English and Spanish & Latin American Studies

English literature and Spanish and Latin American studies is a combination that offers access to two of the world's richest and most expansive literary traditions, one rooted in the British Isles and spread across centuries of global influence, the other spanning the Iberian peninsula and an extraordinarily diverse and culturally rich Latin American continent. Studying them together develops not only deep expertise in the literature and culture of two languages but the kind of comparative literary sensibility that recognises both the distinctiveness of particular traditions and the connections that link different literary cultures across time and space.

At the University of Aberdeen, this four-year full-time degree with a year abroad draws on the university's strong reputation in English literature, language, and creative writing while integrating rigorous teaching of the Spanish language alongside the literature, history, and cultures of Spain and Latin America. You will study English literature across the breadth of the tradition, developing skills in close reading, literary criticism, and historical contextualisation. The Spanish strand builds genuine linguistic proficiency alongside engagement with literary and cultural texts from across the Spanish-speaking world, from Golden Age drama and the Latin American novel to contemporary film and cultural criticism.

The year abroad is integral to the programme, providing the immersive language experience that genuine bilingual literary competence requires.

Graduates are well prepared for careers in which literary knowledge, bilingual competence, and the analytical and communication skills of an English and languages degree are valued. Roles in publishing, journalism, broadcasting, education, literary translation, arts administration, the diplomatic and civil services, and international business all draw naturally on this combination. The creative arts and media sectors particularly value graduates who can operate across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in English literature, Hispanic studies, comparative literature, creative writing, or translation studies, building specialist expertise for academic or advanced professional careers.