School of Modern Languages & Cultures

As a community of academics, teachers and support staff we aim to foster a world-class student experience in all our disciplines.

Welcome to the School of Modern Languages and Cultures

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures consists of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and the Centre for Foreign Language Study. The School also hosts the BA in Visual Arts and Film. Our community of academics, teachers and support staff foster a world-class student experience.

Our language areas feature regularly in the top five in national league tables such as the Good University Guide and the Complete University Guide.

The School is ranked in the top 60 language departments globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

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2nd for Italian Studies Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

3rd for Asian Studies Complete University Guide 2025

5th for Iberian Languages Complete University Guide 2025

3rd for Russian Studies Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

Study with us

Some 80 full-time members of staff are engaged in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, offering expertise in a wide range of subjects, including language, literature, cultural history, cinema and visual culture, and translation; this is reflected also in an exciting range of taught degrees at postgraduate level. The Centre for Foreign Language Study offers learners not taking a specialist degree in Modern Languages, including students, staff and members of the public, the opportunity to learn a range of languages from beginners to more advanced levels.

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Undergraduate study

Postgraduate study

Silhouette of a student looking out at the Great Wall of China

Our people

Students having a hot drink and chatting round a table

Decolonising MLAC

Find out more about our Department

The Helen Sharp Undergraduate Scholarship in Modern Languages

Are you considering starting your undergraduate study with us in 2025? Thanks to a generous gift from our alumna Helen Potts, we have a scholarship to offer to a talented student from a low-income background.

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Durham University Professor co-organises first major UK retrospective of iconic French director Claude Chabrol at the Ciné Lumière in London

'Behind the Mirror: Family Secrets' is the first major UK retrospective of French director Claude Chabrol, organised in collaboration with the director’s daughter and collaborator, Cécile Maistre-Chabrol, and Chabrol specialist Prof. Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze from Durham University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Find out more about 'Behind the Mirror: Family Secrets'

Professor Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze from our School of Modern Languages and Cultures

What's New?

Music historian honored for work on Communist-era cultural life

Communist suppression distorted music history in Eastern Europe. Now, Professor Patrick Zuk is being recognized for setting the record straight.

Research news
Professor Santiago Fouz Hernández introduces a Bigas Luna film at the 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival (SSIFF)

Professor Santiago Fouz Hernández (MLAC) introduced the recently restored version of Bigas Luna’s debut film TATUAJE/TATTOO (1976) at the 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival in the Basque Country last September. The SSIFF is the most prestigious film festival in Spain and among the most important in Europe, alongside Cannes, Venice, London or Berlin.

Global research
New collection of essays on Voltaire and the eighteenth century co-edited by Tom Wynn

Tom Wynn has co-edited with Gillian Pink 'L'Écriture est la peinture de la voix', a two-part festschrift in honour of Nicholas Cronk, director of the University of Oxford’s Voltaire Foundation.

Research news

Music historian honored for work on Communist-era cultural life

Communist suppression distorted music history in Eastern Europe. Now, Professor Patrick Zuk is being recognized for setting the record straight.

Research news

Man in commencement cap and gown giving speech at podium

Professor Santiago Fouz Hernández introduces a Bigas Luna film at the 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival (SSIFF)

Professor Santiago Fouz Hernández (MLAC) introduced the recently restored version of Bigas Luna’s debut film TATUAJE/TATTOO (1976) at the 72nd San Sebastian Film Festival in the Basque Country last September. The SSIFF is the most prestigious film festival in Spain and among the most important in Europe, alongside Cannes, Venice, London or Berlin.

Global research

New collection of essays on Voltaire and the eighteenth century co-edited by Tom Wynn

Tom Wynn has co-edited with Gillian Pink 'L'Écriture est la peinture de la voix', a two-part festschrift in honour of Nicholas Cronk, director of the University of Oxford’s Voltaire Foundation.

Research news

More news

Our research

The School's research community is organised through a number of interdisciplinary Research Groups and is home to some 60 postgraduate students pursuing research degrees.

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World-leading status affirmed in QS World University Rankings 2025

Durham is now ranked 89th in the world top 100 universities. Our top performance came in the Sustainability category, where we ranked 19th in the world. We also have a world-class reputation with employers, being ranked 65th.

Learn more about the QS World University Rankings

From our Staff Blog: Arabic Culinary Tradition at COP28

Daniel Newman, Professor of Arabic Studies in our School of Modern Languages and Cultures, was recently invited to COP28 in Dubai to share his knowledge of the Arabic culinary tradition, recreating recipes from the 8th to the 15th centuries.

Read about Daniel's experiences at COP28

Student updates

Hear from our students at The School of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Highlights

My year abroad

Read about Tom, a Durham student who recently graduated after studying French and Spanish for the last four years, and follow him on his year abroad in Paris and Barcelona.
A Day in the Life of a Languages, Literature and Cultures MA student

MA Languages, Literature and Cultures student, Rebecca takes us through her day-to-day experience at Durham.

My year abroad

Read about Tom, a Durham student who recently graduated after studying French and Spanish for the last four years, and follow him on his year abroad in Paris and Barcelona.