Russian Studies and Philosophy

Russian studies and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh is a combination that brings together two disciplines with a great deal to say to each other. Russia has one of the richest literary and intellectual traditions in the world, from Pushkin and Tolstoy through Dostoevsky and Chekhov to the extraordinary creative and philosophical ferment of the twentieth century, a period in which Russian thinkers engaged with questions about freedom, history, suffering, language, and political legitimacy under conditions of quite exceptional intensity. Philosophy, concerned with the rigorous examination of the most fundamental questions, gives you the conceptual tools to engage with this tradition at its deepest levels, and Russian studies gives philosophy a rich and concrete cultural context in which these questions have been lived as well as thought.

Over four years of full-time study at Edinburgh, you will develop real proficiency in the Russian language alongside serious engagement with Russian literature, culture, history, and ideas. The philosophy strand takes you through epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, political philosophy, and the history of philosophy, training you to construct and evaluate arguments with care and precision. You will be able to read some Russian philosophical and literary texts in the original as your language skills develop, which opens up perspectives that translation inevitably narrows.

Edinburgh has long been a leading centre for both Slavonic studies and philosophy in the UK, and the combination of specialist academic expertise and a research-active intellectual environment is a significant advantage.

Graduates who have combined Russian and philosophy develop skills that are valued in an unusually wide range of contexts. Academic research at postgraduate level in Russian, Slavonic, or East European studies and in philosophy are natural paths. Careers in diplomacy, the foreign service, international organisations, and the NGO sector draw on the linguistic expertise and regional knowledge the degree provides.

Journalism, translation, publishing, and cultural work related to Russia and the wider Russian-speaking world are further options. The analytical and argumentative rigour developed through philosophy is valued in law, public policy, management consultancy, and many other professional fields.