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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
4th for Russian Studies
4th for Russian Studies Complete University Guide 2026
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.
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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?

  • Touch, Gesture, and Community: Research Impact Event in Newcastle (29–30 May)

    A two-day research impact event will take place in Newcastle on 29–30 May, exploring the role of touch, movement, and kinaesthesia in artistic practice and community formation.
    Touch Workshop poster .png
  • Daphne and her Sisters: Exploring Gendered Violence in Early Modern Literature and Art

    A two-day conference exploring representations of gendered violence in early modern literature and art will take place in Durham on 10–11 June 2026. Organised by Professor Ita Mac Carthy and supported by The British Academy, the event combines the launch of the new Daphne and her Sisters research project with a concluding series of readings dedicated to Matteo Maria Boiardo’s Inamoramento de Orlando.
    Carlo-Cignani,-Apollo-and-Daphne,-c.-1680,-Palazzo-Ducale-del-Giardino,-Parma,-picture-by-Ita-Mac-Carthy
  • Durham-led Horizon Europe Project RELISH Featured in La Vanguardia

    A Durham-led activity from the Horizon Europe project RELISH was recently featured in the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. The article highlighted collaborative workshops with Fundació Alícia exploring medieval Catalan recipes, food heritage, and culinary migration through innovative historical gastronomy methodologies.
    RELISH Featured in La Vanguardia

Daphne and her Sisters: Exploring Gendered Violence in Early Modern Literature and Art

A two-day conference exploring representations of gendered violence in early modern literature and art will take place in Durham on 10–11 June 2026. Organised by Professor Ita Mac Carthy and supported by The British Academy, the event combines the launch of the new Daphne and her Sisters research project with a concluding series of readings dedicated to Matteo Maria Boiardo’s Inamoramento de Orlando.
Carlo-Cignani,-Apollo-and-Daphne,-c.-1680,-Palazzo-Ducale-del-Giardino,-Parma,-picture-by-Ita-Mac-Carthy

Durham-led Horizon Europe Project RELISH Featured in La Vanguardia

A Durham-led activity from the Horizon Europe project RELISH was recently featured in the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. The article highlighted collaborative workshops with Fundació Alícia exploring medieval Catalan recipes, food heritage, and culinary migration through innovative historical gastronomy methodologies.
RELISH Featured in La Vanguardia

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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QS World University Rankings 2024

World-leading status affirmed in QS World University Rankings 2026

Durham University has been named in the QS World University Rankings world top 100, a position it has achieved every year since 2010. The rankings have confirmed the University’s strong global reputation for employability (64th) and it is also 22nd in the world 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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