Undergraduate study

Choose from a range of four-year MA honours degrees in Chinese and Japanese.

Your learning at a glance

  • You can study either Chinese or Japanese to degree level with us. You can take each subject as a single honours degree, or choose from a wide range of joint honours programmes.
  • You’ll complete a four-year Master of Arts (MA) degree, including a year abroad. This is an excellent way to turn classroom learning into lived experience.
  • You’ll study your chosen language and culture across a range of periods and disciplines. Courses cover film, literature, politics, history, and more. 
  • You’ll be part of a large community of language learners in Asian Studies and the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures. 
  • You’ll typically be based at the heart of the University of Edinburgh, in the city’s historic centre, close to the Main University Library and the National Library of Scotland.

Undergraduate study | Chinese

Learn Modern Standard Chinese while exploring China's history, literature, culture and politics, its place in East Asia, and its international relations.

Undergraduate study | Japanese

Learn Japanese while exploring Japan's history, culture and politics, its place in East Asia, and its international relations.

Get to know us better

Photo of teacher Fumiko accepting an award

Thinking of joining us this year or next? Explore what it's like to study and live in Edinburgh. 

Talk to a current student

Chat with an undergraduate University of Edinburgh student

QS World Rankings by Subject 2025

Graphic of a person with a phone and the words #3 in the UK World Top 15

The University of Edinburgh is ranked 3rd in the UK for Modern Languages and Arts & Humanities.

Globally, we’re in the World Top 15: Arts & Humanities (10) and Modern Languages (13).

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics.

They are International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approved.

The Complete University Guide 2025

The University of Edinburgh is ranked 2nd for Asian Studies in The Complete University Guide - Subject League Table 2025.

The Complete University Guide ranks the best 130 universities in the UK on measures such as:

  • student satisfaction on undergraduate programmes (including Chinese and Japanese)
  • research quality
  • graduate prospects

Where to next?

Take me to all undergraduate study options in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

 

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