UCAS code RR45
Hispanic Studies at Liverpool covers the languages, literatures, cultures and histories of Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
Liverpool is one of the few UK universities to offer Basque, Catalan, and Portuguese Studies alongside Spanish, which makes our courses more diverse and stimulating than many others. Spanish is spoken by over 500 million people worldwide, and Portuguese by over 250 million, making them two of the most widely spoken languages globally. We celebrated our Catalan Studies centenary in 2026—a milestone that makes Liverpool the first university outside Spain to reach it, and a testament to the exceptional depth and continuity of our expertise.
At the University of Liverpool, we take a pluricultural and plurilingual approach to the Luso-Hispanic World. We explore Spanish both within and beyond Spain, engaging with the rich variety of languages and cultures encountered in Spain, Portugal and Latin America. Whether you are starting from scratch or building on A level (or equivalent) Spanish, this course will take you to an advanced level of proficiency (C1 of the CEFR). Along the way, you will engage with a broad range of disciplines — from linguistics and historical study, to literature, film, and sought-after practical skills such as translation, interpreting, and subtitling.
Not only will you become confident in Spanish, but you will have the option of adding a second Iberian language to your degree. You may choose Catalan – a living language spoken by over 10 million people – or Portuguese. You will also gain a thorough understanding of many aspects of Hispanic Studies, developing the intercultural awareness that employers value.
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Each year you take two modules in Spanish language at the appropriate level, plus students of advanced Spanish will take two further modules in Portuguese or Catalan which you will learn from scratch if you take Hispanic Studies as a Major or as a Single Honours degree.
In Year One you will also take foundational modules which introduce Iberian and Latin American histories and cultures; students of advanced Spanish taking Single Honours will also take a ‘Language awareness’ module, which is designed to support your language learning by sensitising you to issues in language and linguistics, and a module on Iberian Literature.
Students of advanced Spanish will take four language modules and four foundational modules.
Students of beginners’ Spanish will take two Spanish language modules, four foundational modules and two additional modules in another subject.
Students on the advanced pathway take 45 credits of required modules in each semester. In addition, students are required to take two modules in either Portuguese (PORT112 and PORT134) or Catalan (CATL112 and CATL134). They continue the same language in Year 2 and 4.
Language modules must be taken in pairs.
All modules on the beginners pathway are required. FILM101 and FILM102 are mandatory for those on the beginners pathway only.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change. The course content currently shown on this page reflects the programme as it is running in September 2026. The University is currently reviewing all of its programmes for 2027 entry. View the 2027 version of this course for more information.
All students must take four language modules if taking Hispanic Studies as a Major or as a Single Honours. This means continuing with the two languages studied in Year One or picking up a second language (Catalan or Portuguese) if you took Spanish as a beginner in Year One.
Students take 30 credits of language modules and 30 credits of optional modules in each semester. All language modules must be taken in pairs.
HISP219 is available only to students who did not take HISP112 in Year 1.
MODL200 is subject to a suitable placement being sourced.
Students can take a maximum of TWO MODL or FILM optional modules per session.
Up to 15 credits of optional modules may be taken from cognate subjects elsewhere in the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures with prior permission from the Subject Lead.
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| ADVANCED SPANISH 7 (SPAN207) | 15 |
| ADVANCED SPANISH 8 (SPAN208) | 15 |
| ADVANCED SPANISH 7+8 (SPAN278) | 15 |
| ADVANCED SPANISH 5+6 (SPAN256) | 15 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change. The course content currently shown on this page reflects the programme as it is running in September 2026. The University is currently reviewing all of its programmes for 2027 entry. View the 2027 version of this course for more information.
You will spend one year abroad as an assistant in a school, as a student at a university or on a work placement. You are encouraged to split the year between two countries/regions to be fully immersed in all the languages that you study.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change. The course content currently shown on this page reflects the programme as it is running in September 2026. The University is currently reviewing all of its programmes for 2027 entry. View the 2027 version of this course for more information.
All students must take four language modules and four optional modules. This normally means continuing with the two languages studied in Years One and Two. Optional modules include a dissertation, an independent translation project, film, linguistics and digital cultures among others.
Students take 30 credits of language modules and 30 credits of optional modules in each semester.
