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 the state'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.

*2024 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

*Available in the shared pool of majors and minors

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.

**The Australian Research special report 2019–2020

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) 
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
  • Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
  • University of Navarra, Spain
  • University of Valladolid, Spain

Learn more about study abroad and student exchange.

Explore the major

Find out more

Diploma of Language Studies

Flexible pathway program

Manual Name : Dr Fernanda Penaloza

Manual Description : Discipline Chair

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Useful links

Scholarships

Opportunities from the School of Languages and Cultures

Our people

  • Mr Brenton Freeman
  • Dr Ines Duran Matute
  • Dr Christian Tym

Contact us

School of Languages and Cultures

Room 506, Brennan MacCallum Building A18,
The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006

Phone: 1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864) (in Australia)
+61 2 8627 1444 (outside Australia)

Email: slc.enquiries@sydney.edu.au

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