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Studies & Degrees in Spanish Culture and Society

Spanish culture and society is the study of how Spain works and how it came to be the way it is: its history, politics, regions and languages, art, literature, cinema, music and everyday customs. It is rarely a degree in its own right. Most students meet it as a course, or a set of courses, taken alongside Spanish language classes during a semester, a summer or a few weeks in Spain.

Typical topics are the history of Spain, the political system and contemporary politics, Spanish art, film, literature, and present-day social questions. At the Centro Universitario Internacional of the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, for example, the Hispanic studies courses include History of Spain, Contemporary Spanish Politics, History of Spanish Art and Cultura y Sociedad en España. Language schools add a practical side: guided visits, workshops and excursions that put the classroom content in context.

Qualifications and levels

There are three common formats.

  • University programmes for international students. These run for a semester or a summer and are designed so that students can transfer credit to their home university. At the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, the semester programme allows up to 5 subjects, a total of 15 US credits or 30 ECTS credits, and includes a certificate from the university. At the Centro Superior de Idiomas de la Universidad de Alicante, each semester course on culture, literature or intercultural topics has 60 hours in total and is equivalent to 6 ECTS credits.
  • Culture courses at language schools. These are short modules added to a general Spanish course. Escuela Montalbán in Granada offers a culture workshop of 5 private lessons per week for levels B1 to C2, with topics such as modern history, Spanish and Latin American art and literature, new Spanish film directors, flamenco and contemporary music. Instituto Mediterráneo Sol, also in Granada, offers a course of 2 daily lessons on Spanish and Latin American culture, taught entirely in Spanish.
  • Full degrees. Students who want a complete qualification usually choose a degree in Hispanic studies, Spanish philology or a similar field. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.

Short courses normally end with a certificate of attendance or a transcript from the school, not an official degree. If you need credit, ask your home university before you enrol whether it will recognise the course, and ask the school what recognition its certificate has.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 29 active schools for this subject. Nineteen are in Spain, three in Argentina and two in Chile, with one each in the United States, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Ecuador and Mexico. In Spain the schools are spread over cities such as Granada, Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Alicante, Cádiz and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Fundación Ortega-Marañón teaches study abroad programmes at its campuses in Madrid and Toledo and works with partner universities such as Arcadia University.

Language matters when choosing. Many culture courses are taught in Spanish and expect an intermediate level; the two Granada courses above start at B1. Students with less Spanish can look for courses taught in English: the Universidad de Alicante offers courses in English, such as Spanish cultures from an intercultural perspective, for students who cannot yet follow a course in Spanish, and the Universidad Pablo de Olavide teaches many of its Hispanic studies subjects in English. Schools in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico combine Spanish with the culture of their own country, which is a different focus.

Careers and uses

On its own, a short course in Spanish culture and society is not a professional qualification. Its value lies in what it adds to something else: a degree in languages, history, international relations, business or tourism, a period of work in Spain, or training as a teacher of Spanish. Language level is certified separately. The DELE diplomas of the Instituto Cervantes cover all levels of the CEFR.

The subject also has a practical use for people who plan to stay. The CCSE test of the Instituto Cervantes assesses knowledge of the Spanish Constitution and of Spain's social and cultural reality, and passing it is a requirement for obtaining Spanish nationality.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak Spanish to study Spanish culture and society?

Not always. Many courses are taught in Spanish from level B1, but universities such as the Universidad de Alicante and the Universidad Pablo de Olavide also offer culture courses in English for students with less Spanish.

Can I get university credit for these courses?

Often, yes. The semester programme at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide covers up to 30 ECTS credits and a semester culture course at the Universidad de Alicante is equivalent to 6 ECTS credits. Your home university decides whether it accepts them.

Is Spanish culture and society a degree?

Usually not. It is taught as courses within study abroad and language programmes. A full degree in this area is normally called Hispanic studies or Spanish philology.

What is the CCSE test?

It is a test by the Instituto Cervantes on the Spanish Constitution and Spain's social and cultural reality. Passing it is a requirement for obtaining Spanish nationality.