INTRODUCTION

In response to proven demands for degree courses of an applied nature in at least two modern languages, this degree programme provides students with a high level of competence in two languages chosen from French, German, Irish and Spanish, together with an understanding of the societies in which those languages are spoken. In addition, students can choose an elective providing them with expertise in a third language (French, German, Irish, Japanese or Spanish) or in an area in which their practical language skills will be of particular relevance. It is not normally possible for students to study more than one language ab initio.

The programme also includes a degree of specialisation sufficient to allow students to progress to further study or research at postgraduate level.

In the years since the introduction of the Single European Market, graduates who can work in a multi-lingual environment have been in great demand in the public and private sectors both in Ireland and abroad. Their expertise is required in industry and commerce, in the Irish civil service, in international organisations and as language teachers, translators and interpreters. There is currently an acute shortage of Irish nationals qualified in such areas.

The elective streams currently available have been specially chosen to complement the language study by providing expertise in areas where multi-lingual graduates are particularly needed, such as Marketing, Technical Writing, Politics and International Relations and Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This degree is also one of the rare programmes which offer the opportunity to specialise in three languages. A graduate with three languages in addition to English will be equipped to play a leading role in his or her profession in an international context.