Modern Languages (French and Spanish) and Latin

French, Spanish, and Latin is a combination of languages that spans the Romance language family from its ancient Latin root to two of its most globally significant modern expressions. French is spoken by around 300 million people worldwide and is a major language of diplomacy, international organisations, and Francophone culture across Europe, Africa, and beyond. Spanish is spoken by around 500 million people and is the official language of over 20 countries in Europe, Latin America, and beyond.

Latin, the ancestor of both, provides the linguistic and cultural foundation from which these languages grew and offers direct access to one of the most influential literary, philosophical, and historical traditions in Western civilisation.

At St Andrews this four-year full-time programme develops your French and Spanish to a high level of proficiency through study of both languages' literature, culture, history, and contemporary society, while your Latin studies engage you in the close reading of classical texts across genres and periods. The combination develops an unusually rich linguistic and cultural range, connecting the ancient world with two of the dominant languages of the modern one. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, giving you the opportunity to spend extended time in a French-speaking and a Spanish-speaking country, developing your language skills through immersion and deepening your cultural understanding through direct experience.

Graduates with French, Spanish, and Latin are exceptionally well placed for careers in translation, teaching, international organisations, the diplomatic service, publishing, journalism, law, and any role that benefits from high-level multilingual ability and cultural depth. The Latin element is particularly valuable for those interested in academic research, legal or medical etymology, or the historical dimensions of European culture. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in languages, comparative literature, or classical studies.