Undergraduate language modules

You can choose to learn a language through the Discovery modules you get as part of your programme of study.

Discovery modules allow you to study something different to your main subject, as well as the compulsory and optional modules of your course.

Find out how to use your Discovery module credits.

Most languages are offered at beginners (A1), post-beginners (A2) and topics levels (B1-B2). If you are a beginner and you have sufficient discovery credits available, we recommend that you enrol on beginners in one semester and one of the post-beginners modules the next semester.

If you are interested in studying a language or a module that we don’t currently offer, please complete the Languages for All request form.

2026-27 language modules

For the academic year 2026-27, Discovery modules are available in the following languages.

Please note: all modules are subject to sufficient demand and staff availability.

Ancient Greek

Please enrol on the module with the code appropriate to your level of study.  

Arabic

See the Egyptian Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic and Quranic Arabic sections of this page.

British Sign Language

British Sign Language (BSL) is used by 87,000 Deaf people in the UK. 

  • BSL beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1010
  • British Sign Language post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1011

Catalan

  • Catalan Language and Culture 1 (20 credits) SPPO1145

Cantonese

Cantonese is spoken by millions of people in Hong Kong, Macau, China (Guangdong Province) and diaspora communities around the world.

  • Cantonese for Mandarin Speakers 1 (A1-A2) LANG1030
  • Cantonese for Mandarin Speakers 2 (B1-B2) LANG1031

Czech

Czech is a West Slavonic language known for its many words without vowels, the unique letter ř and some tricky but fun tongue twisters.

  • Czech beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1050

Egyptian Arabic

Egyptian Arabic is widely used with a strong presence in Arab media. 

  • Egyptian Arabic beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1070

French

French is an official language in 29 countries and various international organisations. 

  • French for Medicine (Students without Borders course – fee payable)
  • French beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1090
  • French post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1091
  • French post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1092
  • French topics: history and culture (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1095
  • French topics: travel and life (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1097
  • French topics: global and local (B2-C1) (10 credits) LANG1099

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying French as part of their degree.

German

German has a long-standing influence on fields ranging from physics and engineering to literature, philosophy, and the arts. 

  • German beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1100
  • German post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1101
  • German topics: family, friendship and social media (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1103

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying German as part of their degree.

Italian

  • Italian beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1110
  • Italian post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1112

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Italian as part of their degree.

Japanese

  • Japanese beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1120
  • Japanese post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1121
  • Japanese post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1122
  • Japanese topics: history and culture (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1125
  • Japanese topics: popular culture (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1126

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Japanese as part of their degree.

Korean

  • Korean beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1130
  • Korean post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1131
  • Korean post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1132

Latin

Please enrol on the module with the code appropriate to your level of study.

Mandarin

  • Mandarin beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1140
  • Mandarin post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1141
  • Mandarin post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1142
  • Mandarin topics: family, friendship and social media (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1143

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Mandarin as part of their degree.

Modern Standard Arabic

Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of 22 countries across the Middle East and North Africa and has an estimated 335 million users. 

  • Modern Standard Arabic beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1080
  • Modern Standard Arabic post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1081
  • Modern Standard Arabic post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1082

Persian

Persian – also known as Farsi – is an Indo-Iranian language with rich literature, culture and history. 

  • Persian beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1190
  • Persian post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1192

Portuguese

Portuguese is the fifth most spoken language in the world, with over 250 million native speakers in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. 

  • Portuguese beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1150

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Portuguese as part of their degree.

Quranic Arabic

Quranic Arabic is the language of the Quran and is the basis of the standardised literary form of Arabic used since the 7th century. 

Russian

It may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Russian as part of their degree.

Spanish

Spanish is the official language of 21 countries and nearly 500 million people use it as their first language. 

  • Spanish for Medicine (Students without Borders course – fee payable)
  • Spanish beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1160
  • Spanish post-beginners: language and identity (A2) (10 credits) LANG1161
  • Spanish post-beginners: language and society (A2) (10 credits) LANG1162
  • Spanish topics: family, friendship and social media (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1163
  • Spanish topics: history and culture (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1165
  • Spanish topics: travel and life (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1167
  • Spanish topics: work and study (B1-B2) (10 credits) LANG1168
  • Spanish topics: global and local (B2-C1) (10 credits) LANG1169

Alternatively, it may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Spanish as part of their degree.

Thai

It may be possible to enrol on modules where you study alongside students studying Thai as part of their degree.

Ukrainian

We plan to run a Ukrainian taster session during 2026-27. Please email Becky Muradás-Taylor at b.muradas-taylor@leeds.ac.uk if you are interested in this. 

Urdu

Urdu is the official language of Pakistan and the first language of more than 250,000 people in the UK.

  • Urdu beginners (A1) (10 credits) LANG1220
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