About this course
Become fluent in a major international language and spend a year in a Spanish-speaking nation on this MLang Spanish and Linguistics degree. This master's will enhance your knowledge of the richness of Hispanic cultures and develop a deep understanding of the histories of Spanish-speaking countries worldwide. You’ll complement your language studies with linguistics, learning different types of language structure, use, change, acquisition and teaching.
Proficiency in Spanish lets you communicate in every area of work in a connected world that operates across borders.
On this master's, you’ll start at a level that matches your ability in spoken and written Spanish, which helps ensure rapid progress. You can start Portuguese as a beginner and benefit from excellent resources to support you. The Centre for Language Study at Southampton has everything you need.
A special module in year 2 will make sure you’re ready for studying abroad in year 3.
You will spend your year abroad on a study placement with one of our selected partner universities in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Brazil or Mexico.
Course location
This course is based at Avenue.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the programme specification
The programme specification sets out the learning outcomes of this course and details how the course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
For Academic year 202223
A-levels
AAA including Spanish
A-levels additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
A-levels contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience.
Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Pass, with 36 points overall with 18 points at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Spanish
International Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP) statement
Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements.
Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
BTEC
Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
BTEC additional information
No additional information
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 45 must be at Distinction, plus A in A level Spanish
Access to HE additional information
No additional information
Irish Leaving Certificate
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2017)
H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 including Spanish
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2016)
A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 including Spanish
Irish certificate additional information
No additional information
Scottish Qualification
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) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
D3 D3 D3 in three principal subjects including Spanish
Cambridge Pre-U additional information
No additional information
Welsh Baccalaureate
AAA from 3 A levels including Spanish
or
AA from two A levels including Spanish and A from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
Welsh Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
European Baccalaureate
83% overall including grade 8.5 in Spanish
Other requirements
GCSE requirements
Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)
Find the equivalent international qualifications for our entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
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.
For Academic year 202122
A-levels
AAA including Spanish
A-levels additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
A-levels contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience.
Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Pass, with 36 points overall with 18 points at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Spanish
International Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP) statement
Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements.
Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
BTEC
Distinction in the BTEC Extended Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
Distinction in the BTEC Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
Distinction in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus A in A level Spanish and A in one further A level
BTEC additional information
No additional information
Access to HE Diploma
60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, of which 45 must be at Distinction, plus A in A level Spanish
Access to HE additional information
No additional information
Irish Leaving Certificate
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2017)
H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 H2 including Spanish
Irish Leaving Certificate (first awarded 2016)
A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 including Spanish
Irish certificate additional information
No additional information
Scottish Qualification
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) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.
Cambridge Pre-U
D3 D3 D3 in three principal subjects including Spanish
Cambridge Pre-U additional information
No additional information
Welsh Baccalaureate
AAA from 3 A levels including Spanish
or
AA from two A levels including Spanish and A from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate
Welsh Baccalaureate additional information
Offers typically exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking.
Welsh Baccalaureate contextual offer
We are committed to ensuring that all learners with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise a learner’s potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme.
European Baccalaureate
83% overall including grade 8.5 in Spanish
Other requirements
GCSE requirements
Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)
Find the equivalent international qualifications for our entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.0
- writing
- 6.0
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
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.
Got a question?
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
COVID-19: we've made some changes to the structure of the course for this academic year. Download the programme specification addendum in 'About this course' to learn more.
Each year combines compulsory modules to build your mastery of Spanish with a wide range of options. This allows you to tailor your learning to suit your interests and ambitions. You can also take courses from different subject areas or learn a different language.
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 overview
You’ll study topics helping you understand the position of Spanish as a world language and the importance of Latin American culture. Examples include:
-
an introduction to The Portuguese-speaking world
-
the history and politics of the Hispanic world
-
elements of linguistics: sound, structure and meaning
Year 2 overview
You’ll develop your listening, reading, writing and other academic skills, while exploring Spanish Linguistics and continuing to master Spanish. You’ll also take a module preparing you to study and work abroad in year 3.
