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Welcome to the School of Modern Languages and Cultures

You can study Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Visual Arts and Film with us at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Our undergraduate courses allow you to study one or more languages, or take a language alongside history, English or many other subjects. Studying here is transformative for your employment prospects.

We rank in the top 40 language departments globally.

Our Centre for Foreign Language Study offers language teaching to Durham students on other degree programmes and to the public.

 

Find out more about us
2nd for Italian Studies Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
3rd for Russian Studies
3rd for Russian Studies Complete University Guide 2027
4th for Iberian Languages
4th for Iberian Languages Complete University Guide 2026
5th for French Studies Complete University Guide 2026

Ready for Your Year Abroad Adventure?

From Italy, Spain, all the way to Jordan, China, and Japan: Hear what our students have to say about their exciting time abroad.
Watch My Year Abroad videos
My year abroad heroes
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Scholarships in Modern Languages

Are you considering starting your undergraduate study with us in 2025? Thanks to generous gifts from our alumnae, we have scholarships to offer to talented students from low-income backgrounds.

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What's New?

  • Dr Yael Almog edits new volume exploring memory, photography and the traces of history

    Dr Yael Almog, Associate Professor of German at Durham University, has edited Memory Practice, a new book by Berlin-based artist Hadas Tapouchi. The volume brings together a collection of Tapouchi’s photographs with an essay by the artist and a contribution by Dr Almog, examining the relationship between urban space, memory and the afterlives of historical violence.
    memory cover 2
  • Discovering the power of languages: MLAC inspires the next generation through widening access events

    The School of Modern Languages and Cultures welcomed more than 140 pupils from local North East schools through two pilot widening access events: Discover Languages at Durham and Across Languages: A Multilingual Poetry Workshop. Through language activities, creative challenges and multilingual performance, pupils explored the opportunities offered by language learning and experienced the excitement of studying languages at university.
    Pupils at St Chad's lunch
  • Durham students contribute to new Institut Ramon Llull publication celebrating Catalan literature

    Durham students have contributed a translation to Un tast de literatura – De Xarxa Llull al món: Territori, llengua, cuina, a new publication by the Institut Ramon Llull celebrating Catalan literature and culture. The project, supported by Lecturer Elsa Sala Gonzalo, highlights the creativity and expertise of student translators.
    new Institut Ramon Llull publication celebrating Catalan literature 1

Discovering the power of languages: MLAC inspires the next generation through widening access events

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures welcomed more than 140 pupils from local North East schools through two pilot widening access events: Discover Languages at Durham and Across Languages: A Multilingual Poetry Workshop. Through language activities, creative challenges and multilingual performance, pupils explored the opportunities offered by language learning and experienced the excitement of studying languages at university.
Pupils at St Chad's lunch

Durham students contribute to new Institut Ramon Llull publication celebrating Catalan literature

Durham students have contributed a translation to Un tast de literatura – De Xarxa Llull al món: Territori, llengua, cuina, a new publication by the Institut Ramon Llull celebrating Catalan literature and culture. The project, supported by Lecturer Elsa Sala Gonzalo, highlights the creativity and expertise of student translators.
new Institut Ramon Llull publication celebrating Catalan literature 1

Our research

The School's research community is organised through a number of interdisciplinary Research Groups and is home to some 60 postgraduate students pursuing research degrees.
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Cable car station, Innsbruck, Austria
QS World University Rankings 2027

QS World University Rankings 2027: Durham ranks 85th, up 9 places

Our global reputation for employability reflects the quality and real-world relevance of our education and research. Ranked 85th overall, we are also among the world’s top 50 for Employer Reputation and placed joint 24th for Sustainability.

Learn more about the QS World University Rankings

Get in touch

Find out more about our undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities at The School of Modern Languages and Cultures.

School of Modern Languages & Cultures

Durham University
Elvet Riverside
New Elvet
Durham, DH1 3JT

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