With interest growing in India's creative literature and Indian philosophy, linguistics and literary criticism, the study of Sanskrit is becoming vitally important. We are the only research department of this kind in Scotland, and one of only four in the UK. The latest Research Assessment Exercise confirmed the international significance of the work being undertaken by our staff and postgraduate students. You will be part of a community committed to exploring the linguistic and cultural aspects of this fascinating language. We can offer you supervision in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali language and literature, as well as links with the School of Divinity, if your area of interest includes the study of religions such as classical Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism. Purely linguistic research can also benefit from links with the Translation Studies area. Our current areas of interest include: Jainism, Prakrit language and literature, Sanskrit literature and literary theory and Theravada Buddhism. We also serve as the base for the Centre for South Asian Studies, through which various aspects of modern South Asia can be studied under the supervision of staff in several arts and social sciences departments. In addition, you will be encouraged to attend any undergraduate or masters courses you see as being appropriate to your research.