Studying Spanish unlocks the door to a rich history of art, literature and culture and gives you a competitive edge with employers who value multilingual professionals in an increasingly diverse world.
Program Overview
Languages are best learned through speaking them. You’ll hone your skills and build confidence through one-on-one conversations and class discussions, and you’ll expand your knowledge of Spanish and the Hispanic cultures through a wide range of courses. A degree in Spanish helps to prepare you for a successful career in fields such as international business, law, health care, journalism and teaching. You may even decide to double major in Spanish and another field.
Aside from exploring subjects as varied as pre-Columbian civilizations and contemporary poetry, you also have opportunities to study abroad in Spain and throughout Latin America. Recent students have successfully completed programs in Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Costa Rica and other exciting destinations. You can choose between a semester abroad or summer immersion in Salamanca, Spain, at Colegio Delibes.
You can also participate in the Department of Cultural and Global Engagement's Global Solidarity Programs. Students travel to various countries in Central America and the Caribbean to work and learn alongside local teachers, community health leaders, human rights organizations and non-profit organizations. There are also opportunities to engage in local and international volunteerism related to human rights and justice through the Albert Schweitzer Institute on campus guided by the 1952 Nobel Laureate’s philosophy of “reverence for life.”
Spanish majors are invited to present alongside their professors at the annual CT COLT (Council of Language Teachers) fall conference. If you are contemplating a career in teaching, you will also be encouraged to join the CT COLT Future Teachers Honor Society.
Students who do excellent work in their Spanish courses can earn membership into Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica).
You might also wish to explore electives from among a treasure trove of languages offered: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish – and may even decide to minor in Italian.
