Finnish and Polish

Finnish and Polish is an unusual but intellectually stimulating language combination, joining two very different but equally rich linguistic traditions. Finnish belongs to the Uralic language family, making it quite unlike the Indo-European languages that dominate Europe, with a grammatical structure and vocabulary that offer a distinctive perspective on how language can be organised. Polish is one of the Slavic languages, spoken by around 45 million people in Poland and in Polish diaspora communities around the world, and the vehicle of a remarkable literary and cultural tradition.

Together, the two languages give you access to two distinct corners of the European cultural landscape.

At UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies, one of the leading centres for this region's languages and cultures in the UK, this four-year full-time degree is a joint honours programme split equally between the two languages. You will take modules not only in language, covering speaking, listening, reading, writing, and translation, but also in cultural topics including literature, history, film, linguistics, and politics, tailoring your degree to your own areas of interest from a wide range of module options. A year abroad in the third year is spent in countries where your languages are spoken, giving you the immersive experience necessary for genuine fluency and a formative encounter with Finnish and Polish cultures directly.

Graduates go on to careers in translation and interpreting, diplomacy, international business, journalism, academia, the civil service, and roles in organisations with interests in Scandinavia, the Baltic region, and Central and Eastern Europe. The combination of two less commonly taught languages is genuinely distinctive in the graduate market and opens doors in specialist roles that graduates of more popular language combinations rarely access. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in linguistics, Slavic or Finnic studies, or related fields.