One of the most attractive characteristics of this four-year programme is its flexibility.
In Years 1 and 2 your pre-honours years you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines in addition to your core subjects of Russian Studies and History of Art.
As well as broadening your education and skill set this may enable you to change the focus of your programme in Years 3 and 4 your honours years.
Year 1
Russian
If you have no previous knowledge of Russian you will take Russian Studies 1A an intensive beginners Russian course.
If you have studied the language before you will take the Russian Studies 1B course which provides advanced Russian language study.
Both of these courses include a unit on Russian culture.
History of Art
You will study History of Art 1. This course covers the period from the fall of the Roman Empire until the end of the Counter-Reformation. It will include non-western material.
Option courses
You will complete your Year 1 studies with option courses chosen from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
You can for example opt to study another language. We offer one of the widest ranges of languages of any UK university. The majority are suitable for complete beginners and include cultural study.
Other options include but are not limited to courses in:
linguistics and language sciences
business economics and informatics
politics social policy and social anthropology
art and architectural history
history classics and archaeology
Celtic and Scottish ethnology
philosophy divinity and law
(Revised 19 October 2022: removed reference to the opportunity to take a summer language course after completing Year 1.)
Year 2
Russian
You will continue to study Russian language and will choose one of the following three courses:
Transnational Russian Culture
19th century Russian literature
20th century Russian literature
History of Art
You will study History of Art 2 which begins with the 18th century and continues to the present day.
Option courses
As in Year 1 you will also choose option courses from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
These include a great selection in European languages and cultures allowing you to study literature film and theatre in themed and comparative contexts.
Year 3
If international travel restrictions allow you will spend Year 3 in a Russian-speaking country improving your language skills and undertaking independent study.
To ensure your experience is as beneficial as possible to your final year you will also complete prescribed work in both History of Art and Russian. For example you will take an e-learning language course which will count as part of your Year 3 mark and prepare you for your final year Russian courses.
If international travel is not possible you will be offered alternative ways of engaging with your subjects enabling you to meet your learning outcomes and prepare for your final year.
Year 4
You will develop advanced language skills in spoken and written Russian.
You will also choose from a wide range of specialist honours-level courses in both Russian and History of Art.
You will complete your dissertation.
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