Life at LLC

Find out what life’s really like in our School from the people who’re living it.

The School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) is one of the largest in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh.

We are proud to call ourselves a diverse, equal and inclusive community of people of all backgrounds, experiences, ages and abilities from all over the world.

Life at LLC brings together undergraduate students in 16 subject areas with taught postgraduate students, students on research degrees, and staff at all career stages.

From seminars to film screenings, theatre performances to wellbeing workshops, peer support schemes to reading groups, our fantastic students are involved in so much within the School and as part of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association. Let them tell you about it in their own words…

Putting the tee into translation

MA (Hons) Arabic and French student, Emma Penney, talks about the student-run charity SolidariTee and how translating for refugees has helped shape her future.

If you’re going to take one person’s careers advice…

Final year Scottish Studies student Euan Lownie tells us about his first book, ‘Never, Ever Take Anybody’s Advice on Anything’, featuring words of wisdom from successful Scots.

What do you learn from bringing a Japanese art exhibition to Edinburgh?

PhD in Japanese candidate Olivia Putyer tells us about the public engagement skills she’s developed through Venus Bound, a week-long exhibition of over 30 artworks.

Finding the study path that’s right for you

Fourth year student Natalie Hotchkiss talks about taking time out and changing degrees midway through her undergraduate programme.

The return of the noh masters

Japanese Studies students tell us about their involvement in Munenori Takeda’s visit to Edinburgh as part of a UK tour of performances and workshops.

Meet our Postgraduate School Rep: Xiaotong Ma

MSc student Xiaotong tells us why she stood in the Students' Association Postgraduate Elections, and how Translation Studies at Edinburgh has opened her mind to critical thinking.

What Hamish Henderson means to our students

Final year Scottish Studies student, Euan Lownie, reflects on the legacy of one of the most prolific contributors to the School of Scottish Studies Archives.

Breathing new life into Early Modern research

Literature and History PhD student, Thom Pritchard, talks to us about the student-run Edinburgh Early Modern Network of postgraduate students and staff.

Celebrating calligraphy

Our Korean Studies community reflects on a week of workshops and exhibitions jointly organised with the City University of Hong Kong and Seoul National University.

Judging the James Tait Black Prizes 2019: Karolina Oleśkiewicz

We chat to the Playwriting MSc student about the impact of the Drama Prize on her own creative development.

Off the Shelf – book history students push the boundaries

MSc Book History and Material Culture students, Amber Matthews and Hailey Brock, talk about the highlights and challenges of organising the mini-conference, Off the Shelf.

From cyberpunk to information science via our MA in Japanese Studies

Callum Sarracino, a fourth year student of Japanese, traces his journey from manga fan to speech contest prize winner and a Daiwa Foundation Scholarship.

What’s it like to help out at one of Edinburgh's leading European film festivals?

We talk to Film Studies MSc student Simon Galván about developing his skills at the fifth annual Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival.

Judging the James Tait Black Prizes 2019: Vivek Santayana

The PhD student and reader for this year’s James Tait Black Prizes reflects on being involved in 100 years of literary celebration.

Contributing to debates beyond borders

PhD student Gina Maya Roberts tells us what she’s learned about bringing a range of people together for an international conference on the transgender experience.

Judging the James Tait Black Prizes 2019: June Laurenson

The Lead Student Reader for this year’s James Tait Black Prize for Biography tells us about her experience of judging Britain's oldest literary awards.

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