For centuries, both Scottish and Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) cultures have had a significant international influence on literature. Today, alongside English, Portuguese is one of the world's ten most widely spoken languages.
This joint honours programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills. As well as language learning, you will engage with a broad range of texts in English, Scots and Portuguese, and a variety of approaches to reading. You will also explore the relationship between literary texts and the construction of national, international and imperial cultures.
We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working, and you will spend Year 3 in a Portuguese-speaking country.
Combining the study of Portuguese and literature shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own. When you graduate, you will have the combination of a broad cultural education and the specialist knowledge that employers worldwide value.
Portuguese
On this programme, you will be immersed in an extraordinary range of literature, film, music and the arts from Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa.
Intensive language training, including a year abroad, gives you the opportunity to develop advanced speaking, writing, reading and translating skills in Portuguese.
Many of our graduates started as complete beginners. By the end of the programme, you will be able to demonstrate a range of linguistic and critical skills and crucial intercultural competencies.
Scottish Literature
Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, which many Scottish writers have called home, you will study in the oldest department of literature in the UK, one of the longest-established in the world.
You will gain the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose and explore the cultural contexts of writing in English and Scots from the late Middle Ages to the present.
At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres.
How long it takes to complete this degree programme
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.
Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to studying core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of subjects and disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme.
Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 studying abroad, gaining lived experience of Portuguese-speaking culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Portuguese and Scottish Literature.
Programme benefits
Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital, a UNESCO World City of Literature.
Study over four years, including one abroad.
Become fluent in a major global language.
Try out different subjects in your first two years.
Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.
Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.
The following entry points are available for this course:
This degree programme has a subject requirement of a language other than English. You may not use your own native language to meet this requirement. English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.
Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course.
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 92 | total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | total 176 with at least 162 in each component. | |
| Trinity ISE | ISE II with distinctions in all four components. |
Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website: https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language
The University of Edinburgh welcomes students from the UK and all over the world. We accept a wide range of qualifications and our policies support students with diverse backgrounds and experience. UCAS entry grade data is currently not available for our degrees but we publish admissions statistics on our website. We also provide information on widening access offers and entry requirements.
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
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The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820 | Year 1 |
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £29600 | Year 1 |
| International | £29600 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.
England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) students commencing or continuing their studies in September 2026, the tuition fees will be £9,790. This is subject to Parliamentary approval and is an increase of £255 on the fee rate for academic year 2025-2026.
EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.
Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
Visit our website Visit our course page
Have a question about undergraduate study?
Email:futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:0131 650 1000
