Modern Languages (Persian and Russian) and English

Persian, Russian, and English is a triple combination that opens access to three entirely distinct literary and cultural traditions, each with a depth and richness that rewards serious study. Persian, one of the world's great classical languages with a literary heritage spanning more than a millennium, is the key to Iranian civilisation and to the cultural worlds of Central Asia and the Persian-speaking diaspora. Russian gives access to one of the most celebrated literary and intellectual traditions in the world alongside the political and cultural dynamics of the world's largest country.

English literature brings a third tradition, illuminating through comparison what makes each of the three distinct.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year full-time MA (Hons) allows you to take Persian in combination with Russian and English as part of a triple honours degree, since Persian is not offered as a single honours subject at St Andrews. You will develop proficiency in Persian and Russian alongside advanced engagement with English literature, studying language, culture, history, and literary texts across all three traditions. A year abroad is part of the programme, giving you the opportunity to deepen your language skills and cultural understanding through immersion in a different academic environment.

Graduates with expertise in Persian and Russian alongside English hold a rare and valuable combination of skills for careers in diplomacy, the foreign service, intelligence and security agencies, international journalism, translation and interpreting, academic research, and organisations working across Central Asia, Iran, Russia, and the broader post-Soviet region. Postgraduate study in Iranian studies, Slavonic and East European studies, translation studies, and comparative literature is a natural progression for those who wish to develop their expertise further.