English and Modern Languages

New College welcomes applications from students wishing to pursue this joint degree.

The college is fortunate in having unusual strength in both disciplines: we have three fellows in English and four covering three different Modern Languages, as well as having tutors in Spanish and Italian in other colleges. Dr William Poole has particular interests in the early modern period. Dr Sullivan works on Modernism which has important overlaps with the areas of French, German and Russian literature in which Dr Counter, Professor Leeder and Professor Kelly have expertise. Much of the teaching on English papers that have a close bearing on the work of modern language students will be taught within the college.

There are a number of options in the Modern Languages courses that allow students to make a special study of topics or authors which align with interests in English (the early modern period, the nineteenth century novel, First World War poetry, T.S. Eliot and Symbolism, Beckett). Most of the core Modern Languages papers are taught in College.

The combined course also offers students the possibility of studying a Modern Language and English without reference to each other for the sheer benefit of exploring two disciplines in which they have demonstrable interest and aptitude.

It is one of the strengths of the course that the links between the subjects will often suggest themselves in unexpected, and always very fruitful, ways.

For further information on how to apply, entrance requirements and selection criteria, please see the University website, the Faculty of English's website and the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages' website.