Division of European Languages and Cultures
Russian

General Information

Russian at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland's oldest Russian department, is pleased to share with St Andrews University the privilege of having Scotland's highest number of undergraduate Russian students: we presently teach approximately 80 students. We have 2 full-time staff, 1 full-time language assistant who is a native Russian speaker, and 2 postgraduate students.

Russian, is a subject area of the Division of European Languages and Cultures, in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

Facilities

The University possesses a large library with good stocks in most aspects of Russian studies. The Russian section within the Division's own subject area libraries holds a comprehensive selection of text and reference works. All students have access to computer terminals which provide word-processing and computer-assisted language-learning facilities with the provision of cyrillic fonts, as well as networking for electronic mail, bibliographical searches and access to the World Wide Web.

We have a new satellite dish which enables us to receive several channels of Russian television, an opportunity which is still unique in the UK.

Location

We are situated in the David Hume Tower, overlooking George Square. We enjoy a view of almost the whole of the City of Edinburgh, a city without equal in its ability to delight students of every background and nationality.

Edinburgh's annual Festival makes it an international mecca of culture every August, and throughout the year this modern-day Athens of the North attracts top bands, clubs, operas, plays, and symphonies from around world.

Beyond the Curriculum

The Russian Society (run by the students) engages in a wide variety of activities, ranging from informal lunches, evening parties to play readings, Russian films and talks by guest lecturers.

In recent years, visitors have included a number of writers, scholars and journalists prominent in the recent changes in Russia.