This course designed to provide both academic excellence and vocational development a balance that is highly sought after by employers in today's intellectual and professional industries. Employers need multilingual communicators who can speak with people on the same cultural wavelength. Becoming a Birmingham languages graduate takes you there. Russia is an important global player, having undergone fascinating changes. Western businesses are spending billions investing in Russia and other former Soviet markets, and need employees who can both speak the language and understand the history, politics and culture of the region. University of Birmingham students are part of academic elite and learn from world-leading experts. We will challenge you to become an independent and self-motivated learner, qualities that are highly sought after by employers. 90% of our Modern Languages students enter work or further study within six months of graduation (DLHE 2016). During your degree, you will acquire skills and knowledge that are highly prized by employers in many sectors, including: Strong communication skills in English and Russian; an appreciation of the past and how this impacts on the present; a deep understanding of other cultures; Critical thinking skills, alongside the ability to research, analyse and interpret information; Independence and experience of living abroad; Leadership and teamwork; Handling complex information; The ability to form concise and articulate arguments; Managing your time and prioritising your workload. You will benefit from events in both departments whereby graduates return to campus to talk to current students about their careers, how to find opportunities and the variety of roles available to both linguists and historians. Recent speakers have held high-profile roles at the BBC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Modern Languages curriculum also has an increased focus on professional development in areas such as; presenting, CV-building, debating, and developing digital projects in the target language.