MA English and Italian
About this course
English and Italian brings together the study of two of the great literary traditions in the world. English literature encompasses writing from the medieval period to the present, across poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction, and studying it closely develops the interpretive, analytical and argumentative skills that literary criticism demands. Italian opens access to a literary, cultural and linguistic tradition of extraordinary richness, from Dante and Petrarch through Machiavelli and Leopardi to the great twentieth-century writers, alongside the contemporary culture of one of Europe's most significant nations. Studying both gives you a doubled perspective on how language creates meaning and how literature reflects and shapes human experience. At the University of St Andrews you will study English and Italian over four years of full-time study, developing close reading and analytical skills across both literary traditions while building genuine proficiency in the Italian language. You will learn to read texts across a range of genres and historical eras in both English and Italian, considering the ideas, human values and historical forces that have shaped literature in both traditions. A year abroad is built into the programme, providing immersive engagement with Italian language and culture in an authentic setting. The typical tariff of 200 reflects the academic demands of a dual-discipline programme at one of the UK's most selective and research-intensive universities. Graduates work in education, publishing, translation and interpreting, journalism, international business, the civil service, cultural organisations, arts administration and a wide range of roles where strong language, reading and analytical skills are valued. Italian language proficiency is particularly valuable in cultural diplomacy, fashion and design industries, international law, and organisations with significant Italian or European dimensions. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in English literature, Italian, comparative literature, translation studies or education, and the combination of close literary reading and language competency is a genuinely distinctive and valued graduate profile.
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