Course overview
This course provides you with the opportunity to combine the Spanish and Portuguese (beginners) languages with study of the history, culture, politics, literature and film of the United States, Latin America, Spain, the Portuguese-speaking world and, where appropriate, British and Iberian histories and cultures. You will receive a solid grounding in the Spanish language and may continue with Portuguese beyond the first year. You will spend your third year abroad in Latin America.
By the end of your course, you will have developed your Spanish (and Portuguese if you chose to do so) language skills to degree level and have a wide-range and specialist knowledge of North American, Canadian and Latin American literature, history, politics, thought and culture. Your international experience will show employers you are adaptable and independent.
Year one
You will be introduced to the basic themes and events of American history, and the key authors and texts of American literature. You will also study Spanish language post-A level, beginners' Portuguese, and Spanish and Spanish-American literature.
Year two
You will broaden your study by undertaking a survey of American thought and culture, complementing the first-year surveys of history and literature, and by selecting specialised modules to enable you to study certain periods, events, authors or texts in more depth. You will continue to develop your Spanish language skills and choose from a range of related modules, including 20th century Spanish-American literature. You may also continue to study Portuguese.
Study abroad year
Spent in Spain or Spanish America or, if you are pursuing Portuguese, one semester in Portugal or Brazil and one semester in Spain or Spanish America, either studying, working as an assistant in a school or on a work placement.
Year four
You will continue and extend the process of specialisation, writing a dissertation on a subject of your choice, and selecting from a wide variety of advanced-level modules in both subject areas, while continuing to develop your Spanish language and Portuguese if you choose to do so, to degree level.
More information
See also the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies.
Entry requirements
A levels: AAB, including A in Spanish at A level
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 (no less than 6.0 in any element)
TOEFL iBT 100 (no less than 21 in listening and writing, 22 in reading and 23 in speaking)
Alternative qualifications
For details please see the alternative qualifications page
Modules
The modules we offer are inspired by the research interests of our staff and as a result, may change from year to year. The following list is therefore subject to change but should give you a flavour of the modules we offer.
Typical year-one modules
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American Literature
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Lengua Española 1
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Beginners' Portuguese 1
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Introduction to Latin American History
Typical year-two modules
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American Thought and Culture
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Lengua Española 2
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Spanish American Literature
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History and Politics of Mexico/Cuba/Brazil
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Lengua Portuguesa nivel intermedio
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Literature of the Portuguese World
Typical year-three modules
Study year abroad.
Please see the Department of American and Canadian Studies year abroad page.
Typical year-four modules
Please contact the Department of American and Canadian Studies for more information.
Typical optional modules
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Approaches to American Culture
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Metropolis and Empire: Spain, Portugal and the Americas 1492 to Independence
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Discoveries, Empire and Colonies in the Lusophone World: Portugal, Africa and Brazil
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North American Film Adaptations
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The Contemporary American Novel
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American Culture in the 1960s
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Brazilian Slave Society
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Asian North American Literature
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Spanish-American Narrative
You will research and write a dissertation on a topic of their choice in American and Canadian studies
Skills and careers
You will have developed your Spanish (and Portuguese if you chose to do so) language skills to degree level and have a wide-ranging and specialist knowledge of North American, Canadian and Latin American literature, history, politics, thought and culture. Your international experience will show employers you are adaptable and independent.
Average starting salary
The average starting salary for 2009/10 full-time graduates of the Department of American and Canadian Studies was £18,562 and for graduates of the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies it was £17,748.*
*Average starting salary from known destinations of first-degree leavers who studied full-time, 2009/10.