MA Russian Studies and English Language
UCAS code: QR37
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: Full-time
School: Literatures, Languages and Cultures
College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Introducing MA Russian Studies and English Language
Around 150 million people in the world speak Russian. It is the official language of four countries, is widely understood throughout Eastern Europe, and in the last thirty years has seen transnational mobility on an unprecedented scale.
This programme offers you the opportunity to study Russian in its cultural context while exploring how the English language has changed over time.
Combining the linguistic and cultural study of languages demonstrates that you are a good communicator, a resilient problem solver, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas – what employers value as intercultural competence.
Russian Studies
Study Russian with us, and you will learn the language alongside Russian literature and culture, as well as developing an awareness of Russia's political and historical contexts.
Our Year 1 courses are streamed according to how much Russian you already know, so it does not matter if you are a complete beginner.
Intensive language tuition, including a year spent studying abroad, will teach you how to read, write and speak the language to a high standard, including in translation.
English Language
The English language has a well-recorded history of more than 1,000 years, and its changes can be traced through written materials ranging from medieval manuscripts to text messages, and more recently, through recordings of spoken English.
Your studies will develop your knowledge and understanding of:
the principles of theoretical linguistics
the way we learn language
the regional and social variations of language, particularly the English language
methods of communication
As part of the programme, you can opt to study the Scots language, which has its own rich linguistic and literary tradition.
English Language courses of particular interest to students of Russian cover:
the speech sounds of the world's languages
variation in the languages of the world
One of the most attractive characteristics of this four-year programme is its flexibility.
In Years 1 and 2, your pre-honours years, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines in addition to your core subjects of Russian Studies and English Language.
As well as broadening your education and skill set, this may enable you to change the focus of your programme in Years 3 and 4, your honours years.
Year 1
Russian
If you have no previous knowledge of Russian you will take Russian Studies 1A, an intensive beginners Russian course.
If you have studied the language before, you will take the Russian Studies 1B course which provides advanced Russian language study.
Both of these courses include a unit on Russian culture.
English Language
You will take two semester-long introductory courses in English language.
Linguistics and English Language 1A offers a brief introduction to the study of language in general and of English in particular.
Linguistics and English Language 1B will help you develop the tools and knowledge needed to investigate the different subsystems of language in a systematic way.
Option courses
You will complete your Year 1 studies with option courses chosen from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
You can, for example, opt to study another language. We offer one of the widest ranges of languages of any UK university - the majority are suitable for complete beginners and include cultural study.
Other options include, but are not limited to, courses in:
business, economics and informatics
politics, social policy and social anthropology
art and architectural history
history, classics and archaeology
Celtic and Scottish ethnology
linguistics and language sciences
philosophy, divinity and law
(Revised 18 October 2022: removed reference to the opportunity to take a summer language course after completing Year 1)
Year 2
Russian
You will continue to study Russian language, and will choose one of the following three courses:
Transnational Russian Culture
19th century Russian literature
20th century Russian literature
English Language
You will also take a course looking at linguistic theory and choose between a course on:
the variation in English over time and across geographical space
the structure and history of world languages
Option courses
As in Year 1, you will also choose option courses from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
These include a great selection in European languages and cultures, allowing you to study literature, film and theatre in themed and comparative contexts.
Year 3
If international travel restrictions allow, you will spend Year 3 in a country where Russian is spoken, improving your language skills and undertaking independent study.
Although we are not currently sending our Year 3 students to Russia and Ukraine, we are still able to fully support them to spend the year studying abroad. This year, for example, we have students at Liden & Denz Intercultural Institute of Languages in Riga, Latvia.
Studying abroad will enable you to use your Russian daily and engage with Russophone, Eastern European and other cultures. This will be a great opportunity to develop skills that you will use in Year 4 and after university.
You will complete prescribed work in both English Language and Russian Studies to ensure continuity for your final year. For example, you will take an e-learning language course which will count as part of your Year 3 mark and prepare you for your final year Russian courses.
If international travel is not possible, you will be offered alternative ways of engaging with your subjects, enabling you to meet your learning outcomes and prepare for your final year.
(Revised 16 January 2023 to update study abroad information)
Year 4
You will develop advanced language skills in spoken and written Russian.
You will also choose from a wide range of specialist, honours-level courses in both Russian and English Language.
You will complete your dissertation.
Programme structure
Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.
To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.
Our facilities
On campus
When you are on campus, you can expect to spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area - in class, in the library, in the lab, or in one of the University’s many social spaces.
The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.
Take a virtual tour of the Central Area
Libraries, collections and specialist equipment
Based in the Main University Library, the Centre for Research Collections is unique in the UK. The centre brings together a collection of more than 400,000 rare books and six kilometres of archives and manuscripts. It also houses the University’s collections of art, historical musical instruments and other objects.
The Library also holds books, journals and databases for the study of Russian, including around 14,400 titles in the Russian language. E-resources include Russian newspapers, TV and radio channels.
Our specialist linguistics and phonetics equipment ranks among the best in the world. It includes:
recording studios
a perception experiment laboratory
an eye tracking laboratory
Events and activities
The Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led societies and clubs. These include the Russian Society and LingSoc - the Linguistics and English Language Society.
From making friends in language cafes to campaigning on global issues, these student-led groups offer lots of ways to engage. EUSA also promotes opportunities with local charities through its volunteering centre.
Staff and student editors publish creative writing in nine European languages – including Russian – in the online magazine, Babble. Launch nights typically include readings and performances.
