Students will study technological and social change, looking at the multicultural nature of Hispanic society. They will study highlights of Hispanic artistic culture, including a focus on Spanish regional identity and the cultural heritage of past civilisations. They will learn about aspects of the diverse political landscape of the Hispanic world. Students will explore the influence of the past on present-day Hispanic communities. Throughout their studies, they learn the language in the context of Hispanic countries and issues and influences which have shaped them. Students will study texts and film and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research in an area of their choice. Assessment tasks will be varied and cover listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. By the end of the course, students will be able to express their views on a wide range of current issues, research topics, and develop presentation and essay-writing skills. Students will also find they have learnt much more than a language. Ideally, students should be good linguists, with a desire to improve their fluency, and a willingness to learn about different cultures and to communicate.