Spanish

Spain and the countries of Latin America together form a key economic and political presence on the international scene, and are known for their extraordinary cultural diversity and fascinating history.

Studying Spanish in the Department of Languages and Cultures is a life-changing experience that gives you an in-depth knowledge of the Spanish language and more broadly of the diverse cultures of the many countries around the globe where Spanish is spoken. You can study a wide range of optional modules in Spanish and Latin American culture, history, literature, politics and film with staff who are internationally recognised experts. 

In the latest National Student Survey, 98% of our students said teaching staff are good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, 97.87% of responders from the Department of Languages and Cultures.) Our researchers are also world-class – 100% of our research is of international standing (Research Excellence Framework 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions Modern Languages and Linguistics). In The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, the University is ranked 7th in the UK for Iberian languages.

You can study Spanish as one of the options in our BA Modern Languages programme: either on its own, in combination with another language, or with another subject, such as Economics, English, History, International Relations or Business.

In each year you will study a Spanish language module (starting from beginners, intermediate or advanced level in the first year, and achieving near-native fluency in the final year). Alongside the language module, you will take a number of cultural modules (the exact number of cultural modules you can take depends on whether you are studying Spanish on its own, or in combination with another language or another subject).

Our modules are inspired by the research expertise of our staff, who bring their in-depth knowledge of, and their passion for, Spanish and Latin American Studies into the classroom.

You will spend up to a year in a Spanish-speaking country (our year abroad destinations include placements in Latin America as well as Spain), studying at a partner institution, undertaking a work placement or working as a British Council language teaching assistant. This allows you to immerse yourself in the culture and develop your language to a high level. The core language module in the second year will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to work and live abroad.

By the time you graduate, you can expect to be able to write and speak fluently in Spanish. Well-qualified linguists are in short supply in the UK, so there has never been a better time to study a modern language. 96% of our graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22; includes first degree Languages and Cultures responders.)