Modern languages at Durham

How do past and present students think about Durham for languages?

Has the university lived up to your expectations?

Was durham your first or second choice?

Reply 1

Puddles the Monkey

Hi - sorry you haven't had a response to this yet. I'm just going to bump the thread in the hope that someone sees this and can help :h:

Durham University

Durham

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Reply 2

auburnstar

Original post by melliottme

How do past and present students think about Durham for languages?

Has the university lived up to your expectations?

Was durham your first or second choice?

I'm not a language student but since you haven't received a response I thought I'd help :smile:

Durham has a very good languages department. I can't speak for other language courses but my friend is a 2nd year doing Spanish and Arabic and has enjoyed it a lot + found it well-organised. There are opportunities for going abroad through exchange programs (even if you don't study languages), as well as the chance to take on new languages outside your degree via the Language Centre (if for instance you study French and Italian, but wanted to learn German).

In many respects, yes it has. Certainly in terms of the people I have met, the career opportunities (so many target employer emails!!) and the healthy work-life balance it has exceeded or met expectations.

The only thing is that although a lot of tutors provide relevant clear feedback (which has always been useful to me in improving), it isn't always clear *why* they mark a certain way. The support is good overall, but I would suggest looking for help via welfare rather than the counselling service if you need it. :smile:

Originally, it was my second choice. But tbh I have grown to really like it, and honestly, it may as well have been my first choice. There's a lot of really nice things - it has a great reputation with a good careers service, the city is very nice and compact, people are friendly and it's stimulating without pushing you to an extreme. It is cold, far from London and there are too many hills, but there is not much anyone can do about the geography xD

Reply 3

melliottme

Thanks for the reply as I was trying to get some information for my daughter who hopes to study German and Russian at university. She has her firm sorted but if St Andrews make an offer her second choice will be Durham or St Andrews but because we live not too far from Durham she not so keen on Durham at the moment.

The completeuniversity gives second place to Durham for both languages so if you know anyone in languages that would not mind giving us their thoughts we would really appreciate it😀 Thanks again.