Italian and Spanish

Italian and Spanish sit side by side in the Romance language family, sharing Latin roots, cognate vocabulary and parallel grammatical structures, while diverging in accent, idiom, culture and history in ways that make studying them together genuinely illuminating. Between them, they give you access to hundreds of millions of speakers across Europe, Latin America and the wider world, as well as to two of the richest literary and cultural traditions the European canon has to offer. At the University of St Andrews, this four-year MA (Hons) programme develops both languages to a high level of communicative and analytical competence, situating language learning within a serious engagement with literature, film, history, politics and culture.

You will explore the language and literature of Italy and the Spanish-speaking world, reading authors and engaging with films, artworks and cultural debates that span many centuries and multiple continents. St Andrews's strong research culture in modern languages means that your teaching is grounded in current scholarship, and the small-group environment encourages close engagement with both texts and ideas. The programme includes a year abroad, which you will spend in one or both of the relevant language communities, typically at a partner university.

That period of immersion is intellectually and personally formative, and most students consider it the highlight of their degree.

Graduates of combined Romance language programmes are highly regarded by employers for their linguistic range, cultural awareness and analytical capability. Careers include international business, diplomacy, translation and interpreting, the civil service, law, journalism, education, publishing, and the creative industries. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in linguistics, Hispanic studies, Italian studies or comparative literature, and some go on to academic careers.

The breadth of linguistic and cultural competence you develop is a lasting professional asset.