Why study Persian?
Persian is one of the languages of the Middle East and Central Asia. It is known as Farsi in Iran, Dari in Afghanistanand Tajik in Tajikistan. It has about 62 million native speakers, ranking it among the world's 20 most widely spoken first languages; another 50 million or more speak it as a second language. Persian is an Indo-European language, related to English, French, German, and Russian, but written in an Arabic script.
Studying Persian provides an entry into a rich and diverse culture that produced major epic and Sufi poets such as Ferdowsi, Rumi and Hafez, exquisite miniature painting, fine carpets and world-class films. Since Persian has not changed significantly in over a millennium, the basic grammar for the classical and modern forms of the language is virtually the same and is relatively easy to learn.
Why study Persian at Edinburgh University?
Persian studies at the University of Edinburgh offers students the opportunity to attain proficiency in the Persian language as well as to study the history, literature, society and politics of Iran, Afghanistan, Persian-speaking Central Asia, and the Persian diaspora. The major advantage of Persian studies at Edinburgh University is that it offers an MA degree in joint degree courses with Arabic, Anthropology, or Politics or is one subject of joint honours 'individual subject combination' degrees. Studying Persian has been a valuable experience for many students at Edinburgh University, enabling them to explore the life and culture of the Middle East, especially Iran, where the media does not cover all aspects of Persian culture.
Outcome:
The Persian language courses at the University of Edinburgh are complemented by offerings in Persian literature and culture. Courses in this programme offer a broad range of social, cultural, and historical subjects; the degree programme includes a semester of study abroad (normally in Iran). Graduates of the University of Edinburgh have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in a number of subject areas such as, Politics, Islamic Studies, and International Relations. Others have gone on to employment in different fields such as journalism, international agencies, the Civil Service, international business and diplomatic service.
Joint honours degrees
In addition, Persian may be one subject of an individual subject combination joint-honours degree.
