Spanish (BA, minor)

Program Overview

As the second largest spoken language in the United States and in the world, Spanish plays a key role in superior education. The Spanish major provides students with a strong foundation in oral and written communication, as well as solid training in textual and cultural analysis. The linguistic and cultural competency acquired through our courses allows students to communicate effectively with Latinos and Hispanics in the US and their home countries. Our diverse curricula help students develop the analytical, argumentative and creative skills valued in most professions.

As students advance in the major, a whole world of culture, history and linguistic knowledge opens up through the upper-level courses, extracurricular events and study abroad opportunities.

The faculty in the Spanish section includes professors from the U.S., Puerto Rico and several Spanish-speaking countries, which enhances students' multicultural experiences. If interested, students can pursue a double major in Spanish and a different discipline in the humanities or social/natural sciences to build a holistic degree plan.

Degrees Offered

  • BA in Spanish

Minors

  • Spanish

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

The professors in the Spanish section are outstanding educators and internationally recognized scholars, who often teach courses linked to their compelling research fields, which include:

  • Contemporary Spanish literature and culture
  • Sociolinguistics and Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) language
  • Second language acquisition
  • Detective fiction and memory studies in Latin America
  • Caribbean literature and Gothic fiction
  • Chican@ and Latin@ literature and culture
  • Hispanics in the US
  • Colonial literature, cartography and expeditions
  • Picaresque novel
  • Cervantes studies

Our internship program allows our majors to work with us as events planners and coordinators, creating opportunities for all students to practice the language they're studying and to learn more about the culture of the regions in which it is spoken.

Our undergraduate TA (Teaching Assistant) program gives our majors the opportunity to develop important skills by being in front of the classroom and getting a strong hands-on experience of what effective teaching and communication entail. We support our students' applications to teach abroad for a year and many have been chosen to teach in foreign countries where their language proficiency is valued

We take advantage of opportunities the university provides for recognition of excellence by nominating students for awards, honors, fellowships, and scholarships that can make a significant difference when they apply to graduate programs or for jobs. Because of our commitment, our students have won the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence, Fulbright Scholarships and numerous Foundation Awards at graduation.

Spanish majors who wish to further their training and advance their career prospects can pursue an accelerated degree program to earn their BA in Spanish and their MA/MPA/MAT in five years.

Many Spanish majors choose to study abroad to immerse themselves in the target culture and language. The department of Romance Languages sponsors programs in Latin America and Spain.

Coursework

Some courses to consider in your first year:

After You Graduate

The linguistic and communication skills acquired in the Spanish major, along with critical-thinking skills and the overall cultural awareness gained, prepare students to pursue employment in fields of teaching, translation and interpretation, academic publishing, communication, art curation, tourism and international aid, etc.

Students who graduate with a Spanish major also pursue a myriad of graduate degrees including the PhD (typically, but not exclusively, in Hispanic studies or comparative literature), MBA, MPA, Master of Spanish and MAT.

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!

For more information, visit the Spanish website.