English and Modern Languages

About the course

The English side of the course offers you a choice of options covering a comprehensive span of literature written in the English language from its origins in Anglo-Saxon through to works produced in English-speaking countries across the world in the present day.

The Modern Language study will give you practical linguistic training, encourage you to think coherently about language as a subject of study and introduce you to the extensive and fascinating literatures and thought written in European Languages.

The English and Modern Languages Faculties are both the largest of their kind in the UK, with teaching staff including major scholars in all areas of the respective subjects.

Library provision at Oxford is excellent. All students have access to:

• the English Faculty Library
• the Taylor Institution Library (for languages)
• the Bodleian Library, including the Weston Library’s collection of manuscripts and rare editions
• their own college libraries
• as well as many online resources.

The course is extremely flexible. In the first year, you will do practical work in your chosen language and study a selection of important texts from its literature. On the English side, you will be introduced to the conceptual and technical tools used in the study of language and literature, and to a range of different critical assumptions and approaches. You will also do tutorial work on either early medieval, Victorian or modern literature originally written in English.

In the second year, a variety of options will be available. Work in your modern language will continue alongside the study of literature from a wide range of periods in English and in your language.

The third year of this four-year course is spent abroad. On your return, you will choose from a range of special option papers in both English and Modern Languages, and in comparative literature. The final-year dissertation provides an opportunity to write an extended research piece either on a chosen topic in English language or literature, or a comparative topic bringing together studies in both English and your chosen language.

Fieldwork/work placements/international opportunities

English and Modern Languages students spend a compulsory year abroad, usually in the third year. Opportunities for the year abroad include (but are not restricted to):

• working as a paid language assistant in a school;
• undertaking an internship;
• and/or studying at a University.

These all provide valuable experiences for improving language competence.

The University is working with European partners to maintain the opportunities available to its students post-Brexit. University exchanges, language assistantships and work placements continue to be available as opportunities for your year abroad. 

Funding during the year abroad

Some year abroad activities provide a salary, and other year-abroad funding is available from a variety of sources.

Actual costs (such as course fees) and living costs will vary depending on the destination and the activity undertaken. Some of the costs relating to year abroad activity may be subject to variation in the post-Brexit era. Visit the dedicated Study Abroad webpage for the latest information. You will need to pay for living costs during the year abroad, including accommodation and travel expenses, and there may be costs relating to visa requirements for travel.

UK students from lower-income households with means-tested assessments will remain eligible for Oxford’s generous bursary provision. Travel grants may be available through your college and/or the Modern Languages Faculty. For students who experience particular difficulties related to their year abroad, some hardship funds are also available from the Faculty. For UK students with a shortfall in their finances, the University’s Student Support Fund can provide additional assistance. 

'I chose my degree since I was interested in the way people spoke and communicated. I don’t really see English and German as two separate subjects: they are both the study of language, just two different aspects of it. To understand a country’s literature is to understand their mindset; it filters down into the idiom of the day (just think how much people today quote Shakespeare!) For English I’m not taking the Victorian paper, which is pretty rare. Instead I’m studying Old English. My German really helps me with this as the languages are very similar. If you blended modern English with modern German, Old English is pretty much what you would get; the grammar and morphology are very familiar to someone with my background.' Alex

Unistats information

Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.

Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for each option. 

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small. 

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.

Academic requirements 

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.

Read further information on how we use contextual data.

Subject requirements 

For English and Modern Languages with a post-A-level (or equivalent) language

For English and Modern Languages with a beginners’ language

Applying

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.

The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.

Admissions tests

Candidates for English and Modern Languages with a Beginners’ Language do not need to sit an admissions test.

All other candidates must take the Modern Languages Admissions Tests (MLAT) as part of their application. 

All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on your test page.

Written work

 Visit our written work page for general guidance and to download the cover sheet.

What are tutors looking for?

Successful candidates will have an aptitude for their modern language, or for linguistic study if they are picking up a new language from scratch, will read widely and will enjoy writing and talking about literature and language.

Candidates who are shortlisted may be asked to talk about a piece of prose or verse supplied before or in their interview. 

Visit the English website and Modern Languages website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.

Fees

Additional Fees and Charges Information for English and Modern Languages