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BA Russian and Portuguese

Start date
September
Duration
4 years
UCAS code
RR75
Course Type
Undergraduate, Joint Honours combined, Study abroad year
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£23,660 (International)
More detail.

Become a sought-after global communicator through a comprehensive understanding of Russian and Portuguese. This unique language degree bridges two culturally and geographically significant regions through engaging study across literature, culture and history.

Russian, a key language in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the vast Russian Federation, is essential for understanding complex geopolitical dynamics, energy markets, and regional security issues. Portuguese, spoken across Brazil, Portugal, and parts of Africa, provides access to emerging markets and diverse cultural landscapes. Master these languages with our BA to open doors to unique career opportunities, further enhanced by studying, working or teaching at one of our global partner institution during your Year Abroad. 

Delve further into your language studies by choosing from a selection of exciting optional modules, which may include:

  • Russia Unwrapped: Cultures, Contexts, Identities  
  • Fiction in Place of a Public Sphere: The Golden Age of the Russian Novel, from Pushkin to Tolstoy  
  • Audio-Visual Translation Project: Russian to English  
  • Border Crossings: Word & Image in Twentieth- and Twenty-First Century Russophone Cultures 
  • Memory and Public Space in the Portuguese-speaking World   
  • Roots of Inequality: Race, Gender and the Legacies of Colonialism

There's an extensive range of language combinations available to you within our Modern Languages department. You can see all our options below:

Find the perfect degree for you here

The Modern Languages degree at the University of Birmingham has given me the cultural awareness and the confidence to interact with people from different backgrounds. The programme has enabled me to explore a range of different topics from different subject areas such as history, politics, art and linguistics. My favourite thing about my degree is the flexibility in language choice and the opportunity to do a wide range of optional modules.

Jenny

Why study this course?

  • Experience a new approach to language learning with our CLIL (Content Language Integrated Learning) teaching method - study topics of cultural significance in Russian and Portuguese, designed and delivered by expert researchers.

  • Join a department with an engaging approach to study. We pride ourselves on competitive contact hours, which take place in small groups and student-led seminars to encourage active language learning through engagement with cultural material.

  • Teach, study or complete a work placement abroad, immersing yourself in Russian and Portuguese.

  • Get involved with our language and culture-based societies to further enhance your skills and contribute to our student-led magazine The UoB Linguist.

  • Live and study in one of the most culturally mixed cities in the UK – make global connections on your course and through our student societies.

Modules

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

For each language you study, you will take: two language modules (20 credits per semester, totalling 40 credits for the year) in Year 1 and Year 2, and one language module (20 credits) in Year 4. In your final year you will also complete your Independent Study module (40 credits). Any remaining credits will be made up by choosing modules from a wide range of options.

When you are thinking about how to put your degree together, you can decide how you want the balance to look, and how much space you want to leave to take optional modules. For Joint Honours programmes, you can flex your degree weighting between the two subject areas. The split is typically 60-60 credits, but for some programmes you can also choose a 80-40 credit split. You can also change the weighting in Year 2 and Year 4.

Optional Modules 

Throughout your degree, you will choose from a wide range of optional modules options in the department. 

Compulsory Modules 

First Year compulsory modules

  • Russian Core I (20 credits)  
  • Russian Core II (20 credits)  
  • Portuguese Core I (20 credits)  
  • Portuguese Core II (20 credits)  

Second Year compulsory modules

  • Russian Core III (20 credits)  
  • Russian Core IV (10 credits) 
  • Portuguese Core III (20 credits)  
  • Portuguese Core IV (10 credits)
  • Russian or Portuguese Core V (20 credits)

Third Year - Year Abroad

You'll spend your third year studying, working or teaching on your Year Abroad.

Final Year compulsory modules

  • Russian Core VI + VII (10+10 credits)
  • Portuguese Core VI + VII (10+10 credits)
  • Independent study module in either Russian (40 credits), Portuguese (40 credits), or Russian and Portuguese (20+20 credits)

 

Some examples for Year 1 study:

  • Eleanor is studying two languages (2 x 40 credits = 80 credits) and has space for 2 optional modules.
  • Juan is studying two languages (2 x 40 credits = 80 credits) and is following the Translation Studies pathway (40 credits).
  • Anika is studying three languages (3 x 40 credits = 120 credits) and doesn’t have space for optional modules.

Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £23,660

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

How To Apply

Important information: When completing your UCAS application, please indicate your proposed language(s) / pathway selections under ‘Further details’ in the ‘choices’ section of the application by using the following codes, separated by a space.

