Persian is considered to be one of the major languages in the Middle East and Central Asia. Dari, spoken in Afghanistan, and Tajik, spoken in Tajikistan, are local variants of Persian. Together, these languages serve as the first language for more than 120 million individuals. This places Persian among the top 20 most widely spoken native languages worldwide.

Studying Persian provides individuals with a chance to immerse themselves in a rich and diverse culture that has given rise to renowned epic and Sufi poets, exquisite miniature paintings, fine textiles, and world-class cinema. Additionally, it serves as a gateway to modern Iran, a vibrant society situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Social anthropology involves the comparative examination of human behavior and ideas within their social, cultural, religious, and political contexts. While this subject matter intersects with that of sociology, human geography, and development studies, it is also closely connected to history and philosophy.

At the University of Edinburgh, students will have the unique opportunity to learn from esteemed researchers who are internationally recognized leaders in their field. They will also engage in original anthropological research, which may involve library-based studies or fieldwork.