Spanish and Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese are two of the world's most widely spoken languages, together giving access to the cultures, histories, and literatures of Spain, Latin America, Portugal, Brazil, and large parts of Africa. Studying them together is both linguistically efficient, since the languages share considerable structural and lexical ground, and culturally rich, inviting you to trace the separate but interwoven histories of the Iberian peninsula and its relationships with the wider world. The result is a degree that develops real linguistic competence across two major world languages and a deep understanding of the societies and cultures in which they are spoken.
At the University of Manchester, this joint honours programme aims to bring you to near-native fluency in both Spanish and Portuguese through the study of language, literature, culture, history, and politics. You will engage with the full sweep of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking worlds, from medieval Iberian texts to contemporary Latin American fiction, and from Lusophone African literature to current debates in Spanish politics. The comparative perspective the degree offers is genuinely distinctive, encouraging you to see connections across traditions and periods that a single-language degree would not reveal.
The programme runs over four years and includes a placement year alongside a work placement, giving you substantial time in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking environments. This immersive professional and cultural experience is essential for reaching the level of fluency and cultural confidence the degree aims to develop, and it significantly strengthens your employability by giving you real-world experience in international contexts.
Graduates pursue careers in translation and interpreting, international business, diplomacy, journalism, education, the civil service, NGOs, publishing, and cultural organisations. The combination of two major world languages and a strong grounding in international cultures makes this degree particularly valuable for roles in organisations operating across Latin America, Europe, and beyond. Postgraduate study in translation, Hispanic or Lusophone studies, international relations, or law is a natural route for those wishing to specialise further.