German and Beginners' Russian

German and Russian are two of the most significant languages in European history and culture, and studying them together at Oxford offers an education of extraordinary depth and rigour. German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe, with a philosophical, literary, musical, and scientific tradition that has shaped the modern world. Russian, the most widely spoken Slavic language, opens access to an equally rich tradition in literature, the arts, and ideas, and to one of the most consequential political and historical experiences of the twentieth century.

Studying these languages side by side also develops a comparative understanding of how very different linguistic systems work.

At Oxford this four-year full-time programme provides both practical training in written and spoken language and an extensive introduction to literature and thought written in these languages. You will learn to write and speak both German and Russian fluently, while also engaging with their literary traditions across a range of periods, from the medieval to the present day. Because Russian is taken at beginners' level, the programme is designed for students who come to it without prior knowledge of Russian but who wish to develop it to a high level alongside their existing German.

A wide range of optional routes in the later years allows you to focus on literature, linguistics, philology, film, gender studies, or in the case of German, advanced translation.

The intellectual demands of studying two languages to this level, combined with Oxford's tutorial system, develop exceptional capacities for close reading, independent argument, and analytical precision.

Graduates move into careers in law, diplomacy, the civil service, international business, publishing, journalism, translation, education, and the cultural sector. The combination of German and Russian expertise is rare and highly valued in contexts where these languages and their associated regions matter professionally. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in linguistics, area studies, literature, or related fields.