Spanish and Portuguese

Spanish and Portuguese together cover an extraordinary breadth of the world's cultures, from the Iberian Peninsula to Latin America and across parts of Africa and Asia. Spanish is the first or official language of around twenty countries, while Portuguese is spoken by hundreds of millions of people on several continents, with Brazil alone constituting one of the world's largest economies. Studying these two closely related Romance languages together gives you access to some of the richest bodies of literature, film, music, and thought in the modern world.

At University College London, this four-year programme takes you to a high level of proficiency in both languages while developing your analytical understanding of the cultures, histories, and societies where they are spoken. You will read original texts spanning medieval literature to contemporary fiction, engage with film and other cultural forms, and develop critical writing skills in both languages and in English. UCL's location in London gives the programme proximity to cultural institutions, diplomatic networks, and one of the world's most diverse cities, where Spanish and Portuguese are living presences.

The four-year duration allows for the depth of linguistic and cultural study that these two broad traditions deserve.

Graduates of Spanish and Portuguese programmes are highly sought in international business, diplomacy, journalism, translation and interpreting, the law, international organisations, NGOs, and cultural industries. Latin America in particular represents a fast-growing area of commercial and diplomatic engagement where fluent graduates are in real demand. Teaching, research, and further study in Iberian and Latin American studies, linguistics, translation, or related humanities subjects are also natural directions for graduates.