Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to make an original, positive contribution to research in Russian Studies. Join our interdisciplinary community and undertake your PhD under the guidance of our experienced and well-published supervisors. The first lecture in Russian was given at the University in 1919, and Russian Studies was introduced as a degree programme in 1949, the first of its kind in Scotland. Research excellence In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research in Russian Studies was submitted in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Panel D - Arts and Humanities Unit of Assessment 26). The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities - third in the UK. As published in Times Higher Education's REF power ratings, this result is based on the quality and breadth of our research in the unit of assessment. Our staff have received many prestigious research awards including the AHRC-awarded projects ‘Global Russians: Transnational Russophone Networks in the UK’ (2016-2021) and ‘Reconfiguring the Canon of Twentieth-Century Russian Poetry, 1991-2008’ (2010-2013). Our expertise covers a wide range of areas, including: social, political and cultural perspectives on Russian language transnational Russian culture Russian literature media film studies theatre studies comparative literature Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Russian Studies Across the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) and the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between languages and/or disciplines, including: linguistics politics translation studies Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures Over the course of your PhD, you will be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words. You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge. Read our pre-application guidance on writing a PhD research proposal Go beyond the books Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen. Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research. Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work