The MLitt in Iranian Studies offers students the opportunity to study the history, politics and international relations of Iran in a diverse and intellectually stimulating environment.
Postgraduate; leading to a Master of Letters (MLitt)
Iranian Studies did not run in the 2017-2018 academic year. If you started this programme in 2016, you can find information about 2016 entry on the 2016 Iranian Studies page. Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
One year full time
A good 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a subject-related area. Students do not need knowledge of the Persian language for admission.
If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
UK and EU: £8,500
Overseas: £17,600
Applications are accepted until shortly before teaching starts in September. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
The MLitt in Iranian Studies is a one-year taught programme run by the School of History. It introduces students to major themes, concepts and questions including aspects of methodology and historiography, and questions of nationalism, religion and social structures, as well as an outline of Iran’s place in the region and the broader international community.
The taught programme includes a compulsory module introducing students to the study of Iran, with further module options in Iranian history, politics and language.
The modules are taught through seminars, lectures and fortnightly tutorials, with class sizes ranging from individual supervision up to 12 students. The modules are assessed through coursework or a combination of coursework and examination.
Students will spend the final three months of the course focusing on researching and writing the final assessment piece for the MLitt, a dissertation of not more than 15,000 words.
The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2017–2018 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2018 entry.
Students take two of the following modules:
If students choose the language option they also need to take the following module:
Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August.
If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt.
The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2018 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.
The School of History hosts the Middle East History and Iranian Seminar Programme. Seminars are held at 5.15pm in the Old Seminar Room, 71 South Street, St Andrews (unless otherwise noted).
The Institute of Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews also provides a public lecture series.
The School of History is pleased to be able to offer a number of competitive scholarships which contribute to the fees and maintenance for postgraduate study.
In addition to the MLitt, the School offers a two-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree option in Iranian Studies.
Many of our graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere. PhD Applications are welcomed in a broad range of research topics relating to the history, politics and international relations of Iran.
Recent Graduate Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews.
Arts and Humanities Research Council studentships
The AHRC offers studentships at RCUK rates for PhD research in a range of subjects including history.
History postgraduates go on to pursue careers in a range of sectors including journalism, publishing, think tanks, government, law and teaching.
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
School of History
University of St Andrews
St Katharine’s Lodge
The Scores
St Andrews
KY16 9BA
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2907
Email: pghist@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy.
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online. (PDF, 72 KB).
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online. (PDF, 84 KB).
St Andrews has two postgraduate prospectuses - one for taught courses and one for research programmes. Both prospectuses are available for you to view and download.