Why study a language

Languages add to your skills profile no matter what field you are specialising in, widening your career horizons and helping you stand out in a competitive global market. Learning a language is challenging but fun and will give you opportunities to meet students from across campus in small interactive groups. Here are 5 ways that you can benefit from studying a language.

Establish relationships

English is often used as the main language of communication in cross-cultural collaboration and business transactions. However, collaborating, negotiating and trading successfully depends on more than being understood. It requires the capacity to establish a relationship of trust and a sense of mutual understanding. 

Enhance team culture

Teams also work together more smoothly if they have some understanding of different approaches to work and relationships

Gain worldwide insights

Learning a language will help you gain insight into the social, political and economic cultures of our neighbours and collaborators in the UK, in Europe and in the wider world. 

Develop transferable skills

A good grounding in at least one modern foreign language will provide you with invaluable transferable skills – helping you to develop not just effective language skills but also confidence and flexibility in the face of challenges, the capacity to identify and apply strategies for improvement, and collaboration with others to achieve common goals.

Strengthen employability

Our courses support the development of highly sought-after workplace skills: adaptability, cultural awareness, the capacity to adopt different perspectives, resilience, and communication skills. Learning a language also makes it easier to find a job or placement abroad. 

Study Abroad

Graduates who have international experience develop a range of useful life skills and are highly employable. Studying a language will give you the confidence to study abroad and help you derive greater benefits from your experience. 

A language can highlight your CV, for example if you are applying for a University-wide study exchange, or you might win one of the two Frank Carter Memorial Award Prizes, which help fund vacation study in a foreign country.