English and Modern Languages

We look for students who are passionate about literature, curious about other cultures, who will relish the challenges of becoming fluent in another language, and who enjoy cross-cultural comparison.

Students in their first year typically take courses on the modern languages side designed to consolidate their language skills and to introduce them to the study of literature in that language. They take two papers for English: an introduction to literary criticism and theory, and a choice between Old English, Middle English, Victorian, or Modern Literature. After the first-year exams (Prelims), students choose options for the rest of their degree from among a wide variety of papers in English and the modern language, ranging from the medieval to the contemporary.

The third year is usually spent abroad in a country where that language is spoken; students undertake a variety of projects on this year, some studying at university, some teaching English as a foreign language, and some working on a placement. This year can be tremendously rewarding both personally and academically: students typically come back fluent in the language, wider in their reading and perspectives, and excited by their new experiences. In their final year, students complete papers on each side of the course, and can also write a comparative dissertation which unites themes from the literature of both languages. Equal weight may be placed on each side of the degree throughout, although it is also possible to study one of the two subjects in greater depth; in either case, students are encouraged at every stage to bring what they have learnt in English to bear on their modern language, and vice versa.

Oriel has a strong tradition in English and Modern Languages. We have Fellows in French (Cécile Bishop), German (Annette Volfing), and English (Kathryn Murphy), and lecturers in Italian, Spanish, and Russian.