BA Philosophy with Spanish (with a Year Abroad) Programme Specification 2025-26

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specification 2025-26
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5	Programme Title			BA Philosophy with Spanish (with a Year Abroad)
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7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			September 2025		Award type		BA
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9	What level is this qualification?			7		Length of programme		4 years (3 years + 1 year abroad)
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11	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			Full time
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13	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			Yes		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?		N/A
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15	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme		Philosophy
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17	Lead department			Philosophy		Other contributing departments		Language and Linguistic Science
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19	Language of study and assessment			English and Spanish		Language(s) of assessment		English and Spanish
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21	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			Campus-based
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23	Partner organisations
24	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
25	N/A
26	N/A
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28	Reference points
29	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
30	This programme has been designed in accordance with the University's Insitutional Framework for Taught Programme Design and Undergraduate Programme Design Policy, and QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Philosophy.
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32	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
33	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
34	N/A
35	N/A
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37	Exceptions to Regulations
38	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
39	N/A
40	N/A
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42	Internal Transfers
43	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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45		Transfers in:	Yes, students may transfer in to or out of the programme in accordance with University Regulations. Transfers will be dependent upon student numbers and available places.				Yes, students may transfer in to or out of the programme in accordance with University Regulations. Transfers will be dependent upon student numbers and available places.
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47	Statement of Purpose
48	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
49	The BA Philosophy with Spanish (with a Year Abroad) is an engaging and challenging programme which nurtures a range of specific skills that have wide applicability and open up exciting opportunities. In philosophy, you will investigate deep and fascinating questions about reality, thought, language and value and try to find answers, working imaginatively to identify potential solutions and applying systematic logical argument in evaluating alternative possibilities. In Spanish, you will get to grips with the history, politics, and culture of the Spanish-speaking world, working in your chosen language to build powerful and flexible plurilingual communication skills grounded in a rich understanding of intercultural norms and practices. The two disciplines complement one another and cross-fertilize in interesting and useful ways. Philosophy increases your sensitivity to fine-grained differences of meaning and equips you to think your way carefully into whole systems of thought. Study of Spanish language and culture broadens your outlook and enhances your awareness of the background to ideas. In addition, investigations into the workings of language through study in linguistics will bring further depth to your understanding and give you sophisticated insight into meaning, reasoning and arguments. Completing the programme successfully will equip you with a powerful range of skills: you will be able to think in a systematic way about new problems—generating solutions, evaluating ideas, and arriving at clear judgements backed by sharp logical arguments—and with cultural awareness and facility in your chosen language that will enable you to thrive as an effective communicator in international and multilingual professional environments. This skill set will open up opportunities in a wide range of careers, including language teaching, the law, translation services, finance, business, government, the public sector, charities, broadcasting and journalism.
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58	Programme Learning Outcomes
59	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
60	1	Produce insightful and illuminating explanations of key problems and puzzles in Philosophy and Spanish and apply understanding in approaching new problems.
61	2	Make cross cultural comparisons and connections between societies of different places, both in the contemporary world and in the past, and understand issues and events from a range of cultural perspectives.
62	3	Analyse, evaluate and deploy arguments and evidence, as well as information presented in a variety of formats including digital resources, material culture, visual imagery, texts, databases and statistical information in both English and Spanish.
63	4	Solve problems creatively by taking information learnt in one context and applying it in an unfamiliar one and by developing a range of possible solutions.
64	5	Communicate effectively orally and in writing in Spanish and English to provide evidenced, structured and well-supported information, arguments and advice to mono- as well as multilingual audiences.
65	6	Design, manage, and contribute efficiently and effectively to individual and collaborative projects using your knowledge and expertise, as well as leadership and negotiation skills.
66	7	Lay out what can be said for and against potential solutions to problems, and make a measured judgement about what is the best solution in each case, supporting that judgement with a sustained line of logical argument.
67	8	Engage with confidence in multilingual and transcultural encounters based on your acquired awareness of, and sensitivity to, the relativity of social, cultural and linguistic norms.
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69	Diverse entry routes
70	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
71	Students will be offered a range of philosophy modules where skills will be embedded with content. In Y1, students will focus on writing skills. In Y2, a number of sessions will be offered on assessment. Relevant modules and materials are currently under development. At least one year 1 module in languages is available as an elective module across the university and thus is designed to cater for a wide range of backgrounds.
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73	Inclusion
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75	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.
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77	Employability
78	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
79	The PLOs make explicit the skills that will prepare graduates for a range of employment and further study. Students develop high-level skills in time management and are self-reliant. They also know how to work collaboratively. The study of both disciplines, Philosophy and Language and Culture, helps students develop critical and analytical skills and communication skills in cross cultural contexts. Graduates can produce persuasive arguments that are supported by appropriate evidence and can understand issues and events from a range of cultural perspectives. The year abroad will also provide students with new components for their CV, such as language and communication skills in multilingual and transcultural contexts that are attractive to future employers in a highly competitive and international work landscape.
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82	[For Undergraduate and Integrated Masters Programmes Only]
83	Are you offering any variations of this programme, such as additional years abroad or industry?
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85	Year abroad				Will the year abroad programme be available directly via UCAS; for students to transfer in having entered the main programme; or both?			Direct entry
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87	Year in enterprise
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89	Placement year
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92	Description of Structure
93	Provide a BRIEF description of the structure of the first stage (UG) or programme (PGT): this is only necessary if this is not evident from the tables below. For instance, an entry might be 'students choose X modules in Autumn Semester from List A and Y modules from List B'. For York Online programmes using the 'carousel' model, the description should include whether any modules have to be taken in a particular order (e.g. if there is an introductory module and/or any constraints on the timing of option and/or ISM or ISM-related modules).
94	Students take three modules each semester, with no optionality in Stage 1. In Semester 1, this includes either Spanish Language and Cultures: Intermediate (Post A-level route) or Intensive Spanish Language and Cultures: Beginners (ab initio route), the foundational philosophy modules Philosophical Analysis and Knowledge and Perception. In Semester 2, this includes either Understanding Spanish-speaking Cultures and Societies (post-A level route) or Introducing Spanish-speaking Cultures and Societies (ab initio route), the core philosophy modules Logic (PHI00005C) and Ethics (PHI00007C). Students must take 40 credits of Language and Culture modules and 80 credits of Philosophy modules.
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96	Can a York Language Elective module be taken ab initio (ie beginner level) in Stage 1?								No
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98	Are students on this programme permitted to take elective modules (in place of any of their option module choices; subject to limits set out in the UG and PGT programme design policies)?								Yes
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100	Module List & Programme Structure