Undergraduate study | Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies

Take a single honours degree in either Spanish or Portuguese, combine both in a joint degree, or take either with one of a wide range of other subjects.

Why study Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies in Edinburgh?

The many countries in which Spanish or Portuguese are spoken have fascinatingly rich and varied cultures.

Studying one or both languages with us is your gateway to an extraordinary range of literature, film and theatre from Europe, Africa and the Americas, explored in its historical context, from medieval to contemporary times.

The University of Edinburgh is unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working. If you are studying Spanish and Portuguese, or either one with another language, you will divide your time between two countries, broadening your skills and experience.

One of the most attractive characteristics of our degree is its flexibility. As well as lots of joint honours combinations, your first two (pre-honours) years will give you the option to study other subjects drawn from a broad list of disciplines. You can also opt to study Catalan and Basque.

On campus and in the city

We are based in the historic heart of a world-leading festival city, close to the National Library of Scotland and National Museum of Scotland.

The Main University Library is just across the square from us. Its collections include around 27,000 books and 5,000 journals in Spanish and 5,000 books and 2,680 journals in Portuguese.

The Spanish Society is one of around 300 societies and clubs supported by Edinburgh University Students' Association. Love to write? Our online creative writing magazine Babble is the place to publish your work and meet other writers in European languages.

In addition to the summer and winter festivals, Edinburgh has a lively year-round contemporary cultural scene. Its world cinema scene is particularly strong, and we are proud to contribute to this success through collaborations with festivals such as IberoDocs.

Spain has a consulate in Edinburgh (Portugal an honorary consulate), and there are large communities of Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

Studying Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Edinburgh has been an incredible and unforgettable experience. Supported by the University’s dedicated and passionate staff and extensive resources, I’ve been able to develop my linguistic and cultural knowledge, which will only be furthered on my year abroad in Year 3, travelling to Mexico and Brazil as facilitated by the University.

  • You’ll complete a four-year MA (Honours) degree. You can take a single honours programme in either Spanish or Portuguese, combine both languages in a joint honours programme, or study either language with one of a wide range of other subjects.
  • It doesn't matter whether you’re starting from scratch, or have some existing knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese. Over the course of your four years, ​​​you’ll progress in all aspects of the language(s) - both written and spoken - alongside cultural study.

Years 1 & 2

  • The first two years will provide a solid foundation in your chosen language(s).
  • You'll also study literature and culture, such as film, theatre, poetry and novels of the Portuguese and/or Spanish-speaking worlds.
  • In Year 1, Spanish courses are streamed according to how much of the language you already know. In Year 2, they are taught in Spanish to prepare you for your Year Abroad.
  • Portuguese is not streamed in Year 1; all levels of prior experience are catered for on the one course.
  • It is possible to study Catalan (both language and culture) from Year 1, with follow on-courses in Year 2. You can also opt to study Basque.
  • You’ll gain the rest of your credits from partner subject courses, if you are doing a joint degree, and outside courses, of which single honours students take more. This choice and flexibility may enable you to change the focus of your degree going into your final two (honours) years, which is when you start to specialise.

Years 3 & 4

  • Your third year will typically be spent abroad, either studying or working, turning classroom learning into living engagement with other cultures. Our graduates have told us how much the Year Abroad has benefitted their broader life experience and skills.
  • If Spanish is the only language you are studying, your Year Abroad will be in Spain or Latin America. If Portuguese is the only language you are studying, your Year Abroad will be in Portugal, Latin America or Portuguese-speaking Africa.
  • If you’re doing both languages, or a joint degree with another language, you’ll divide your time and travel plans between them.
  • As well as developing advanced language skills in these years, you will learn how to undertake your own research to the level of completing a dissertation or long essay in your final year. This is your chance to focus on a topic, period or discipline that’s of particular interest to you.
  • We have an extensive range of honours courses to choose from, ranging from the literatures, cultures and art of the Iberian Peninsula, to those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Portuguese-speaking Africa. 

Teaching and learning

  • Our approach to learning and teaching is active, inclusive and question driven to help you gain skills for life after university.
  • Across your courses, you’ll typically be taught in a combination of lectures, tutorials (including language classes) and seminars. On some courses, you will have seminars instead of lectures, especially in your honours years.
  • You will also be expected to study independently and in small groups, and to read widely.

Assessment and support

  • You’ll be assessed through a combination of coursework and exams.
  • Coursework may take a range of forms to give you the opportunity to practice different skills.
  • Exams will include oral exams to test your spoken language skills.
  • Depending on where you go and what you do on your Year Abroad, Year 3 may include being assessed, in part, by a host university.
  • As well as the teaching and other staff you will meet day-to-day, there are lots of ways to get help with your learning, including through the University’s Institute for Academic Development and Edinburgh University Students' Association.

In the 2025 to 2026 academic year, you can take either Spanish or Portuguese as a single honours degree, or study any of the following joint honours degree combinations...

