About this course
Politics and Spanish and Latin American Studies will give you the tools to understand the politics and culture of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. You’ll become fluent in Spanish, a language with over 500 million speakers around the world. You'll also develop a global viewpoint on issues like migration, security, and cultural rights, preparing you for an international career.
You’ll start at a level that matches your ability in spoken and written Spanish, which helps ensure rapid progress. You’ll have excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.
You’ll take some compulsory language, linguistics and politics modules, but also have lots of choice about what to study.
As part of your degree you can:
learn a second modern language at any level
learn from the latest research findings in international relations
join one of 40 student-led performing arts groups
study work-related subjects such as audiovisual translation
Your third year will be spent in a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking country such as Spain, Portugal, Chile, Colombia, Mexico or Brazil.
On campus, you’ll be part of a lively cultural network. You can join student societies for many of the Spanish-speaking countries, and we have links with cultural institutions across the world.
You can download the course details, including modules, in the programme specificationPDF opens in a new window (PDF, 338.34 KB).
Location and awarding body
The course location is Avenue campus in Southampton. The awarding body is University of Southampton.
Entry requirements
A-levels
AAB including Spanish (minimum grade A)
A-levels additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Pass, with 34 points overall with 17 points at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Spanish
International Baccalaureate Diploma additional information
Applications where Higher Level subjects have been studied without the full Diploma, will also be considered on a case by case basis.
BTEC
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Diploma plus A in A level Spanish
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC National Diploma plus A in A level Spanish
Distinction in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
BTEC additional information
No additional information
Other qualifications
A-levels with Extended Project Qualification
If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer:
ABB including Spanish (minimum grade A) and grade A in the EPQ
A-levels contextual offer
Students who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme, as follows:
ABB including Spanish (minimum grade A)
International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP) offer
Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) StatementPDF opens in a new window (PDF, 62.17 KB) for further information.
Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
BTEC (RQF) (reformed)
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A in A level Spanish
Distinction, Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A in A level Spanish
Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 39 must be at Distinction and 6 credits at Merit, plus A in A level Spanish
Access to HE Diploma additional information
No additional information
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2017)
H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 including Spanish
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2016)
A2 A2 A2 B1 B1 B1 including Spanish at A2
Irish Leaving Certificate additional information
No additional information
Scottish Qualification offers
Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education. Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement (PDF, 111.01 KB) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
D3 D3 M2 in three principal subjects including Spanish at D3
Cambridge Pre-U additional information
No additional information
Welsh Baccalaureate
AAB from 3 A levels including Spanish (minimum grade A)
or
AA from two A levels including Spanish (minimum grade A) and B from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
European Baccalaureate
80% overall including grade 8.5 in Spanish
GCSE requirements
Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)
English language requirements
All applicants must demonstrate they possess at least a minimum standard of English language proficiency. Applicants requiring a visa to study in the UK who do not offer GCSE English language (or GCSE English) at the required level will need to meet the following English language proficiency requirement. Find out more about the University’s English Language requirements.
Band C IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in all components
IELTS score requirements
- reading
- 6
- writing
- 6
- speaking
- 6
- listening
- 6
We also accept other English language tests.
Non-academic entry requirements
There are no additional requirements
International qualifications
Find a list of accepted international qualifications listed by country.
This is a list of the international qualifications that are recognised by the University of Southampton. If you are not sure that your qualifications meet the requirements of this course please contact our Admissions Teams.
Other ways to qualify
You might meet our criteria in other ways if you do not have the qualifications we need. Find out more about:
our Access to Southampton scheme for students living permanently in the UK (including residential summer school, application support and scholarship)
skills you might have gained through work or other life experiences (otherwise known as recognition of prior learning)
Find out more about our Admissions Policy.
Course structure
Politics and Spanish and Latin American Studies integrates the study of language, culture, society and politics. You can choose from lots of options depending on your interests and chosen career path.
To give you the best possible start, we use our system of 7 language levels to work out your proficiency in Spanish. We can then make sure our teaching develops your skills as effectively as possible.
Year 1
Year 1 gives you a foundation in all the main subjects you’ll study:
core modules in politics and international relations
Spanish language
a choice of modules in linguistics, culture and history
Year 2
You'll develop your research skills and choose from various specialist or general modules, for example:
international security
syntax: studying language structure
gender, race and nation in modern Latin America
Year 3
You’ll spend a year abroad either:
as an English language assistant
studying on a university course
on an approved work placement
You’ll also do an independent study project.
