What specialism options does the MA Spanish Language and Culture offer?

Translation, cultural research or Latin American studies, chosen at the start of the academic year. Each shapes your taught modules, the texts in your seminars and your dissertation supervisor. Students with cross-specialism interests can discuss options with the programme director.

Does the MA Spanish Language and Culture cover both Spain and Latin America?

Yes. Comparative Hispanophone studies are core, with explicit modules across Spain, Mexico, the Southern Cone, the Andes, Central America and Hispanic North America. The MA Spanish Language and Culture treats Spanish as a global language and shapes dissertation supervision accordingly.

Can I take the MA Spanish Language and Culture part-time?

Yes. The MA can be taken over 24 months part-time. Online and distance routes are designed for working professionals, with evening seminars and a dissertation timeline you can build around other commitments.

What kind of dissertation will I write on the MA Spanish Language and Culture?

A 12,000–15,000 word dissertation on a Spanish-language or Hispanophone question, supervised by an active practitioner or academic. Recent topics have included translation theory applied to contemporary Latin American fiction, language policy in bilingual border regions, and digital Spanish in news production.

Is the MA Spanish Language and Culture recognised by UK and international employers?

Yes. The MA Spanish Language and Culture is a UK master's degree aligned to Instituto Cervantes, Chartered Institute of Linguists and ITI benchmarks. UK and international employers across translation, EU institutions, government, international development, NGOs and the cultural sector recognise the credential.

MA Spanish Language and Culture in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Spanish Language and Culture at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for advanced Spanish speakers ready to specialise — as professional translators, cultural researchers, Latin America analysts or senior Hispanophone-facing practitioners. You will work at advanced register across written and spoken Spanish, develop a specialism in translation, cultural research or Latin American studies, and produce a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a Spanish-language or Hispanophone question of your choice.

This MA treats Spanish as the global language it is. The MA Spanish Language and Culture works across the Hispanophone world — Spain, Mexico, the Southern Cone, the Andes, Central America and Hispanic North America — and builds the senior research-and-translation apparatus a working specialist needs.

Key Features

UK postgraduate degree in Spanish — one year full-time, with online and distance routes.
Translation, cultural research or Latin American studies specialism chosen at the start of the year.
Advanced text seminars across press, policy, literary and digital Spanish from Spain and Latin America.
Industry-led masterclasses from working translators, Latin Americanists and Instituto Cervantes practitioners.
Research methods strand aligned to Chartered Institute of Linguists and ITI translation research standards.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation supervised by an active practitioner or academic.

What You Will Learn

The MA Spanish Language and Culture is structured around the working practice of a senior Hispanophone specialist. You graduate able to translate at publishable standard, run applied or academic research with discipline, situate your work in current scholarship across the Spanish-speaking world, and contribute to senior Spain- or Latin America-facing teams in translation, education, cultural programming or policy.

Advanced Spanish at senior register — political, legal, literary, technical.
Translation theory and practice — Spanish to English and English to Spanish.
Comparative Hispanophone studies — Spain, Mexico, the Southern Cone, the Andes, Central America, Hispanic North America.
Modern Spanish and Latin American politics — current debates, regional dynamics.
Literary studies — selected texts from the Spanish and Latin American traditions.
Research methods — qualitative and quantitative, corpus tools, ethics.
Reporting research — academic writing, conference presentation, applied briefings.
Dissertation craft — proposal, fieldwork, write-up, viva preparation.

Who This MA Is For

BA graduates in Spanish, Latin American Studies or Modern Languages seeking a senior specialism.
Working professionals in translation, international development or commercial work with two-plus years of Spanish-using experience.
Heritage speakers seeking a UK postgraduate credential at research level.
Career-changers from related humanities backgrounds bringing advanced Spanish.

Career Pathways

The MA Spanish Language and Culture positions graduates for senior translator, cultural researcher, academic and policy roles where Spanish is the working language. Typical destinations include:

Spanish Translator (senior commercial agency, EU institution, government)
Bilingual Communications Specialist (senior corporate, NGO, public sector)
Spanish Teacher (secondary, sixth-form, university preparation)
Latin America Programme Officer (senior NGO, international development, cultural body)
Foreign Service Officer specialising in Spain or Latin America
Senior Cultural Programme Officer (Instituto Cervantes, festival, cultural body)

The MA also serves as a launchpad for doctoral research in Spanish, Latin American Studies or translation.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in Spanish, Latin American Studies or a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant Spanish-using experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.