Linguistics and Modern Languages

This course offers you the chance to master a major modern language alongside the scientific study of linguistics.

The first 2 years of the course are spent in Cambridge. You’ll spend your third year abroad, immersing yourself in the language you are studying, before returning to Cambridge for the fourth year.

This course combines the core elements of our Linguistics and Modern and Medieval Languages courses.

On this course, you will learn about the language, culture and history of most European, and many non-European, countries. You'll study one modern language in depth. Alongside this, you will also explore how the scientific study of language can help us understand the human mind and creativity.

The range of topics available to study across linguistics and modern languages means you can develop your own curiosity about how these areas intersect.

You’ll choose one language to study on the course, most of which you can study without any previous knowledge of the language.

If you want to study French, you must have taken it at A level, IB Higher Level or equivalent. If you have already studied your chosen language at A level or equivalent, you will study at a more advanced level.

You can choose to study:

• French and Linguistics (if you’re taking it at A level or IB Higher Level)

• German and Linguistics

• Italian and Linguistics

• Portuguese and Linguistics

• Russian and Linguistics

• Spanish and Linguistics

No matter what your proficiency when you arrive, you leave with a high level of competence in your chosen language. All language classes are taught by highly proficient speakers, often first language users.

You can say which language you’re interested in when you apply to study the course. You may be able to change this choice before or shortly after you start on the course.