Language course combinations at Cambridge

I'm doing Chinese, and you wouldn't want to combine it! It's a lot of work. As well as modern Mandarin we're learning classical Chinese and East Asian history. I applied at other unis for Spanish+Chinese, I think I remember Leeds looking quite good. Leeds and Sheffield are good for modern East Asian stuff.

You can - an exceedingly small number do so. You have to call them up to be sure but a small number of admissions tutors will consider people who want to combine Chinese and Japanese with other languages, or each other. It's very strongly discouraged because of the workload though, and you don't get a year abroad.

Given the workload, as I've said before, I realise that there would be little time to do anything else and there would be disapproval given that tutors do want you to experience the given country's language/culture in the year abroad - when you say "an exceedingly small number" is that around 4 or 5 people or more?

Thanks both of you.

I think it's more in the realm of 0-2 a year, closer to the lower end.

When I was on the open day for Asian and Middle Eastern studies, I remember hearing that East Asian languages could not be combined with any modern languages, because it would be "impossible", as far as the workload's concerned. But the man did later add something along the lines of "on occasion, we have in the past allowed students of Chinese or Japanese to study a limited amount of a post-A level MML language in their part II". It would seem then that, if it is possible, it would only be possible in the 3rd & 4th years. As for the not getting a year abroad, that would also surprise me, as I remember being told pretty definitively that "you can't do part II of AMES without spending a year abroad".
Just thought I'd mention what I could remember from the open day, but don't take my word for any of it- I wasn't even listening very carefully as it was Middle Eastern studies that I was interested in.

That's probably about right, even though not really something I would have thought about a week ago.

Thank you, that's helped alot. Did you eventually get onto the AMES course?

Yes, I've received an offer.

I wasn't aware that East Asian History was part of the course - is it mainly history of art/culture/literature or is it history in general?