Hungarian and Norwegian

Hungarian and Norwegian is an unusual but intellectually stimulating combination that brings together two European languages from entirely different language families. Hungarian is a Uralic language, structurally unlike any of the major Western European languages, with a complex system of cases and agglutinative morphology that makes it one of the more challenging European languages to learn. Norwegian belongs to the North Germanic branch, closely related to Danish and Swedish but with its own distinctive literary and cultural traditions, and Norway's particular position in European affairs, as a wealthy non-EU country with significant interests in energy, maritime industries and international development, gives it a distinct professional relevance.

At University College London this four-year full-time BA divides equally between your two languages, with modules covering speaking, listening, reading, writing and translation in both. Beyond language skills, you will engage with cultural topics including literature, history, film, linguistics and politics in both Hungarian and Norwegian contexts, tailoring the programme to your areas of interest from the range of modules available. In your third year you will spend a year abroad split between countries where your two languages are spoken, giving you the immersive experience that is essential for developing real proficiency.

Graduates from Hungarian and Norwegian language degrees are well placed for careers where linguistic rarity is an advantage. Both languages are spoken by relatively small numbers of non-native speakers internationally, which makes genuine competence in them a significant asset in translation and interpretation, diplomatic contexts, Nordic and Central European business environments, journalism, cultural organisations and international organisations with interests in Scandinavia, Hungary or the broader Central European region. Postgraduate study in linguistics, Scandinavian studies, Central European studies or translation is a natural continuation.