Modern Languages

All our Modern Languages courses last four years, and include a third year abroad. (For Classics and Modern Languages, there is also the option of a four-year course, so five years in total.) You’ll be taught both in College and in the Faculty, in a mix of different styles: at Trinity, we teach you in small groups or tutorials, and sometimes in larger seminars. The University’s Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages organises lectures as well as centralised language classes (the latter is the case in Spanish). You’ll also do a lot of research in libraries, guided by the reading lists we give you. Starting in the second year, you choose from a range of options, and in conversation with your tutors you can build a course which plays to your interests. We believe that this range of contexts for learning is not only stimulating, but allows you to gain expertise in periods, authors, and literary genres that appeal to you.

At admissions, we are looking for people who really like to read, who demonstrate interest and ability in engaging with literature, and who have an accurate linguistic command of the languages for the level at which they’ve been taught so far. Given the demands of the course, you need to be willing to read extensively in foreign languages, especially literary texts from different historical periods. But you don’t need to be an expert in that at this stage: we just want to know you’re prepared to put the work in later.

All students have access to non-means-tested grants to support their studies; further funding is available to support research projects and placements, including travel grants. More detail is available on our Student Support pages.

Trinity’s students in Modern Languages can apply for an academic grant of up to £500 for travel relating to their studies. Those studying two languages can also apply for an additional £300 towards the study of their second language during the year abroad.