Russian Studies and History MA (Hons)

After a period of political, social and economic transformation, Russia is playing an increasingly important role in global politics and, as the world’s largest country, has its fifth most widely spoken language. Studying Russian and History helps us understand the world in which we live now, as well as shedding light on the past. On this joint programme, you will learn the Russian language in the context of Russian culture and political history, past and present, including literature, art, music and film. You will also study the human past more broadly, interacting with evidence in primary form, and through critical reading of a wide body of historical writing. In Years 1 and 2, you will choose option courses drawn from a broad list of disciplines in addition to your core subjects. In your Honours years (Years 3 and 4), you will study research-led courses selected on the basis of your own interests in both Russian Studies and History. The Edinburgh experience is distinctive for the range of historical themes, chronological periods and geographical areas you can choose from. Our Year 1 Russian courses are streamed according to how much of the language you already know, so it does not matter if you are a complete beginner. Intensive language tuition, and a year spent studying in Russia, will teach you how to read, write and speak the language to a high standard, including in translation.