 2 and 3, but those who begin Chinese and Japanese at Level B will spend their year abroad between stages 1 and 2.
The year abroad is a unique and very valuable experience and one of the most attractive aspects of a degree in Combined Honours - for students and employers alike. The experience of living abroad improves language skills immeasurably, does wonders for personal and social confidence, and gives students a much broader outlook on the world.
Students can spend their year abroad in one of the following ways:
Students can also divide their time between countries in which the languages are spoken, or spend the whole year in just one country. The one exception is for students wishing to take either Chinese or Japanese in their final year - the whole academic year abroad must be spent studying in either China or Japan.
The School of Modern Languages arrange the year abroad for Combined Honours students as well as their own. The School organises a number of briefing sessions for Stage 2 students, as well as several social events to meet with finalists who have just returned from their year abroad.