The Department of Modern Languages was established on January 1, 2004 with the merger of four former departments: the Department of Finno-Ugric Languages, the Department of Romance Languages, the Department of Slavic Languages, and the Department of German. Within these four language groups the new combined Department started out with education and research in fourteen different language subjects; subsequently education in one further language has been added, Albanian (unrelated to these four language groups).

The Department has some 70 associates: professors, senior lecturers, lecturers, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, doctoral candidates, and administrators. The Department also has a large number of hourly teachers. Many of our associates have a native command of their language.

We educate between 1,800 and 1,900 students per year in our c. 140 courses. In most of our languages we pursue education and research in both linguistics and literature. Several of our languages are taught entirely or partially as Web-based courses.

Besides our own courses, the Department is in charge of two pan-Faculty programmes: The Language Programme and the Master Programme in Language, which prepare students for various careers.

The Department is located at the Centre for the Humanities: English Park Campus (map). To contact us, please see the page with general contact information or the page with personnel.