Russian Studies and Linguistics - MA (Hons)

The University of Edinburgh

Around 270 million people in the world speak Russian. It is the official language of four countries, and is widely understood throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. There are also large communities of Russian-speakers in China, the United States, Israel and Western Europe. Russian Studies and Linguistics makes an excellent joint honours choice by combining the study of: * a modern language in its cultural, historical and political context * the expression and creation of meaning, and how language works On our programme, linguistics course options of particular relevance to language students cover: * sociolinguistics - the relationship between language and society * variation in the languages of the world * first and second languages acquisition * Global Englishes When you graduate, you will have the combination of broad cultural education and specialist knowledge valued by employers worldwide.

On this joint honours programme, you have the opportunity to develop advanced speaking, writing, reading, listening and translating skills in Russian. Our Year 1 and Year 2 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 when you join us. You also have the option to take a course in Ukrainian Language and Cultures in Year 2. You will explore Russian and Russian-speaking (Russophone) literature and culture, past and present. You will also develop an awareness of Russia's international political and historical contexts. You will spend Year 3 in a country where Russian is spoken.

Linguistics examines how language works, describing how sounds, words, sentences and conversations combine to express and create meaning. You will also study different aspects of language, including: * its uses in everyday life * how its use varies across society and evolves over time * how it is mastered by children As you progress through the programme, you will have the opportunity to plan and test scientific hypotheses about linguistic phenomena using specialist linguistics and phonetics equipment.

* Study over four years, giving you the choice and flexibility to try out different things. * Go abroad for the first of your honours years - Year 3. * Build up to fluency in the Russian language and specialise in different aspects of Russian studies and linguistics as you move through your degree. * Explore fantastic libraries and collections at the University and in the city. * Join societies, attend events, and try your hand at creative writing, publishing and more. * Gain the skills and confidence for life after university.