MA Comparative Literature and French and Russian
About this course
Comparative Literature and French and Russian is an intellectually demanding combination that asks you to read across linguistic and cultural boundaries, developing the critical tools to understand how texts from different traditions speak to one another and to us. Comparative Literature opens up literary study beyond the boundaries of a single national tradition, examining works of any genre and period across multiple languages, and asking questions about how literary form, meaning, and cultural significance travel and transform across time and place. French and Russian each bring you into contact with two of the most extraordinary literary traditions in the world, and together they span vast stretches of European history and cultural life. At the University of St Andrews, this four-year full-time programme draws on expertise from across the School of Modern Languages and beyond. Comparative Literature at St Andrews considers the relationships that exist between literatures around the world, allowing you to push at the boundaries of textual analysis and read without borders. Texts are approached in English translation as well as in the original languages where your proficiency allows, and the programme develops your capacity for literary and cultural analysis at a high level of sophistication. Your French and Russian studies develop linguistic competence alongside literary and cultural knowledge, covering modern and classical texts and situating them in their historical and social contexts. A year abroad is built into the programme, providing essential immersion in one or both language cultures and the opportunity to develop your spoken and written proficiency beyond what classroom study alone can achieve. With a typical entry tariff of 232 points, this is one of the most academically demanding programmes in the UK, reflecting the intellectual rigour expected at St Andrews. Graduates pursue careers in publishing, academia, translation, journalism, international organisations, diplomacy, the arts, and cultural policy, as well as professional roles in law, finance, and consulting where exceptional analytical and communication skills are valued.
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