Modern and Medieval Languages

Overview

Languages available

You can study two of:

• French
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish

Alternatively, you can combine any of these with either Classical Latin (if you're taking it at A Level/IB Higher Level) or Classical Greek.

If you wish to combine one of these modern European languages with Arabic, Hebrew or Persian, you can do so by applying for the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies degree course

Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) at Cambridge

The course allows you to mix and match from an exciting menu of options. By the time you graduate you'll have developed language skills, enhanced knowledge according to your particular interests, spent time in a foreign culture and executed a piece of independent research.

All our students study two languages, one of which can be learnt from scratch (with the exceptions of French or Latin, where A Level/IB Higher Level standard is required). No matter what your entry level, you’ll leave at the end of four years having gained spoken, written and translation skills of an advanced level.

In addition, you’ll have the chance tostudy in depth the culture, history, cinema, literature, art, politics and philosophy of other countries, depending on which languages you choose. The course also includes options in linguistics (both linguistic aspects of the languages you're studying, and dealing with the nature of language in general).

Facilities and resources

Our excellent resources include the well-stocked Faculty library and the University's state-of-the art Language Centre; with satellite television, audio, video and other equipment. In addition, the Faculty's Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Facility is used for both private study and teaching programmes.

A year in...

You spend your third year abroad in one of three ways, tailored to suit your interests. You can attend a foreign university, become an English-speaking assistant in a school, or seek voluntary or paid work. For example, our students have spent their third year:

• working at a law firm in Zurich
• studying art history in Rome
• volunteering with the International Baby Food Action Network in Brazil
• conducting an orchestra in St Petersburg

With the agreement of the Faculty, you can tailor your year to suit your interests. You must spend at least eight months abroad, and you must be in daily contact with the foreign language you're studying. You could choose to spend the year in more than one country, spending at least three months in each.

Careers

Communication skills, knowledge of languages, an understanding of foreign cultures, analytical ability and research skills are in great demand in many fields, and are precisely the qualities that our course promotes. Employers - even those who aren't primarily interested in languages - particularly value the experience and skills our graduates have gained from their year abroad.

Most graduates use their languages within their work, and many pursue careers in journalism, the arts, marketing, banking, law, accountancy, teaching and the Diplomatic Service. Other graduates build more generally on the many skills that their degree has given them, which are still the decisive factor in securing a wide range of jobs. For a small number of graduates, the degree is more directly vocational: they become professional linguists (translators or interpreters), usually after further specialised training.

Want to study more than two languages?

In your second and fourth years, you could choose to take an introduction to language and literature course for a language you haven't studied before. There are a range of languages to choose from, and includes both modern language and medieval language options.

Another possibility (open to any member of the University) is to take a one-year course at the University's Language Centre to obtain a further language qualification. Courses are available in basic Arabic and Mandarin and in basic, intermediate and advanced French and Spanish.

Diploma and certificate courses may be available through the Faculty. See the Faculty website for information.