Your options
All students of Modern Languages or Joint Honours Students with Languages spend their third year of university study away from Aberystwyth in a country or countries where the student's studied languages are spoken. In theory, a student can apply to go to any part of the world where the language(s) he or she studies is/are spoken.
In the case of French, for example, a student is not restricted to France, but has the opportunity of going to Belgium, Switzerland, North Africa (Equatorial African states rarely accept undergraduates), Canada or territories in the French Pacific. Similarly, students of Spanish are not restricted to Spain, but have a chance to spend a year virtually anywhere in Latin America. Indeed, in past years, we have sent several students to Patagonia, a region which (as is well known) has a close connection with Wales.
What do students do when they get there?
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1) Study at a foreign University :
This is the option chosen by most students of two or more languages, as they are able to divide their time abroad between two languages. It should also be noted that the Department operates and is keen to promote the Socrates scheme of Student Exchanges with the universities of the following cities in Europe: |
Paris-Sorbonne
Besançon
Padova (Italy)
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Düsseldorf
Heidelberg |
Cádiz (Andalucía)
Valladolid
Córdoba (Andalucía)
País Vasco |
2) Work as an English assistant with the British Council
(for more information click on this link)
This option is more frequently chosen by students of a single language (with occasional exceptions), as it obliges the student to be resident in a foreign country for an entire academic year. However, Joint Honours students are encouraged to apply for assistantships, with the proviso that they spend at least two months in the summer following their assistantship in the country of their second language.
The British Council English Language Assistant programme spans five continents, placing people in 18 countries around the world.
Becoming a Language Assistant is an experience that will stay with you for life. As well as improving your language skills and exploring a community, you'll build your sense of independence and gain the satisfaction of firing young imaginations. Who knows, you may spark a long-term passion for teaching. What's certain is that you'll return with skills and experiences that will make any recruiter sit up and take note. |
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3) Work as a Comenius English assistant
(for more information click on this link)
A Comenius assistantship may help you decide if teaching is the career for you. The Comenius assistants programme provides you with the opportunity to:
Improve your language skills;
Work with experienced teaching staff;
Gain an insight into another European education system.
Comenius assistants work in schools and colleges across Europe for 12 to 16 hours per week. Placements are flexible from 3 to 10 months.
4) Leonardo European Work Experience Programme (subject to availability of European Funding) http://www.ectarc.com/default.aspx
The Leonardo programme is a sister programme to Erasmus and Comenius. It is the EU's vocational programme and aims to increase employability and mobility within Europe by offering 3-months in the foreign country (3-week language course and 10-week work experience placement). The programme is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the EU. Most costs are paid (eg travel, accommodation and food), but you will need pocket money. Work placements are not paid.
Students might like to consider combining the Leonardo programme with a semester spent studying at a university abroad under the Erasmus scheme or a Comenius English Assistant Placement. Bear in mind that you could also take part in the Leonardo programme during the summer vacation at the end of your second or third year.
5) Work Independently Abroad :
The Careers Unit at Aberystwyth has developed a Year in Employment Scheme which allows students to spend a year out of their degree course in a placement, and both they and the European Languages Department are keen to expand this to include work outside the United Kingdom. There is at present no guarantee of obtaining a placement, but opportunities do exist [in particular, several contacts of interest to students of Computer Science with a Modern Language] and we expect that more and more students will choose to pursue this option in the future. In general, Departmental policy is flexible and we are happy to support most projects and most ideas for spending the year abroad.
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Contact the following people for more information on the options available to you :
Departmental Year Abroad Tutor: Mr Kader Izri
Other tutors:
Mr Kader Izri (French);
Dr K Lindeiner-Stráský (German); Mr A Vincentelli (Italian); Mr M Richards (Spanish).
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Good Practice in Student Projects :
A guide to good practice in student projects during the year abroad (e.g. the dissertation) is available here.
Click on your language :
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Information on Exchange Programmes :
 University European Exchange Programme Web Site
General information on the Socrates exchange
or contact Mr Kader Izri
Official European Socrates Website
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Residence Abroad :
(very useful pages from Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies):
Sections on : Good practices, Professional Objectives, Related links Students of European Studies
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Major International Politics, minor Languages – students must go out under International Politics scheme.
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European Studies – students must go out under International Politics scheme.
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Joint honours and minor international politics students – can have the choice of going out under either department.
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All joint honours and minor international politics should contact Elaine Lowe in the first instance to clarify their preference. Elaine Lowe informs European Languages of those students who will be going out under their schemes.
Law students should click on this link
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Guidelines and Regulations & Forms (Appendices)
The financial, year abroad questionnaire, address and assessment forms can be downloaded, completed and returned as follows:
• Either print the relevant appendices from the PDF file ‘Year Abroad Guidelines and Regulations', complete by hand and send by post to the Department of European Languages.
• Or download the relevant forms in word format below, save to your computer / disk, complete in word, save your changes and return as an e-mail attachment to Eurolangs@aber.ac.uk (or print out completed form and send by post).
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