Course summary

International Relations and Spanish & Latin American Studies at Aberdeen puts you at the forefront of contemporary debate on world events, with highly-developed skills in a modern European language and culture adding value to a broad exploration of our complex international world and the developments which are making history today. You will graduate ideally prepared for a wide range of careers in politics, media, local and national government, NGOs and many other fields. Spanish & Latin American Studies at Aberdeen has an outstanding reputation, with the highest possible rating of ‘Excellent’ in the last national Teaching Quality Assessment. Aberdeen is one of the most dynamic place to study the Spanish language and the cultural frameworks in countries where it is spoken. We will equip you with the skills to communicate in a global language, spoken by 350 million native Spanish speakers in 19 Latin American states, the Spanish Peninsula and increasingly in the US. You will also study historical, anthropological, literary and cultural texts, films and visual culture in Spain and Latin American countries. In International Relations, you will look closely at how nations and organisations interact, what contributes to global wealth and poverty and persisting inequalities. You will study regional and international tensions, nationalism, concepts of democracy – and ever-present concerns of conflict and peace and be taught by internationally renowned academics with strong track records in publishing international papers and articles, and who appear regularly in the media, analysing and explaining national, European and world developments. As an integral part of your 5-year programme, you will spend the whole of year three taking your language and cultural skills to a very high level as a teaching assistant or visiting student in a Spanish-speaking country. You will gain the perfect foundation for international career possibilities including international business, NGOs and international development, plus local and national government, politics, and journalism, with transferable skills including critical analysis and communication ideally suited to a range of careers. We are ranked 4th in the UK for International Relations and 8th in the UK for Politics by the Guardian University Guide 2023.