Russian (year abroad)

Join a flourishing, friendly, and inclusive community with a proven track record of excellence in teaching

Study Russian at Scotland’s oldest university and gain the communication, cultural, and analytical skills that global employers value.

Develop advanced language ability, explore vibrant Russian‑language literature and culture, and open doors to careers in journalism, government, security, marketing, and more.

Excel with St Andrews

The School of Modern Languages at St Andrews is consistently rated among the best in the UK. St Andrews is 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for Russian and East European languages in the Complete University Guide 2026.

Supportive, small-group learning

At St Andrews, core language modules develop your Russian language competence and confidence.

• Russian is open to beginners and those who studied it as a main subject at school.

• Small-group tutorials allow students to work with tutors to practise speaking, reading, and writing Russian. Language tutorials typically have 10 to 14 students.

• Advanced modules in later years help all students establish a sound knowledge and use of Russian.

Modern, research-based approach

St Andrews offers an imaginative, challenging, modern, and diverse approach to Russian studies giving you a research-based knowledge of Russian-language literature and culture. Recent optional modules include:

• Utopia/Dystopia in Russian Literature and Culture

• Eastern European Modernisms

• Soviet Culture Under Stalin

• Russian Children's Literature, 1900-2015

• Theatre and Performance in Russophone Cultures

• Russian Crime Fiction

Integrated year abroad option and study abroad placements

You can combine your Russian studies with time abroad to further develop linguistic skills, intercultural knowledge, and self-confidence. Options include:

• Working for a year in Estonia or Kazakhstan.

• A shorter period studying at a partner institution in Estonia, Canada, or the USA.

Study Russian with other languages or subjects

You can take Russian as a single-subject honours degree or combine it with another subject that best reflects your academic interests and career plans.

• You can take Russian with one or two other languages or Comparative Literature as part of a double- or triple-languages honours degree.

Many students combine Russian with another subject such as Economics, History, International Relations, or Management as part of a joint honours degree.