History and Modern Languages BA

Oxford has a long and enduring commitment to the teaching of European history and European languages, leading to a particularly rich environment in terms of staff expertise, library resources, language training and overseas contacts. The fullness and variety of the curriculum means that students can combine papers from the two faculties in stimulating ways. The two parts come together most directly in a bridge essay, where students can make their own innovative contributions. Historians have to be aware of genre, plot and rhetorical techniques in the creation both of their sources and their own arguments, while linguists need to appreciate the social and political concerns that are woven into literary works. This degree brings these two skill sets together.