Central & East European Studies/Scottish Literature
Central and East European studies combined with Scottish literature is an intellectually unusual combination that connects two quite distinct but equally rich regional traditions. Central and East European studies examines a region that has witnessed dramatic transformation across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as the University of Glasgow's own description captures: war, revolution, and widespread social and economic change produced a turbulent history, and the collapse of communism unleashed a process of profound social change that continues today in the rise of populism, the Russo-Ukrainian war, and instability across the Caucasus and Central Asia. Scottish literature, meanwhile, invites you to engage with the literary tradition of Scotland in its full linguistic richness, including writing in Scots, Gaelic, and English, from the medieval period through to the present day.
The University of Glasgow offers this combined degree on a part-time basis, suited to students who need flexibility around work or other commitments. A year abroad option is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to study in a Central or Eastern European country and engage directly with the region you are studying. You will develop skills in historical, political, and cultural analysis of Central and Eastern Europe alongside the literary analysis and critical reading skills that Scottish literature demands.
The combination is distinctive and interdisciplinary, connecting two regions that are both shaped by complex histories of language, identity, and cultural self-assertion.
Graduates with this combination work in education, journalism, policy, heritage, cultural organisations, international development, and a range of roles where knowledge of Central and Eastern Europe or Scottish culture is a specific advantage. Postgraduate study in Slavonic studies, Scottish literature, European politics, or cultural studies is a natural direction for those wanting to develop specialist expertise.