Spanish – Diploma in Arts

Prepare for the global marketplace. With over 400 million speakers, Spanish is one of the most widely spoken native languages in the world and continues to grow as a popular second language.

Where you can study

Distance and online

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Not open to international students
Note: Not all courses are available in any one year.

Specialise in Spanish for your Diploma in Arts at Massey

Spanish is spoken not only in Spain, but in more than 20 countries in Latin America, parts of Africa and in many regions of the United States. Alongside the language is a vibrant and captivating cultural heritage. New Zealanders are beginning to discover and appreciate this culture more fully through our growing relationships with Latin American countries.

In the Diploma in Arts (Spanish) you will have your choice of courses in Spanish language and literature. You will also have a choice of courses in culture, music and civilisation. The focus of the courses is divided between Spain itself and the nations of Latin America.

A Diploma in Arts in Spanish is a good fit if you:

  • want to learn a new language
  • have Spanish-related personal or professional interests 
  • enjoy the cultures of Latin America and Spain.

Planning information

The Diploma in Arts (Spanish) is only available for part-time study due to sequencing of courses. 

If you have little or no prior knowledge of the language you should enrol in 245101 Introductory Spanish Language I.

If you are a Spanish language speaker please see the programme coordinator prior to enrolling in language courses.

If you later proceed to the Bachelor of Arts degree, all of the courses in your Diploma of Arts can be transferred to the Bachelor of Arts.

If you have questions, contact us through the Get advice button on this page.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Core courses for the Diploma in Arts

As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.

Diploma in Arts core courses

Spanish courses

Subject courses

Choose no more than 15 credits from
Course code: 245101 Introductory Spanish Language I 15 credits

An introduction to basic communication skills in spoken and written Spanish. Aspects of contemporary Hispanic culture and society are also studied.

Restrictions: 245102, 245201, 245202, 245301

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Course code: 245102 Introductory Spanish Language II 15 credits

An extension of basic communication skills in spoken and written Spanish. Aspects of contemporary Hispanic culture and society are also studied.

Prerequisites: 245101 Restrictions: 245201, 245202, 245301

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Course code: 245103 Hispanic Culture and Heritage 15 credits

An introduction to significant aspects of modern Hispanic history, literature, art and culture in Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. No prior knowledge of Spanish is required.

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Choose at least 45 credits from
Course code: 245201 Intermediate Spanish Language I 15 credits

Intermediate level written and oral comprehension and communication skills in Spanish, providing a broad linguistic base for the study of Spanish and Latin American culture, literature and civilisation.

Prerequisites: 245102 Restrictions: 245202, 245301

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Course code: 245202 Intermediate Spanish Language II 15 credits

An extension of intermediate skills in reading, free composition, listening comprehension and oral communication to illustrate aspects of contemporary Spanish and Latin American culture and society.

Prerequisites: 245201 Restrictions: 245301

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Course code: 245203 The Sound of Spanish: Diction, Dialects and Diversity 15 credits

An introduction to socio-linguistic aspects of the use of Spanish around the world, including dialectal variations and bilingualism, through a study of basic Spanish phonetics and phonology.

Prerequisites: 245201

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Course code: 245204 Latin American Voices 15 credits

An introduction to 20th century Latin American literature and its historical and political contexts through short literary works in Spanish.

Prerequisites: 245201 Restrictions: 164255

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Course code: 245301 Advanced Spanish Language 15 credits

Advanced level skills in reading, free composition, listening comprehension and oral communication in Spanish, illustrating aspects of contemporary Spanish and Latin American culture and society.

Prerequisites: 245202

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Course code: 245302 Theory and Practice of Spanish Translation 15 credits

An advanced introduction to the theory and practice of translation from and into Spanish and the role and responsibility of the translator.

Prerequisites: 245301

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Course code: 245303 Latin American Rhythms and Politics: From Tango to Rock 15 credits

Study of representative twentieth century Latin American music styles and their links to key social and political events that have shaped Latin American history. This course will be taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites: 245202 or 245204

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Course code: 245304 Travellers' Tales: the Invention of Latin America 15 credits

An exploration of how Latin American people, landscapes and cultures have been defined through the writings of European, North American, Australasian and Latin American travellers. This course will be taught in Spanish.

Prerequisites: 245202 or 245204

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Course code: 245305 Spanish Conversation on Film 15 credits

An advanced study of contemporary Latin American cinema within the context of current socio-political debates.

Prerequisites: 245202

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Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.

English language requirements

To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

If you have already completed a bachelor degree

If you have already completed a bachelor degree you may replace 230111 Tū Kupu: Writing and Inquiry or 230112 Tū Arohae: Critical Thinking with courses of your choice. You will need to apply for replacement courses via a Special permission request in your portal and you will need to attach evidence of your completed degree with the request.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Can't meet the entry requirements?

If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Scholarship and award opportunities

Search our scholarships and awards

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

Knowledge of Spanish language and culture will prove both valuable and rewarding. A degree majoring in Spanish makes a wide range of career choices possible, including:

  • banking
  • journalism
  • management
  • marketing
  • teaching
  • trade and export
  • travel and tourism.

Related study options