Our Princess Dashkova Russian Centre runs many academic and public events, including the Honorary Dashkova and Honorary John Erickson lectures.
The PPLS Skills Centre primarily provides support with writing essays and dissertations, but also offers appointments on programming, data collection, and statistical analysis.
In the city
Edinburgh is a world-leading festival city filled with cinemas, theatres, galleries, libraries and collections, including significant Russian holdings in the National Library of Scotland.
The city's European cinema scene is particularly strong. Its venues often screen films and hold events as part of the annual UK-wide Russian Film Week.
Study abroad
If international travel restrictions allow, you will spend Year 3 abroad (a minimum of 30 weeks), in a country where Russian is spoken.
This is your chance to immerse yourself in Russophone and Eastern European culture, and to develop your broader life experience and skills towards life after university.
How will I learn?
You will be taught by experienced tutors including world-leading research academics.
Russian is taught in small groups and much of our teaching material is tailor-made for student requirements.
You will receive timely feedback on your work and will be offered individual as well as group consultations.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams.
Skills and experience
Combining the linguistic and cultural study of languages demonstrates that you are a good communicator, a resilient problem solver, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas – what employers value as intercultural competence.
Beyond the language and linguistic skills you will develop on this joint honours programme, and the nuanced understanding you will gain of other cultures and societies, graduating with a four-year Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh shows high-level intellectual strength and flexibility.
The skills you will be able to demonstrate to employers when you graduate include the ability to understand, analyse and articulate key concepts, and to work to varied briefs to deadline, both independently and in groups.
Opportunities at home and away
Around 150 million people in the world speak Russian, which plays an important role in global cultural and political contexts. It is the official language of four countries and is widely understood throughout Eastern Europe. There are also large communities of Russian-speakers in China, the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Norway and the UK.
Our graduates can be found in every kind of career, especially those that place a premium on thinking that is both disciplined and imaginative. Wherever you are based in the world, your skills will make you stand out.
Within the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors, previous graduates have gone on to career pathways in:
business, finance and commerce
communications, marketing, advertising and public relations
education, outreach, advocacy and training
journalism, broadcasting and media
leisure, tourism and travel
politics, policy work, diplomacy, civil service and law
publishing, culture, heritage and the arts
research, development and venture acceleration
translating and interpreting
Speech and language therapy (with additional training)
Further study
The enhanced research skills you will develop on a four-year programme, particularly in your honours years, are a valuable asset if you wish to continue studying at postgraduate level.
At the University of Edinburgh, we typically offer Masters by Research degrees in both Russian and English Language. Our taught MSc programmes typically include:
Comparative Literature
Intermediality
English Language
Applied Linguistics
Careers advice
We have an excellent Careers Service. Throughout your time with us, we will encourage you to identify and hone your employability skills, including through peer initiatives such as Life After LLC (Literatures, Languages and Cultures) where you can draw inspiration from our graduates.
Standard entry requirement
The standard entry requirement is:
- SQA Highers: AABB-ABBB by end of S5 or AAAB-AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
- A Levels: AAB - ABB.
- IB: 36 points with 665 at HL - 34 points with 655 at HL.
Minimum entry requirement
The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:
- SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
- A Levels: ABB.
- IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.
More information for widening access applicants
Required subjects
The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:
- SQA: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: a language other than English at B and English at C.
- A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: a language other than English at B or 6 and English at C or 4.
- IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: a language other than English at 5 and English at 5.
Additional requirements
Language requirement
For degrees that have a subject requirement of a language other than English, students may not use their own native language to meet this requirement. In these instances, English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.
Find out more about entry requirements
International applicants
We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
International Foundation Programme
If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.
International Foundation Programme
Mature applicants
We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
SQA, GCSE and IB
For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:
- SQA National 5 at C
- SQA Standard Grade at 3
- GCSE at C or 4
- Level 2 Certificate at C
- IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 54 in each component.
We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.
English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.
It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.
Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees for MA Russian Studies and English Language
Additional costs
As long as international restrictions allow, you will spend Year 3 abroad. The costs incurred will depend on where you decide to go, and how you spend your time.
Some study placements at language schools may charge a fee, but we will normally reimburse you for tuition costs as long as your activity has been approved. You will be responsible for associated travel costs such as flights and visas.
Funding
For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.
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- Russian Studies and English Language (MA) QR37
- Russian Studies and English Literature (MA) RQ73
- Russian Studies and History (MA) RV71
- Russian Studies and History of Art (MA) RV73
- Russian Studies and Linguistics (MA) RQ71
- Russian Studies and Philosophy (MA) RV75
- Russian Studies and Politics (MA) LR27
- Russian Studies and Scandinavian Studies (MA) RR76
- Russian Studies and Social Policy (MA) RL74
- Russian Studies and Spanish (MA) RR74
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12 degrees in Russian Studies
- Russian Studies (MA) R700
- Russian Studies and Classics (MA) RQ78
- Russian Studies and English Language (MA) QR37
- Russian Studies and English Literature (MA) RQ73
- Russian Studies and History (MA) RV71
- Russian Studies and History of Art (MA) RV73
- Russian Studies and Linguistics (MA) RQ71
- Russian Studies and Philosophy (MA) RV75
- Russian Studies and Politics (MA) LR27
- Russian Studies and Scandinavian Studies (MA) RR76
- Russian Studies and Social Policy (MA) RL74
- Russian Studies and Spanish (MA) RR74