Integrated year abroad Spanish MA (Hons) 2020 entry
It is possible for students applying for the MA (Hons) in Spanish to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country between their second and third year of study. This adds an extra year to the MA (Hons) course making it a total of five years in length.
Students who spend a year abroad not only gain valuable work experience as teachers and tutors, but also develop their linguistic skills, intercultural competence, and self-confidence.
UK students are usually placed in a school through the British Council’s Language Assistantship scheme, although this is not guaranteed. Successful applicants will then go on to teach English at a school, college or university in Spain or Latin America. Assistants are paid a salary locally and, after attending a basic induction course in teaching resources and methods, are typically required to teach for 12 hours per week under the supervision of local staff at the educational institution employing them.
However, you can organise an alternative work placement with the approval of the Spanish Department. For example, previous students have worked in art galleries, publishing houses and various businesses.
The year abroad experience is competitive and is not guaranteed. Places are granted on merit during the second year of study and do not take into account the initial UCAS application. If students are unsuccessful with their year abroad application, they will be moved to the four-year Spanish MA single Honours degree programme.
To find out more information, or to discuss the possibility of an integrated year abroad, please contact the Department of Spanish.
Contact
Department of Spanish
School of Modern Languages
University of St Andrews
Buchanan Building
Union Street
St Andrews
KY16 9PH
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2954
Email: spanishhod@st-andrews.ac.uk
Entry requirements
The entry requirements for Spanish with a year abroad are the same as for the Spanish MA (Hons) degree. However, to be eligible for Spanish with a year abroad, students must gain Honours entry in all subjects that they intend on taking at Honours level. Students who do not achieve entry to Honours-level in their chosen subjects must withdraw from their selected year abroad destination at that point.
Beginners in Spanish are normally expected to spend a year abroad in a Spanish-speaking country in order to advance to Honours years (fourth and fifth year). If you are a beginner in Spanish and another language (through a joint degree), please consult your year abroad coordinators in both departments.
UCAS code
R411
Degree type
Master of Arts (Honours) with integrated year abroad
Course duration
Five years full time
- Start date: 7 September 2020
- End date: 30 June 2025
Course information
The MA (Hons) in Spanish with an integrated year abroad follows the same course structure as the Spanish MA (Hons) degree, with the addition of a year abroad in between second and third year of study.
During their integrated year abroad, students are required to take the following compulsory module:
- Spanish Integrated Year Abroad: language learning and cultural familiarisation through a work placement in a Spanish-speaking country. Placements will be as language assistants in schools or on other assignments approved by the department.
80% of the assessment for this module is a supervised project of 5,000 words in Spanish chosen in consultation with the module coordinator. The remaining 20% is a 10-minute oral exam in Spanish which is sat upon the student’s return to St Andrews after their year abroad, during which the year abroad experience will be presented and discussed.
More information about the Spanish modules currently on offer can be found in our module catalogue.