Find out more about the year abroad.
Year 4
We'll support you as you return to university from your year abroad. We’ll help you to talk about your experiences in a way that enhances your employability.
You’ll continue to develop your written and spoken Spanish and take a range of modules from Politics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics.
Module options may include areas such as:
language and identity amongst US Latinos
imagining European futures
democratisation in global politics
international security and climate change
documenting displacement in contemporary Spain
modules from other subject areas, including other languages
You’ll also complete a dissertation exploring a topic of particular interest to you in greater depth.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
Modules year 1
Compulsory modules
You must take the following compulsory modules in year 1:
- Academic Skills for ML students
- Introduction to Political Theory
- Introduction to International Relations
- Spanish Language Stage 4
- Political Systems
- Introduction to Political Inquiry
Optional modules
You can choose from the following optional modules in year 1:
- Elements of Linguistics - Sound, Structure and Meaning
- Narrative and Cultural Identity in the Hispanic World
- Reading Culture
- Reading the City
- The History and Politics of the Hispanic World
- Introduction to The Portuguese-Speaking World
- Applications of Linguistics
- Introduction to the Languages of the Spanish-Speaking World
Modules year 2
Compulsory modules
You must take the following compulsory modules in year 2:
Optional modules
You can choose from the following optional modules in year 2:
- Understanding Modern China
- Theorising International Politics
- Democratic Theory
- How the Arts Work: a practical introduction to cultural economics
- The EU and European Identity
- Power and Discourse in Spanish-speaking societies
- Globalisation: Culture, Language and The Nation State
- Gender, Race and Nation in Modern Latin America
- Myths and Realities of Contemporary Spain
- International Security and Climate Change
- Language, Ideologies and Attitudes
- Psycholinguistics
- Multilingualism
- Chinese Politics
- Diaspora Politics in Transnational Space
- European Security Governance
- Realism and Idealism in International Relations
- Culture, Power and Resistance in the Portuguese-Speaking World
- Variation and Change in English
- High, Popular and Mass Culture in Modern Spain
- Syntax: Studying Language Structure
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- Sound and Voice
- Imagining European Futures
- The Ethics and Politics of Migration
- Research Skills in Politics & International Relations
- Discourse Analysis
- Partisans, Public Opinion and Elections: Understanding the Political Mind
- A (Dis)United Kingdom? Myth and Reality in British Politics
- Development and International Relations
- Exploring Spanish Linguistics
- Politics of the Media
- Ethnography of Latin America
- Humanities University Ambassadors Scheme (Modern Languages)
- Public Policy Analysis
- American Political Thought
- Political Thinkers
- Learning about Culture: Introduction to Ethnography
Modules year 3
Modules year 4
Compulsory modules
You must take the following compulsory modules in year 4:
Optional modules
You can choose from the following optional modules in year 4:
- Exiles, Migrants and Citizens: Narrating and documenting displacement in contemporary Spain
- Ethics of Public Policy
- Chinese Politics
- Sociophonetic Project Module
- Global Justice: Poverty, Inequality and the Environment
- Sex, Soap Operas and Female Dissidents: Representations of Women in the Hispanic World
- Language Teaching Theory and Practice
- European Security Governance
- English as a Global Language
- Contemporary Theories of Justice
- Democratisation in Global Politics: why do some regimes thrive and others flounder?
- Audiovisual Translation
- Globalisation and World Politics
- Translation: Theory and Practice
- Advanced Syntax
- The Ethics and Politics of Migration
- A (Dis)United Kingdom? Myth and Reality in British Politics
- Writing in a Second Language
- Development and International Relations
- How the Arts Work: a practical introduction to cultural economics
- Imagining European Futures
- Diaspora Politics in Transnational Space
- Language Testing and Assessment in Society
- Public Service Interpreting
- Political Texts
- Politics of the Media
- Cinema and Political Theory
- Encounters with Bodies in Lusophone Cultural Narrative
- Modern Languages Dissertation
- Second Language Acquisition
- Dissertation in Politics & International Relations
- International Security and Climate Change
- Barrios and Borders: Language and Identity amongst US Latinos
- Historical Memory in Modern Latin America
- Public Policy Analysis
- Partisans, Public Opinion and Elections: Understanding the Political Mind
- Democratic Theory
- Transatlantic Crossings: Linguistic Variation in the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America
- Power and Ethics Before Machiavelli
Learning and assessment
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- lectures
- classes and tutorials
- coursework
- individual and group projects
- independent learning (studying on your own)
Support for your studies
You'll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.
