Philosophy and Spanish (BA)

While Spanish normally requires a minimum B grade at A2 level, we also 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. Special consideration will be given to mature applicants, and we are happy to consider applicants with other qualifications, including QAA-approved Access to HE courses.

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.

All applicants will be invited to a UCAS day, where you will have to the opportunity to visit the College and both the departments, meet current staff and students and discuss aspects of the degree course in more depth. You will also have a friendly and informal individual interview with a member of academic staff from the Department of Classics and Philosophy. Some applicants will receive offers without interview, particularly those with high achieved/predicted grades and those who live a long way from Egham and cannot attend the UCAS day, such as overseas applicants.

• You will be studying at two top-ranking departments with outstanding research records.
• The School of Modern Languages offers excellent quality equipment and dedicated language learning facilities.
• Philosophy tutors have research expertise in a wide range of subjects.
• You will have the opportunity to access key philosophical ideas and debates that will enhance all your studies.
• You will spend a year in abroad and can choose to study at university, be a teaching assistant or go on a work placement. The department has an increasing number of links to universities across Spain and Latin America.

Each year you will take two course units in each subject. 

For Philosophy you will take introductory courses in the first year and then choose from a wide range of course units in years two and three. These cover ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato as well as specialist fields such as the philosophy of art and radical political theory.

The Spanish course covers an array of topics relating to the Hispanic world, including language and translation, literature, film, history, visual arts, and popular culture. In your first year you will take either the advanced language course unit in Spanish or the intensive language course unit for beginners. 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.

Throughout the course, you will:

• learn to converse and write confidently and fluently in Spanish
• analyse and respond critically to Spanish materials in a wide variety of media
• engage with the rich and varied world view represented through the language, literatures and cultures of Spain and Latin America, developing a high level of inter-cultural awareness 
• develop your understanding of key philosophical texts
• acquire critical, analytical and group-working skills.

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.

See the websites of the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures| and the Department of Classics and Philosophy for further information.

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. 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.

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.