Why study Spanish and English Literature at Aberystwyth?

• You will be part of?a University that endeavours to provide a student experience that is memorable and cherished. Aberystwyth University values its students and it is for this ethos that in the latest National Student Survey, the?Department of Modern Languages?has scored 93% student satisfaction and the?Department of English & Creative Writing?are ranked top 10 in the UK for the subject area of English (NSS, 2017).?
• Students wishing to study Spanish can commence this course at beginners or advanced level.?
• You will be taught by staff who are world leaders in their fields of expertise.
• We offer you opportunities to engage with a wide variety of approaches to literature and cultural history, combining critical thinking with scholarship.
• You will have the opportunity to explore literary theory - philosophical and conceptual ideas that inform, challenge and problematise the ways we read.
• In your final year you will have the opportunity to take part in a writing retreat at a country house in mid Wales - an amazing opportunity to spend time with fellow students and staff, developing your final year projects and dissertations, in a splendid rural setting.
• Both departments pride themselves on their exceptionally friendly atmosphere where contact with staff is regular.?
• We have one of the biggest libraries in the world, the National Library of Wales, on our doorstep. This copyright institution receives a copy of every book published in the UK.
• The department is home to?New Welsh Review, Wales's foremost literary magazine - this could be an exciting opportunity for you to get involved.
• You will be immersed in a supportive and vibrant community of creative and critical thinkers, literary experts, and published scholars from every field.

Our Staff

All academic staff in the Department of English and Creative Writing are active scholars and experts in their fields. They are either qualified to PhD level or have commensurate experience. Our Lecturers either hold or are working towards a Higher Education teaching qualification and the majority of academic staff also hold the status of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

All of the lecturers in the Department of Modern Languages are qualified to PhD level and are research active specialists in their chosen field. We also employ highly qualified and experienced language tutors, and native-speakers, who will ensure that your learning is of the highest possible quality and who will provide you with constant support through your years of study.

Career Prospects

A degree in English Literature and Spanish is the “gold standard” for any employment setting where communication is valued. All of our modules deliver key skills that enable you to build a comprehensive C.V. that evidences your diverse range of competencies.

Our graduates have been successful across the widest possible range of career destinations:

• broadcasting
• journalism
• advertising
• publishing
• education
• the Civil Service
• business
• finance
• new media.

Transferable Skills

Studying for a degree in English Literature will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• effective problem-solving and creative-thinking skills
• the ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-work, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
• research skills.

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying??

Click?here?to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer.

Enhance your employability prospects with?GO Wales and YES?(Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department.?

What will I learn?

This degree will allow you to explore literature of all genres and from all periods within the context of the broadest possible interpretation of literature in English. You will become skilled in the interpretation and analysis of literary texts and you will engage with current critical debates.

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the four year degree scheme.

During your four years, you will have four weekly hours of language work, which includes:

Oral

Written

Aural

Translation

In your first year you may discover:

• new techniques for analysing literary texts
• some key figures from literary history (from Shakespeare to the Bront?s)
• the founding moments of Spanish culture
• the Spanish language through film, culture and identity
• lesser known texts, and writers who are new-to-you;
• a variety of “ways of reading” and some theoretical approaches to textual analysis
• poetry, prose, drama, American Literature, adaptations, Classical literature, contemporary writing, medieval texts and much more.

In your second year you may explore:

• the theoretical approaches to, and the practice of, literary criticism
• Spanish literature
• history of Spanish art and film
• a range of selected core texts from the medieval period through to the twenty-first century
• a number of specialist topics chosen by you (these might focus on a specific genre (such as crime fiction), historical period (such as the Victorian era),?or theme (such as “place”).

In your third year you will:?

• embark on your Year Abroad of studying or work placements through the Erasmus + Programme.

In the final year you may master:

• literary theory and the application of theoretical perspectives to literary analysis
• extended writing and independent research in your final year dissertation project (on a topic chosen and defined by you)
• areas of the Spanish language which include literature, business, and film
• your own specialisms drawn from a diverse range of option modules taught by researchers in those fields. Our option modules include topics such as Elizabethan drama, the ghost story, the early English novel, queer fiction, children’s literature, Romanticism, and much more.?

In your final year you will have the opportunity to take part in a writing retreat at a country house in mid Wales - an amazing opportunity to spend time with fellow students and staff, developing your final year projects and dissertations, in a splendid rural setting.

How will I be taught?

Our degree is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and one-to-one tutorials. We also encourage self-directed learning designed to stimulate your academic interest in English Literature and nurture your personal and intellectual development.

You will be assessed through essays, exams and oral presentation. You will also be required to complete additional, non-assessed, assignments and to work with others on particular tasks.

Further information

As you study, you will develop a range of skills which will benefit you in further study or any graduate workplace. You will learn to: employ multiple critical techniques when approaching texts; develop a reflective practice in reading and writing; articulate a detailed critical analysis of your subject; and respond to any task with creativity, flair and style.

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or pastoral issues. Your personal tutor will also be responsible for delivering tutorials that will help you in the development of key skills. You will also have the opportunity to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at Aberystwyth. This is a structured process of self-appraisal, reflection, and planning, which will enable you to chart your personal, academic and professional development throughout your time at university. By recording your academic performance, and highlighting the skills you already have and those you will need for future employability, the PDP portfolio will equip you with the necessary tools to plan effectively, develop successful approaches to study, and consider your future career options and aspirations.