Bulgarian and Finnish

Bulgarian and Finnish is an unusual and distinctive language combination, connecting two very different linguistic traditions of significant cultural, historical, and geopolitical importance. Bulgarian is a South Slavic language, spoken in Bulgaria and with deep connections to the Orthodox Christian and Byzantine heritage of south-eastern Europe. Finnish is a Finno-Ugric language, entirely unrelated to the Indo-European languages that dominate most of Europe, and it carries a rich literary and cultural tradition embodied most famously in the Kalevala and in the distinctive cultural identity of Finland.

Studying both languages gives you access to two very different windows onto European history and culture.

At University College London, within the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, which is one of the largest departments in the UK for the study of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, this four-year full-time programme develops your language skills in both Bulgarian and Finnish alongside deep engagement with the histories, literatures, and cultures of the countries in which they are spoken. The degree includes a year abroad, giving you sustained immersion in one or more of your target languages and cultures, which is one of the most valuable experiences a language degree can offer. SSEES has unmatched specialist expertise in these regions, and the intellectual community and library resources it provides are exceptional.

You will develop advanced reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in both languages, alongside knowledge of the cultures, histories, and geopolitics of the regions they connect.

Graduates with these language skills pursue careers in diplomacy, international organisations, translation and interpreting, journalism, academia, international business, and the cultural sector. Postgraduate study in Slavonic studies, Finnish studies, area studies, or translation is a natural next step.