(No, it’s not free yoga lessons. Although there’s an idea…)

Choosing just one subject to study at university seemed downright impossible! So I didn’t. I picked one of the few courses where I could actually study three subjects, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.

Here’s a seven-part ode to the BA in Modern Languages at WarwickLink opens in a new window, a wonderfully flexible course for indecisive people!

1. Flexibility… of languages: As I tell visitors on Open Days, my favourite aspect of Warwick’s course (as they probably do not want the seven-part answer😂) is the possibility to study up to three languages, two of which can be from scratch. While I chose to study the two languages I’d taken for A-level (French and Spanish), alongside another complementary Romance language (Italian), you actually have a range of choices within ten languages, and you can even combine a language with a non-language course (e.g. Maths and Spanish) if you wish! The world is your oyster!
2. Flexibility… of skills to focus on: My flatmates on Science courses have told me all about their notorious all-day labs… For someone who doesn’t have the attention span to wait five seconds to skip the ads on a YouTube video, I’m very grateful for my own short but productive seminars in Oral, Writing, and Translation for each language. All the seminars focus on different skills, so simply switching between them (even if you don’t switch between languages) is beneficial for boosting brain health!
3. Flexibility… of study type: Many of my modules involve different types of tasks every week, and a lot of the time you can choose how to complete the work — whether on your own, in partners, or in groups! The MA in Modern Languages is a very interactive course, with a majority of (in-person) seminars and fairly few lectures. What better way to practise a language than through speaking it?
4. Flexibility… of cultural modules: If I’m being perfectly honest, cultural modules are my least favourite part of the course: I think I’m allergic to writing essays over 1000 words (!). However, I have to recognise that there is a vast amount of choice for cultural modules, especially if you study three languages and therefore only pick one or two cultural modules to study a year. As well as choosing from cultural modules in your specific language, you can also choose one of the SMLC’s Cross-School modulesLink opens in a new window, which can be taken by any Modern Languages student. For example, this term I took the Introduction to MFL Teaching moduleLink opens in a new window taught by teachers from Warwick’s Centre for Teacher Education, which I found really useful as I want to go into teaching in the future!
5. Flexibility… to choose your own timetable (except for first years): While cultural modules do by necessity usually have fixed timings, now that I’m living off campus, I really appreciate being able to choose my own language seminar timings so I can spend some days fully on campus as well and others completely off (who doesn’t love a three-day weekend?) Choosing seminar times also means that, where possible, I can try and schedule the seminars for which I spend the most time doing independent work (Writing, usually) for the start of the week, so I have more time to prepare the work for the following weeks!
6. Flexibility… of how to split the Year Abroad: While the various options for the Year AbroadLink opens in a new window (teach, study, or work) are offered by most university Modern Languages departments, definitely not all of them offer you the possibility to spend the Year Abroad in one, two or three countries regardless of how many languages you study, as Warwick does! In addition, when I first came to university in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the idea of taking a Year Abroad in any shape or form seemed daunting. However, I distinctly remember that Warwick’s prospectus stated that the Year Abroad, while strongly recommended, was no longer compulsory, and short-term mobility options, or simply moving to a three-year course were available options.
7. Flexibility… of future options: Finally, perhaps the best thing about studying Modern Languages is the flexibility of options I have for the future. Whether I want to study or work abroad, continue using languages within a careerLink opens in a new window in the UK, or just take advantage of the soft skills I’ve learnt from my degree to facilitate the transfer into another industry, Languages is a subject that keeps all the doors open!