Spanish and Latin American Studies

Spanish is one of the world's great languages, spoken by more than 480 million people as a first language and extending across Europe, Latin America, and parts of the United States and Africa. Combining it with Latin American studies is a natural pairing that adds depth and context to language learning, situating the Spanish you develop within the extraordinary diversity of the cultures, literatures, histories, and political traditions of the Americas. From pre-Columbian civilisations and colonial legacies to contemporary social movements and some of the world's most vibrant literary cultures, Latin America offers an endlessly rich subject of study.

At the University of Stirling this four-year, full-time programme develops your Spanish to a high level of proficiency while also introducing you to the history, politics, culture, and literature of Latin America in depth. You will read in the original Spanish works from some of the world's most significant writers and thinkers, and you will engage with the social and political realities of the region alongside its artistic and cultural achievements. A year abroad is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to spend time in a Spanish-speaking country and to develop your language skills in the immersive way that classroom study alone cannot replicate.

Graduates with this combination are well positioned for careers that require both Spanish-language proficiency and knowledge of Latin American contexts. Many move into roles in international business, diplomacy, development organisations, journalism, and international trade with a Latin American dimension. Translation, interpreting, language teaching, and cultural work are also common paths.

The growing importance of Latin American economies and the scale of Spanish-speaking populations globally makes this combination genuinely valuable for employers in a wide range of sectors. Further study in Spanish studies, Latin American studies, translation, or international relations is a natural next step for those who want to continue developing their expertise.