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Studies & Degrees in Spanish Language and Literature (in Universities)

Spanish language and literature is the university study of Spanish: how the language works, how it has changed and how it varies, and what has been written in it in Spain and Latin America. According to the Instituto Cervantes, the community of native speakers passed 500 million for the first time in 2025 and reached 520 million, and potential users of Spanish exceed 630 million worldwide. Spanish is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

What students do depends on where they study. Outside the Spanish-speaking world, the degree starts with the language itself. The Pennsylvania State University describes its major as developing skills in speaking, understanding, reading and writing Spanish, and then acquainting students with the literature and civilisation of the Hispanic world and with Hispanic linguistics. In Spain the degree is a philology degree taught to students who already speak the language: at the Universidad de Alcalá, the study of the Spanish language, linguistics and the literatures of the Hispanic world is the core of the Grado en Estudios Hispánicos.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States and Canada. Spanish is a major inside a four-year bachelor's degree. At Penn State the B.A. in Spanish requires a minimum of 120 credits, of which 36 belong to the major; students can concentrate on Hispanic literature or on linguistics, and there are specialised courses in translation techniques and in Spanish for social services. At The University of Chicago the programme consists of ten courses beyond second-year language, covering Spanish and Spanish-American literatures and cultures.
  • Spain. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits over four years. Titles vary: Estudios Hispánicos at the Universidad de Alcalá, Filología Hispánica at the Universidad de Jaén, and Lengua Española y sus Literaturas or similar names elsewhere. At Jaén the 240 credits comprise 60 of basic training, 114 compulsory, 60 optional and a 6-credit final project, with mentions that include advanced study of the Spanish language or of Spanish literature.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Secondary school teaching is a regulated profession in Spain and requires an official master's degree in teacher training of 60 credits. Master's degrees in teaching Spanish as a foreign language are the usual route into language schools and universities abroad.
  • Language diplomas. A language certificate is not a degree, but it is often needed for admission. The DELE diplomas are official qualifications certifying competence in Spanish, awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, and they cover all CEFR levels from A1 to C2.

Where to study Spanish language and literature

SpainExchange lists 268 active schools for this subject. More than half are in the United States (141), followed by Spain (51), the United Kingdom (19), Canada (9), France (6) and Germany (4). Chile, Mexico and Colombia have three each, and Morocco, Peru and Brazil two each. Schools on the list include The Ohio State University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, San Diego State University and The University of Chicago in the United States; the University of Lethbridge and the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada; Avignon Université in France; and the Universidad de Oviedo and Saint Louis University's Madrid campus in Spain.

The degrees in Spain cited here are taught in Spanish (the Universidad de Jaén lists Spanish and English), so non-native applicants need an advanced level before they start. A common first step is a university Spanish course: Alcalingua, the Spanish language centre of the Universidad de Alcalá, teaches Spanish to foreign students and lists the DELE and SIELE among its official exams.

Careers

Teaching is the most frequent destination, in schools, universities and language centres. The Universidad de Alcalá also lists linguistic and cultural mediation, language and literary consultancy, publishing and writing, communication and cultural management, and newer fields linked to computational linguistics and language technologies. Penn State notes that its B.A. in Spanish can ease entry into areas such as business, social welfare and bilingual education.

In the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and employment in the occupation is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. Employment of high school teachers is projected to show little or no change over the same period, and teachers in public schools need a state-issued certification or licence.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak Spanish before I start?

For a degree in Spain, yes: the degrees cited here are taught in Spanish. At universities in non-Spanish-speaking countries the major usually builds on first- and second-year language courses, so students can begin with little Spanish.

How long does the degree take?

An official Spanish bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. The B.A. in Spanish at Penn State requires a minimum of 120 credits within a four-year degree.

Is a DELE diploma the same as a degree in Spanish?

No. The DELE certifies a level of Spanish, from A1 to C2, and is awarded by the Instituto Cervantes. A degree in Spanish language and literature is a university qualification in linguistics and literature.

Can I teach Spanish with this degree?

It is the usual academic basis, but more is normally required. In Spain, secondary school teachers need an official master's degree in teacher training; in the United States, public school teachers need a state certification or licence.