Chinese Studies and International Relations and Russian

Chinese studies, international relations, and Russian is one of the most ambitious and rewarding combinations a student can pursue, bringing together two of the most geopolitically significant languages of the twenty-first century alongside the analytical frameworks for understanding how states, international institutions, and global forces interact. China and Russia are two of the most consequential actors in contemporary world affairs, and the ability to engage with their languages, cultures, histories, and political systems in depth gives you a perspective that is genuinely rare and consistently in demand in international careers.

At St Andrews this four-year programme gives you substantial time to develop both Chinese and Russian to meaningful levels while also engaging rigorously with international relations theory and practice. Your Chinese studies will go beyond language and literature to include visual and popular cultures, broadening your understanding of China's extraordinary cultural complexity and its global influence. You will study Russian language and the literature, history, and contemporary affairs of the Russian-speaking world alongside the theoretical and empirical study of international relations, from security studies and diplomacy to international political economy and global governance.

The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself in one or both language environments.

This combination positions you for careers in diplomacy and the foreign service, intelligence and security, international journalism, international business, think tanks, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations. Competence in Chinese, Russian, and a rigorous understanding of international relations is a distinctive and valuable combination for employers operating in complex geopolitical environments. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in international relations, area studies, Chinese or Russian studies, or security and strategic studies.