Program Overview

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Art History and Spanish & Latin American Studies (5 years), MA

Introduction

Art History and Spanish & Latin American Studies at Aberdeen brings together thorough grounding in a modern European language and culture with fascinating in-depth study of buildings, sculptures, drawings, paintings, prints, decorative and industrial arts from all periods, at Scotland’s top-rated university for the impact of its research in the history of art. You’ll gain great specialist and transferable skills to add to your language and open up a range of exciting career options.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MA
• Duration: 60 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• UCAS Code: RV43

Spanish & Latin American Studies at Aberdeen has an outstanding reputation, with the highest possible rating of ‘Excellent’ in the last national Teaching Quality Assessment.

Aberdeen is one of the most dynamic places to study the Spanish language and the cultural frameworks in countries where it is spoken. We’ll equip you with the skills to communicate in a global language, spoken by 350 million native Spanish speakers in 19 Latin American states, the Spanish Peninsula, and increasingly in the US.

You’ll also study historical, anthropological, literary and cultural texts, films and visual culture of Spain and the Latin American countries.

You’ll complement this with extensive specialised knowledge of the history of painting, sculpture, architecture and the decorative arts in Europe and North America from the Middle Ages to the present day.

You’ll study in buildings centuries old, yet with the most modern teaching and technology, inspired by teachers and researchers whose specialist areas range from Pictish art, medieval architecture, Italian Baroque painting, early modern prints, and Scottish and British painting from the 17th to 20th centuries.

As an integral part of your 5-year programme you will spend the whole of year three taking your language and cultural skills to a very high level as a teaching assistant or visiting student in a Spanish-speaking country.

Your specialist skills make you ideally placed to enter the art gallery and museum sectors, arts education, publishing and journalism, or fine art conservation. Your language skills will open international opportunities, and your transferable skills including teamwork, time management, and highly developed enquiry, analytical and presentational skills are really suited to a range of careers.

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.

What You'll Study

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Academic Writing for Language & Literature (AW1008)
  • Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
  • Introduction to Art History (AH1005)
  • Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art (AH1503)
  • Encountering Art: Museums Through History (AH1002)
  • Fashion: History and Theory (AH1504)
• Optional Courses:
  • Select ONE of the following options:
    • Beginner: Spanish Language 1 (SP1027) or Spanish Language 2 (SP1528)
    • Intermediate: Spanish Language 2 (SP1028) or Spanish Language 3 (SP2525)
    • Advanced: Spanish Language 3 (SP2525)
  • Plus select:
    • Spain and Spanish America: History, Culture, Politics (SP1039) AND/OR The Global City (LA1501)
  • Plus further credit points from courses of choice to reach 120 credit points.

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • What is Art? (AH2001)
  • Art Matters: Materials and Techniques (AH2503)
• Optional Courses:
  • Select ONE of the following options:
    • Beginner: Spanish Language 3 (SP2025)
    • Intermediate/Advanced: Spanish Language 4 (SP2026) or Spanish Language 5 (SP2531)
  • Also, select:
    • Latin America: Texts and Contexts (SP2036) AND/OR The Global City (LA1501)
  • Also, select further courses of choice to gain a total of 120 credit points.

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Residence Abroad Project (SP30AB)

Year 4

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Spanish Language 6 (SP30A3)
• Optional Courses:
  • Select ONE of the following:
    • AH3501 - Curation: Theory and Practice
    • AH3515 - Women Writing Art History, c. 1850 - 1970
    • AH 3517 - Painting in Tudor and Early Stuart England
  • Plus select ONE of the following:
    • AH3014 - Architecture and Power
    • AH3012 - Surrealism and its Legacies in Contemporary Art
  • Plus select 45 credit points in Level 3 Spanish & Latin American Studies courses

Year 5

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Spanish Language 7 (SP40A5)
• Optional Courses:
  • Select ONE of the following dissertation options:
    • Dissertation in Hispanic Studies (SP4039)
    • Dissertation in History of Art (AH 4518)
  • Also, select ONE of the following:
    • AH4014 - Architecture and Power
    • AH4011 - Art and the City
    • AH4012 - Surrealism and its Legacies in Contemporary Art
  • Plus, select further courses in Level 4 Spanish & Latin American Studies to gain 60 credits in the discipline. Also, select 30 credit points in Level 4 History if required.

How You'll Study

Learning Methods

• Individual Projects
• Lectures
• Research
• Tutorials

Assessment Methods

Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:

• Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course
• Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course
• Written examinations at the end of each course

The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.

Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

Why Study Art History and Spanish & Latin American Studies?

Why Spanish & Latin American Studies

• The opportunity to study visual culture, literature, history, politics and anthropology in relation to Spain and/or Latin America.
• Special areas of research expertise include 20th century Spain, contemporary and historical Mexico, visual culture, gender studies, history of science in Latin America, and studies of citizenship and society.
• Multicultural north-east Scotland, with many Spanish speakers working or studying in this region due to its role as a world centre for oil and gas.
• The spectacular, award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library, with top-class study facilities, state-of-the-art learning technology, and extensive Spanish and Latin American works to inspire your studies.
• A packed campus programme of events, exhibitions, film showings, and the annual WayWORD literary festival which welcomes international figures, experts, writers and scientists to campus every spring, including authors writing in Spanish.

Why Art History

• Our impressive on-campus collections of art and cultural artefacts acquired over the past five hundred years
• First-hand engagement with artworks and architecture, with field trips to galleries, museums and heritage collections taking place at every level of study
• A learning experience at our beautiful historic campus in Old Aberdeen
• Teaching partnerships with museum professionals, developing and enhancing vocational skills through work-related learning
• Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland’s distinguished architectural heritage from the Middle Ages onwards, including King’s College Chapel, St Machar’s Cathedral and Dunnottar Castle
• Award-winning Aberdeen Art Gallery, with its impressive collections of French and British art, and one of the best collections of Impressionist painting outside London
• A vibrant urban arts scene featuring cultural events across the year including Nuart, the internationally renowned street art festival, and Spectra, Scotland’s Festival of Light
• A packed campus programme of student and public events, departmental research seminars and exhibitions

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• SQA Highers:
  • Standard: AABB
  • Minimum: BBB
  • Adjusted: BB
• A LEVELS:
  • Standard: BBB
  • Minimum: BBC
  • Adjusted: CCC
• International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3

Fees and Funding

• England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
• EU / International students: £20,800
• Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme
• Home Students: £1,820

Careers

There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.

• More information on employability at the University of Aberdeen
• More information on the Careers and Employability Service

Our Experts

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

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Art History and Spanish & Latin American Studies at University of Aberdeen

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