Spanish BA
Year of entry 2023
- UCAS code
- R410
- Start date
- September 2023
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 4 years full time
- Work placement
- Optional
- Study abroad
- See below
- Typical A-level offer
- ABB (specific subject requirements)
- Typical Access to Leeds offer
- BBC at A Level including B in Spanish and pass Access to Leeds
Full entry requirements - Contact
- lcsadmissions@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages and Spanish-speaking countries around the world are known for their rich cultures and economic potential.
Our specialist tutors will help you to develop your language skills to a very high standard, while offering an insight into the rich and cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world, including the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America.
Core modules will improve your spoken and written Spanish, as well as introducing you to the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world.
Optional modules cover topics such as national identities, race and ethnicity, cinema and history. You’ll be able to pick up practical skills such as translation and business language. You may also choose to learn Catalan or Portuguese.
This four-year degree includes a year abroad.
You’ll need an A-level (or equivalent) in Spanish to apply for this degree. You can study Spanish from beginner level with another language on the BA Modern Languages degree.
Specialist facilities
The official cultural institutes of the governments of Spain and Portugal – Instituto Cervantes and the Camões Institute – have branches on campus, as does the cultural arm of the Catalan autonomous government, Institut Ramon Llull.
This means you can participate in many cultural events such as Leeds Flamenco Cultural Week, attend poetry readings and film screenings, and take part in competitions and events.
Our Language Zone gives you access to free learning resources, including space for personal study, language learning software, and video, audio, books and magazines. You'll also have access to our translation computer labs equipped with specialist software and our interpreter training booths.
With four libraries on campus, you’ll find space for study, group work and research. The world class Brotherton Library holds a wide variety of manuscript, archive and early printed material in its Special Collections – valuable assets for your independent research. You’ll have access to free classes and workshops so you can learn how to use them.
Course details
You’ll spend your first year practising your written and spoken Spanish skills in core language modules, as well as being introduced to key aspects of Spanish and Latin American culture and history, and learning Portuguese or Catalan if you choose to do so. You’ll then build on this knowledge with a wider range of optional modules to choose from in the following year, including topics such as Spanish and Latin American history, translation, literature, cinema and popular music.
All of this prepares you for spending a year studying in a Spanish-speaking country, sharpening your language skills and absorbing the culture of your local community.
When you come back to Leeds, you’ll return with first-hand experience to shape your studies, as you take advanced language classes and select from more optional modules ranging from the use of Spanish in a business context to the stars and icons of the Spanish-speaking world. Some of your modules will be taught and assessed in Spanish.
You'll apply the critical skills you’ve developed to your Final Year Project, which you will research independently and produce with the guidance of an expert academic.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Practical Language Skills in Spanish 1 | 20 |
| Researching Spanish and Latin American Studies | 20 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
In addition, candidates are required to take at least ONE of the following optional modules:
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| The Historical Development of Spain and Hispanic America | 20 |
| Portuguese Language for Beginners 1A | 20 |
| Catalan Language and Culture I | 20 |
| Introduction to the Cultural Production of Spain and Spanish-America | 20 |
Year 2 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Practical Language Skills in Spanish 2 | 20 |
Year 2 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
Candidates will be required to study a minimum of 60 credits from the following optional modules:
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Black Europe | 20 |
| Global Environmental Humanities | 20 |
| Issues in Hispanic Cinema | 20 |
| Literature and the Arts in the Spanish-speaking World | 20 |
| Latin America since Independence (c1800 - c1930) | 20 |
| Translation Theory and Practice in a Spanish - English Context | 20 |
| The Spanish regional Melting Pot: the old same History? | 20 |
| Modern Spain (1868-1975) | 20 |
Year 3 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Year Abroad | 120 |
Year 4 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Practical Language Skills in Spanish 3 | 20 |
Year 4 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
Candidates are required to study ONE of the following Final Year Project modules.
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Representing the Holocaust: Transgression and the Taboo | 20 |
| Final Year Project: Dissertation | 40 |
| Final Year Project: Extended Translation | 40 |
| Final Year Project: Digital Documentary (Podcast) | 40 |
| Material Cultures and Cultures of Consumption | 20 |
| Adventures of the Imagination: Crime and the Fantastic Across Continents | 20 |
| Decolonial Approaches | 20 |
| Social Movements across Cultures | 20 |
| Minoritised Languages, Dialects and Cultures from Past to Present | 20 |
| Linguists into Schools | 20 |
| Spanish in an Economic and Business Context | 20 |
| Contemporary Spain: Politics, Culture and Society After Franco | 20 |
| Spanish-English Translation | 20 |
| Catalan Language and Culture III | 20 |
| Nationalism and Internationalism in the Spanish-Speaking World | 20 |
| Icons and Stars: Celebrity and Revolution in Spain and Latin America | 20 |
| Race and Representation in the Spanish-speaking world | 20 |
Discovery modules
Throughout your degree you will benefit from a range of opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside or within your subject area.
