Portuguese and Scottish Literature - MA (Hons)

The University of Edinburgh

For centuries, both Scottish and Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) cultures have had a significant international influence on literature. Today, alongside English, Portuguese is one of the world's ten most widely spoken languages.This joint honours programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills. As well as language learning, you will engage with a broad range of texts in English, Scots and Portuguese, and a variety of approaches to reading. You will also explore the relationship between literary texts and the construction of national, international and imperial cultures.We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working, and you will spend Year 3 in a Portuguese-speaking country.Combining the study of Portuguese and literature shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own. When you graduate, you will have the combination of a broad cultural education and the specialist knowledge that employers worldwide value.**Portuguese**On this programme, you will be immersed in an extraordinary range of literature, film, music and the arts from Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa.Intensive language training, including a year abroad, gives you the opportunity to develop advanced speaking, writing, reading and translating skills in Portuguese.Many of our graduates started as complete beginners. By the end of the programme, you will be able to demonstrate a range of linguistic and critical skills and crucial intercultural competencies.**Scottish Literature**Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, which many Scottish writers have called home, you will study in the oldest department of literature in the UK, one of the longest-established in the world.You will gain the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose and explore the cultural contexts of writing in English and Scots from the late Middle Ages to the present.At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres.**How long it takes to complete this degree programme**This programme is studied over 4 years, including a year abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to studying core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of subjects and disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme.Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 studying abroad, gaining lived experience of Portuguese-speaking culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Portuguese and Scottish Literature.**Programme benefits*** Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital, a UNESCO World City of Literature.* Study over four years, including one abroad.* Become fluent in a major global language.* Try out different subjects in your first two years.* Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.* Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.

School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures