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Scottish Studies at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

Course summary

As Scotland's capital city and seat of the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh is the ideal place for Scottish Studies. On this interdisciplinary programme, you will explore what we can learn from Scotland's past and present, and how we can help shape its future. Based within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, you will discover how literature, music and the visual arts have helped to shape Scottish identity. Ethnographical courses will explore heritage, the creative arts and cultural expression. You will also consider the complex relationship between culture and politics, as you draw parallels with other countries. This takes advantage of the University of Edinburgh's excellent links with Scotland's key political, cultural and historical institutions. You can tailor your degree by choosing courses from a wide range of disciplines across the University that share a common interest in the study of Scotland. For example, you can opt to study aspects of:

  • Celtic civilisation and Scottish Gaelic
  • history and archaeology
  • politics and sociology
Whichever combination of courses you choose, you will apply arts, humanities and social sciences approaches in your learning. You will benefit from a close community of learners and teachers who are immersed in Scottish culture beyond the classroom. A highlight of the programme is the chance to work with the rich range of materials in the School of Scottish Studies Archives. These materials include thousands of hours of recordings of songs, music, stories, rhyme and verse in Scots, Gaelic and English, as well as in dialects now extinct. How long it takes to complete this degree programme This programme is studied over 4 years. 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. You will take courses on conceptualising, creating and visualising Scotland, and be introduced to the study of oral material from our archives. In addition to your core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This gives you the chance to study different aspects of Scotland, or other countries' political systems, histories, languages and cultures. Your final two years will be your honours years. They will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to Scottish Studies. Towards the end of your programme, you will complete a dissertation. Programme benefits
  • Learn in the heart of Scotland's capital city.
  • Take a truly interdisciplinary approach to the study of the nation.
  • Study over four years, giving you choice and flexibility.
  • Delve into fantastic libraries, archives and collections.
  • Join societies related to what you are studying.


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
Q501
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/443-scottish-studies

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/443-scottish-studies


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.

You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:

https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
64%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
86%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9535* Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535* Year 1
Scotland £1820* Year 1
England £9535* Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535* Year 1
Wales £9535* Year 1
EU £29600 Year 1
International £29600 Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. Please note the 2026-27 fee rate is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government. England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535. For 2026 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits. EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees. Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
Scottish Studies at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS