French and Spanish

This wide-ranging joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study two major world languages in their diverse cultural contexts. Both languages are among the ten most widely spoken in the world and have had a profound cultural influence beyond Europe.

Through intensive language study, including a year abroad, you will have the opportunity to acquire advanced spoken and written skills in both French and Spanish.

In addition to your language classes, you will explore aspects of French-speaking (Francophone) and Spanish-speaking cultures from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.

Our courses cover:

• literature, film and theatre

• political history and social movements

• philosophical ideas

They include specialist options taught by leading experts in key disciplines, including decolonial, gender and film studies.

Why Edinburgh

As a world-leading festival and capital city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study languages in their global cultural context.

We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you study or build a work placement into your time abroad.

Both French and Spanish have been taught at the University for more than a century. Today, graduating with a degree in French and Spanish from Edinburgh gives you the blend of specialist skills and intercultural awareness valued in a range of careers around the globe.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years, including a year abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.

Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in the French and Spanish languages and in the study of Francophone and Spanish-speaking history and culture. In addition to your core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme.

Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 abroad, gaining lived experience of different cultures. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to French and Spanish. You will also further develop your language and translation skills and write either a long essay or dissertation.

Programme benefits

• Learn in an historic, capital city where both French and Spanish have been taught for over a century.

• Study over four years, including one abroad.

• Become fluent in two major languages.

• Try out different subjects in your first two years.

• Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.

• Try your hand at creative writing and publishing.