Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) at Cambridge
The Cambridge course is hugely flexible and offers a broad and multifaceted approach to the study of language and culture. You can pursue your interests in many areas – from Italian Renaissance art to contemporary Brazilian cinema and 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.
All our students study two languages, one of which can be learnt from scratch (the exceptions being French and Latin, for which A Level/IB Higher Level standard is required). No matter what your proficiency when you arrive, you leave with near native-speaker competence in at least one of your languages. Most of our language classes are run by native speakers.
We are a large and diverse Faculty which consists of six sections, whose members are internationally renowned experts in their fields. In the Guardian University Guide 2023, Cambridge came third for modern languages and linguistics.
Languages available
You 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 (which can be studied post-A Level or from scratch).
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.
It is also possible to combine one of these modern European languages with History – see History and Modern Languages course.
Want to study more than two languages?
In the second and fourth years, it may be possible to take an introductory course in a language and culture you haven’t studied before. The languages offered are subject to availability but may include Catalan, modern Greek, Polish, Portuguese and Ukrainian.
Another possibility (open to any member of the University) is to take a one-year course at the University Language Centre to obtain a further language qualification. Courses are available in basic Arabic and Mandarin; and in basic, intermediate and advanced French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.
Facilities and resources
Our students make use of the very well-stocked Faculty library, the Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Facility, and the Media Centre (which has all the equipment for film studies), as well as bespoke language teaching and learning materials at the Language Centre.
A year in...
MML students spend their third year abroad in one of three ways: they attend a foreign university, become an English-speaking assistant at a school, or do an internship with a firm. In the past, some have:
- worked for an investment bank in Frankfurt
- studied International Relations at St Petersburg State University
- interned with a Barcelona law firm
- interned with an international fashion brand in Paris
- taught English as a British Council assistant in Mexico
You can tailor your year abroad to suit your own interests and later career goals, providing you spend at least eight months abroad and are constantly immersed in one of the foreign languages you’re studying.
If you wish you can split the year between two countries, spending at least three months in each - see the Faculty website for information about the year abroad.
Course costs
Tuition fees
Information on tuition fee rates for MML is available on the tuition fees page.
Additional course costs
Optional costs include the purchase of some books (for example, language text books or literary texts for close study, the cost of which will vary) and photocopying and printing. In the Faculty, use of the printers costs 5p per A4 sheet in black and white, and 20p per A4 sheet in colour. All required reading is held in libraries or available through them online. Some Colleges provide grants for the purchase of books. Further details can be found on the Faculty website.
Please also see the information about tuition fees during the year abroad.
Changing course
Students on other courses may be able to change to MML after either Part IA or Part IB, providing they have the necessary language skills.
To be able to change course, you need the agreement of your College that any change is in your educational interests, and you must have the necessary background in the subject to which you wish to change – in some cases you may be required to undertake some catch-up work or take up the new course from the start/an earlier year. If you think you may wish to change course, we encourage you to contact a College admissions office for advice. You should also consider if/how changing course may affect any financial support arrangements.
Careers
Fluency in a foreign language, an understanding of foreign cultures, analytical and research skills are all in great demand on the job market. Employers – even those who aren’t primarily interested in languages – particularly value the experience, independence and cross-cultural awareness our graduates have gained during their year abroad.
Most graduates use their languages in their work, and all build on the many skills developed during their degree. Our graduates find an array of different jobs open to them. Recent destinations include the BBC World Service, international law firms, UNICEF, and KPMG.
For a small number, the degree is more directly vocational: they become professional linguists (language teachers, translators or interpreters), usually after further specialised training. Further information on what our graduates go on to do is available on the Faculty website.
