Course summary

The Spanish/French degree is a major/minor programme, meaning that you will spend two thirds of your time studying Spanish, and one third studying French. During your time as a student you will be able to choose from a range of modules which appeal to a variety of interests. The Department is relatively small and staff and students form a close-knit and friendly community. You will be taught by staff who are experts in their fields and who are active members of national and international research communities. France is one of Britain’s main economic partners and Europe’s foremost investor abroad, whilst Spanish is spoken by over 350 million people globally, with increasing cultural and commercial importance in North America and Asia. Skills in these languages are vital to the UK’s economic, political and strategic interests, and language graduates are in demand by employers. You will have the option to start this course at beginners' level or both at advanced level (in order to study a language at beginners’ level, you must have at least one advanced qualification in one of the languages). Beginners will be taught separately to advanced students, upon completion of the first year all beginners students will be taught with the advanced students. Students in the department will be given four hours a week of language work, this includes oral, reading, listening, writing and translation. You will be taught by native speakers and experts in the languages of the department. You will have the opportunity to develop your linguistic competencies further and explore the diverse cultural heritage of each language. We are an exceptionally friendly department, and our students benefit from the close contact with teaching staff. At Aberystwyth University, we endeavour to provide you with an enriching, memorable student experience that will be cherished. In the recent National Student Satisfaction survey, the Department of Modern Languages scored 93% student satisfaction (NSS, 2017). Employability is embedded across our teaching within the Department of Modern Languages. 100% of our students who graduated from Aberystwyth University in 2016 were in work or further study sixth months after graduating (HESA, 2017). The Year Abroad is compulsory for all language students in the department. You will have the option to choose from studying or applying for a work placement in your chosen country. Students traditionally choose to study in one of our partner Universities or undertake a British Council English Language Assistant where you will be based in a primary or secondary school assisting the students with additional English Language classes. On successful completion of the Year Abroad, students return with an increased skill set, stronger language competencies and the ability to adapt in any situations. Our graduates have been successful in seeking employment after graduation in the following fields: Translation and Interpretation; Broadcasting; Education; Marketing; Human Resources; Digital Copywriting; International Banking; Civil Service. If you are interested in developing your language competencies and exploring the languages further within a social and cultural context, then this is the course for you.