Bulgarian and Russian

Bulgarian and Russian together provide access to two of the major languages of the Slavic world, one of the largest and most culturally rich language families on Earth. Russian is the language of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Akhmatova, the vehicle of a vast and influential literary and intellectual tradition, and a geopolitically essential tongue in the twenty-first century. Bulgarian, spoken by 11 million people in Bulgaria and the wider Balkans, is a language whose study opens a window into south-eastern Europe's rapidly developing economy and its complex political and cultural history.

At University College London, taught through the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, one of the largest departments in the UK for the study of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, this four-year full-time degree gives you excellent language skills in both Bulgarian and Russian alongside profound knowledge of the literature, history, and culture of these countries. You will develop the ability to speak and write in both languages at a high level, engaging with primary texts, cultural materials, and contemporary society in both traditions. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you immersive experience in one or both of the language communities you are studying.

Graduates with Bulgarian and Russian go on to careers in diplomacy, international business, journalism, translation, academia, the civil service, intelligence, and international organisations. UCL's reputation and London's position as a centre of international finance and culture provide strong networks for graduates entering these fields. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in Slavic languages, Eastern European history, or area studies, building on the distinctive expertise that this combination provides.