Russian Studies and Spanish

This joint honours programme is your opportunity to study two of the world's most widely spoken languages in their global cultural contexts.

Between them, Russian and Spanish are spoken by over 500 million people. Beyond Europe, Spanish is spoken in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Russian throughout Central Asia. Both languages have growing numbers of speakers in the United States and China.

No previous knowledge of either language is needed, as we stream our Year 1 courses depending on prior experience. Through intensive language study, including a year abroad, you will have the opportunity to acquire advanced spoken and written skills in both Russian and Spanish.

In addition to your language classes, you will explore aspects of Russian-speaking and Spanish-speaking cultures. Courses cover literature, film and theatre from around the world, studied in historical, political and social context.

Why Edinburgh

As a world-leading festival and capital city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study languages in their cultural context.

We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme. It doesn't matter if you spend the whole year studying, or combine study with a work placement.

Both Russian and Spanish have been taught at the University since 1919, and our Russian degree programmes were the first of their kind in Scotland when introduced 30 years later.

Today, graduating with a degree in Russian Studies and Spanish from Edinburgh gives you the blend of specialist knowledge and intercultural skills valued in a range of careers around the globe.

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 the Russian and Spanish languages and in the study of Russophone and Spanish-speaking history and culture. 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.

Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 abroad, gaining lived experience of different cultures. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Russian studies and Spanish and Latin American studies. You will also further develop your language and translation skills and write either a long essay or a dissertation.

Programme benefits

• Learn in an historic, capital city where both Russian and Spanish have been taught for over a century.

• Study over four years, including one abroad.

• Become fluent in two major languages.

• Try out different subjects in your first two years.

• Join societies related to what you are studying.

• Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.