BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad)
About this course
BA (Hons) Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) is a four-year undergraduate degree within the study of Italian and Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. The programme includes a mandatory year abroad spent studying at a partner institution or undertaking a work placement or internship. The first year covers language acquisition and cultural foundations through modules such as Spanish Language and Cultures: Upper Intermediate, Intensive Italian Language and Cultures: Beginner, Understanding Language in the Real World, and Understanding Spanish-speaking Cultures and Societies (post-A level route). Second-year studies advance proficiency via Italian Language and Cultures: Advanced and Spanish Language and Cultures: Advanced, while offering optional modules spanning cinema, art and linguistics. The final fourth year builds toward professional proficiency through Italian Language and Cultures: Proficient and Spanish Language and Cultures: Proficient. Optional study in the final year includes specialized topics in translation, literature, film and linguistics, alongside independent study options.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: AAB including Spanish IB: 35 points including 5 in Spanish at Higher Level. BTEC: DDD. An A level or equivalent qualification in Spanish will be required.
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What students say
Based on about 21 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 94%
- Learning opportunities: 88%
- Assessment and feedback: 82%
- Academic support: 100%
- Organisation and management: 94%
- Learning resources: 93%
- Student voice: 79%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 15 students who started, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Continued on course: 90%
- Left higher education: 10%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 5%
What graduates do next
Based on about 9 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 70%
- Working and studying: 15%
- Further study: 10%
Most common jobs
- Teaching Professionals: 30%
- Sales occupations: 10%
- Secretarial and related occupations: 10%
- Information Technology Professionals: 10%
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 80%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 50%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 45%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 40 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 5%
- North West: 15%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 30%
- East Midlands: 5%
- East of England: 5%
- London: 25%
- South East: 5%
Who gets in
Based on about 20 students who started, across similar courses at this university (a small group: a rough guide only)
- A levels: 100%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Gold for student experience, Silver for student outcomes.
Modules
- Spanish Language and Cultures: Upper Intermediate
- Intensive Italian Language and Cultures: Beginner
- Understanding Language in the Real World
- Understanding Spanish-speaking Cultures and Societies (post-A level route)
- Understanding Italian-speaking Cultures and Societies (ab initio route)
- English Past and Present
- Phonetics and Phonology
- Syntactic Structures
- Italian Language and Cultures: Advanced
- Spanish Language and Cultures: Advanced
- Multiple Identities in 21st Century Spain
- World Cinemas: Representing National and Transnational Societies and Cultures
- The Role of Art in Italian Society
- Language Acquisition
- Aspects of a Theory of Syntax
- The Language of Turn and Sequence
- Sociolinguistics
- Acoustic Phonetics and Phonological Analysis
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language II
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language I
- Plurilingualism, Multilingualism and Transnational Languages: Concepts, Strategies and Approaches
- Italian Language and Cultures: Proficient
- Spanish Language and Cultures: Proficient
- The Mafia from its Origins to the Present Day
- World Cinemas: Representing National and Transnational Societies and Cultures
- Latinos in the USA
- Independent Study in Languages and Cultures
- Independent Study in Translation
- Translation: Methodology and Practice
- Topics in Phonetics and Phonology: Language Processing
- Multimodality: Language and the Body
- Psycholinguistics: Language Processing
- Topics in Psycholinguistics
- Neurolinguistics: Language and the Brain
- Linguistic Approaches to Second Language Acquisition
- English Place-names across Time and Space
- Bilingualism
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language II
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York earn?
The median salary is £28,500 after 15 months, £25,000 after 3 years, £31,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £25,500 and £37,500. The £31,000 median after five years is £2,000 less than the UK median for Italian studies.
What do graduates of BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York do next?
95% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York?
94% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York?
The typical offer is AAB at A level, or 35 points in the IB. The average entrant had 134 UCAS points.
Does BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year and a compulsory year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Italian and Spanish (with a year abroad) at University of York?
90% of students continued into their second year, and 10% left higher education.