Why?
Oxford’s History and Modern Languages degree is ideally suited if you’re seeking to combine your interest in history with an aptitude for language and living abroad. It offers one of the strongest History departments in the UK with world-class academics and scholars, together with an opportunity to spend 1 year of your 4 year degree at a foreign institution.
Course
As a first year student you must take six papers, two practical language papers and two foreign literature papers. In addition you must take two history papers: European/World history with four options available: 370–900; 1000–1300; 1400–1650; 1815–1914, and either a British history paper or a historical methods paper, or a foreign text or an optional subject. You are examined in your first year through six written exams in final term.
In second and fourth year you choose one paper from the following:
A period of European/World history
Either a special subject in History with one additional history or literature option; or three papers selected from history (British history, further subject, thesis) or literature (special subjects, prescribed authors, extended essay)
An optional additional thesis in History
Practical language work (two papers)
A period of literature
A paper on one of a wide range of options
A bridge essay
You are examined in your final year through written exams and submitted essays, based on your papers options.
Your weekly work centres around your essay and the tutorial, as well as lectures and language classes which focus on translation, oral work and grammar.
Applying
All candidates must take the History Admissions Test (HAT) and the Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT). Candidates are usually expected to achieve 60+ marks in the HAT in order to progress to the interviews.
It is also highly recommended but not required for students to have History A-level or equivalent. Candidates applying for Czech, French, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish are also usually required to have completed an A-level/equivalent in their respective language. Language A-levels are not required for ‘Beginners’ courses.
Statistics
2017 - Applications: 109, Offers: 28, Acceptance Rate: 26%.
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KEY HISTORY & MODERN LANGUAGES RESOURCES
Oxford
Preparing students for the History Aptitude Test at Oxford carries with it its own set of challenges. This test is designed to be more difficult than the sort of primary sources that students are likely to encounter at A-levels…