Language Studies with Latin American Studies

How far are your views on politics, history, film, and popular culture constrained by the country you live in? We offer you the chance to expand that outlook by immersing you in all aspects of some of the world’s most prominent Hispanic and Lusophone cultures.

You will study up to three of the languages offered at Essex: French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, completing at least one language to a minimum of Proficiency level. Mandarin Chinese can be studied for one year. Over three years you will gain practical skills in the use of these languages as well as developing a thorough understanding of several of our planet’s most vibrant societies. We also house the internationally important collection of Latin American art, ESCALA.

Beginning with a broad survey of the area and its history in your first year, from pre-Conquest times to the present day, our course gives you a substantial degree of freedom. This allows you to focus on the topics and areas which inspire you the most, such as:

Contemporary Latin American art, culture and society

The economic and political history of Latin America

Indigenous issues in Latin America

Caribbean literature

We also offer a month-long summer course with fees paid for by us if you start a language from scratch via the intensive route.

We are a renowned department of Language and Linguistics and many of our staff are internationally famous for their research, we are a place where talented students become part of an academic community in which the majority of research is rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, placing us firmly within the top 10 departments in the UK (REF 2014).

If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in a world-class department, welcome to Essex.