Spanish and Turkish

Spanish and Turkish at the University of Oxford brings together two languages whose cultural histories have crossed in remarkable ways, from the shared experience of Sephardi Jewish communities who preserved Ladino across centuries of Ottoman rule to the broader encounter between Iberian and Middle Eastern civilisations over the medieval and early modern periods. Spanish opens access to one of the world's most widely spoken languages, the rich literary traditions of the Iberian peninsula, and the vast cultural output of Latin America. Turkish gives you entry to a language of significant geopolitical importance, a literary tradition spanning classical Ottoman poetry and the modern novel, and a civilisation that bridged European and Asian worlds for centuries.

Combining them over four years at Oxford offers a pairing of unusual intellectual coherence.

You will receive rigorous training in both languages, developing practical proficiency in reading, writing, and communication alongside sustained engagement with literary and cultural texts in their original forms. The programme encourages you to think comparatively, exploring the cultural and historical connections that make this combination particularly illuminating. Oxford's tutorial system places substantial intellectual demands on you, requiring independent thinking and extended written argument in small-group or one-to-one sessions with leading academics in both fields.

A typical entry tariff of 184 points reflects the high academic expectations of the programme. The languages, analytical skills, and intercultural awareness you develop open doors to careers in diplomacy and international relations, journalism, translation and interpreting, academia, publishing, international law, and business with a focus on Spanish-speaking or Turkish-speaking markets. Many graduates continue to doctoral research or advanced study in Hispanic studies, Ottoman or Turkish studies, comparative literature, or related fields.