Hispanic Philology Schools and Programs in Spain

Hispanic Philology Studies in Spain

Hispanic Philology is the university study of the Spanish language and of the literature written in Spanish, in Spain and in Latin America. The Universidad de Salamanca sums up its aim as training professionals with a broad command of the Spanish language and its literature and a wide knowledge of the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Studying it in Spain means learning the language where much of its literary tradition began, with a degree taught in Spanish at a public university in most regions.

How the degree is organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, a Spanish bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, usually over four years, and an officially recognised master's degree has 60, 90 or 120 credits. The degree is most often called Grado en Filología Hispánica, but the ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) also lists it as Estudios Hispánicos, Lengua y Literatura Españolas or Lengua y Literatura Hispánica. A RUCT search for bachelor's degrees containing "hispánic" returns 25 records, some of them older curricula being phased out.

Programmes combine linguistics and literature. At the Universidad de Granada, the 240-credit degree includes 60 elective credits; first-year subjects include Spanish phonetics and phonology and an introduction to Latin American literature, and the second year includes a course on teaching Spanish as a foreign language. At the Universidad de Salamanca, all philology degrees share a common core in the first two years, after which students can steer their studies towards linguistics, literature or culture. Most degrees also require the study of a second modern language.

Where to study Hispanic Philology in Spain

The degree is offered mainly by public universities, with a strong presence in Andalusia. Examples of official degrees listed in RUCT:

• Filología Hispánica: Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad de Cádiz, Universidad de Almería, Universidad de Huelva, Universidad de Jaén, Universidad de Extremadura, Universidad de Zaragoza and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
• Estudios Hispánicos: Universidad de Alcalá
• Lengua y Literatura Hispánica: Universidad de La Rioja
• Lengua y Literatura Españolas: Universidad de Murcia and Universidad de Navarra
• Distance learning: UNED (Lengua y Literatura Españolas)

Teaching is in Spanish, with classes in other languages for the language modules: the Universidad de Sevilla lists English, German, Arabic, French, Greek, Italian, Latin and Dutch among the languages used.

Admission and language requirements

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records and runs the tests needed to enter a bachelor's degree. The application for admission is then made to each university within its own deadlines. Non-native speakers should expect a Spanish requirement: the Universidad de Salamanca asks them to prove Spanish at CEFR level B2. To graduate, the Universidad de Sevilla requires a foreign language at level B1.

Public universities charge per credit. At the Universidad de Sevilla a credit costs €12.62, and from the second year a 99% reduction applies to the credits passed the previous year. For the 2025-26 academic year it offered 150 places.

Recognition and the path to teaching

Teaching Spanish language and literature at secondary schools, in vocational training or at official language schools is a regulated profession in Spain: it requires an officially recognised master's degree, the Máster en Profesorado, with a curriculum of 60 credits. Graduates in Philology who want to teach in Spanish secondary schools therefore need this master's after the bachelor's degree. Holders of a foreign degree who want to enter a regulated profession apply for homologación; for a degree that does not lead to a regulated profession, the ministry instead offers a declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level.

Careers

The Universidad de Sevilla lists teaching in public and private schools, research, translation, publishing, journalism and the public administration among the career paths. The Universidad de Salamanca adds work as a Spanish language assistant (lector) in schools and universities abroad or at Instituto Cervantes centres, and editorial work such as proofreading and copy-editing. Common specialisations after the degree include official master's degrees in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, offered for example by the universities of Salamanca and Sevilla.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Hispanic Philology degree take in Spain?

The bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and usually takes four years. A master's degree adds 60 to 120 credits.

Do I need to be a native Spanish speaker?

No, but you need a good level of Spanish. The Universidad de Salamanca, for example, asks non-native speakers to prove level B2.

Can I teach in Spanish secondary schools with this degree?

Not with the bachelor's degree alone. Secondary school teaching is a regulated profession that requires the official Máster en Profesorado.

Can I teach Spanish to foreigners after the degree?

Yes. Many graduates work in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, and universities such as Salamanca and Sevilla offer official master's degrees in this field.