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB
Required subjects and grades:
A level grade B is required for each advanced language you wish to study. It is also possible to study two beginner (including post-GCSE) languages without taking an advanced language, as long as one of your beginner languages is French or Spanish.
General Studies:
Accepted.

 IB Diploma:

6,5,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall. You also require a Higher Level or equivalent in the modern language that you plan to study.

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A level, including the required subject/s mentioned above.

Independent language diplomas:

If you would like to study advanced French, Spanish, German, Italian or Russian as part of your programme but are not currently studying the required language at A level, we are happy to consider applications from those offering an independent language diploma at B2 level as demonstration of advanced language skills.

The independent language diplomas we would consider are as follows; DELF-B2 (French), DELE-B2 (Spanish), Goethe-Zertifikat-B2 (German), DILI-B2 (Italian) and TRKI 2nd Certificate (Russian). These diplomas are assessed against the criteria set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and can be studied for in your own time or through a language centre.  These diplomas will be considered when taken in addition to three A levels or equivalent qualifications as outlined above.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to higher education when you start at Birmingham. 

Personal tutors – You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Wellbeing Officers –You will also have access to dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or to talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond if you need it.

Our Academic Skills Centre helps you to become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.

The Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) provides guidance on writing essays and dissertations if you need it. You can receive individual support from an academic writing advisor and meet with postgraduate tutors who specialise in particular subjects too.

Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They offer research opportunities, study skills support, and help you prepare for your post-university career. They also organise social events, including trips.

Teaching staff

Students at the University of Birmingham are taught by a mixture of professors, senior lecturers, lecturers and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. Many of our teaching staff have published important works about their areas of expertise, whilst others have taught at international institutions and can offer unique perspectives of their subjects.

You can find out more about the members of staff (including their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest) in their academic profiles linked below.

 

Language laboratory sessions allow you to practise your listening and spoken skills and are an essential part of all our language programmes.

Contact Hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week. 

Year 1: 25% Lectures, Seminars or similar, 75% Independent study
Year 2: 20% Lectures, Seminars or similar, 80% Independent study
Year 3: 100% Time on placememt
Year 4: 15% Lectures, Seminars or similar, 85% Independent study

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • coursework, such as essays
  • group and individual presentations
  • and exams

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within three weeks, so you can learn from each assignment. You will also be given feedback on any exams that you take. If you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is provided to help you prepare for future exams.

 

Assessment throughout BA Russian and Portuguese also prepares you for subsequent parts of your degree and for the working world beyond it. This includes; digital projects, practicing everyday interactions in preparation for the Year Abroad, and producing a mini-research project to build skills for writing the final-year dissertation. 

Global workplace skills are developed throughout the lifespan of our Modern Languages programmes, which enable our graduates to thrive in a number of professional environments. Birmingham’s Modern Languages graduates have a consistently high employability rate.  

Modern Languages graduates have a wide range of skills that are valued by employers, such as:

  • Strong communication and presentation skills in English and one or more other languages
  • A deep understanding and appreciation of other cultures
  • Critical thinking skills, alongside the ability to research, analyse and interpret information
  • Independence and experience of living abroad
  • Expressing thoughts, feelings and opinions in different registers
  • Leadership, negotiation, debating and teamwork
  • Handling complex information
  • The ability to form concise and articulate arguments
  • Time-management, alongisde the ability to prioritise workload

Some of our employers (2022 survey amongst graduates):

  • Birmingham Museums Trust 
  • Birmingham City Council 
  • Department for Education 
  • British Council 
  • UK Naric 
  • HSBC 
  • NHS 
  • Oracle  
  • Vodafone  
  • Tiktok 
  • Civil Service 

Example roles:

  • Editorial Project Leader
  • English Teacher
  • International Sales Coordinator
  • Investigation Specialist
  • Operations Analyst
  • Consultant
  • Marketing Officer
  • Account Executive
  • Account Planner

Examples of further study include:

  • PgDip Education
  • MA Social Work
  • PGCE Modern Foreign Language
  • PGCE Primary
  • Graduate Diploma in Law
  • MA in International Relations 
  • MA in Comparative Literature 
  • MA in Linguistics 
  • MA in Creative Writing 
  • MA in Media, Communcations and Critical Practice 
  • MA in Journalism 
  • MA in Advertising and Marketing 
  • MA in Public Administration

Modern Languages graduates enter the wide range of careers similar to other arts and humanities graduates but with much greater scope in international settings. 

You will benefit from organised events in the Department whereby our graduates return to campus to talk to current students about their careers, how to find opportunities and the variety of roles available to linguists. The curriculum also has an increased focus on professional development in areas such as; presenting, CV-building, debating, and developing digital projects in the target language.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.