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St Andrews Courses – 2026-27 Yearlong

If you have questions about the academics or courses available on this program, locate the Program Advisor to email them your questions directly.

Academics

USAC’s partnership with the University of St Andrews provides you with the rich opportunity to study at one of the top universities in the world. In general, students take 60 St Andrews credits per semester, which is equal to 15 U.S. credits in the semester system. The Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Divinity both allow students to enroll in 50-70 credits, and the Faculty of Science allows 55-75. The Faculty of Medicine is not open to USAC students. Courses are typically 15 to 30 St Andrews credits each. Courses are subject to availability and approval of prerequisites which are determined by the University of St Andrews.

Areas of Study at the University of St Andrews (subject to change):

Faculty of Arts

  • Art History
  • Classics
  • Economics and Finance
  • English
  • History
  • International Relations
  • Management
  • Modern Languages
  • Philosophical, Anthropological, and Film Studies

Faculty of Divinity

  • Biblical Studies
  • Hebrew
  • Theology

Faculty of Science

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Geography and Sustainable Development
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Psychology and Neuroscience

Courses of Interest to Study Abroad Students (subject to change)

The following courses provide a local or regional perspective and may be of interest to study abroad students:

  • 20th Century and Contemporary Poetry in Great Britain and Ireland (fall)
  • A People's History of Scottish Classics (fall)
  • Black and Asian British Writing (spring)
  • Britain in the 1920s and 1930s: Aspects of Everyday Life (spring)
  • Celtic Modernisms (fall)
  • The Economics of Scottish Independence (spring)
  • From Hogarth to Sickert: British Painting and the Theatre (spring)
  • The Kingdom of the Scots, c.900-1707 (spring)
  • The Medieval Castle (spring)
  • Media and Politics in Britain, c. 1850-1939 (fall)
  • Microhistories of a Global Nation: Scotland, c.1707-1843 (spring)
  • Normans, Natives, and Norsemen: Scotland, c. 1050-1250 (fall)
  • Natural History, Museums, and the Public (fall)
  • Older Scots Literature to 1560 (spring)
  • Rewilding and Restoration Ecology (spring)
  • Scotland, Britain, and Empire, c. 1700-2000 (fall)
  • Scotland and the Pacific World, c. 1788-1914 (fall)
  • Scottish Music (spring)
  • Sustainable Scotland (spring)
  • Writing Scotland: Creative and Critical Approaches (fall)

    Vertically Integrated Projects

    USAC students can apply to participate in a credit-bearing Vertically Integrated Project (VIP), which is an ongoing research project led by an academic supervisor and conducted by a team of students. Research teams consist of approximately 6-20 students and are interdisciplinary in nature, with members working across different subject areas and levels of study. Research topics vary by semester, but previous topics have included artificial intelligence, biodiversity, history, social media, sustainability, and more. For a list of current projects, visit the University of St Andrews VIPs webpage.

    The VIPs application process is competitive, and placement cannot be guaranteed. Students will not learn of the outcome of their VIPs application until very close to the program start date.

    Course Descriptions

    To obtain course syllabi, click on the link(s) below and follow the prompts to specific course information. Please contact the USAC Advising department if you have difficulty finding the information.

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