Russian Studies

Information for applicants and offer holders for our degree programmes in Russian Studies. Добро пожаловать!

I’m delighted that you are interested in studying with us and very much hope that you will join our community. 

Russian Studies was introduced as an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Edinburgh in 1949, the first of its kind in Scotland.  

Today, the University ranks 3rd in the UK for Modern Languages in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2025, and offers Russian Studies as a single honours degree, or jointly with one of 14 other humanities subjects, including seven other languages.  

We hope that the information we’ve provided will help you choose the right university and degree for you. 

Professor Alex Thomson, Head of School 

Degree programmes and structures

Need a refresher on the details of the degree programme you've applied for? Our Degree Finder provides more information about your programme, such as:

  • what you will study
  • where you will study
  • career opportunities
  • fees, costs and funding 

Russian Studies degree programmes: 2025 entry

 

A Degree Programme Table (DPT) provides comprehensive information about the structure of a degree programme, including both compulsory and optional courses. The detailed programme content for 2025/26 is available below.

 

Russian Studies degree structures 2025/26

Why study Russian Studies at Edinburgh?

Around 150 million people in the world speak Russian, which is the official language of four countries and is commonly understood throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In the last thirty years, Russian language and culture has also seen transnational mobility on an unprecedented scale.  

Study with us and you will develop advanced competency in Russian, gaining the spoken and written skills to use the language daily in social and professional settings. Our Year 1 Russian courses are streamed according to how much of the language you already know, so it does not matter if you are a complete beginner.  

Over the course of your studies, you will explore Russian and Russian-speaking (Russophone) literature and culture, past and present. Our courses also explore the international political and historical contexts which have shaped the Russia of today.  

Studying a language in context demonstrates that you are a good communicator, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas; what employers value as Intercultural Competence. Our Russian Studies graduates have gone on to careers in the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors around the world. 

Undergraduate degrees in Russian Studies

On all of our undergraduate degree programmes, you will: 

  • Study over four years, giving you choice, flexibility and the chance to try out other subjects. 
  • Study abroad in Year 3. Although we are not currently sending our students to Russia and Ukraine, we are still able to fully support you to spend the year in a country where you can use your language skills. If you’re taking Russian with another language, you’ll study elsewhere too. 
  • Learn at the heart of Scotland's capital city. When you are on campus, you’ll spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area; in class, in the library, or in one of our many social and support spaces. 
  • Get the chance to join societies related to what you're studying, including the Russian Speaking Society. We also have a creative writing magazine for European languages, giving you the opportunity to write, edit and publish in Russian. 
  • Delve into fantastic libraries and collections, including the extensive Russian holdings in the National Library of Scotland. 

Have you applied for a joint honours degree? Don't forget to look at the information for each of your subjects. 

Not sure which School looks after the other subject of your degree? Check our School list for information on the subjects they manage. 

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences: Schools and subjects 


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