Mediaeval History and Persian

Medieval History and Persian is a pairing that opens a window onto a world that is usually studied in fragments: the joint civilisation of Europe and the Middle East that shaped the medieval period in ways that neither could have produced alone. Persian, or Farsi, is not simply a modern language but a classical literary and intellectual tradition of extraordinary depth, one that carried Greek philosophy into the Islamic world, produced great poetry, and shaped the culture of much of what is now Iran, Central Asia, and beyond. Studying it alongside medieval history allows you to engage with the full breadth of the medieval world, including the Middle East and Central Asia, whose absence from conventional European-centred curricula leaves the period only partially understood.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year, full-time MA programme teaches you to engage with sophisticated modes of thought and expression across medieval Europe and the Middle East. You will grapple with complex historical questions, develop skills in working with primary sources in their original contexts, and build an understanding of the historical background that continues to underlie contemporary events and identities. Alongside this, you will develop your Persian language skills and engage with the classical literary and intellectual tradition it carries.

A year abroad is available, giving you the opportunity to study in another country and to deepen your engagement with the languages and cultures you are studying through direct experience.

The combination develops rare and valued skills in both historical analysis and linguistic and cultural competence. Graduates go on to careers in academia, heritage, museums, archiving, diplomacy, intelligence, journalism, publishing, and the civil service. The deep historical and linguistic knowledge the degree provides is also relevant to roles in international organisations and NGOs operating in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in medieval history, Persian studies, Islamic history, or area studies.