Modern Languages (German and Italian) and International Relations

Studying two languages alongside international relations is an intellectually ambitious combination that reflects the reality of how international affairs actually work: through direct communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries, shaped by the histories, identities, and interests of specific national communities. At the University of St Andrews, the MA Modern Languages (German and Italian) and International Relations runs over four years of full-time study and includes a year abroad, giving you extended immersion in the linguistic and cultural environments of the languages you are developing.

As the current programme description notes, the German strand takes you to a high level of proficiency and allows you to explore the rich cultural heritage of the German-speaking lands across literature, history, politics, and culture. The Italian strand offers similar depth, engaging with one of Europe's great literary, artistic, and political traditions. Holding two major European languages to a high standard is a genuinely valuable professional qualification, particularly given Germany's centrality to European economic and political life and Italy's importance in European politics, culture, and the arts.

The international relations component introduces you to theories of international order, foreign policy analysis, security studies, global governance, and the political economy of international trade and finance, giving you the analytical frameworks to understand how states and international institutions behave in a complex world.

Graduates of this combination are exceptionally well placed for careers in diplomacy, the foreign office, international organisations including the European Union and United Nations, international law, international business, journalism with a European or global focus, and policy work in think tanks or public bodies engaged with European affairs. The combination of linguistic fluency, cultural understanding, and analytical knowledge of international politics is rare and consistently valued by employers operating across borders. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in European studies, international relations, translation, or area studies.

The year abroad deepens both the linguistic proficiency and the intercultural awareness that this demanding and rewarding programme develops.