French and Spanish

French and Spanish together give you access to two of the world's most widely spoken and culturally significant languages. French is an official language of twenty-nine countries, a language of diplomacy and international institutions, and a gateway to some of the richest literary and intellectual traditions in European culture. Spanish is the world's second most widely spoken native language, used across Spain, Latin America and increasingly in the United States, and it opens access to an extraordinary breadth of literary, artistic and political history spanning more than five centuries.

Studying both in combination is a genuinely powerful qualification for an increasingly interconnected world.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year and work placement opportunities, giving you sustained professional experience in contexts where your languages are directly used. You will receive intensive grammar and conversation classes in both French and Spanish, building towards near-native precision and fluency, alongside optional units covering history, politics, literature, popular culture and linguistics from the Early Modern period to the present. The programme is designed to develop both high-level linguistic competence and deep cultural and intellectual understanding of the societies in which these languages are embedded.

Graduates with French and Spanish have an exceptionally versatile qualification. Careers in translation and interpreting, international business, diplomacy, journalism, broadcasting, law, the European institutions, NGOs and international development organisations are all natural destinations. Language teaching in the UK and abroad is another major route.

The breadth of cultural and analytical education the degree provides also equips graduates for careers in publishing, communications, marketing and public affairs. Postgraduate study in applied linguistics, translation studies or area studies is a well-supported option for those who wish to specialise.