European Languages and Cultures - Spanish

Would you like to become an expert on the cultures, languages and politics of Europe?

Spanish is the world’s second most spoken native language, after Chinese. Spanish is spoken in most Latin American countries as well as parts of the United States. The specialization in Spanish within European Languages and Cultures at the University of Groningen will give you a very broad knowledge of Spanish language, history, culture and politics in relation to the surrounding world.

By studying the key linguistic, political, cultural and social topics of contemporary Europe, you will learn to understand the mutual relationship, differences and similarities among national and regional cultures. In doing so, you will learn to understand future challenges and inform advanced decision-making in cultural, political and educational institutions.

You may find Spanish a fun school subject, or perhaps you have been to a Spanish speaking country or you like the music from Shakira. There are plenty of reasons why you might choose to take the Spanish specialization within European Languages and Cultures. This is a good choice, as almost half a billion people around the world speak this language. Even in New York you will hear Spanish all around you.

Why Spanish?

By learning Spanish, you will be able to understand and actively participate in Spanish speaking communities, you will learn about the complexity of the Spanish-speaking countries, their history and their societies. 

In addition to immersing yourself in the Spanish language, you and your fellow students of European Languages and Cultures in Groningen will learn about social developments and the role language plays in them, about literature and culture, history and European politics. You will learn how these fields have always influenced each other, not stopping at national borders. You will, for example, discuss the legacy of European colonialism in Latin America, the impact that moments of political turmoil have had upon literature and art, as well as examining broader social phenomena such as immigration, gender identity and nationalism in the Spanish-speaking world.

The programme has a flexible structure. From your second year onward, you will specialise in one of the profiles:

• European Language and Society
• European Culture and Literature
• European Politics and Society