Politics and Spanish (BA)

Most of our modules consist of a mixture of lectures, seminars and language classes that enable you to develop communication and analytical skills, and to develop critical thinking in a supportive environment. The teaching covers all the key competencies, and is enhanced by the inclusion of digital learning.

Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas.

Seminars provide an opportunity for you to engage critically with key ideas and explore the ideas outlined in lectures in a small group environment, usually consisting of around 15 students and the seminar leader (a member of the teaching team). Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small group work and student-led presentations.

Language classes are taught in groups to enhance confidence and active learning. A varied timetable includes oral expression, aural comprehension and writing skills, which are taught in small groups to enhance confidence and active learning. These vital communication skills are practiced and developed through regular classwork exercises and written work. Our teaching methods allow you to engage with a range of language-learning technologies. Materials including textbooks, videos, films, novels, audio files and websites are supported by online resources that compliment classroom activities and promote and enable independent learning. Class materials include a range from literary and historical to contemporary journalistic texts, providing a broad insight into language and culture.

Independent study forms a key part of your learning, and our independent learning portfolios have been developed to provide you with online resources to support your independent language learning.

How will I be supported?

Our BA programme in Spanish and Politics is team-taught, with the programme as a whole overseen by the Programme Director. You will be supported by a number of different staff, some focussing on academic performance in a particular area and some looking at learning and progress more holistically.

All academic staff have designated hours where they are available to meet with you to offer advice and feedback on the subjects that they teach.

You will also be allocated a personal tutor, who will meet with you regularly to reflect on your progress and development across your studies, and to think about how to build on your achievements and advance further. Your personal tutor can also guide you if you are experiencing difficulties towards appropriate support.

While you are away from Cardiff, you will be assigned a Year Abroad Coordinator, who will keep in touch with you and monitor your progress. You may also get a visit from one of your lecturers who will be keen to find out how you are getting on.

A skills development week each semester allows for guided study and a chance to catch up on assessed work, reading and revision. These weeks are also used by staff to visit students on their year abroad. 

You will have access through the Learning Central (the University virtual learning environment) to relevant learning resources, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles.

Our undergraduate Professional Services Team provides academic and student support for all programmes. The team are located in a dedicated ‘student hub’ within the school and provide information and guidance in response to any queries you may have. We also have a dedicated Student Support Administrative Officer within the School, who can provide you with the necessary advice and guidance in a supportive, caring and confidential environment.

We pride ourselves on the level of engagement we have with our student body, giving you the opportunity to express your opinions and be partners in School decision-making where possible. We survey students regularly to make sure we are always working in your best interests.   

The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, the Academic Skills Development Centre and excellent libraries and resource centres.

How will I be assessed?

Feedback and assessment is a priority area for the School of Modern Languages and the School of Law and Politics, with a dedicated assessment and feedback lead tasked with ensuring you have the best experience. The focus of assessment is in supporting you to develop your ideas, skills and competencies, with the feedback you receive feeding forward into future work. Both School’s use traditional assessment formats (such as essays, class tests, exams and dissertation) as well as more innovative forms of assessment, (such as vlogs, participation in radio shows, video and audio projects, interviews, portfolios, and so forth). Assessments include formative assessments (which enable you to develop your skills and do not count towards your final degree classification) and summative assessments (which do count towards your final classification).

As part of your skills training in year one, you will be supported in understanding how the assessments work, what is expected of you, how you will be marked and how to make the most of your feedback.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to speak, write, and understand one or more foreign languages to a high level of competency.
• An in-depth intercultural understanding including specific knowledge of other cultures, allied to the ability to navigate and mediate between more than one culture.
• Knowledge of the basic concepts related to the modern state and forms of government, especially of the European parliamentary form; explain how core political institutions function; use the specialised vocabulary of political discourse as expressed by political scientists and practitioners; demonstrate the application of foundational research and information skills.
• Knowledge of the work of several of key thinkers from the history of political thought and from contemporary political thought;
• Awareness of the broad range of issues and arguments central to political thought; and
• Familiarity with the range of terms and concepts necessary for an adequate understanding of political thought.
• Reading and analysis of political and philosophical texts.
• Summarising and presenting the central arguments of complex texts.
• Evaluating complex concepts and arguments.

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• Enhanced linguistic skills, as well as a broad appreciation of the culture, literature, and history of Spain and Spanish speaking countries.
• The ability to communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively in writing and speech, in English and Spanish.
• Using the arguments of classical, modern and contemporary political theorists in oral debate and discussion and in written assignments.
• Persuasive argument i.e. one that is reasoned and evidence-based; to gather, organize and deploy evidence and information from a variety of sources.
• The synthesis of relevant information to exercise critical judgement in evaluating information.
• The ability to gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources.
• Constructing a reasoned argument, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement.

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• The effective use of communication and information technologies for the retrieval and presentation of information.
• Resilience and independence through time spent in immersive foreign language contexts.
• Communication and critical-thinking skills.
• Working to deadlines and priorities, managing a range of tasks at the same time.
• Working as part of a team, developing a collaborative approach to problem-solving.

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to grasp complex issues with confidence.
• The ability to analyse complex texts.
• The ability to interpret and apply relevant data.
• Practical research skills.
• Imaginative solutions of your own that are rooted in evidence.
• Learning from constructive criticism and incorporate its insights.
• Taking responsibility for your own learning programme and Professional development.
• Critical skills (reasoning, evaluating evidence, problem-solving, relating theory to practice).
• Creativity and innovative thinking.
• Leadership, teamwork and self-management skills.
• Identifying, recording and communicating your relevant career attainments.