A man who has a language consequently possesses the world expressed and implied by that language
Frantz Fanon, ‘Black Skin, White Masks‘
THE MODERN LANGUAGES COURSE
The course focuses on detailed literary study of all periods and genres to bolster an in-depth understanding of the languages taught and of their cultures. Oxford provides the full range, from medieval to modern, all studied in the original language. Dante’s Divine Comedy, the Spanish Golden Age, the plays of Molière and Racine, the rise of the modern novel, Russian dissident writing, Latin American Magic Realism, are just a few of the possibilities. There are also opportunities to explore linguistics, film as well as the other visual and material cultures related to the languages you study.
In a typical year Magdalen admits 10 students, including students for the Joint Honours Courses.
On average, 6 of these places go the Modern Languages course, and 4 to Modern Languages Joint Honours courses.
Please see the University admissions page for full details of course structure and entry requirements for Modern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
Modern Languages & Linguistics
Modern Languages & Linguistics is part of the Modern languages quota of 6 places. The course lays special emphasis on the history and structures (phonological, morphological and syntactical) of a language as a form of communication that is both systematic and alive, embedded in, and reflecting, social interactions and changes.
Please see the University admissions page for full details of course structure and entry requirements for Modern Languages & Linguistics. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
European & Middle-Eastern Languages
European & Middle-Eastern Languages is part of the Modern Languages quota of 6 places.
Europe and the Middle East share long, complex and sometimes fractious histories, whose proper appreciation is increasingly relevant in today’s world.
The degree combines one European language with one Middle Eastern language. It focuses on literature and language, and offers the possibility to study linguistics, film, and other cultural topics (some of which may be compulsory, e.g. Islamic religion for Arabic, Political and cultural texts for Turkish).
Please see the University admissions page for full details of course structure and entry requirements for European & Middle-Eastern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
THE MODERN LANGUAGES AND JOINT HONOURS COURSES
Classics & Modern Languages:
Classics and Modern Languages make a natural pair. Greek and Latin literature play an important role in modern literatures in all European languages.
The degree combines one modern language (a full list is available on the University admissions page) with either Greek or Latin or both. In most years, Magdalen admits one candidate for Classics and Modern Languages.
Please see the University admissions page for full details of course structure and entry requirements for Classics and Modern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
English & Modern Languages.
English language and literature are not only insular but global phenomena: studying them alongside another European language will allow you to explore further their relationships to neighbouring cultures.
Please see the University admissions page for full information on course structure and entry requirements for English & Modern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
History & Modern Languages.
The History and Modern Languages combines the study of a single European language with a broader humanities education. In studying History and Modern Languages, you can call on the forensic literary skills of a linguist to interrogate historical documents. You can also draw on your understanding of political, social and economic developments to enrich your engagement with literature, film and other cultural artefacts.
Please see the University admissions page for full information on course structure and entry requirements for History & Modern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
Philosophy & Modern Languages.
Philosophy and Modern Languages bring together some of the most important approaches to understanding language, literature and ideas. Philosophy addresses questions ranging from how we acquire knowledge and form moral judgements to the nature of language, art and literature. Conversely, many works of literature reflect and rearticulate some of the dominant philosophical ideas of their epoch.
Please see the University admissions page for full information on course structure and entry requirements for Philosophy & Modern Languages. Applications for deferred entry are not considered.
PEOPLE IN MODERN LANGUAGES AT MAGDALEN
Professor Raphaële Garrod is currently in charge of admissions for Modern Languages. She is a specialist in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century French literature and intellectual history, and teaches French literature and translation from English to French with Dr Stephen Goddard, who teaches translation from French to English, part of nineteenth- and twentieth-century French literature, and provides reinforcement classes in grammar. Professor Reidar Due is the University Lecturer in European Cinema and a specialist of twentieth-century French thought. Spanish is overseen and taught by Professor Rosa Vidal Doval; she works on the culture and history of late medieval and Renaissance Iberia. Other languages are looked after by colleagues based in other colleges: Dr Alexandra Lloyd (German), Professor Tamar Koplatadze (Russian), and Professor Nicola Gardini (Italian). We also employ a German Lektor or Lektorin and a French lecteur or lectrice, shared with other colleges.
Entry requirements
Please see the University admissions pages for full information on entry requirements:
Tutorial Fellows
Professorial Fellow
Stipendiary Lecturers
Lecteur and Lektorin
Demies and Fellows by Special Election
Emeritus Fellows
Student case study: Eleanor
Find out about current student Eleanor’s experience by reading her student profile.