Introduction
The Placement Abroad plays a central role in language based degrees. It contributes to your learning by:
- improving your communicative skills in the foreign language
- enriching cultural awareness in relation to the country visited
- developing interpersonal and organisational skills
- enhancing independence and self-assurance in academic and non-academic contexts
- increasing your knowledge of your social science discipline or related study undertaken.
This site will help you to organise your placement abroad. To make it as enjoyable and stress free as possible, we suggest you:
- attend all Placement Abroad meetings advertised both by Placement Abroad Tutors and Placements Officer
- regularly check the Placement Abroad noticeboard, situated outside TM127, for relevant information (including work placements), as well as your Subject Language notice board(s)
- check the News and Events page on this site
- fill in forms by deadlines shown on this site
- carefully read the information given in this site and your Placement Abroad Guide.
1) 3 or 4 Year Degree?
Deciding on the length of your degree course
If you are a first year student doing a language degree (joint, major or single) you must decide in the second semester of your studies whether you want to complete your degree over 3 or 4 years.
Studying a language to degree level requires a lot of commitment, determination and is particularly demanding for ab-initio and intermediate students. Hence we do not advise sub-A level (OLP 1:1/1:2 OLP 2:1/2:2) students who do not have excellent results in their first semester (65%+) to take the 3 year option. All sub-A level students opting for a 3 year programme will need to demonstrate that they are able to take this ''fast track'' programme by covering the content and skills of the next OLP module independently in the summer vacation following their entry on the degree course. They will need to show their progress by taking the corresponding test at the end of August. A pass will allow them to progress to the 3 year programme. A fail results in students proceeding with the normal 4 year programme which, with a full year abroad, will give more opportunities to improve linguistically and to reach the level expected in the final year of a language degree. Equally, it is not recommended to join a 3 year degree if you wish to study 2 languages, unless you are a native/near native speaker in one of the languages. If you still wish to do so, we will recommend you to minor in one of the two languages.
Choosing a 3 year degree
If you decide to opt for a 3 year degree, you will spend the second semester of your second year (full-time student) on an academic or a work placement.
See 3 year course for more details.
Choosing a 4 year degree
If you decide to opt for a 4 year degree, you will spend your third year abroad either on an academic or a work placement, after satisfactory completion of the appropriate advanced core language modules.
See 4 year course for more details.
Important Note
Any student who does not fulfil a mandatory placement requirement and has not been exempted is not eligible to enter the final year of the degree course.
Once you have decided to proceed with a degree in 3 years, note that you will have to complete 16 Intermediate and Honours modules to graduate. You will be able to choose to do either an academic or a work placement. Your first year will be similar to that of a 4 year degree.
For sub-A level students: successful completion of four OLP modules (three OLP full-time study plus one OLP independent study). You need to pass the OLP 4:2 language exam when you return from your placement abroad (September if you started in Semester A and January if you started in Semester B). It is a pre-requisite for progression to the final stage language modules i.e. OLP 5:1 and 5:2.
3 Year Students Enrolled 2005/06 Onwards
Our course regulations require students on fast track language degrees to spend their fourth semester abroad (studying in a University after satisfactory completion of OLP 4:1 or above). Any BA French / German / SLAS studies degree student who does not fulfil this mandatory placement requirement and has not been exempted is not eligible to enter the final year of the degree course. Progression to the final year with a placement abroad will be decided on the basis of satisfactory completion of academic study abroad with:
- 30 ECTS or
- 22.5 ECTS and OLP 4:2 on returning to London Metropolitan University
Before you go abroad you must programme plan for four modules:
If you have completed OLP 4:2 before going, you must programme plan for:
- LF2091/LG2091/LS2091
- LF2092/LG2092/LS2092
- LF2093/LG2093/LS2093
- LF2094/LG2094/LS2094
If you have not completed OLP 4:2 before going, you must programme plan for:
- LF2091/LG2091/LS2091
- LF2092/LG2092/LS2092
- LF2093/LG2093/LS2093
- OLP 4:2 (OFL042/OGL042/OSL042)
The marks you get abroad will be converted into marks for London Met using the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) tariffs. It is important that you get enough credits while you are abroad to have completed your Intermediate Level (second year) at London Met and be allowed to progress to the Honours Level (final year). Each module at London Met is worth 7.5 ECTS. This means that you have to bring back 30 or 22.5 ECTS to have completed the modules mentioned before.
