Spanish

Major(s): 
BA in Spanish—Spanish Language
BA in Spanish—Hispanic Studies
Minor(s): 
Spanish—Spanish Language
Spanish—Hispanic Studies

Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the U.S. today. The rapid growth of Spanish-speaking populations in the U.S. and Latin Americameans that today’s graduates will increasingly find their lives and professions touched by the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The Spanish major trains students to communicate effectively with native Spanish speakers. It also equips students with the knowledge of the cultural, social, and literary backgrounds of the Hispanic peoples.

Language Certificate
The Department of Languages and Cultures also offers a Language Certificate in both French and Spanish, which is available to majors and non-majors alike.  The certificate recognizes students' proficiency in the language based on the standards of the nationally-recognized ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) test.  With global business being conducted more and more in languages other than English, the certificate provides another way for students to prepare for success in multilingual environments.

Why Study Spanish?

  • Spanish has the second largest number of native speakers in the world.
  • Spanish is the official language of 21 countries and is spoken in 44 countries. In the US alone, more than 30 million people speak Spanish.
  • Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
  • Spanish is the third most commonly used language on the Internet.
  • There is a high demand for bilingual speakers—especially in Spanish—in government, international business, education, and non-governmental organizations.