BA

Italian and Spanish

BA Italian and Spanish Code RR43 Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

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Key Facts

RR43

  • UCAS Tariff

    120 - 104

  • Course duration

    4 years

Available for September start 2025

Further details on entry requirements

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Do you consider yourself to be a European and global citizen? If the answer is yes, our Joint Honours degree in Italian and Spanish is the course for you. Grasp this opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of the language and culture of two of the oldest civilisations in Mediterranean Europe. By studying for this degree, you will develop competence across the full range of linguistic skills in Italian and Spanish. You will also explore the society and culture of Italy and Spain through our broad range of options.

During your third year, you will embark on the biggest adventure of your life so far. You will live abroad and will be able to take advantage of a wealth of opportunities to hone your linguistic skills as you immerse yourself in the language and cultural richness of the Italian and Spanish communities of your chosen destinations, and make new friends while you're at it.

By the end of the course, you will have a portfolio of transferable skills that are highly valued by employers, and there will be a broad range of careers open to you at home and abroad.

Course Overview

Why study Italian and Spanish at Aberystwyth University?

  • Aberystwyth is a small town with a big heart and a cosmopolitan outlook. As a vibrant and friendly University, we attract students from all corners of the world, and the intimate atmosphere makes it a great place to get to know people.
  • You will easily find people with whom to practise your Italian and Spanish and you might want to take advantage of Aberystwyth University's Language Exchange Platform for tandem learning. Learners work together with a partner from another country or with one who speaks the language they wish to learn in an informal setting.
  • We're a small, friendly department and we get to know our students well. Our lecturers are always on hand if you need to discuss anything.
  • All students in our department thrive in our multilingual environment. We teach most of our modules and classes through the target language, many of our teaching staff are native speakers and all are experts in their respective languages.
  • From the outset, you will receive a minimum of 4 hours of language tuition per week in each of the target languages, plus modules on Italian and Spanish culture taught in the target language. All our classes are designed to provide you with the solid foundation to enable you to become fluent in Italian and Spanish and to gain a deep knowledge of Spanish and Italian culture.
  • This degree is available to students who wish to study Italian from complete Beginners level together with Spanish post-A level. For the Italian half of the course you will receive intensive language classes to bring you up to post-A level standard in your second year.
  • In addition to specific classes in speaking, listening, translation and grammar, all students are offered core and optional modules that explore literature, culture, language, politics and business.
  • The highlight of this degree for all of our students is the year abroad. As you will study two languages, you will be required to spend your year abroad (your third year) split equally between Italy (or an Italian-speaking country) and Spain (or a Spanish-speaking country). There are a number of options for your year abroad, including studying as part of the Erasmus programme or undertaking a work placement . Find out what your options are by visiting our Studying Abroad page.
Our Staff

All of the lecturers in the Department of Modern Languages are qualified to PhD level and are research active specialists in their chosen field. We also employ highly qualified and experienced language tutors, and native-speakers, who will ensure that your learning is of the highest possible quality and who will provide you with constant support through your years of study.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Beginners Italian 1 IT10820 20
Beginners Italian 2 IT11020 20
Spanish Language Advanced SP19930 30

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Introduction to European Film EL10520 20
Language, Culture, and Identity in Europe EL10820 20
Brazilian Portuguese (Basic) EL10720 20
Hispanic Civilization SP10610 10
Study and Research Skills in Spanish and Latin American Studies SP11120 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Italian Language IT20130 30
Spanish Language SP20130 30

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Brazilian / Portuguese Language II EL20720 20
Cuban Cinema of the Revolution: Crisis, National Identity and the Critique of Contemporary Society SP27020 20
Extended Essay Module EL20510 10
Italian Cities IT21120 20
Language of Business and Current Affairs 1 SP20310 10
Modern Italy IT21210 10
Seeing Spain Through Cinema SP25020 20
Spanish American Cinema SP26120 20
The Spanish Avant-Garde SP20010 10

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Italian Language IT30130 30
Spanish Language SP30130 30

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Brazilian / Portuguese Language III EL30720 20
Cuban Cinema of the Revolution: Crisis, National Identity and the Critique of Contemporary Society SP37020 20
Dissertation EL30120 20
Extended Essay Module EL30510 10
Italian Cities IT31120 20
Reading Late 19th Century Literature SP35120 20
Seeing Spain Through Cinema SP35020 20
The Language of Current Affairs IT30310 10
Traducción al español SP39910 10

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

Career Prospects

Employability is embedded into our teaching across the Department of Modern Languages. The Year Abroad is what makes our graduates stand out from the crowd. Students return from their year abroad with a wider skill set, stronger language competencies and the ability to adapt to any situation.

Language skills are in great demand and they open up opportunities across a wide range of careers.

In the Complete University Guide for 2021 (released 9 June 2020) Spanish at Aberystwyth University was ranked 1st out of 48 departments for

Graduate prospects.

Here are some of the fields where our graduates have been successful in finding employment:

  • Translation and Interpreting
  • Broadcasting
  • Education
  • Marketing
  • Human Resources
  • Website Development
  • International Banking
  • Civil Service

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during this four year degree scheme.

In each year you will take a core language module where you will develop your skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and translating, and a number of optional modules.

In the first year, optional modules may cover:

  • Introduction to European Film
  • Language, Culture and Identity in Europe
  • Study and Research Skills in Spanish and Latin American Studies
  • Hispanic Civilization

In your second year you may choose from:

  • Extended Essay Module
  • Rethinking Late 20th Century Italy
  • Italian Cities
  • Language of Business and Current Affairs
  • Spanish American Cinema
  • The Spanish Avant-Garde
  • Modern Italy
  • Seeing Spain through Cinema
  • Cuban cinema in the Revolution

In your third year, you will study or work abroad, sharing the time equally between an Italian-speaking and a Spanish-speaking country.

In your final year, you can choose from modules that include:

  • Dissertation Module
  • Extended Essay Module
  • Italian Cities
  • Rethinking Late 20th Century Italy
  • Reading Late 19th Century Literature
  • The Language of Current Affairs
  • Cuban Cinema in the Revolution
  • Actualidades
  • Seeing Spain through Cinema

How will I be taught?

A variety of teaching formats are used in class. Lectures will introduce you to topics, while in seminars you will be expected to participate in discussions.

You will learn through a combination of small-group classes, lectures and a small number of seminars in Year 1, and increasingly seminar-based teaching in later years. Throughout, you will be encouraged to undertake independent reading both to supplement and to consolidate taught learning and tobroaden your individual knowledge and understanding of the subject.

You will receive additional support through both assisted and self-access facilities for language learning in the Language Resource Centre.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assesed through oral presentations, listening tests, written reports and increasingly complex translations in language classes, as well as through oral and written exams. In content modules, you might be asked to write an essay, undertake a research project, give an oral presentation, or sit an exam.

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 104

A Levels BBB-BCC to include B in Spanish (unless to be studied as a beginner)

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-MMM to include B in A level Spanish (unless to be studied as a beginner)

International Baccalaureate:
30-28 with 5 points in Spanish at Higher Level

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall with 7 in Spanish

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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