3 Year Students Enrolled Prior to 2005/06
During the placement abroad you will have to complete four compulsory modules as detailed below:
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1.Language Project (independent study module) — FR/GE/SL370 OR Extended Language Project (independent study module) — FR/GE/SL371 for students who have completed OLP 4:2. |
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2.Preparation, by independent study, of OLP 4:2 examination to be taken at London Met prior to start of Semester 5 OR Extended Language Project (independent study module) — FR/GE/SL371 for students who have completed OLP 4:2 (see above). |
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3.EITHER two study placement modules (assessed by the foreign university on a course agreed with the Placement Tutor)
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For all ab initio students (OLP 1:1 and OLP 1:2): certificate of attendance at a four week intensive Language Summer Course.
Pre-requisite for placement - For sub-A Level students: Successful completion of four OLP modules (three OLP full-time study plus one OLP independent study). You need to pass the OLP 4:2 language exam when you return from your placement abroad (September if you started in Semester A and January if you started in Semester B). It is a pre-requisite for progression to the final stage language modules i.e. LP 5:1 and 5:2.
If you are studying TWO languages in your degree
- Minor: No placement in the Minor Language
- Joint: See options below
- Major: One semester placement in one country
Joint Options are:
- You started one of the two languages at beginner''s level
Students planning to complete their degree in three years and having started one of the two languages at OLP 1:1 or 1:2 level would normally major in one language (and spend their placement semester in a country where this language is spoken) and minor in the other (no placement) - Major / Minor - You started both languages at advanced level (OLP 3:1 and above) or one at intermediate level (OLP 2:1 or 2:2)
Students who have started their two language modules respectively at post-A level and intermediate levels and who are determined to pursue each language as a Joint component wil need to spend Semester 4 in one country and a minimum of 12 weeks of approved placement(s) spread over one or two summers in another country appropriate for the second language - Two Placements
You can get more information from your Placement Abroad Tutor. Any student exempted from placement abroad on a 3 year degree has to complete 4 designated modules at London Met in Semester 4.
Note: You need a minimum of 6 modules at advanced level for any joint pathway. If you only take 2 modules in your other subject in year 2 (or equivalent) you will need to make up the difference in your final year.
Please complete the Length of Course Form letting us know if you have decided to do your degree in 3 or 4 years.
If you are a first year student doing a language degree (joint, major or single), you must decide in the second semester of your studies whether you want to complete your degree over 3 or 4 years. A 4 year degree with a full year abroad gives you more opportunities to improve linguistically in order to reach the level expected in the final year of a language degree. You get a better chance to enjoy the target culture.
If you opt for a 4 year degree, you will spend your third year abroad either on an academic or a work placement, after satisfactory completion of the appropriate advanced core language modules. Any student who does not fulfil a mandatory placement requirement and has not been exempted is not eligible to enter the final year of the degree course. Progression to the final year will be decided on the basis of a number of requirements:
- satisfactory completion of academic or work placement agreed with the Placement Abroad Tutor (including language assistantship)
- completion of a Language Project LF3P01/LG3P01/LS3P01 or Extended Language Project LF3P02/LG3P02/LS3P02 if OLP 4:2 has been completed
- preparation by independent study of OLP 4:2 examination to be taken at London Met prior to start Semester 7, except for students who have already satisfactorily completed OLP 4:2.
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HAL and "A.N.Other"
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HAL
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Joint, Major or Single
2 modules:
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Minor: No placement.
Joint with exemption of residence in one country: two semesters in one country. |
If you want to do a work placement, you will have to discuss this option with you Placement Tutor. Finding an appropriate placement is your responsibility.
Please complete the Length of Course Form letting us know if you have decided to do your degree in 3 or 4 years.
Placement Abroad for Language Students
Introduction
News and Events
Contacts
Choice of University
Exemptions
Assessment
Modules
Deadlines
Forms
Visas
Money
Health
Checklist Before Departure
During Placement
Summer Course
