Why Pembroke?

Modern Languages and Linguistics combines one Modern Language - French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese or Modern Greek - with Linguistics. You will analyse the nature and structure of language (how words and sentences are formed, how we make and hear sounds, how languages change, vary, and are organised in the brain) and apply these ideas to your chosen language. The combination with Linguistics - which can take you from the past to the contemporary, and from the physiological to sociolinguistics and psychology - is popular. With a language, it can take you anywhere.

As well as having a tutor in Linguistics, Pembroke is one of the larger language colleges both in terms of tutors and students, and offers an unusually wide variety of languages and joint schools with Modern Languages. Dr Holly Kennard is our lead tutor in Linguistics, and her research interests lie in phonology and morphophonology. In the study of Modern Languages we have Fellows in French and Italian and lecturers in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Modern Greek. Our key tutors in Modern Languages are Dr Tim Farrant, Tutorial Fellow in French with research interests in 19th century French literature and culture, and Professor Guido Bonsaver, Tutorial Fellow in Italian who specialises in modern Italian culture and, in particular, on the relationship between politics, film and literature.

At Pembroke we have a particularly strong focus on joint schools, including Modern Languages and Linguistics, in which our cross-disciplinary tutors work closely together to deliver a balanced and enriching academic experience. A languages degree from Pembroke teaches far more than ‘just’ communication.  It brings with it the skills taught by other humanities degrees, along with the value of an analytical understanding of the science that underpins languages in different cultures and societies. Languages graduates are amongst the most employable, along with those in other sought-after subjects like Medicine and Law.

The Year Abroad

Students of Modern Languages and Linguistics will spend their third year abroad to gain more experience of their chosen language(s), and the culture of a native-speaking environment. The Pembroke tutors can give advice on planning this year away, and there are some particular exchange programmes available here. Our students spend this time in a wide variety of settings and clearly benefit greatly from these experiences, returning to their final year in College more confident in their area of study.

Could you become a Modern Languages and Linguistics student at Pembroke?

A keen interest in and motivation for discovering other languages, literatures and cultures, coupled with a solid grounding in the grammar, vocabulary and expression of languages already studied. You don’t need to have studied Linguistics, but need to have the ability to think about language analytically and have an interest in the science of language i.e. how languages work and interact with society.

If you are considering this course, please attend an open day where you can meet our tutors and students and find out more. This is the best way to get a feel for whether you should make an application. We look forward to meeting you!

Have you considered our other joint honours courses?

Both parts of this course are also available to take as part of other joint honours degrees, with options such as History and Modern Languages, English and Modern Languages, Modern and Middle Eastern Languages, Philosophy and Modern Languages and Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL). Find out more about each of these on their respective course pages. Modern Languages is also available to take as a singular subject.