Modern Languages (French and Spanish) and International Relations

Studying modern languages alongside international relations is one of the most genuinely demanding and rewarding combinations available at undergraduate level. Languages give you the tools to engage with the world on its own terms, while international relations provides the conceptual frameworks for understanding how states, institutions, and non-state actors interact across borders. Together they produce graduates who can read the world in more than one register and who bring both linguistic competence and analytical depth to questions of global politics, diplomacy, and cooperation.

At St Andrews, this four-year MA (Hons) programme in French, Spanish, and International Relations develops language skills to a high level in both French and Spanish, encompassing literature, linguistics, and the diverse cultures of the Francophone and Hispanic worlds. Alongside this, you will engage with the core debates of international relations, including theories of the international system, the causes of conflict and cooperation, the role of international law and institutions, and the politics of global inequality. A year abroad is a central feature of the programme, giving you extended immersive experience in French and Spanish-speaking contexts that deepens both your linguistic fluency and your understanding of the societies you are studying.

The career pathways open to graduates of this combination are broad and often highly competitive. Diplomacy, foreign policy, and international civil service roles draw strongly on precisely this mix of language ability and political knowledge. Journalism, international development, NGO work, and cross-border legal practice are further common destinations.

Graduates also move into business roles where international communication and cultural intelligence are at a premium, including in consultancy, finance, and global trade. Postgraduate study in international relations, European studies, translation, or area studies is also a well-trodden path from programmes of this kind.