Language Learning

We are keen to support the development of students' language learning. Language tuition is encouraged and sponsored as much as possible, giving students the chance to improve existing foreign language skills or to learn a new language in order to extend the scope of their research. Students will need to satisfy their supervisor and the course convenor that they have, or are acquiring, adequate (reading) knowledge of the relevant language(s) to pursue their dissertation work. 

 

Languages for Historians

Courses specifically designed for historians in Arabic, French, German, Italian, and Spanish are available through the University Language Centre. All are free of charge to History students. Courses start in week 2 of Michaelmas Term and enrolment is through the Language Centre.

 

General Language Courses

The Language Centre also provides courses in 13 modern languages from beginner to advanced levels, as well as a Language Library and many resources for self-study. Enrolment is through the Language Centre and opens in September. There is a termly charge for these courses, but students can apply for Priority Funding if they need the language to support their research.

For languages not covered by the University Language Centre, teaching is available through other Faculties, notably the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Students can apply to the Graduate Language Fund to support language tuition not supplied by the Language Centre. 

Latin

Pre-sessional Course in medieval Latin

The History Faculty offers a three-week pre-sessional intensive introductory course in Latin in September before term begins, covering elementary morphology, syntax and vocabulary. It is specifically designed for incoming graduate medieval and early modern historians, but there may be places for some new graduate students from other courses or faculties. There are usually two groups (beginners and intermediate), but this depends on demand. You will very likely have a 90-minute class each day (weekdays only) and will be expected to undertake independent study on top of this. Classes are online.

Offer holders for Medieval and Early Modern will be contacted over the summer (usually in early July) with details on how to sign up. Offer holders for other courses should contact graduate.admissions@history.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible if they wish to take the pre-term Latin course.

Knowledge of Latin is fundamental for any work on primary sources of medieval Europe, and is often also of significant relevance during the early modern period, and this opportunity to acquire or develop that knowledge is offered without an additional fee to candidates enrolled for a relevant degree with the History Faculty.

Term-time Latin Learning

Weekly classes for those who need to improve their Latin will be available throughout the three academic terms of the year. Students enrolling on the pre-term Latin course are normally be expected also to join the Latin classes during term to build on the foundations laid in the pre-term course.

Please note that we cannot take complete beginners for the term-time Latin course, so if you need Latin and have none you should sign up for the pre-term classes.

Other Medieval Languages

Teaching is also available for a wide variety of medieval and modern languages (including medieval Celtic and Germanic languages).

Funding for further language study

The Faculty has set aside some funds to sponsor language tuition, mainly in non-European languages, for which there is no formal provision in Oxford (e.g., through the Language Centre or the Oriental Studies Faculty).

Our funds are limited, so we will not always be able to cover all the cost involved. We would at the very least recommend that you apply in parallel to your College for support.

In the first instance, you should consult your supervisor about your need of language acquisition, and once you have agreed a way forward you are welcome to apply to the Faculty for support.

There is currently no formal application procedure, an email or free-form letter to the Graduate Office is perfectly acceptable. Before you submit an application you should investigate how you could acquire the language skills you need and provide the following information:

  • A letter of support from your supervisor(s)
  • The cost of the language teaching you require
  • How the tuition is relevant to your research

Once we have this information we will be happy to consider what contribution the History Faculty would be able to make in your particular case.

The Language Centre

The Language Centre, provides courses and has a library with materials in 200 languages. It has lending books, sound recordings, videos, newspapers and online resources. The facilities are available free of charge to graduate students.

The pressure on places in the classes is considerable, and you are urged to register for whatever course you wish to follow as soon as possible after enrolments begin, in Week 0 of Michaelmas Term.

For non-native speakers who wish to improve their English, there are a variety of courses in English for Academic Studies (particularly the pre-sessional courses, held in July to September).