This four-year degree programme offers the exciting prospect of combining two contrasting, but often complementary, areas of interest. You will follow the core modules in Russian designed to help you develop your skills in writing and speaking that language as well as core modules in politics. In addition, you will normally spend a year abroad in a country where the language is spoken. Studying modern languages is about more than vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation: you will also immerse yourself in culture, spend time working or studying abroad and learn to understand the subtleties of communication. You will also spend a year abroad in the third year of your degree. This gives you an exceptional opportunity to develop your language skills among native speakers. If you are studying two languages you can divide your time between two countries, or spend a full nine months in one country, and three months over the summer vacation in the other. You have three main options for how to spend the year abroad: teaching English as a foreign language assistant; attending university abroad on an Erasmus exchange; or in the professional world, either on a work placement, with the School’s support, or independently, with the School’s approval.