Modern and Medieval Languages

Cambridge offers exceptional opportunities to study the languages and cultures of most European (and many non-European) countries. Our students acquire advanced linguistic and critical skills, as well as intercultural sensitivity, which places them among the most sought-after graduates on the job market. The Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) course at Cambridge is uniquely flexible and interdisciplinary. You can pursue your interests in many areas – from Italian Renaissance art to contemporary Brazilian cinema, medieval German folk tales to socialist realism in Stalin’s Russia. MML also includes options in linguistics, such as the historical and cognitive dimensions of the languages you’re studying.

Course Structure

The Modern Languages course at Cambridge leads to a BA (with honours) after four years, the third of which is spent abroad. The course is divided into three components, each followed by an examination: Part IA, IB and Part II. The chief emphasis in Part IA (first year) is on language learning in two languages, with emphasis given to oral proficiency, translation, linguistic and literary analysis. This training continues in Part IB (second year) but with the addition of specialised papers on specific literary and linguistic topics pertaining to the languages and cultures chosen.

If you enter with an A-level or equivalent in your chosen language, you take Option B of Parts IA and IB. If you begin a language ab initio, you take Option A in Parts IA and IB with the expectation that by the end of the second year (IB) you will have reached a comparable standard in both languages. From Part IB onwards, undergraduates can specialise entirely in one language, but usually combine papers from their two languages. Some papers from other Triposes (English, Psychology, History, etc.) are open to Modern Linguists.

The third year is spent abroad, in a country in which one of your languages is spoken as a first or second language. Many students enrol in a university course given in the target language (the course may be in any subject, provided that instruction is in the language you have been studying). Others teach English as a Language Assistant at a school through the British Council. Others again opt to work abroad, as interns or in paying positions - the Year Abroad Office keeps files on available internships and students may also find their own employment. This work experience is often key in deciding on future training and employment. During this year you also write a compulsory dissertation or translation topic chosen at the end of the second year.

Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge

Undergraduate students and staff talk about studying Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge. To find out more about this course, see www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this video is accurate at the time it was uploaded, changes are likely to occur. It is therefore very important that you check the University and College websites for any updates before you apply for the course by visiting…

MML at King’s

King's has a friendly and diverse student body with a good number of international students, which makes the College a particularly rich environment for students with an interest in languages and cultures across the world. In an average year, there are normally some native speakers of most languages taught on the course. King's travel grants are available to help fund visits to other countries during the vacations.

MML is strong at King's, both in student numbers and in academic performance. We have a lively community of around 30 undergraduate Modern Linguists plus a healthy number of Fellows. We offer in-college teaching in French, German, Linguistics, Russian and Spanish. Any combination of languages allowed by the Faculty can be accommodated at King’s.

Students may choose to specialise in any two of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. It is also possible to combine a modern language with either Classical Latin or Classical Greek (both of which are taught by King’s Fellows). With the exception of French and Classical Latin, Cambridge offers you the opportunity to study any one of these languages from scratch (ab initio). For other languages, which may be studied but do not count as part of your two-language tripos, we maintain exchange agreements for teaching in Catalan, Greek, Ukrainian and Polish.

King's College Library is normally available 24/7 and provides many pleasant places to study, as well as books for the course and a good collection of foreign language films on DVD. The College is one of the closest to both the MML Faculty on the Sidgwick Site and the University Library. It is also a central College on the river, with easy access to shops, other Colleges and the Language Centre.

Our graduates go on to pursue successful careers in a broad range of fields, often aided by their work experience or studies undertaken during their third year (see below). In the past few years, these have included several in journalism, publishing, the art market, international development, law, banking, drama, the Civil Service, the Foreign Service, politics, arts administration, and teaching and research at both school and University levels.

Fellows at King's in MML:

godela-weiss-sussex-120px
ProfessorGodelaWeiss-Sussex
Professorial Fellow

German culture and literature; German-Jewish writers; contemporary women’s writing; the city in literature; aesthetic theory.

rory-obryen-120px
DrRoryO'Bryen
Ordinary Fellow

19th and 20th century Colombian culture and history; post-Boom Latin American literature; cinema; the history of the Magdalena River.

brad-epps-120px
ProfessorBradEpps
Professorial Fellow

Spanish and Latin American literature; cinema, photography, and art; theories of modernity; critical theory; queer theory; post-colonial studies.

bert-vaux-160px
ProfessorBertVaux
Professorial Fellow

Phonology and morphology; English, Armenian, and Abkhaz dialectology; Indo-European and Turkic historical linguistics.

chris-prendergast
ProfessorChristopherPrendergast
Life Fellow

19th century French literature, culture and aesthetics; semiotics; cultural materialism; Marcel Proust.

Dr Giulia Boitani
DrGiuliaBoitani
Ordinary Fellow, Side Tutor

Applying for MML at King’s

We welcome applications for MML from suitably qualified applicants at all kinds of schools, all over the world. On the additional Cambridge questionnaire, you will be asked to indicate which two languages you would like to study, and whether you already study your second language or will start from scratch.

Subject Requirements

To apply you should already have prepared one language to A-level or equivalent (and ideally some background in another as well). We like to see evidence of reading (whether in or outside your school curriculum) in the area of your language, though such reading does not have to be academic. It is equally important that you show signs of curiosity and motivation – this is a demanding course of study.

Written Assessment

Applicants who are invited for interview are also required to take the college registered written assessment for MML, which lasts one hour. You do not need to register for this written assessment as it will be organised automatically by the College if you are invited for interview.

Written Work

After applying through UCAS, MML candidates will be required to submit one essay written in each post-A level (or equivalent) language they are applying for, plus a second / third essay in English on a subject of literary, linguistic, historical or cultural interest. If you do not have such essays available, you may write them independently (but we would encourage you to have the essay marked by a teacher, if possible). We will provide information on how to submit this after 15th October.

Interviews

Most applicants are asked to come to King's for an interview with two Fellows in your languages or, on some occasions, are interviewed online.  In most cases candidates are asked to prepare some material which they collect half an hour before the interview. This may be a text written in one of the languages you plan to study at Cambridge (in English for an ab initio language), or some grammar questions to think about.

icon_clipboard
The subject choices that you make at school can have a significant impact on the course options available to you at University - find out more.
assessments
Find out about how to register for your written assessment and see specimen papers from previous years.
sending_written_work
Candidates for some subjects are required to submit written work as part of the application process - see more here.
comments_icon
It's completely normal to be nervous about coming to interview, but here's some practical advice about how to prepare for the process.

Student Perspectives

Ellen has written about her experiences of studying languages at King's, including her reasons for applying, the papers she chose, the work, social life, and application process. This account is well worth reading to get a sense of what King's MML is really like.

ellen_mml_profile
Ellen is from Worthing and studied Modern and Medieval Languages at King's from 2014-18, specialising in French and Spanish.
Josh is from Portsmorth. They studied for A Levels, and studied MML from 2018-2022.

Reading, Resources and Events

For MML, it is particularly useful to be able to demonstrate critical engagement with the literature and culture of the societies where the languages you want to study are spoken. There are lots of useful online resources to enrich the study of languages. See below, for example, for a European web radio directory and a World newspaper directory. Regular use of phone apps such as Memrise and Duolingo can be useful for developing language skills (or you can study on their websites if you prefer).

Events which may be of interest in the year before you apply (year 12 in the UK) include: The MML Faculty Open Day in March (we normally organise an informal drop-in at King's straight after this event), Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences, Masterclasses and King's Open Days. Students from backgrounds where there is little tradition of entry to Higher Education might like to think about applying for the Sutton Trust Summer Schools or the CUSU Shadowing Scheme.

icon_reading_lists
Preparatory reading for applicants who have already been given an offer, or prospective students thinking of applying.
icon_open
Find out more about our Open Days, visiting King's at other times and informal meetings with our Admissions team, or take the virtual tour!

Recent News

quasar_providedbyjameswang_crop

Quasar, with keyboardist James Wang (KC 2020), wins University’s band competition

Quasar was crowned the winner of this year’s Take it to the Bridge band competition at the Cambridge Junction on Friday 1 March.

2024 Rylands Art Prizes awarded

Teddy Graham has been awarded first prize for his work 'Surrogate', with second prize going to Em Dirs and a joint third for Eden Hogston and John Palmer.

e-lab_social_venture_residential_2024_crop

First E-Lab Social Venture Residential begins

In collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation programme and the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at CJBS, the E-Lab is running a Social Venture Residential.

Follow Us