International Relations and Spanish BA

Students studying International Relations and Spanish appreciate how the insights of political analysis (e.g. political theory, political institutions, international relations) and the tools of literary and linguistic inquiry combine to illuminate political and historical developments, including those in the contemporary world. By studying International Relations and Spanish, students can also analyse a wide variety of literary, political, social, cultural and linguistic aspects of Spanish-speaking countries across the globe. Students can start to learn Spanish as beginners if they do not have an A level in Spanish. All students follow core modules in Spanish language that enable them to develop skills in written and spoken Spanish and translation from Spanish to English. Alongside the core language modules student study students are introduced to the literatures, histories, cultures and language of the Spanish-speaking world. We are proud to offer students the opportunity to learn more about Spain and Latin America and to study different periods from early modern (Golden Age) Spain and colonial Latin America to twentieth-first century Spain and contemporary Latin America. All students follow modules in Spanish language which are of a broadly communicative nature, focusing on contemporary Spanish/Hispanic social and cultural issues and drawing on authentic materials. The degree takes four years to complete (which includes the study abroad year).

International Relations and Spanish at Queen’s reflects on international relations, political structures, global dynamism and cultural diversity, with a focus on the Spanish-speaking world.

International Relations and Spanish highlights

Global Opportunities

After stage 2, you will spend an academic year working or studying in a Spanish-speaking country. Students have the possibility of acquiring valuable professional experience by teaching in a school, undertaking a work placement, or doing voluntary work; they may also elect to study at a Spanish university.

Industry Links

Graduates have risen to the top in a number of fields, including media, print journalism, translating, marketing, local government, fast-stream Civil Service, and a very wide range of local, national and international companies.

World Class Facilities

Queen’s Library has an outstanding collection of resources relating to Spain and Latin America, as well as a range of political topics. The Language Centre has state-of-the-art facilities for language learning, and the IT provision more generally is excellent.

Internationally Renowned Experts

With over 30 staff at the cutting edge of research and publication, the Politics and IR unit at Queen’s is the largest in Ireland and one of the largest in the UK and Ireland, with specialisms in democratic innovations, public policy, Irish and British politics, political theory, environmental politics, energy and sustainable development, the politics of literature, gender, European Union politics, ethnic conflict, and international relations.

Professor John Garry is an internationally recognised expert in the areas of citizens’ political attitudes and voting behaviour. His research has informed governments both in Belfast and Dublin on offering ordinary citizens the chance to have greater input on policymaking.

The School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen‘s has over 86 academics, making it the largest institutional centre for the study of these subjects in Ireland and one of the largest in the UK.