BA Serbian/Croatian and Yiddish
About this course
Serbian/Croatian and Yiddish is one of the most unusual and intellectually stimulating language combinations available at undergraduate level in the UK, bringing together two language traditions that are geographically and historically distinct but share in different ways the experience of displacement, survival, and cultural resilience. Serbian and Croatian are closely related South Slavic languages, with a shared literary and linguistic heritage shaped by the turbulent history of the Western Balkans, from the medieval states of Serbia and Croatia through the Ottoman and Habsburg eras to the Yugoslav period and its aftermath. Yiddish, a Germanic language written in the Hebrew alphabet and spoken by Ashkenazi Jewish communities across Eastern Europe and beyond, carries one of the great literary and theatrical traditions of modern Jewish culture, as well as a history defined by migration and catastrophic loss. At University College London, this four-year full-time programme develops proficiency in both languages alongside serious engagement with the literary, historical, and cultural contexts that produced them. You will read texts from both traditions, study the linguistic structures of each language in depth, and engage with the history of the communities whose lives and experiences are reflected in what they wrote. UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies is one of the leading centres in the world for the study of the languages and cultures of Eastern Europe and the Jewish world, and the programme benefits from a research culture of genuine international distinction. A typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the demanding and specialised nature of the degree. Graduates of this combination are exceptionally well placed for careers in diplomacy, journalism, academic research, translation, archival work, museum and heritage roles connected to Jewish history and Balkan studies, and policy work related to Eastern Europe. The rarity of the combination is itself a professional asset.
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