Italian and Beginners' Modern Greek

Italian and beginners' Modern Greek at Oxford is a combination that brings together two Mediterranean languages, each carrying one of the richest literary and cultural traditions in European history. Italian is the language of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio, of the Renaissance, of opera, and of one of the most influential artistic and intellectual heritages in the world. Modern Greek connects you to the contemporary language that grew from the classical tongue, and to the culture of a nation that bridges antiquity and modernity in ways no other European country quite replicates.

At the University of Oxford you will receive rigorous training in written and spoken Italian alongside an introduction to Modern Greek from beginner level, developing genuine fluency and range in both languages over four years full time. You will engage with literature, linguistics, film, history and a range of other cultural topics, with the breadth of available options allowing you to focus on the periods, genres and aspects of culture that interest you most. The programme draws on Oxford's exceptional concentration of expertise in European languages and literature, and the intellectual environment demands and rewards close reading, careful argument and independent thinking.

Graduates of Italian and Modern Greek from Oxford are equipped for careers that draw on their linguistic abilities and cultural knowledge, including roles in diplomacy, international organisations, publishing, journalism, the arts, education, translation and interpreting, and cultural institutions. The analytical and communication skills developed through the degree transfer widely across professional life, and many graduates enter fields such as law, finance and management where linguistic intelligence and intellectual rigour are valued. Postgraduate study in modern languages, linguistics, literature or related disciplines is a natural further route.