Modern Languages (German and Persian) and International Relations

Combining German and Persian with international relations creates a degree of unusual range and depth. German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe and the language of one of the world's major economies, a powerhouse of engineering, finance and manufacturing with extensive global reach. Persian opens access to a literary and cultural tradition of extraordinary richness and to the politics and societies of Iran, Afghanistan and the wider Persian-speaking world.

International relations brings an analytical framework for understanding how states, institutions and non-state actors interact on the world stage.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, which for a languages degree is an essential experience. You will develop both German and Persian to a high level of proficiency alongside literary and cultural study in each tradition. The German strand explores the rich cultural heritage of German-speaking lands across literature, history and contemporary politics.

The Persian strand gives you access to classical and modern Persian literature and contemporary social and political developments across the Persian-speaking world. The international relations component provides theoretical frameworks for understanding diplomacy, security, globalisation and the politics of the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.

You will develop advanced language skills in two significantly different languages alongside the analytical capabilities of international relations, making you an unusually versatile graduate.

Graduates go into careers in diplomacy, international organisations, intelligence services, journalism, academia, international business and organisations working across Europe and the Middle East. Many continue to postgraduate study in modern languages, international relations, area studies or translation.