English with modern foreign lnguages degree- what does it entail?

Hey,
So I’m considering this sort of degree, as I currently study english lit and Spanish at a level and I really love both of them.
But I just wondered if anyone could tell me what the general course structure is for this degree, like do you still continue to learn the language itself or is it more a study about the culture and society etc..?
Thanks

Hola,

I can help with the Spanish side of things. Depending on where you study, most of the Spanish degree students I tutor study the following modules: Hispanic history, literature, film, poetry, linguistics. Some of my students also study Spanish government, politics and economics if they are studying a business or management degree as well as the language. You can also expect to have grammar and translation classes as well as group conversation seminars.

You'll still continue to learn the pure language aspects but you'll step up your knowledge of current affairs, central and south American countries, literature, film etc.

That's what I studied at uni and loved it!

Drew

It really does depend on the university and each of their departments. Usually, you'll be doing 50% language and 50% lit/politics/film/society/etc (depending on what the department specialises in). I'll give an example of Edinburgh uni (where I went).

The course is split 50% into literature and 50% into language. Regarding literature, you will have 1 or 2 lectures a week on Hispanic literature - this will basically be a lecturer introducing and discussing pieces of Hispanic literature to everyone in the lecture hall (100~ students) all the while contextualising them in their respective sociopolitical situations. You will also have 1 literature tutorial every week where you'll discuss focal issues related to the lecture. In preparation for this, you'll be expected to do the required reading every week (which includes the literary texts themselves as well as secondary reading provided by the department) so you can discuss everything in as much detail as possible. At the end of each semester, you'll have a 2000 word essay to write on various pieces of literature (in English in 1st year and then Spanish-only from 2nd year onward).

Regarding language, you will have 1 tutorial for grammar and 1 tutorial for oral. The grammar tutorial will see you completing work at home and then going over them in class where you can ask questions regarding anything that you may not have understood. You'll also be expected to write essays of around 600-1000 words every few weeks on certain topical issues. As for oral, you'll be debating various topics and watching historically seminal movies (in your spare time) selected by the university and then discussing them in the tutorial. You'll also be expected to give frequent presentations, either as a group or individually, and then do Q&A on the movies - topics can be on whatever aspects you and your group choose to focus on or whatever you're assigned by the tutor.