Persian
Modern Persian is the national language of countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It is the second language of the Middle East and the Islamic world, making it highly valuable across this geopolitically and economically important region.
Persian studies at St Andrews emphasise:
- modern language
- literature
- drama
- visual culture and cinema
- classical literary and historical texts.
![Azadi Tower in Tehran by Hooperag [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]](/assets/university/schools/school-of-modern-languages/images/azadi-tower-tehran.jpg)
Undergraduate
Postgraduate taught
Postgraduate research
The School of Modern Languages offers PhD, MPhil, and MSt (Res) research programmes. Research interests in the School cover many aspects of language studies, including:
- literature
- linguistics
- cinema
- history
- gender
- identity studies.
To apply, you should first identify and contact a potential supervisor you would like to work with in your intended research area. Find out how to contact a research supervisor.
“I picked up Persian in the first semester and it has turned out to be an exciting, engaging and thorough course. There is a fair amount of work to get you to a high standard relatively quickly, but the staff are very supportive and invested in their students.”
- West Lothian, Scotland
Awards
First in Scotland and second in the UK for languages and linguistics
Guardian University Guide 2023
83% of research activity rated 3* or 4*
Most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)
School of Modern Languages
The School offers a truly global approach with specialists across eight languages – Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian and Spanish – as well as Comparative Literature.
Expertise spans from the Middle Ages to the present day and includes prose, poetry, theatre, film, history, translation, and material culture.
The Department of Persian within the School excels in student-focused teaching and has well-established links throughout the University, including with the Schools of History and International Relations.
Studying in St Andrews
The University offers a variety of flexible entry options in order to allow all students, regardless of background or personal circumstances, to apply.
Scholarships and funding options are available at every level of study.
St Andrews has variety of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Visit St Andrews
If you’re interested in studying at St Andrews, join us at a visiting day or talk and tour to explore the town, find out about our courses and meet current students. You can also join us for one of our upcoming online events.
