BA

This degree brings together two powerful subjects: politics—the way societies make decisions and shape the world—and Spanish, one of the most widely spoken languages across the globe. It’s a great choice if you’re curious about international issues, enjoy debating ideas, and want to become fluent in Spanish while exploring Hispanic cultures.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

You’ll start by getting a solid foundation in both areas. In politics, that might mean exploring British Politics: Power and the State or Introduction to International Politics, while on the Spanish side, you’ll work on your language level and dive into cultural units like Cultures of the Hispanic World. Whether you’re a beginner or already confident in Spanish, the programme places you in the right language class for your ability.

Year 2

By the second year, you’ll branch out into more focused topics—perhaps tackling Security Studies, Environmental Politics, or The Politics of Globalisation. In Spanish, you’ll keep advancing your language skills and also study cultural subjects like Modern Latin American Literature or Visual Culture in Modern Spain, which brings a creative, human side to your learning.

Year 3

This is the exciting part—you’ll spend a year abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. Whether studying at a partner university or gaining work experience, you’ll be living the language every day, building confidence, and soaking up the culture. It’s often the highlight of the whole degree.

Year 4

In your final year, you’ll come back ready to specialise. You could look at themes like The Politics of the European Union or Development, Conflict, and Democracy in Latin America, while polishing your Spanish to an advanced level. There’s also the chance to take on a dissertation or even try professional translation, preparing you for careers where language and analysis meet.

Focus areas: Global politics, advanced Spanish language, Hispanic cultures, international perspectives, and research skills.

Learning outcomes: By graduation, you’ll be confident in Spanish, able to analyse complex political issues, and equipped with real-world intercultural experience from your year abroad.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The degree is taught by the School of Social Sciences and the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, giving you expertise from two leading academic areas.

Reputation (employability rankings): Manchester is consistently ranked among the UK’s top universities for both Politics and Modern Languages, is top-50 globally for Arts & Humanities (Times Higher Education 2025), and is the second-most targeted university by top graduate employers in the UK.