This course gives you the opportunity to choose from a range of discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Find out more about discovery modules on our Broadening webpages.
Learning and teaching
We use a range of different learning and teaching styles to help you benefit from the expertise of our tutors. They include lectures, seminars and tutorials, or occasionally workshops.
Independent study is crucial to the degree – it allows you to develop your research skills and critical thinking. We have excellent library resources that you can draw upon, and the University Library runs training programmes to help you use them effectively.
On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
We use various types of assessment. Exams and essays are a significant part of this, but in some modules you may also be assessed on components such as group work, reports, or oral presentations. We offer support in these areas as well – for example, we run extra classes on skills such as public speaking, structuring essays and exam techniques that you’ll be able to attend throughout your time at Leeds.
Entry requirements
A-level: ABB including A in Spanish.
Other course specific tests:
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ in a relevant subject this might be considered alongside other Level 3 qualifications and may attract an alternative offer in addition to the standard offer. If you are taking A Levels, this would be ABC at A Level including A in Spanish and grade A in the EPQ.
We welcome applications from mature students with Access qualifications, and from students with a wide range of qualifications.
Alternative qualification
Access to HE Diploma
Pass diploma with 60 credits overall, including at least 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. An interview and a piece of written work may also be required. This course has additional subject specific requirements. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
BTEC
We will consider the level 3 QCF BTEC at Subsidiary Diploma level and above in combination with other qualifications. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
M1, M1, M2 including M1 Spanish.
International Baccalaureate
34 points overall with 16 at Higher Level including 6 in Higher Level Spanish
Irish Leaving Certificate (higher Level)
H2, H2, H2, H3, H3, H3 including H2 in Spanish
Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers
BB in Advanced Highers and AABBB in Highers OR B in Advanced Highers or AAABB in Highers OR AABBBB in Highers
Welsh Baccalaureate
The Welsh Baccalaureate is not typically included in the academic conditions of an offer made to you for this course. If you choose to undertake the Welsh Baccalaureate we would strongly encourage you to draw upon these experiences within your personal statement, as your qualification will then be taken into account both when your application is initially considered by the selection panel and again when reviewed by the admissions tutor at the time your A-level results are passed to us.
Other Qualifications
European Baccalaureate: 75% including 8.5 in Spanish.
Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the School’s Undergraduate Admissions Team.
Alternative entry
We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.
Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.
Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.
Typical Access to Leeds offer: BBC at A Level including B in Spanish and pass Access to Leeds.
International
We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. Contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.
International Foundation Year
International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
Fees
UK: £9,250 (per year)
International: £22,250 (per year)
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2022/23
For UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2022/23 the fee will be £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students for 2023/24 have been agreed by the UK Government and will remain at the current fee level of £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.
Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 should be available on individual course pages from September 2022.
Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.
Applying
Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.
Read our guidance about applying.
International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023
This course is taught by
School of Languages, Cultures and Societies
Contact us
School of Languages, Cultures and Societies Undergraduate Admissions
Email: lcsadmissions@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:
Career opportunities
A degree in Spanish gives you proficiency in a global language that is spoken in many major economies. It also gives you an appreciation of their cultures and helps you to consider the language in context.
This high-level knowledge provides access to many careers, but you’ll also acquire a range of transferable skills that are highly desirable to employers. You’ll be a clear communicator with strong presentation skills, as well as being a critical thinker who draws your own conclusions from the information available to you. Your year abroad will demonstrate that you are independent and adaptable, while you’ll have skills in teamwork, research and time management.
Graduates have gone into careers in a wide range of careers both in the UK and overseas. They include retail, education, marketing, administration, teaching, translation, business and finance and journalism.
Others have studied for a postgraduate qualification in translating or interpreting to pursue language-based careers or continued to study Spanish language or culture to Masters level, either for a PhD and career in academia or to further their knowledge.
We are committed to helping you achieve your career ambitions. The School of Languages, Cultures and Societies careers and employability support includes promoting internships, providing opportunities to work for the School and employer-led workshops and events.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Study abroad and work placements
You’ll spend your third year in Spain or another Spanish-speaking country, immersing yourself in local culture and cultivating your language skills.
You could study abroad or take a work placement year.
Whatever you choose to do, you’ll gain new insight into a Spanish-speaking society as well as valuable experience of adapting to another culture. For many of our students, it’s the real highlight of their course.
Study abroad
We have partnerships with a number of universities in Spain and Latin America for you to spend your study abroad year.
Work placement
Alternatively, you could undertake a work placement or work as a language assistant in a school under the British Council’s programme.