Options include:
-
gender, race and nation in modern Latin America
-
high, popular and mass culture in modern Spain
-
globalisation: culture, language and the nation state
-
culture, power and resistance in the Portuguese-speaking world
-
ethnography of Latin America
-
myths and realities of Contemporary Spain
-
multilingualism
Year 3 overview
You will spend your year abroad on a study placement with one of our selected partner universities in Spain or Mexico.
You’ll also take the Research Skills module. This will provide you with the ability to:
-
demonstrate originality of thought and approach
-
undertake independent information collection work
-
engage with theoretical approaches applicable to your chosen areas of study
-
make relevant connections between different critical methodologies and use
Find out more about the year abroad.
Year 4 overview
After returning to the UK, you’ll take Masters-level modules and can focus on areas of interest that you have developed during your studies.
You’ll write a Modern Languages dissertation exploring a topic of particular interest to you in greater depth.
Module options may include topics such as:
-
audiovisual translation
-
developing approaches to language teaching
-
transnational movement in the age of globalisation
-
translation
-
intercultural communication
-
nation, culture and power
-
memory in national and transnational contexts
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
For entry in Academic Year 2021-22
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules in year 1:
This module is designed to ease the transition from A-level to the first year of a single or combined honours degree programme by setting out clearly what we expect of you at undergraduate level and equipping you with the resources to be able to operate a...
This unit will introduce you to the main areas relevant to applied language studies.
This module is intended to provide an outline for some of the main aspects of Linguistics.
The aim of this course will be to introduce students to the general issues surrounding the role of language in society, and in particular its role in nation-building. This general context will be presented through a study of the Spanish-speaking world.
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...
This course will introduce students to the major themes in Spanish and Spanish American history and politics over the past five hundred years.
You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:
You may have asked yourself how children learn their first language or whether some animals can speak just like humans do. People often wonder whether there are any lifelong benefits of bilingualism as well. This module introduces you to the field of lang...
This introductory course will give you an overview of the history of literary and cultural studies, and to make you aware of a range of different approaches to cultural texts.
This module will introduce you to studying questions of history, society and culture through the prism of Southampton in order that you can apply those approaches to the study of cities in the French-, Spanish- and German-speaking world.
If English is your native language, or even if you learned it as an additional language, you may not be aware of the structure of its sounds, words, phrases and sentences. In this module you will learn to describe how English sentences are constructed and...
Year 2 modules
You must study the following modules in year 2:
This course highlights and analyses the link between language structure and its situation of occurrence.
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language (TL) at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not ...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 2:
This course is designed to expand and deepen students’ knowledge of the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world, bringing together written texts, visual and conceptual art, political materials, and cinema from twentieth-century Portugal, Brazil, and Lus...
This module uses ethnographic approaches to understand the diversity of Latin America’s peoples and cultures. Emphasizing the emergence within Latin American anthropology of focuses on everyday life through topics such as kinship and family, ritual and re...
The unit introduces you to relevant issues of contemporary Spanish linguistics and establishes the basis for future application of linguistic principles.
The course examines major turning points in Spanish and Portuguese America from the middle nineteenth century to the present, with a focus on how these upheavals affected and reflected the politics of class, gender and race.
This module will problematize the concept of globalisation and explore and develop an understanding of its meaning in economic, political and cultural terms.
This course will examine high, popular and mass cultural forms in twentieth century Spain and Latin America. It will discuss notions of mass reproduction and its cultural consequences for cultural form and audience response, including the appropriation of...
How will the arts get working again after Covid-19? This is a critically important question for everyone who cares about them, artists and audiences alike. If you’re a student considering a career in the arts you’ll want to know where fresh opportunities ...
This module explores language in its social context. The main aim of this module is to introduce you to key research approaches to the study of language attitudes and ideologies and to encourage you to reflect on how attitudes and beliefs about language e...
This module will take a practical approach to developing the listening, reading, writing and other academic skills necessary for successful study in the relevant target language country. It will make a point of taking a comparative approach to academic st...
This module will introduce you to the notion of ‘Multilingualism’, how this is understood and represented in different ways, and why it matters to you. You will explore how people become multilingual, and whether it makes a difference if multilinguals are...
This course examines three areas of psycholinguistics which help to understand what the relationship between language and the human mind might be.
