Modern Languages

Student profile: Laura

University can be daunting at first and I certainly wasn’t over enthusiastic about my first term here. However, once I began to discover all that Oxford has to offer I realised what a great place it is to be as a student. There are five languages students in my year and we have ended up doing a lot together. I have really appreciated having other people doing my subject to talk to if I have a problem with work or simply to share ideas. The Balliol tutors are extremely welcoming and ready to offer as much help as you need. Balliol has a great college life which has something for everyone. Even in my final year I am always meeting new people as there is always something new going on in the JCR whether it be a film night, a poetry reading or an open mic night in the bar. I have loved my time here and would encourage anyone to apply.

Number of places at Balliol

Balliol admits about 6 students a year to read either Modern languages or a Joint School with Modern Languages.

Subject information

Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages

Course requirements

For information on what subjects you need to study, please see the modern languages faculty website.

College requirements

Students applying to read Modern Languages (rather than a Joint School) should be choosing French or Italian as one of their languages. This will ensure that they will be taught in person by one of our own tutors.

Those wishing to read French, German or Spanish should be expected by their school to achieve an A grade at A2-level in that language. For Italian we accept students without formal qualifications, though they must have mastered the essentials before they come up. Intending beginners in Italian should approach Prof. Zancani for advice. Anyone hoping to read Portuguese, Modern Greek or Czech should write to Dr Marnette for an introduction to teachers of these languages.

Admissions/Selection criteria 

For information on how applicants are assessed, please see the modern languages faculty website.

Modern Languages at Balliol

Balliol admits about 6 students a year to read either Modern languages (that is, French and/or Italian together with one of German, Spanish, Portuguese, Modern Greek or Czech), or a Joint School with Modern Languages (that is, any of the languages mentioned above together with Linguistics, Philosophy, History, Classics, English or Middle Eastern Languages). It is also possible to study French on its own (French sole).

The work for an Oxford degree in Modern Languages covers language, literature and linguistics. Work in the first year is on a set selection of texts from a variety of periods. After that, students choose their own papers from a wide set of options ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. When studying two languages, work is always evenly divided between the two. Students in the Joint School pursue their studies with the same tutors and to the same standards as single-honours students, simply offering fewer papers in each discipline in Finals.

Students are encouraged to build on their existing skills in speaking, reading and writing their chosen languages. A high final standard is expected and, to help students reach it, we offer progressive language teaching throughout the course. Our students spend a year abroad between the second and third years of the course, and we offer help in finding placements either as language assistants or on university courses in their country of choice.

In recent years our graduates have chosen careers in commerce and banking, law (after a conversion course), the civil service, journalism, the media, development and teaching. In most years one or more students opt for further study, either at home or abroad; of these, several now hold university teaching posts in this country and others are teaching abroad in France, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

Tutors

Balliol has one tutorial fellow in Modern Languages:

Sophie Marnette's research offers a linguistic and philological approach to literary issues in Medieval French such as the origins and evolution of literary genres, the expression of narrative voice and point of view, the relationship between history and fiction, etc.

In addition, there is one lecturer in Italian: Professor Diego Zancani; one lecturer in French: Dr Maria O'Sullivan; one lecturer in German: Dr Ray Ockenden and one lektor: Mr Golo Schmidt; one lecturer in Spanish: Dr Maria Donapetry and one research fellow in Romance Linguistics: Dr Sandra Paoli.

Diego Zancani's main research interests are in the history of the Italian language and dialects, in Renaissance and contemporary Italian culture, early printed books and food history.

María Donapetry’s interests and research revolve around contemporary Spanish literature, especially women’s writing, and cinema from all Spanish-speaking countries.

Maria O'Sullivan teaches a range of topics in modern French literature. Her main research interests lie in French literary theory and particularly in the work of Roland Barthes.

Ray Ockenden's research interests include German poetry from the 18th century to the present day, and he has published on 18th century German drama and 19th century German fiction.

Sandra Paoli’s main interests lie within the syntax of Italo-Romance varieties. Her work has investigated features of a number of both Italian – Piedmontese, Ligurian, Ladin, Friulian, Triestino, Calabrese – and Romance – Rumanian, Medieval French, Medieval Tuscan, Medieval Spanish and French acquisition – varieties.

Note that a majority of our teaching staff in Modern Languages are native speakers in the language they teach, an advantage seldom offered by other Oxford colleges.

The College also has an endowment fund, called the Victor Hugo Fund, in support of the European Modern Languages.