Modern and Medieval Languages
The Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) degree at Cambridge is an interdisciplinary course that gives students opportunities to learn about literature, film, history, linguistics, philosophy and visual art, as well as honing language skills.
You can pursue your interests in many areas, from Italian Renaissance art to contemporary Brazilian cinema and medieval German folk tales to socialist realism in Stalin’s Russia. This course also includes options in linguistics, such as the historical and cognitive dimensions of the languages you’re studying.
- UCAS Code: R800
- Campus Code: 4
- Duration: 4 years
- Places per year: 6-8
Entry requirements
Minimum offer level
A-Level: A*AA
IB Diploma: 42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Please also read our Entry Requirements page.
Subject requirements
You will need A levels/IB Higher Levels (or the equivalent) in:
- At least one of the languages you want to study
We also recommend any of these subjects for a strong application:
- Another language
- English (literature or language)
- History
- Mathematics
What we are looking for
We are looking for applicants who share our passion not just for the language of a particular country, but also for that country’s culture, notably its literature, cinema, art, and music. We also relish the opportunity to discuss with a candidate the ways in which a country’s historical development is reflected in those cultural productions. Factual knowledge, though not irrelevant, is secondary. Intellectual curiosity, however, is of the essence: the willingness to look beyond and indeed to question what you think you know.
Why Trinity Hall?
At Trinity Hall, you’ll find a place where Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) combines academic depth with a strong and engaged student community. Fellows teach across multiple languages and a wide range of specialisms, offering focused guidance tailored to your chosen combination and interests.
You’ll be part of a lively community of language students, including undergraduates and postgraduates, with regular opportunities to exchange ideas with those studying related subjects such as Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Classics and Linguistics. This creates an environment where languages are explored in a wider intellectual context, shaped by different approaches and perspectives.
Your studies also open up a wide range of future paths. Students go on to careers in fields including the creative industries, the civil service, journalism, finance and consulting, law, teaching and academia, reflecting the versatility of the skills you develop during the course.
Our academics
Directors of Studies
MML at Cambridge
Admissions process
Written work
We would like to see two samples of schoolwork pieces. These should comprise, where possible, an example of language work in a language being studied at school (preferably one of the languages to be studied with us) and a piece of analytical or essayistic writing, creative or on a cultural topic. Both should be from this academic year if the applicant is currently studying. We recognise that the analytical-essayistic work will not always be available, depending on the subjects chosen.
You do not have to send this work before applying; we will write to you after you have applied and let you know exactly what you need to send and when.
Admissions assessment
If shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to take an admissions assessment. The College will register you for this – you do not need to register yourself.
See also the University website’s page on College Admission Assessments.
Interviews
Candidates normally have two interviews, one in each of the languages they intend to study at university. Interviews usually last about 20-25 minutes. If you have decided to continue with a language you are already studying for A Level (or equivalent), a portion of the interview will be conducted in that language. Even if you are applying to study a language from scratch (‘ab initio’), we will still interview you for that language, and we would expect you to have devoted some time to thinking about the particular aspects of the literature, culture, and history of the country in question which you find interesting.
