Overview
At King’s, we offer you a lively and intellectually stimulating home in the heart of London, where you will learn from leading experts and explore the past and present through an interconnected lens.
In History, you will investigate themes ranging from the medieval period to the modern world, taking a comparative approach that reveals the links, contrasts, and continuities between different times and places.
In Modern Languages, you will develop advanced skills in speaking, writing, and reading your chosen language, alongside a deep understanding of its culture, politics, and history. Whether you join as an experienced linguist or as a beginner on our specially designed ‘ab initio’ pathway, you will explore literature, film, and cultural history from the medieval period to the present day.
Studying these subjects together allows you to place historical events within their linguistic and cultural contexts, and to see how language both shapes and reflects the world’s histories. Your third year abroad in a French-, German-, Portuguese- or Spanish-speaking country will give you the chance to apply your historical knowledge in real-world contexts, experiencing first-hand the societies you have studied.
Key benefits
- Our graduates get top jobs in a wide range of sectors, including law, business, government, heritage, finance and teaching.
- Study an unparalleled breadth of historical periods and regions, from medieval Europe to modern India, alongside specialist modules in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American literature, politics, history, film, and culture.
- Our language departments are consistently ranked among the best in the UK and offer our graduates excellent career prospects.
- You can study French, German, Spanish or Portuguese language either post A-level (or equivalent) or with no previous knowledge of the language (ab initio).
- Based in the heart of London, King’s location offers access to a variety of cinemas, galleries, theatres, world-class museums, collections, specialist libraries and resources, including the Goethe-Institut and Austrian Cultural Forum, the Institut français, Canning House, Camões Centre for Portuguese Language and Culture, and the Instituto Cervantes, as well as events organised by embassies and other related cultural institutions.
- The Year abroad in a French, German, Portuguese or Spanish-speaking country offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in culture and society and attain language fluency. We have exchanges with a wide variety of partner universities across Europe, in Martinique and Quebec, and in Middle and South American countries such as Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.
- Benefit from small-group teaching, personal attention from expert academics, and a friendly, stimulating atmosphere reflected in excellent student satisfaction ratings.
This course is really flexible and allows you to focus on whatever topic you’re most interested in, whether that’s medieval history and literature, or contemporary politics.
Course essentials
At King’s we offer you a lively and intellectually stimulating home in the heart of London where you will be taught by leading experts.
History at King’s is taught by one of the biggest history departments in the UK, with expertise covering every continent and all time periods since 300 AD. Our diverse syllabus and wide range of optional modules give you the freedom to shape your history degree to suit your passions and interests.
Our modern languages departments are consistently ranked among the best in the UK, and offer our graduates excellent career prospects. During this course, you will gain a high level of proficiency in speaking, writing and reading the language of your degree, whilst developing your knowledge and critical understanding of its culture and society.
Students can take this course either with an A-level (or equivalent) in the degree language, or as a beginner, following a specially-designed language course (known as ‘ab initio’ – ‘from the start’). This course offers a broad range of specialist modules in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, from medieval to contemporary literature as well as politics, history, cultural studies, and film.
The Year abroad in a French, German, Portuguese or Spanish-speaking country offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in culture and society and attain language fluency. We have exchanges with a wide variety of partner universities across Europe, in Martinique and Quebec, and in Middle and South American countries such as Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.
Special features
Study abroad
Key Information
Course type:
Joint honours
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time
Required A-Levels:
AAB
Duration:
Four years
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026
Application deadline:
06 September 2025
Administrative bodies
Regulating body
Base campus
Strand Campus
Strand Campus feels like the heart of London—historic yet buzzing with energy. Nestled by the Thames, it offers world-class academics, vibrant student life, and endless inspiration from the city’s culture and diversity.