Spanish with History (BA)

We accept students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish, who will start with an intensive beginner’s language unit in the first year. We nevertheless look in such cases for evidence of proven linguistic ability, normally represented by a B grade at A2 or an A grade at AS level in another modern language or Latin.

Applicants come from a diverse range of backgrounds and we accept a broad range of qualifications in addition to A-levels. Special consideration will be given to mature applicants, and we are happy to consider applicants with QAA-approved Access to HE qualifications.

Students from overseas should visit the International| pages for further information on the entry requirements from their country and English language requirements.  Royal Holloway International offers an International Foundation Programme and English language pre-sessional courses, allowing students the opportunity to develop their study skills and English language before starting their undergraduate degree.

We make decisions based on achieved or predicted grades, personal statements and references. More information on how your application will be assessed, and tips for your personal statement can be found on our Applying| pages.

 

• Study with academics who bring the latest and most exciting ideas to their teaching. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), The Spanish Department achieved the highest score in the country for our 4* ‘world-leading’ research publications.
• Study in our state-of-the art, purpose-built facilities, located in the award-winning International Building at the heart of the Egham campus.
• Our approach to the study of the culture of the Hispanic world combines interactive seminar with elements of the more traditional university lecture.
• Combine your knowledge of Spanish with the study of complementary areas of history - the History Department has a global reputation for the quality of its teaching and research.
• You will spend a year abroad and can choose to study at university, be a teaching assistant or go on a work placement. We have an increasing number of links with universities across Spain and Latin America.

Each year you will take three course units in Spanish and one in History.   

In Spanish the course is structured around core course units in spoken and written language and you will also study translation. In your first year you will take either the advanced language course unit or the intensive language course unit for beginners. You will use film resources and computer programmes designed by the School of Modern Language, Literatures and Cultures; with language laboratories, satellite television and internet available all day for personal study.

The course covers an array of topics relating to the Hispanic world, including language and translation, literature, film, history, visual arts, and popular culture. All or part of your third year will be spent in Spain or Latin America studying at a partner university, working as a language assistant, or in other approved employment.

The History course units blend analysis, narrative and argument. After taking introductory courses in the first year, you will choose from a wide range of elective units covering subjects such as Tudor Britain and the Victorians and countries such as the USA, Spain and China.

Throughout the course, you will:

• learn to converse and write confidently in Spanish
• analyse and critique Spanish materials in a wide variety of media
• understand and critique primary and secondary historical sources
• develop insights, narratives and themes that account for historical events.

All undergraduate degree courses at Royal Holloway are based on the course unit system. This system provides an effective and flexible approach to study, while ensuring that our degrees have a coherent and developmental structure. In the case of combined degree courses, this approach also makes it possible to change the balance of your subjects during your time at Royal Holloway.

The websites of the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures| and the Department of History| give detailed lists of the course units taken for each different subject.

View the full course specification for Spanish with History (BA) in the Programme Specification Repository|.

The course has a modular structure, whereby students take 14 course units at the rate of four per year in years 1, 2 and 4, and two units during the year abroad. Some course units are compulsory while others are elective thereby offering flexibility and choice.

Assessment is by a mixture of coursework and end-of-year examination in varying proportions, depending on the course units you choose to take. In the final year you will complete a 10,000 word dissertation for History. The first year is foundational and marks do not count towards your final degree. The second year, year abroad and final year marks do count, with more importance being given to the final year marks in order to reward progress and achievement.

Royal Holloway offers rigorous degree courses and valuable transferable skills which will prepare you for a broad range of careers. Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different language-related fields including international management, consultancy, sales and marketing, media and publishing, banking, the arts, politics, the Civil Service, teaching, travel and tourism, translating and interpreting.  

The History Department works closely with the Careers Service, which offers a range of tailor-made careers events, one-to-one careers advice sessions and skills workshops specifically for history students.

Britain’s membership of the European Union and today’s increasingly globalised economy and labour market make a knowledge of languages a great professional asset anywhere in today’s world.