Lectures and seminars are the basic methods of teaching, and seminar work increases as the course progresses. Teaching is informed by the latest research developments.
Staff research specialisms are wide-ranging and include the history and politics of modern and contemporary Cuba, Spain and Brazil; Latin American cultural theory and history; and the literature and visual culture of Spain and Portugal since the Renaissance in Latin, Portuguese, Galician, Catalan and Castilian.
Almost all our language teachers are native speakers of Spanish or Portuguese. During your time here, you will find yourself immersed in the languages, and, at the end of most of our degrees, you will have perfected your command of at least one language. The Hispanic Society organises many cultural events, including Spanish and Portuguese conversation encounters with groups of visiting undergraduates from Spain and Portugal.
Assessment
Most modules are assessed either by exam or by a combination of exam and coursework. You must pass the first year but your marks do not count towards your final degree. Grades obtained in years two and four make up your degree classification.