Facts & figures
Modern Languages
- #1 in Sydney
- Top 30 in the world
- 2020 QS World University Rankings
Faculties and schools_
Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies
Study one of the world's most widely spoken languages
Exploring the diverse, vibrant cultures across Spain and throughout the Americas.
Learn the world’s second most widely spoken language at Sydney's #1 university for Modern Languages*. Engage with the cultures and histories of more than 400 million people. Like a Gaudi mosaic, the Spanish-speaking world comprises a multitude of unique parts that come together to form a complex and inspiring whole.
Our work integrates language teaching and cultural research to offer a comprehensive understanding of the social contexts and uses of Spanish around the world. We investigate Spanish in its spoken, written, narrative, historical and contemporary modes.
*2020 QS World University Rankings by Subject
Our study offering
Spanish is the official language of 21 countries and is spoken by more than 400 million people. Studying Spanish will equip you with a deep knowledge of the language and offer you the tools to examine and understand politics, society and culture in the Spanish-speaking world.
Undergraduate
- Spanish and Latin American Studies (Introductory)*
- Spanish and Latin American Studies (Intermediate)*
- Spanish and Latin American Studies (Advanced)*
- Spanish and Latin American studies (Honours)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Languages)
- Diploma of Language Studies
*Available as a major and minor within the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Visual Arts, as well as all combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies degrees.
Research
Our research
We are the leading institution for Latin American Studies research in Australia**. Our work regularly crosses disciplinary boundaries into areas that include sociology, anthropology and psychology and address issues relating to nationalism, identity, gender, politics, ethnicity, social movements, and migration among others. We proudly maintain strong connections to the Spanish and Latin American communities of Australia.
Our research areas include:
- Critical discourse analysis of media and law
- Sociology of law and political cultures in Mexico
- Gender and sexuality in contemporary Latin American contexts
- Migration studies
- Politics of identity in Latin American statecraft
- Ethnicity and race in electoral politics
- Fiction of contemporary Spain and its role in navigating reality
- Themes of war, memory and trauma in Spain’s narrative
- Identity, memory and space in Spanish women’s writings
- Second language acquisition pedagogy
- Spanish and Latin American literature and film
- Islam, Europe and Spain
- Cultural dislocation in contemporary Europe.
Exchange
Our advanced exchange programs provide life-changing experiences in Spain and the Americas, where eligible students exercise their language skills and develop an understanding of cultural intricacies first hand.
- Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (multiple campus locations)
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
- University of Valladolid, Spain
Learn more: Study abroad and student exchange
Our people
- Dr Luis Angosto Ferrández
- Dr Beatriz Carbajal Carerra
- Dr Vek Lewis
- Dr Macarena Ortiz-Jimenez
- Dr Fernanda Penaloza
- Dr Ruben Perez-Hidalgo
- Dr Marta García-Balsas (Spanish Government Lector)
- Undergraduate enquiries: fernanda.penaloza@sydney.edu.au
- Honours and postgraduate research: vek.lewis@sydney.edu.au
- Exchange: beatriz.carbajal@sydney.edu.au
- Professor Roy C Boland
- Emilia Saez-Nieto
- Honorary Associate Professor Estela Valverde
- Ines Duran Matute
- Dr Christian Tym
Events
See our school's calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.
NOTE: Some of our events are transitioning to online delivery and will be advertised accordingly. Let us know what event you're interested in via our online form, and we'll update you as the situation changes. Learn more about the University’s COVID-19 advice.
**The Australian Research special report 2019–2020
Contact
Address
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School of Languages and Cultures, Room 506, Brennan MacCallum Building A18, The University of Sydney NSW 2006
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