Hebrew and Spanish

Hebrew and Spanish is a linguistically and culturally rich combination, connecting the ancient and modern dimensions of one of the world's most historically significant languages with the second most widely spoken native language on earth. Hebrew carries a weight of cultural, religious, and literary tradition across both its biblical and modern forms, giving you access to the textual heritage of Judaism alongside the contemporary cultural and political life of Israel. Spanish opens an enormous world, encompassing the Iberian Peninsula and twenty countries across Latin America, with one of the great literary traditions in any language and an increasingly important global economic presence.

At University College London, this four-year degree develops genuine linguistic competence in both Hebrew and Spanish alongside deep engagement with the cultures, literatures, and histories they represent. You will study Modern Hebrew alongside its engagement with the ancient language, reading literary and contemporary texts and exploring the cultural and historical dimensions of Jewish and Israeli life. In the Spanish strand, you will develop fluency in spoken and written Spanish and engage with literary and cultural traditions from both Spain and Latin America, examining how this diverse linguistic community has expressed itself across centuries and across two continents.

UCL's exceptional language faculties in both Hebrew and Jewish Studies and Hispanic Studies give both strands of the degree strong academic foundations.

The combination of Hebrew and Spanish opens career possibilities across an unusually broad range of fields. The linguistic range covers an arc from the Middle East through Europe to the Americas, making graduates valuable in international business, diplomacy, and journalism with interests in any of these regions. Translation, interpreting, and roles in cultural and academic organisations with Judaic or Hispanic collections or programmes are natural destinations.

Teaching Spanish at secondary level is a common pathway, and the Hebrew specialism opens further possibilities in Jewish communal organisations, heritage institutions, and academic departments with a focus on Jewish or Israeli studies. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in Hebrew and Jewish studies, Hispanic studies, or related fields.