Spanish and Portuguese
Welcome to Spanish and Portuguese!
The Spanish and Portuguese section is one of the largest in the UK, and has been ranked as one of the most outstanding for teaching and research. It is a lively and friendly community of undergraduates, postgraduates (masters and doctoral students), researchers and lecturers with interests ranging from the cultures and history of Catalonia, Portugal and Spain, to those of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico amongst others.
Particular research interests of staff are in fields as diverse as film and media studies, modern Peninsular and cultural studies, Portuguese and Brazilian literature and visual arts, translation theory, syntax of the Romance languages, contemporary Catalan culture, Medieval and Golden Age studies, and Latin American literature, film and visual arts.
There are approximately 400 undergraduates (across all years) and 14 postgraduate students who conduct their research under the supervision of senior members of staff. Most teaching is undertaken in small groups (supervisions), and as a student here (at any level) you will have frequent opportunities to discuss your work with teaching staff, often on a one-to-one basis.
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese aims to foster active research in literature, linguistics and culture across the fields in which it has specialist researchers: Medieval Spanish; Golden Age; 19th- and 20th-century Spain (including Catalan studies); 19th-and 20th-century Spanish American; Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa; and Hispanic linguistics. As well as traditional subject specialisms, there are clusters of research interest in specific areas: diachronic syntax, cinema, gender studies, cultural studies informed by critical theory, and visual culture.
The Spanish and Portuguese Section very much welcomes MPhil and PhD students. We are one of the largest Hispanic and Lusophone departments in the UK, and one of the most highly ranked departments for research.