I participated in Spanish courses for three years – from the complete beginner level up to intermediate in my final year. It was an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience. What I liked most was that the teaching was focused on practical skills and we were encouraged to communicate in Spanish from the beginning. I appreciated being able to develop my transferable skills, for example by working in groups and giving presentations, which are crucial when looking for jobs or internships. Aleksandra Noskowska, BSc Accounting and Finance

Qualifications

In semester 2, you have the option of sitting for the internationally recognised Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) qualifications from A1 to B2. To help you prepare for the exams, you can join our DELE preparation workshops, which are offered free of charge to anyone enrolled in another Spanish class; they are not available to join as standalone classes. If you would like to join the relevant workshop, please speak to your teacher after you have enrolled in your core class.

DELE exams take place at DELE examination centres. The closest of these to Bath are in Cardiff and London.

Placement test

If you have never learned Spanish with us before, please take this placement test so that you know which course is suitable for you.

We recommend reading our Terms and Conditions for information about what to do if you enrol at the wrong level and need to transfer to a different class.

Available courses

The following Spanish courses are available for members of the public, although not every course runs every semester. Check the timetable below to see which classes are running this semester.

Complete Beginner (Working towards CEFR A1.1): This course is suitable if you have never studied Spanish before. At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• take part in basic conversations
• read simple texts and write short paragraphs

Post Beginner (Working towards CEFR A1.2): Enrol on this course if you have taken the Complete Beginner class, or if you can:

• engage in basic conversations, exchanging information such as name, nationality and occupation
• read simple texts and write short paragraphs on familiar topics

Elementary Part 1 (Working towards CEFR A1.3): Enrol on this course if you have taken the Post Beginner class, or if you can:

• understand main points in short, clearly spoken messages
• engage in conversations on familiar topics such as routine or leisure activities
• write about familiar topics in simple linked sentences

Elementary Part 2 (Working towards CEFR A1.4): Enrol on this course if you have completed Elementary Part 1, or if you can:

• engage in everyday conversations on topics such as the weather, hobbies and daily routines
• express opinions and preferences, describe simple facts and plans
• write short coherent texts on familiar topics

Lower Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR A2.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Elementary Part 2, have a GCSE or equivalent, or if you can:

• engage in conversations on a range of familiar topics
• understand short recordings on familiar topics
• write short texts on familiar topics, including past events

Lower Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR A2.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Lower Intermediate Part 1, have a GCSE or equivalent, or if you can:

• interact with a degree of fluency and accuracy in common social situations
• understand texts on non-abstract topics and give opinions
• write longer texts on a variety of topics, including past events and future plans

Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR level B1.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Lower Intermediate Part 2, have an AS level or equivalent, or if you can:

• interact with a degree of fluency and flexibility in common social and professional situations
• understand the gist and some detail of broadcast materials on topics of general interest
• write structured texts on a variety of topics

Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR B1.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Intermediate Part 1, have an AS level or equivalent, or if you can:

• describe past experiences with accuracy, talk about dreams, ambitions, and hypothetical situations
• understand the gist of simple news reports
• write structured texts on a variety of topics including simple news, experience and plans

Upper Intermediate Part 1 (Working towards CEFR B2.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Intermediate Part 2, have an A level or equivalent, or if you can:

• communicate in various situations, including some unpredictable and abstract topics, express opinions about current issues and formulate hypothesis
• understand and comment on simple news reports
• write about experiences and hypothetical situations with confidence

Upper Intermediate Part 2 (Working towards CEFR B2.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed Upper Intermediate Part, have an A level or equivalent, or if you can:

• communicate clearly on a variety of topics, deliver an unscripted presentation with reasonable fluency
• understand and comment on most broadcast news with some support
• write about abstract topics and hypothetical situations with a good level of accuracy

Advanced Part 1 (Working towards CEFR C1.1): Enrol on this course if you have completed Upper Intermediate Part 2, lived in a Spanish speaking country, have CEFR B2/C1, or if you can:

• communicate clearly and confidently in a wide range of situations
• understand broadcast news and current affairs programmes
• produce extended pieces of writing on a variety of topics, including hypothetical situations

Advanced Part 2 (Working towards CEFR C1.2): Enrol on this course if you have completed either Upper Intermediate Part 2 or Advanced Part 1, lived in a Spanish speaking country, have CEFR B2/C1, or if you can:

• take part in debates and present an argument convincingly
• understand authentic broadcasts with ease
• analyse complex texts dealing with any topics and recognise implicit meaning
• produce extended pieces of writing on various topics that you research independently

Meet the Teacher sessions

If you're not sure which level to take, or you’d just like to find out more about how the classes work, you can come along to a Meet the Teacher session to ask any questions you might have. These are free to attend and there's no need to book - you can just turn up. Most classes will have a Meet the Teacher session during week commencing 3 February 2025.

Timetable of Meet the Teacher sessions.

Please note that it can be tricky to park on the campus during the day. Before traveling to the University, we recommend reading our guidance on where to park if you are driving, and other ways of getting to the campus.

This campus map will help you find the right room for each session.

Semester 2 2024-25 course timetable

Most classes are delivered in person at our Claverton Down campus. Classes that are delivered through Live Online Interactive Learning are indicated in the timetable below with 'LOIL'.

You will receive location information in your Joining Instructions, which are sent after you have enrolled. Please note that it could take up to a week for your enrolment to be fully processed, so we encourage you to enrol as soon as possible to ensure you have received your Joining Instructions before classes begin.

All core classes run for 10 weeks, and each lesson lasts 110 minutes. Click on the class you want to join to pay your course fee and enrol. Please ensure you have read our Terms and Conditions before enrolling.

In semester 2 2024-25, most classes start week commencing 10 February 2025 and finish week commencing 28 April 2025, with a two week break for Easter (7 - 18 April 2025). Please check the timetable carefully as some classes will start week commencing 3 February.

*You can opt to join these workshops free of charge if you have enrolled in a core Spanish language class; they are not available to enrol on as standalone classes. Please speak to your teacher if you would like to enrol in the workshops.

More ways to develop your Spanish language skills

We organise our own cultural events, student-led Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions and Language Cafés. If you are enrolled on a Foreign Language course, you are welcome to take part in all these activities; please ask your teacher for more details after you have enrolled.