This course builds on the basic concepts of phonetics introduced in the first year, with an introduction to acoustic science for the study of speech sounds.
This course will provide you with an introduction to syntax within current linguistic theory.
This unit will introduce you to key issues, concepts and methods in teaching English as a second/foreign language.
The course seeks to provide an overview of the evolution of the European Union (EU) from its early stages to the present. In so doing, it examines the ideas and history of the EU, the institutions of the EU, examples of specific issue areas and the presen...
This module takes an empirical approach to questions such as: - Are there patterns of speech and language associated with males and females in varieties of English? - What is the role of teenagers in the propagation of change in English? - After a...
Year 3 modules
You must study the following module in year 3:
The research skills module will help you to prepare your ISM project (Sem 2) through informed thinking and reading and the preparation of an annotated bibliography and feasibility report at the end of Semester 1.
Year 4 modules
You must study the following modules in year 4:
The dissertation is an extended piece of work of 10,000 words which results from independent research. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to explore a topic of particular interest to you in greater depth than is possible within the scope of a taug...
This module is designed to accompany you as you resume your programme of studies in Southampton and grapple with the challenges of re-entry. We will support you as you reflect upon your experience of study abroad, enable you to articulate those experience...
The aim of every language course at the University is to enable you to communicate in your target language at that particular level and in your particular area of interest. We use the word ‘communicate’ in its widest sense, meaning that you will not only ...
You must also choose from the following modules in year 4:
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the analytical frameworks at the heart of the MA Languages and Cultures programme. Through guided weekly readings, discussion-based seminars and reflective short assessments, you will develop the skills...
This option provides an overview of the main contemporary currents in the diverse field of discourse analysis. Topics to be covered include the role of grammar, vocabulary and information structure in discourse; the psychology of discourse processing and ...
This module explores the rise of English to its current dominant status.
This module will combine a theoretical understanding of intercultural communication with reflections and evaluations of your own intercultural experiences and applications of this to pedagogic settings and other practical settings.
This module will introduce you to ways of exploring the reciprocal relationship between language and society from contemporary sociolinguistic perspectives.
Whether in the form of monuments, stories or rituals a desire to remember seems to be everywhere in most if not all contemporary nation states. In some respect this has been fuelled by the continually evolving international situation, which has posed a se...
This module investigates how cultural narratives have been produced, disseminated and consumed across national boundaries since the mid-twentieth century. Through examination of a range of narrative forms, including fiction, essay, memoir, film and photog...
This module offers an in-depth exploration of three concepts that have shaped the modern world: nation, culture, and power. Drawing on staff expertise in cultural and critical theory, the module will investigate the key questions that worldwide thinkers a...
The aims of this module are to further develop the research, study and time management skills you will need for a substantial independent research investigation.
The purpose of this module is to help you prepare your Masters dissertation in Languages & Cultures or Translation & Professional Communication Skills, including the oral presentation that forms part of its assessment. The emphasis is on skills required f...
This module introduces the different theoretical approaches which have been adopted for studying the acquisition of language, and examines and assesses current theories of first and second language acquisition in the light of empirical evidence.
Translation plays a major role in the exchange and circulation of practical information and culture production. This means that even if they do not enter the translation profession, in a society that is increasingly global, Modern Linguists are frequently...
The module investigates transnational approaches to migration and global mobility. It combines a theoretical emphasis in the first part with one based on specific empirical case studies and methodological issues in the second.
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)
Course time
How you'll spend your course time:
Year 1
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 1:
How we'll assess you
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 1:
Year 2
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 2:
How we'll assess you
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 2:
Year 3
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 3:
How we'll assess you
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 3:
Year 4
Study time
Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 4:
How we'll assess you
- dissertations
- essays
- oral presentations
- written exams
Your assessment breakdown
Year 4:
Academic support
You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.
Course leader
Vicky Wright is the course leader.
Careers
As a Modern Languages and Linguistics 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
Many of our graduates have become translators and interpreters. Others have moved into:
-
teaching
-
marketing
-
publishing
-
international development
-
advertising, film and television
There is 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
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £18,520.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and all examinations.
Find out how to:
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 EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
When you apply use:
- UCAS course code: 1B6S
- 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.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
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