French and SpanishFrench and PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese
German and SpanishGerman and PortugueseSpanish and Business
Italian and SpanishRussian Studies and SpanishSpanish and Classics
Arabic and SpanishChinese and SpanishScandinavian Studies and Spanish
Spanish and PoliticsPortuguese and English LiteraturePortuguese and English Language
Spanish and English LiteraturePortuguese and LinguisticsSpanish and History
Spanish and LinguisticsPortuguese and PhilosophySpanish and History of Art
Spanish and PhilosophyPortuguese and Scottish LiteratureLaw and Spanish*
International Business with Spanish*  

* Please note that these degree combinations do not have the same structure as all the others, though they are still four-year degrees with a study abroad element.

If you’d like to study on any of our undergraduate programmes, you must apply through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. 

The UCAS site will show you if any of our Spanish and Portuguese degree programmes remain open for application for 2025 entry.


If you have applied to start studying Chinese with us in September 2025, check out our applicant website for 2025 entry.

Keen to get a head start for 2026?

There’s lots of information about our undergraduate Spanish and Portuguese programmes on the University of Edinburgh Degree Finder. 

For example, you can find out about:

  • the courses you will take each year
  • how you will be taught and assessed
  • the support we offer
  • entrance requirements
  • English language requirements
  • fees and funding opportunities
  • student societies and living in Edinburgh

Applications for 2026 entry open in September 2025.

Skills and experience

Completing a degree programme in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies demonstrates that you're a good communicator, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas – what employers value as Intercultural Competence.

Beyond the language skills you will develop on this programme, you will gain a nuanced understanding of diverse cultures and societies.

Additionally, graduating with a four-year Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh shows intellectual maturity, resilience, and flexibility.

The skills you will be able to demonstrate to employers when you graduate include the ability to:

  • understand, analyse and articulate complex issues and concepts
  • manage your time to meet deadlines on different types of projects
  • work independently and as part of a group .

Opportunities across sectors

Our programmes are an excellent primer for a range of careers.

Within the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors, previous graduates have gone on to work in:

  • business, finance and commerce
  • communications, marketing, advertising and public relations
  • education, outreach, advocacy and training
  • journalism, broadcasting and media
  • leisure, tourism and travel
  • politics, policy work, diplomacy, civil service and law
  • publishing, culture, heritage and the arts
  • research, development and venture acceleration
  • translating and interpreting

Local and global opportunities

With increasing migration in response to changing global dynamics, there is demand for our graduates both at home and abroad.

Wherever you are based in the world, the ability to communicate in another language, and to understand the cultures to which it opens doors, will make you stand out.

If you are keen to work abroad, it’s good to know that Spanish and Portuguese are your gateway to a great many countries and cultures in Europe, Africa and the Americas. They are both on the list of the world’s ten most widely-used languages and between them are spoken by around 700 million people.


My studies directed me in the way of South America when I studied Latin American literature, particularly the stories of Jorge Luis Borges, which pioneered a form of fiction writing that I had never come across before. This fired my imagination and in my third year I set off for Chile on a journey that led me to Brazil where I became involved in human rights work for more than two decades.

Careers advice

Throughout your time with us, we will encourage you to identify and hone your employability skills.

As part of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), we have a dedicated Careers Consultant within the University's excellent Careers Service. 

You can book one-to-one appointments and practice interviews, access a range of online resources, and attend themed fairs such as the Creative and Cultural Careers Festival.

Popular peer support includes Life After LLC, a panel event where you can draw inspiration from our recent graduates.

Further study

The enhanced research skills you will develop on a four-year programme, particularly in your honours years, are a valuable asset if you wish to continue studying at postgraduate level.

At the University of Edinburgh, for example, we typically offer a one-year Masters by Research programme in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, which could then lead to a PhD.

Our interdisciplinary taught MSc programmes typically include:

  • Comparative Literature
  • Intermediality
  • Translation Studies

QS World Rankings by Subject 2025

The University of Edinburgh is ranked 3rd in the UK for: 

  • Modern Languages
  • Arts & Humanities

Globally, we’re in the World Top 15: Arts & Humanities (10) and Modern Languages (13).

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics.

They are International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approved.

Graphic of a person holding a phone with the words #3 in the UK World Top 10 written alongside

Get to know us better

Thinking of joining us this year or next? Explore what it's like to study and live in Edinburgh. 

Talk to a current student 

Other ways to learn Spanish or Portuguese at Edinburgh

If you're not on one of our degree programmes, you can still learn Spanish or Portuguese with us!

As an undergraduate student of most subjects at the University of Edinburgh, you can take Spanish or Portuguese as an outside subject in one or both of Years 1 and 2 of your programme, depending on your timetable.

Discover a world of languages graphic

You can also take courses in Catalan and Basque. You don't need any prior knowledge of any of the languages.

Spanish is available to all students (undergraduate and postgraduate) as an Open Language Course and - through the Centre for Open Learning - as a Short Course, with options for complete beginners.