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. As the world's largest country, Russia plays an important role in global cultural and political contexts. This makes Russian Studies and Social Policy an ideal joint honours combination.

On this joint honours programme, you will have the opportunity to develop advanced speaking, writing, reading, listening and translating skills in Russian. 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 four years, you will explore Russian literature and culture, past and present. You will also develop an awareness of Russia's international political and historical contexts.

You will focus on social and economic change, what causes it, and its consequences for society. Our programme reflects how policies are developed; for example, you will learn about the policy-making process in the UK. You will also study the influence of international bodies such as the EU and OECD. We deal with a wide array of policy areas, for example:* health and welfare * education and labour markets * family and childhood We work closely with:* governments * NGOs * third sector and interest representation groups * international organisations and other external actors International comparative analyses are one of our main strengths, and we place a strong emphasis on providing our students with empirical research skills.

Edinburgh is a world-leading festival city filled with cinemas, theatres, galleries, libraries and collections.A cultural powerhouse, it is also a political city - seat of the Scottish Parliament, and home to a range of embassies and consulates.Our four-year programme is flexible. In Years 1 and 2, as well as your core subjects, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines. You will then specialise as you progress through your honours years. When you graduate, you will have the combination of language and humanities skills, and the international perspective, valued by employers worldwide.