Spanish and History of Art

Spanish and History of Art is a combination that has a particular natural coherence, because Spain and Latin America have produced some of the most significant art in the Western tradition, from El Greco and Velázquez to Goya, Picasso, and Frida Kahlo. Studying the history of art while developing advanced Spanish allows you to engage with that tradition not only through critical analysis but through the language and cultural context in which it was created. The pairing also opens the much wider Hispanophone world, where visual culture, film, and design intersect with political history and literary tradition in distinctive ways.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time programme takes you to an advanced level in Spanish while giving you rigorous training in how art is analysed, interpreted, and situated in its historical and cultural context. You will study the history of visual art from the medieval to the contemporary, engaging with painting, sculpture, architecture, and photography across different periods and traditions. The Spanish component covers language, literature, and the cultures of Spain and Latin America.

Edinburgh's art history programme is well regarded, and the city's museums and galleries, including the Scottish National Gallery, provide a living laboratory for visual analysis.

Graduates from Spanish and History of Art work in museums, galleries, auction houses, arts administration, journalism, publishing, and cultural diplomacy. The Spanish language adds real value in organisations with collections, programmes, or markets extending to Spain and Latin America. Many graduates enter postgraduate study in art history, curatorial practice, or Latin American studies.

Others move into journalism, communications, or the creative industries where their combination of visual literacy and language skills is an asset. Teaching, both of Spanish and in arts education more broadly, is also a well-established career path.