Mediaeval History and Spanish

Medieval history and Spanish is a combination that traverses enormous distances in time and space, from the Latin chronicles of monastic Europe and the Arabic texts of the medieval Islamic world to the living language and literature of Spain and Latin America today. Medieval history asks you to engage with sophisticated modes of thought and expression across a period of European and Middle Eastern history that stretches from the fall of Rome to the early Renaissance, demanding careful attention to primary sources, historical context and the complexity of past societies on their own terms. Spanish develops high-level proficiency in one of the world's most widely spoken languages alongside literary and cultural knowledge of the Hispanic world.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, which for both disciplines is genuinely productive: it may involve studying at a Spanish or Latin American university, or engaging with medieval archives and sites in continental Europe. You will examine medieval politics, society, religion, warfare and culture across a broad geographical range, including the Iberian Peninsula, where Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities produced some of the most complex cultural encounters in European history. The Spanish strand develops your language skills from reading medieval texts to contemporary written and spoken Spanish.

You will develop research skills in both historical and linguistic modes, the ability to engage with original sources in Latin, medieval Spanish or Arabic, and the critical writing skills that both disciplines demand.

Graduates go on to careers in education, heritage, archives, museums, international organisations, diplomacy, journalism, publishing and the cultural sector. Postgraduate study in medieval history, Hispanic studies, or area studies is a common route for those who want to develop further.