Students can only take one of MODL321, MODL322 or MODL307.
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| PROFICIENT SPANISH 11 (SPAN311) | 15 |
| PROFICIENT SPANISH 12 (SPAN312) | 15 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change. The course content currently shown on this page reflects the programme as it is running in September 2026. The University is currently reviewing all of its programmes for 2027 entry. View the 2027 version of this course for more information.
If you split your degree between Hispanic Studies and another subject area, you will study a Spanish language module, at beginners or advanced level, and another language or cultural module per semester, alongside two other modules in your other subject.
In year one, you will study two Spanish language modules at the appropriate level and two foundational modules. During your second and final year you will study two Spanish language modules at the appropriate level plus two content modules from a range of options on Latin American literature, Latin American and Spanish cinema, Spanish literature from medieval to modern times, or Catalan or Portuguese as a second language.
You will spend one year in a Spanish-speaking country (or if relevant, a Catalan speaking region or Portuguese speaking country) as an assistant in a school, as a student at a university or on a work placement.
You will be taught in a mixture of formal lectures, seminars and small group tutorials where a friendly environment prevails and great attention is paid to giving feedback on assessed work.
In language classes, we make every effort to ensure that we have a small number of students compared to competitor institutions, which means that academic staff are able to support students to achieve their full potential. All language modules involve continuous assessment such as oral presentations, listening tests and grammar tests as well as exams. Tuition takes place in small groups with first-language speakers playing a prominent part and includes a range of skills such as listening, writing, speaking, interpreting and translation.
Students are also expected to make regular use of our fully-refurbished Language Lounge to enhance their own study. We encourage our students to become independent learners, and support them through our dedicated library resources in the Sydney Jones Library which is open 24-hour in term time. We also make extensive use of our virtual learning environment VITAL where students can complete structured tasks outside the classroom.
Performance throughout the year is carefully monitored and used to supplement examinations. For language, such a programme of continuous assessment involves evaluating performance in a variety of written and oral exercises. Other modules have a mix of essay and exam assessment. Our aim is always to assess by methods of evaluation appropriate to the skills being developed and to allow students to gain credit for good work done during the year.
Exams take place at two points in the academic year: at the end of semester one in January and at the end of the session in May, so that the workload is evenly distributed. As regards the final degree result, for language programmes, the second year’s work counts for 20%, the work done during the year abroad (foreign exams or extended essay or portfolio) counts for another 10%, and the final year’s work counts for 70%.
At Liverpool, we take a distinctive approach to education through the Liverpool Learning Framework. This means teaching that is engaging, inclusive and designed to help you succeed during your studies and beyond.
You’ll develop specialist subject knowledge alongside the skills employers value most, including:
Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:
We also embed key priorities across our curriculum, including AI literacy, employability, and sustainability, helping you prepare for the future and make a positive impact in the world.
We’re committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive.
Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.
University of Liverpool students can choose from an exciting range of study placements at partner universities worldwide.
Broaden your world by spending an additional year of study at a partner university abroad following your second year of study.
Every student at The University of Liverpool can study a language as part of, or alongside their degree. You can choose:
With a combined degree, you can study two subjects as part of the same degree programme.
Teaching is delivered by the Department of Languages, Cultures and Film, who bring together experts in a wide range of disciplines. A cutting edge research programme and award-winning teaching provide great opportunities to study all aspects of language and culture within a global context.
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
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Studying Hispanic Studies is not designed to prepare students for a specific career, but the skills learnt offer a wide range of possibilities. The Higher Education Statistics Agency consistently records high levels of employment for language graduates, and the employability of graduates from Hispanic Studies is very good. The programme produces students who are able to communicate effectively in Hispanic languages and English, to identify and suggest solutions for problems, to absorb and synthesise material from a variety of sources and to be able to construct cogent and coherent arguments based on these sources. You will be equipped for graduate opportunities requiring competence in Hispanic languages, breadth of outlook, sympathetic understanding of other cultures, efficient selection and deployment of information from written sources, critical and evaluative judgements and excellent standards of literacy.
We are justifiably proud of our excellent record on graduate employment. Our graduates go on to careers in all sectors worldwide. These include: