Russian Studies and Philosophy MA (Hons)

Studying Russian and Philosophy together helps you understand the contemporary world, and also sheds light on the past.<br/><br/>Philosophy has been at the core of Western intellectual life for at least 2,500 years. A number of philosophical movements originated in Russia, and many Russian-speaking writers are also widely known as philosophers.<br/><br/>Today, around 150 million people in the world speak Russian. It is the official language of four countries, and is widely understood throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. There are also large communities of Russian-speakers in China, the United States, Israel and Western Europe.<br/><br/><strong>Russian</strong><br/><br/>On this joint honours programme, you have the opportunity to develop advanced speaking, writing, reading, listening and translating skills in Russian.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>You will explore Russian and Russian-speaking (Russophone) literature and culture, past and present. You will also develop an awareness of Russias international political and historical contexts.<br/><br/><strong>Philosophy</strong><br/><br/>Studying philosophy will:<br/><br/><br/>* allow you to think about some of the great philosophical questions in a clear, disciplined and systematic manner<br/><br/><br/>* introduce you to the thinking of some of the great philosophers of the past and present<br/><br/><br/>* illuminate the connections between diverse areas of human experience<br/><br/><br/>* make you more aware of the assumptions that form the basis of your beliefs<br/><br/><br/><strong>Why Edinburgh</strong><br/><br/>As a world-leading festival and capital city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study a language in its cultural context.<br/><br/>The University of Edinburgh has been giving lectures in Russian Studies since 1919, with a degree course introduced in 1949; the first of its kind in Scotland.<br/><br/>We also have a strong historic connection to philosophy, counting Adam Ferguson and Sir William Hamilton among our former students.<br/><br/>Today, graduating with a degree in Russian Studies and Philosophy gives you the combination of language and humanities skills and an international perspective valued by employers worldwide.<br/><br/><strong>How long it takes to complete this degree programme</strong><br/><br/>This programme is studied over 4 years, including a Year Abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.<br/><br/>Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to your core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This gives you the chance to build your intercultural awareness in other areas of the arts, humanities, social sciences and beyond.<br/><br/>Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 studying abroad, gaining lived experience of Russophone culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Russian Studies and Philosophy. You will also further develop your Russian language and translation skills and write a dissertation.<br/><br/><strong>Programme benefits</strong><br/><br/><br/>* Take the oldest programme of its kind in Scotland.<br/><br/><br/>* Study over four years, including one abroad.<br/><br/><br/>* Become fluent in a language.<br/><br/><br/>* Try out different subjects in your first two years.<br/><br/><br/>* Join societies related to what you are studying.<br/><br/><br/>* Delve into fantastic libraries and collections. <br/>