Cambridge – Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic

The ‘Asnac’ course (as it is affectionately known) is distinctive to the University of Cambridge. The course focuses on the language and literature, history and culture of those living in Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages. The content of this flexible degree offers students the opportunity to combine a range of studies.

For three years, students will expand their historical knowledge, take classes in at least one language, and read literature such as Beowulf in antiquated languages from the period.

In your first year, you study a combination of historical and linguistic subjects such as Gaelic History and Old Norse (6 papers in total, from a selection of 10). In your second year, you have two options: either keep all six of these subjects; or replace up to half of them with dissertations or papers from parallel courses (in Archaeology, English or MML).

In your final year, you specialise even further, choosing just four subjects (from a selection of 17) and a dissertation. Again, you have the option to pick and choose papers from other courses.

The ASNC department is one of the smallest at Cambridge (with only 30-40 graduate students and 70-80 undergraduate students per year). Of these students, there is an almost equal balance between female and male applicants.

If you are considering an application to the ASNC course, it may be useful to take A-Level (or equivalent) subjects such as English, History, or a language, though prior historical or dialectical expertise is not necessary for study. The writing, research and investigative skills the degree promotes support a multitude of potential graduate paths, from academia to teaching, to curating and to the corporate world.