Russian Studies and History, MA (Hons)

Studying Russian and History illuminates the past to inform the contemporary world, where around 150 million people speak Russian—official in four countries and prevalent in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, China, the US, Israel, and Western Europe.This joint honours programme develops advanced Russian skills (speaking, writing, reading, listening, translating), streamed by prior knowledge for beginners. Explore Russophone literature, culture, politics, and history alongside broad historical study across periods (early Middle Ages to present), regions (Britain, Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas), and approaches (political, cultural, social, economic, intellectual, gender, global). Edinburgh's vibrant festival city and historic setting enhances learning, with History taught since 1583 and Russian Studies since 1949 (Scotland's first). The four-year degree includes a Year Abroad, pre-honours flexibility, honours specialisation, and dissertation, fostering fluency and intercultural skills for global careers.