How you’ll spend your study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study, year by year:
Year 1
- Scheduled learning and teaching
- 20%
- Independent study
- 80%
- Placement
- 0%
Year 2
- Scheduled learning and teaching
- 21%
- Independent study
- 79%
- Placement
- 0%
Year 3
- Scheduled learning and teaching
- 0%
- Independent study
- 100%
- Placement
- 0%
Year 4
- Scheduled learning and teaching
- 18%
- Independent study
- 82%
- Placement
- 0%
Course leader
Anthony Campbell is the course leader.
How we’ll assess you
We’ll assess you using:
- composition portfolios
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown, year by year:
Year 1
- Written exam
- 13%
- Practical exam
- 37%
- Coursework
- 50%
Year 2
- Written exam
- 24%
- Practical exam
- 5%
- Coursework
- 71%
Year 3
- Written exam
- 0%
- Practical exam
- 0%
- Coursework
- 100%
Year 4
- Written exam
- 15%
- Practical exam
- 9%
- Coursework
- 76%
Careers
As a Modern Languages graduate, you can choose from a wide variety of employment options. These will make the most of your skills in:
gathering and interpreting information
working with and leading teams
understanding and adapting to different cultures
Previous graduates have gone on to work as:
translators
interpreters
teachers
marketers
publishers
international development consultants
roles in advertising, film and television
There's a compulsory employability module for all first-year students in the faculty.
Many of our graduates go on to further study. Subjects taken include interpreting and translating, law, accountancy, management and international relations.
Careers services at Southampton
We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2019). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
work experience schemes
CV and interview skills and workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.
Fees, costs and funding
UK/EU fees
You'll pay £9,250 in tuition fees for the academic year 2020 to 2021. This fee might change for further years of your course.
International student fees
You’ll pay £17,560 each year. This fee will stay the same throughout your studies.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and all examinations.
Find out how to:
Extra costs you might have to pay
- Hardware
- Placements (including Study Abroad Programmes)
- ML Residence Abroad - Cost implications
- Stationery
- Textbooks
- Printing and Photocopying Costs
- Computer discs or USB drives
- Students studying or working in Europe
- Students studying or working outside Europe
See the full list of extra items and costs in the programme specificationPDF opens in a new window 2020 to 2021 (PDF, 338.34 KB).
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:
Bursaries, scholarships and other funding
If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.
If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.
Get in touch for advice about student money matters.
Scholarships and grants
You may be able to get a scholarship or grant that's linked to your chosen subject area.
We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Support during your course
The Student Services Centre offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.
Funding for international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
Life at Southampton
The University offers a friendly, diverse and welcoming home for you while you study. You'll work, live and socialise with students from more than 130 countries.
Clubs, societies and facilities
Our campuses have:
cafes and restaurants
bars
health centres
banks
a post office
student shops
a hairdresser
Our sports facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, a gym with 140 fitness stations, squash courts, a bouldering wall, outdoor pitches and much more. There are over 80 sports clubs you could join, and activity classes including yoga and spin.
We have an internationally known theatre, concert hall, art gallery and cinema showing everything from mainstream blockbusters to international arthouse classics. You could perform at a gig, concert or show, take part in an exhibition or join a writers’ workshop. Find out more about arts and culture at Southampton.
Whatever your passion or community, you can find like-minded people at one of the Students’ Union clubs and societies. There are more than 200 to join, and social activities in every hall of residence.
Support while you study
We aim to help you deal with any problems you might come across, so you can make the most of your time at university. We offer support with:
mental health, learning difficulties and disability
money and accommodation
childcare
computers and IT
How to apply
When you apply use:
UCAS Course Code: RL42
UCAS Institution Code: S27
What happens after you apply
We will assess your application on the strength of your:
- predicted grades
- academic achievements
- personal statement
- academic reference
We normally invite all candidates to an interview.
We aim to respond to you within 2 to 6 weeks with a decision about your application.
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.