Italian and Beginners German

Italian and beginners German at Oxford is a programme that allows you to develop deep expertise in Italian while building German from scratch to a level of genuine proficiency. Italian brings you into contact with one of the great literary and cultural traditions of the European world, from Dante and the Renaissance humanists through Machiavelli, Leopardi, and the modernist novelists and filmmakers to the vibrant contemporary Italian writing of recent decades. German, studied as a new language within the programme, opens access to an equally rich literary and intellectual tradition, from Goethe and Schiller through Kafka, Thomas Mann, and Brecht to the philosophical traditions of Kant, Hegel, and beyond.

At Oxford, this four-year programme offers intensive language training in both, with German developed systematically from an ab initio starting point. You will develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in both languages alongside deep engagement with literary and cultural texts, linguistic history, and the critical traditions of each country. Oxford's tutorial system means you work closely with leading researchers in both Italian and German studies, and the demands of learning two major European languages simultaneously develops a linguistic versatility and intellectual discipline that are genuinely distinctive.

Entry is highly competitive, typically requiring a tariff of around 184 points.

Graduates of Italian and German programmes are well placed for careers in diplomacy, European institutions, international business, translation, publishing, the law, journalism, education, and cultural organisations with connections to Italy and the German-speaking world. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in Italian studies, German studies, area studies, or translation, and the analytical skills and cultural range developed at Oxford provide an excellent foundation for research at the highest level.