Humanities and Social Sciences

School of Historical and European Studies

Spanish Program (with Portuguese, Catalan and Galician)

The Spanish Program, founded in 1968, provides a range of subjects within the general area of Hispanic and Iberian studies, that is, Spanish language, literatures and cultures at a number of different levels, Portuguese language in both its forms (those of Portugal and Brazil, spoken by approximately 200 million people), Catalan, the language of some seven million speakers, primarily in Spain, and Galician, one of the three historic languages of Spain. Latin American literature and culture occupy an equally important place in the Program's offerings.

What is Spanish?

In all important senses - in terms of demography, the extent of its administrative use, and its cultural impact - Spanish, spoken by over 400 million people, is one of the world's major languages.

Why Study Spanish?

Spanish is one of the two main languages of the Latin American countries and the principal one of Spain. It is the most commonly spoken language after English in the USA. It is the medium of such major works of literature as Don Quixote and One Hundred Years of Solitude, and such well known film directors as Pedro Almodovar and Luis Buñuel.

Teaching

Units fall into two types: core Spanish language subjects which all students take, where the emphasis is on competence in the language; and elective, specialised subjects which focus on socio-cultural and/or literary topics.

Spanish language subjects cater for all levels of Spanish from the complete beginner to students with an advanced knowledge of Spanish. Catalan is available at the beginner's level, while Portuguese, if offered, is available for both beginners and for advanced students. The target language is the principal medium of communication; however, in 2007, two new bilingual subjects - Post Colonial Identity (PDF 1596Kb) and Cuba in the Special Period (PDF 402Kb) - will be introduced and tutorials available in either Spanish or English.

Research and Publications

Students are encouraged to develop an interest in a specific area of Hispanic studies that falls within the Program's ambit, or in related disciplines taught in other programs and disciplines, for example, Latin American Studies, European Studies, Development Studies and Linguistics.

Career Opportunities

There are many possibilities for developing long-term careers with a Spanish major.

Study Abroad

Students may apply to do in-country study programs in Spanish (and in Catalan, Galician and Portuguese), either through intensive language studies or through the University's exchange programs. These are available both in Spain and in various Latin American countries. Competitive La Trobe Language Study scholarships may be applied for to support such study.

Students may wish to apply for a grant from The Walter Mangold Trust Fund to study abroad. Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000 and 2008's grant round will open 1 September and close on 17 October. Applicants must fit eligibility criteria and a condition of the Trust Fund Deed states that all grant recipients must make a publication or deliver at least one lecture in Australia.

Graduate Profiles

See what some of our graduates are doing.