Modern Languages (Persian and Spanish) and Ancient History (With a year abroad)

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in Persian along with modules from your chosen joint subject.

Typically, you will take one Persian module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).

Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.

Course information may change. Module information and course content, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at the University of St Andrews. We display the most up-to-date information possible, but this could be from a previous academic year. For the latest module information, see the module catalogue.

• First year

  Students are required to take the following compulsory modules in their first year:

  • Persian for Beginners 1: familiarises students with the spoken and written forms of Persian and enables them to begin to read basic authentic texts and to produce simple sentences to express themselves in written and spoken Persian.
  • Persian for Beginners 2: continues the lessons from Persian 1 and provides an introduction to elementary translation and interpretation between Persian and English.

• Second year

  Students are required to take the following compulsory modules in their second year:

  • Intermediate Persian 1: consolidates students’ understanding of Persian grammar and vocabulary and allows students to read more sophisticated texts in Persian and to translate them to English.
  • Intermediate Persian 2: applies language work across passages from contemporary and modern writing selected for their relevance to the understanding of contemporary issues, language and thought in Iranian culture.

• Honours

  If you take Persian in your third and fourth years, you will have four compulsory modules in the Persian language across two years. In addition to these four compulsory modules, you will choose from a variety of advanced options which incorporate literary, historical and cultural studies into language learning.

  Modules at Honours level offered in previous years have included, but are not limited to:

  • Introduction to Classical Persian Literature
  • Key Texts in Modern Persian Literature
  • Modern Iran through Cinema
  • Modernity and Iranian Drama
  • Songs of Love and Revolution

  In fourth year, students have the option of doing a dissertation module. This can be