Program Overview

Our five-year BA Global studies and Latin American Studies (including foundation year and year abroad), will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the four year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills in order to support your academic performance.

This five-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further three years of study, plus a study abroad year. During your Year Zero, you study three academic subjects relevant to your chosen course as well as a compulsory academic skills module, with additional English language for non-English speakers.

You are an Essex student from day one, a member of our global community based at the most internationally diverse campus university in the UK.

After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre.

This interdisciplinary degree combines the breadth of Global Studies with deep engagement in Latin American history and culture. Latin America is one of the most fascinating and complex areas of the world, home to a rich diversity of indigenous people, as well as some of the world’s fastest growing economies, greatest environmental challenges, and richest cultural traditions. Latin America is an area of study that will surprise you, challenge you and broaden your horizons.

A core part of the course are modules from history and politics which explore international relations and global history, alongside Latin American Studies modules. You will study a range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Economic and political history of Latin American
• Indigenous issues in Latin America
• Global technologies
• Migration
• Art and architecture and in social context

Language is fundamental to our thought, our relationships, and our civilisations. As part of this degree, you will add a language to your portfolio, through either learning Spanish from scratch or developing existing skills in Spanish and/or Brazilian Portuguese to a high level, and spending your third year at a university in a Latin American country.

This course differs to BA Global Studies with Latin American Studies in that it includes a compulsory year abroad in a Latin American country and has a compulsory language component.