Spanish
Salamanca, Spain. Photo courtesy of Charlie Lane.
Qualifications
Overview
In the world today, Spanish speakers are as numerous as native speakers of English. The largest concentrations are in Spain, Central and Latin America, and the USA. In travel, culture, trade, cyberspace, and sport, the Spanish language is a major player.
The Hispanic world is unified by its main official language, but it also represents a rich, complex, and heterogeneous space with significant ethnic, cultural, linguistic, political, and religious practices. Studying Spanish will give you an insight into this mix of old and new traditions which form the tapestry of Hispanic culture. It will also put you in a position to understand and participate in the economic and political transformations that connect even the remotest places in Latin America with our increasingly global environment.
- Students enjoy the challenging and informal atmosphere of the classes, and staff members work closely with students to help them achieve high levels of language proficiency and in-depth knowledge of Hispanic culture.
- One of the programme’s most important resources is the exchange programme with Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, an institution located in Spain. This unique opportunity provides an authentic environment for students to improve their language skills in Spanish. Students who take part in the exchange programme have a chance to study for one or two semesters, and suitable courses taken at Castilla-La-Mancha can be credited towards their degree at UC.
- In conjunction with the Spanish Ministry of Education, students can apply through the Spanish programme at UC to be a teaching assistant in Spain. This unique programme offers the opportunity for students to teach English in Spain in primary, secondary, and language schools for up to a full academic year.
Spanish language courses cater for total beginners as well as those with some prior knowledge of the language.
SPAN 101 Beginners' Spanish A is for total beginners, while SPAN 201 Intermediate Spanish Language A is the normal entry point for those with Year 13 Spanish.
Placement tests are also available for those who have acquired proficiency by other means. Contact the Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies for information regarding this.
UC offers a major and a minor in Spanish as part of the Bachelor of Arts. You can also study this subject as a minor within the Bachelor of Commerce.
100-level courses
100-level courses are beginners' courses in Spanish.
200-level and beyond
Those with previous knowledge of the language may be able to enter at 200-level. See 'Recommended preparation' above for details.
The Spanish programme at UC focuses primarily on language acquisition based on the communicative approach. Cultural studies are also integrated into the curriculum, so that students can deepen their understanding of Hispanic cultures.
Spanish graduates find employment in a wide range of careers including teaching, translation, research, journalism, diplomacy, and international law. Government and international organisations as well as research institutions welcome such language skills.
Spanish will also benefit students majoring in a science who wish to work or do further studies in Spain, the USA, or Latin America.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in Spanish.
Contact us
Department of Global, Cultural and Language Studies
Phone +64 3 369 3377
Email artsdegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz
Location
4th Floor, Logie Building – see campus maps
Postal address
College of Arts | Te Rāngai Toi Tangata
University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
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