French at Swansea

• MLF100 / 101: French for Beginners - never studied French before but keen to give it a go? This is the starting point for your journey into la langue d'amour!

• MLF160A/B: Advanced French Language - if you've studied French at A-level, you'll continue your studies via this module which offers a little bit of everything: you'll revise the passive voice, discover the past historic, and get an insight into professional subtitling.

• MLF210: Translation Workshop II - translating from French into English, this module will give you an introduction to the skills required by the contemporary translator, as well as the techniques and strategies demanded by different texts. 

• MLF260A/B: French Language 2A/B - this second year module will set you up for your year abroad. Need a CV and cover letter? Not to worry, we've got your back. 

• MLF300: French for Professional Purposes - via contemporary social and ethical dilemmas, this module sees you build a website and participate in a televised debate.

• MLF310: Translation Workshop III - this module develops the skills acquired in MLF210, with emphasis placed on the economic, social or cultural context in which a particular text may be produced. 

• MLF330A/B: French General Language - back in Swansea after your year abroad, this module offers advanced essay-writing in the target language, translation of journalistic, scientific, and policy texts, and the chance to show-off your spoken French. 

• ML-100A/B: Introduction to Culture - these first year modules serve as gateway modules to cultural studies with thematic areas such as migration, war and conflict, borders and gender studied. Language specific artefacts include Fatou Diome's Le Ventre de l'Atlantique, Cannibale by Didier Daeninckx, and Michael Haneke's film, Caché.

• ML-102: Modern European Film  - through films by Lars von Trier, Boulmetis, Sciamma and others, this module introduces students to some of the most important directors of the 20th Century, and a selection of films which respond to the age-old question of what it is to be human.

• ML-206: Cinema in a World Context - building on its European sister module, this module extends the exploration of human identity and its representation through a selection of films from South Korea, Mali, Australia, and more. 

• MLF220: Paris - enter the ville lumière and explore this iconic city's origins and architecture, its representations in art, literature and film, as well as some of the darker sides of its more recent history.

• MLF305: Intersectional Identities in Contemporary French Cinema - through films by Sciamma, Ozon, and Audiard to name but a few, this module interrogates questions of power, identity, belonging and exclusion.

• MLF325: France and the Second World War - from the opening salvos, via the armistice, occupation and resistance, this module sheds light on some of the darkest years in France's recent history.

• ML-150: Introduction to Language Teaching - by focusing on various aspects of the learning and teaching of modern foreign languages, this module provides an overview of contemporary principles and methods of language teaching.

• ML-250: Teaching MFL to Young Learners - this module covers a variety of topics related to foreign language instruction in the young language classroom. It offers an introduction to the theoretical framework of child cognitive and linguistic development and it encourages students to identify ways in which theory can inform practice and vice versa. It also provides students with practical teaching experience through 5 to 10 hours of group teaching in local primary schools and/or in schools abroad via videoconference.

• ML-308: Teaching Tools and Materials, Design, Evaluation, Practice - you will study assessment and the role of corrective feedback, learn to adapt materials for in-person and/or remote teaching, and manage a class of 11-17 year old pupils. In addition you will learn behaviour management strategies, and give consideration to the other responsibilities (academic and pastoral) of the MFL secondary school teacher. Students will also gain practical teaching experience to help prepare them for their future career. 

• MLT100: Concepts in Translation and Interpreting - this module introduces concepts central to the academic study and the professional practice of translation and interpreting. Topics covered include: size, structure and composition of the worldwide language services market, types of translation and interpreting and their various contexts, relevant international legislation and standards, professional organisations, business interaction of suppliers with clients, fundamentals of linguistic analysis, domain research methods, and quality assurance.

• MLT101: Grammar and Meaning in Translation and Interpreting - this module introduces concepts of English grammar and meaning relevant to translation and interpreting. A significant part of this module consists of learning the language to deal with the scientific study of human languages - mastering this metalanguage is essential for any course with involves language and forms the basis for the formal study of English language and literature, modern foreign languages and linguistics.

• MLT201: Introduction to the Theory of Translation - the question of how to evaluate a translation has occupied linguists since antiquity. In this module, some of the main issues from the rich history of this discussion will be presented. Can equivalence in translation ever be achieved? What is the right unit of translation - why not word-for-word?, what type of larger units? We will also consider cultural and philosophical aspects of translation, the impact of technology on translation and the question the extent to which the translator is (and should be) visible or invisible.

• MLT202: Computer-Assisted Translation - this module is intended as a generic introduction to Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools, the specialised software packages - covering both the terminological databases and translation memories - that have been developed for making professional translation more efficient. 

• MLT207: Dialogue Interpreting - this module will develop practical strategies and techniques for performing Dialogue Interpreting between parties who do not speak each other's language, as well as oral translation of relevant documents at sight.

• MLT301A/B: Translation Project - professional translation involves much more than replacing expressions in one language by an expression in another. In these modules, you will put into practice everything you have learned about the translation process in the course of your studies. Together with your supervisor you will agree on a text to be translated and you will be given a translation brief specifying the practical context of the translation.

• MLT317: Simulated Translation Bureau - this module will provide you with the skills to become a professional translator. You'll have lectures by industry professionals presenting translation project workflow, project management software, and job application procedures. You'll learn how to produce an application letter and a CV for a position as manager or translator/reviser in a translation agency in the UK market. Finally, you'll set up and run your own (simulated) translation agency. Students may have managerial responsibilities (e.g. CEO, Project Manager, IT Manager, Finance Manager) or work as freelance translators/revisers. This means that, apart from translation/revision work, you will also negotiate jobs with clients (deadlines and fictitious prices), organize the workflow to meet deadlines, and act as a mentor of a junior translator. 

• MLT318: Terminology Management - terminology management is one of the most time-consuming aspects of professional translation. Many dedicated tools have been developed to reduce the time translators have to spend on terminology. In this module, we will consider different types of terms and the proper treatment of each of them. We will also work with some of the state-of-the-art termbase software.

• MLT320 / 330: Interpreting for Business / Local Government - these modules will develop strategies and techniques to perform sight translation and dialogue (or bilateral consecutive) interpreting in the context of Local Government or Business. There will be lectures and workshops on voice confidence, note-taking, and ethics, and practical sessions (live sessions and language laboratory sessions using the latest technology) to enhance your learning.  

Students studying on our Modern Languages programme have a range of additional languages available to them, covering Italian, Portuguese and Catalan, and the possibility of studying all three languages during the course of their degree. Whilst these modules are only introductory modules, students should still expect to achieve A2 standard by the end of each module, thus boosting both career prospects and allowing you to stand out in the contemporary job market. 

Over the course of each module, you will gain basic speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, while engaging in meaning-focused communicative and task-based activities. You will familiarise yourself with and systematically review a range of simple morphosyntactic structures (grammar) and vocabulary (words). Via the use of authentic materials, videos and graded readings, you will learn about the people, culture, and way of life of each country and its language.