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History Schools and Programs in Spain

39 schools in Spain teach History.

History

To gain a Bachelor of Arts in History, you will study at Saint Louis University Madrid and St. Louis. In the world, few places offer the number of Spanish history courses in English as SLU-Madrid. SLU faculty have expert knowledge in medieval, early modern and modern European history, with particular interests in the interaction of Spain’s Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures, the Spanish Civil War, Colonial Latin America and the Classical Hellenistic World. SLU’s history major requires you complete 120 credit hours, including 36 hours of history coursework. Students are also required to take three introductory history courses and 27 credit hours of upper-division courses.
Level: Undergraduate Bachelors  
Language of instruction: English  
Location: Madrid

History Studies in Spain

A bachelor's degree in History covers historical processes from Prehistory to the present day, and it also teaches how historical knowledge is built: sources, methods, debates and limits. Spanish universities teach the degree in Spanish (and in some regions partly in the co-official language), and many curricula include courses on the history of the Americas. Some universities also suggest master's degrees on Latin America after the bachelor's; the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, lists its master's in Latin American Studies (Estudios Latinoamericanos) as a follow-on option.

How History degrees are organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, Spanish official university qualifications have three cycles: bachelor's degrees of 240 ECTS credits, master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 credits, and the doctorate, which is open to students who have passed 300 credits across the two previous cycles. A bachelor's degree in History (grado en Historia) therefore takes four academic years of 60 credits each.

The Universidad de Salamanca shows how the degree is structured. Its bachelor's degree in History, taught since the 2010-11 academic year, replaced the old five-year licenciatura. It combines 60 credits of basic training, 120 credits of compulsory courses, 54 credits of electives and a 6-credit final project. Teaching is on campus and in Spanish, and the university offers 110 first-year places for the 2026-27 academic year. Typical subjects in a History curriculum include:

  • Prehistory and Ancient History
  • Medieval and Early Modern History
  • Contemporary History and the present-day world
  • History of the Americas
  • Archaeology, palaeography and historical research methods
  • Historiography and the theory of history

Where to study History in Spain

The Ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) lists the official bachelor's degree in History (Graduado o Graduada en Historia) at universities in almost every autonomous community. Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Murcia and León are among the cities with the most schools in our directory that teach the subject. Some examples:

  • Madrid: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad CEU San Pablo and Universidad de Alcalá
  • Catalonia: Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Universitat Rovira i Virgili
  • Andalusia: Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad de Málaga, Universidad de Cádiz, Universidad de Almería and Universidad de Huelva
  • Castile and León: Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de Valladolid and Universidad de León
  • Other regions: Universitat de València, Universidad de Murcia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad de Oviedo, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad del País Vasco, Universidad de Cantabria, Universidad de La Laguna and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country some teaching may be in the co-official language (Catalan, Valencian, Galician or Basque), so check the language of each course in the course guide (guía docente) before you enrol.

Admission and recognition

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the tests needed to enter bachelor's degrees at Spanish universities. With it, they then apply to each university within that university's own deadlines. History degrees rarely have special entry tests: the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, sets no conditions or tests beyond the general ones in national regulations.

If you already hold a foreign university degree, Royal Decree 889/2022 sets out three procedures: homologación, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain; declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level of the qualification (bachelor's or master's); and convalidación, which recognises courses so that you can continue university studies in Spain.

Costs and student visa

At public universities, the tuition fees for official degrees are set by each autonomous community, so they vary from region to region. Private universities set their own fees.

Students from outside the European Union who will study in Spain for more than 90 days need a student visa, which they apply for at the Spanish consulate in their country. Among other requirements, applicants must show financial means equal to 100% of the IPREM, which the Universidad Complutense de Madrid gives as €600 for each month of study in 2026, and health insurance with no co-payments or waiting periods.

Careers

The Universidad de Salamanca lists, among others, these career paths for History graduates:

  • Teaching in secondary schools and vocational training, after the teacher-training master's
  • University teaching and research
  • Management of historical and cultural heritage
  • Documentation and cultural advice in archives, libraries and museums
  • Professional archaeology
  • Publishing, audiovisual production and the media

To teach in a Spanish secondary school (ESO and bachillerato) you need, in addition to the bachelor's degree, an official master's degree of 60 credits that qualifies you for the profession.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a History degree take in Spain?

Four academic years, for a total of 240 ECTS credits. Afterwards you can take a master's degree of 60 to 120 credits and then a doctorate.

Do I need a special entrance exam to study History?

Usually not. International students normally have their studies accredited through UNEDasiss and then apply to the university of their choice.

Can I become a History teacher in Spain with this degree?

To teach in secondary schools you also need the official 60-credit teacher-training master's degree.

Can I get my History degree from another country recognised in Spain?

You can apply for a declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level of your degree, or for convalidación of courses if you want to continue your studies in Spain.