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</div> </div> </header>  <nav id="category-header" aria-label="Category header"> <div class="container"> <div class="category-header__title"><a href="/modern-languages/">School of Modern Languages</a></div> </div> </nav> <nav class="navigation-bar js-select-active" role="navigation"> <div class="container"> <div class="toggle-navigation primary-toggle"><a class="navigation-button">Navigation <i class="chevron down"></i></a></div> <ul class="navigation-bar-nav primary-nav"><li><a href="/modern-languages/people/">People</a></li><li><a href="/modern-languages/prospective/">Prospective students</a></li><li><a href="/modern-languages/subjects/">Subjects</a></li><li><a href="/modern-languages/research/">Research </a></li><li><a href="/modern-languages/events/">Events</a></li><li><a href="/modern-languages/news/">News</a></li><li><span class="currentbranch0"><a href="/modern-languages/about/">About</a></span></li> </ul> </div> </nav><nav class="navigation-bar subnav" role="navigation"> <div 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class="section__anchor--sticky"> <div class=""> <div class="container padding-top--half padding-bottom--half" > <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-8"> <p>The School of Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews:</p> <ul> <li>is one of the largest and most diverse of its kind in the UK - the School offers <a href="/modern-languages/subjects/">degree programmes in seven languages</a> as well as a dynamic cross-disciplinary programme in <a href="/modern-languages/subjects/comparative-literature/">comparative literature</a></li> <li><span>is consistently rated among the best in the UK by major national rankings - the Guardian University Guide ranked St Andrews <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/the-guardian-university-guide-2025-the-rankings">1st in the UK for languages and linguistics in 2024 and 2025</a></span></li> <li><span>prides itself on being a vibrant, diverse, inclusive and engaging academic community that welcomes all students wishing to pursue the study of foreign languages and cultures and comparative literature</span></li> <li><span>believes that the acquiring of high-level language skills goes hand in hand with studying culture - with partners all over Europe and the Middle East, the School sees living, studying, and working abroad as an integral part of language study</span></li> <li><span>has an exceptionally broad variety of research interests ranging from the medieval period to the present day and engages with literatures and cultures from around the world</span></li> <li><span>was ranked <a href="https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/profiles/units-of-assessment/26">first in Scotland in the most recent UK national research assessment exercise</a> - more than 80% of the School's research and impact was judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent</span></li> <li><span>is home to <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/modern-languages/research/centres/">three research centres and one research institute</a> and the annual <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/modern-languages/research/byre-world/">Byre World</a> programme brings together staff, students, and guests in events that share the School's research with the wider University and the public</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-sm-4"> <p><em><img src="/assets/university/schools/school-of-modern-languages/images/CL and students.jpg" alt="Dr Colette Lawson, Department of German, and tutorial group" style=" "/></em><em>Dr Colette Lawson, Department of German, and tutorial group</em></p> <p><em><img src="/assets/university/schools/school-of-modern-languages/images/WF and students.jpg" alt="Professor Will Fowler, Department of Spanish, and tutorial group" style=" "/>Professor Will Fowler, Department of Spanish, and tutorial group</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> <div id="d.en.54370" class="content-section"> <h2>History and location</h2> <p>Even before modern languages was introduced as a degree subject in its own right in 1892, female students at St Andrews studied French, German, and Italian as part of what was then known as the "Ladies Literate in Arts" qualification. Today, female professors out-number their male counterparts in the School.</p> <p>One hundred years after the introduction of modern languages, the individual departments were amalgamated into the current School of Modern Languages. It is now one of the largest schools of modern languages in the UK.</p> <p>The School of Modern Languages is based in the Buchanan Building on Union Street in the centre of St Andrews with some academic staff and research students having offices in the historic St Salvator's Quad.</p> <h2>Strategic plan</h2> <p>The School of Modern Languages' <a href="/modern-languages/about/strategy/">Strategic Plan 2020-25</a> sets out the School's ambitions to develop its research and teaching activities and support an environment that reflects the School's core values of trust, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and fairness.</p> <p>Learn more about the School's approach to <a href="/modern-languages/about/equality-diversity/">equality, diversity, and inclusion</a> and our <a href="/modern-languages/outreach/">access and outreach activities for <span>for primary and secondary schools</span></a><span>.</span></p> <h2><span>Giving to Modern Languages at St Andrews</span></h2> <p><span>The School of Modern Languages has a number of ways in which you can <a href="/modern-languages/about/donate/">contribute financially to those who study languages at St Andrews</a>. </span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <section id="d.en.234727" class="showcase-banner sta-orange-2"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-7 col-md-8"> <h2>Number 1 in the UK for languages and linguistics</h2> <p class="lead">The University of St Andrews was ranked first in the UK for languages and linguistics by the Guardian University Guide in 2024 and 2025. The ranking reflects the excellence of language, cultural, and comparative literature studies at the School of Modern Languages.</p> </div> <div class="col-sm-5 col-md-4"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-12"> <div class="navbox"> <div class="navbox__image"> <img class="lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="/assets/university/accommodation-conferences-and-events/images/venues/buchanan-building/buchanan-building-001.jpg" alt="Front entrance to the Buchanan Building"> </div> <div class="navbox__title"> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2024/sep/07/the-guardian-university-guide-2025-the-rankings"><span>Guardian Guide 2025</span></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"></div></div></div> </main>  <footer id="footer"> <div id="website-footer"> <div id="d.en.54578" class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-4"> <h2>Tools</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/undergraduate-prospectus/">Undergraduate prospectus</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/postgraduate-prospectus/">Postgraduate prospectus</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/modules/">Module catalogue</a></li> </ul> <h2>School social media</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/StAModLangs/">Facebook</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sta_modlangs/">Instagram</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/StAModLangs">Twitter</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-sm-4"> <h2>Navigation</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/modern-languages/people/">People</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/prospective/">Prospective students</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/students/">Current students</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/research/">Research</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/news/">News</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/events/">Events</a></li> <li><a href="/modern-languages/about/">About the School</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-sm-4"> <h2><a href="/modern-languages/contact/">Contact</a></h2> <p><strong>School of Modern Languages<br /></strong>University of St Andrews<br />Buchanan Building<br />Union Street<br />St Andrews <br />KY16 9PH</p> <p><strong>Email:</strong> <a href="mailto:modlangs@st-andrews.ac.uk">modlangs@st-andrews.ac.uk</a><br /><strong>Phone:</strong> <a href="tel:+44 (0)1334 46 2961">+44 (0)1334 46 2961</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="university-footer"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-12"> <p id="footer-charity" >漏 2024 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532</p> <ul id="footer-links"> <li><a class="footer-links__link cookie-control__open" aria-controls="ccc" tabindex="0">Cookie preferences</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/digital-standards/accessibility/accessibility-statement/" class="footer-links__link">Accessibility statement</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/terms/" class="footer-links__link">Terms and conditions</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/help/" class="footer-links__link">Website help</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/scripts/core.min.js" ></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/scripts/jquery.dataTables.min.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/scripts/datatables.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/scripts/lightbox.min.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cdn/dpl/1.27.4/scripts/gallery.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/s/resources-global/js/typeahead.bundle-0.11.1.min.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/s/resources-global/js/handlebars-4.0.5.min.js"></script> <script src="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/s/resources-global/js/funnelback.autocompletion-2.6.0.js"></script> <script> jQuery(document).ready(function() { // ARIA $('.breadcrumbs li:last-child').attr('aria-current', 'page'); 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