Italian and Philosophy

Italian and philosophy is a combination that connects two traditions that have been deeply intertwined throughout European intellectual history. Italy has been one of the great creative centres of Western civilisation, from the philosophy of antiquity through to the humanism of the Renaissance, the political thought of Machiavelli, the scientific revolution of Galileo, and the modern philosophical traditions of Croce and Gramsci. Italian culture, language, and thought have shaped how Europe understands beauty, politics, religion, and the arts, and studying them together means you see each more richly than either alone provides.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time programme develops your proficiency in Italian alongside serious engagement with philosophy, one of the core disciplines of the Western intellectual tradition. You will develop your ability to read and communicate in Italian at a professional level while also studying the history of philosophy from antiquity through to the contemporary, engaging with epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of mind. The combination develops both the linguistic and cultural intelligence that Italian provides and the analytical precision that philosophy demands, producing graduates with an unusual breadth of intellectual capability.

Graduates pursue careers in academia, journalism, the civil service, law, publishing, arts administration, and international organisations, as well as in roles where Italian language skills give direct professional value, including trade, diplomacy, and work in Italy and the wider Italian-speaking world. Postgraduate study in philosophy, Italian studies, European studies, and translation is a natural progression for those who wish to develop their expertise or pursue research, and Edinburgh's strong philosophy and languages departments provide excellent preparation for competitive postgraduate programmes.