The School of Modern Languages and Cultures comprises the departments of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Russian, and the Centre for Foreign Language Study; the School also introduced a BA in Chinese Studies in 2011-2012. Its community of academics, teachers, and support staff aims to foster a world-class student experience in all its disciplines. 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 School's departments figure regularly in the top five in national league tables such as the Good University Guide and the Complete University Guide.
The School's research community is organised through a number of interdisciplinary Research Groups - Culture and Difference; Literature-History-Theory; Translation-Linguistics-Pedagogy; Visual and Performance Studies - and is home to some 60 postgraduate students pursuing research degrees. All six of its constituent research-focused departments were returned in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. The results for both the School of Modern Languages and Cultures and Durham University generally were excellent, reflecting a growing commitment to research at the highest levels of achievement.
The School is also home to the Centre for Foreign Language Study, which offers non-specialist learners, including students, staff and members of the public, the opportunity to learn a range of languages from beginners to more advanced levels.
Dr Alex Harrington, Head of School
Events
Wednesday 7 May 2014
- Public Lecture: Professor Cressida Heyes [University of Alberta] 'Sleep, 'Night', and Bodily Anonymity: The Harms of Rape While Unconscious' 5:00pm, ER140, Elvet Riverside I, Durham University
Thursday 15 May 2014
- Leslie Brooks Lecture: Professor Julian Weiss (KCL, London) 5:30pm, ER141, Elvet Riverside I, Durham University
Thursday 31 July 2014
Recent News
- NEW BOOK edited by Lucille Cairns and Santiago Fouz-Hernández has been published
- MLAC student magazine
- Professor Nicholas Saul awarded the Christopherson-Knott Fellowship at the Durham Institute of Advanced Studies
- Professor Daniel Newman was interviewed on Monocle Radio earlier this week to discuss his new book, The Sultan's Sex Potions
- Professor Daniel Newman publishes new book on Arab aphrodisiacs in the Middle Ages
- CALL FOR PAPERS - International Conference 'Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Relations in Russia' organised by Dr Andy Byford
- Professor Daniel Newman shares research insights on medieval Arab sexuality
- Professor Carlo Caruso [Italian] to take up Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College Oxford during Hilary Term 2014-15
- Professor Carlo Caruso’s new book on Adonis in the Italian Renaissance