Major, Minor & Teaching Assistants

"When I declared my Spanish minor, I thought it would be just that - minor. Au contraire, my "minor" commitment turned out to be one of the most influential parts of my college career. I was given opportunities to try things I'd never thought to do: I worked as a Spanish teaching assistant and tutor, studied abroad in Spain, and, realizing my newfound love for language, began learning French and Italian as well. Small classes made it easy to form friendships with students and faculty. And the lessons were much more than language; I learned about history and culture as well."  —Annie Jean Hochheiser, '12

Why Study Spanish? 

If you speak Spanish, you can communicate with more than 350 million people worldwide. That means that, in terms of employment opportunities, you have a clear advantage over those who speak only English. Also, if you plan to travel to a Spanish-speaking country, a little Spanish goes a long way! Think about it:

  • After English, Spanish is the language most U.S. residents speak.
  • One out of 10 U.S. residents speaks Spanish.
  • The U.S. has the fifth largest population of Spanish speakers in the world.
  • Spanish is spoken in 21 countries worldwide.

Spanish Concentration

You can incorporate Spanish within an Interdisciplinary Studies major, with a concentration in Spanish. Because Interdisciplinary Studies majors choose two concentrations, you can combine disciplines such as French, Sociology, Business Administration, Economics, English/Communications, or Fine and Performing Arts, as well as a Teaching Certification program. 

The requirements are 6 credits of lower division courses and 9 credits of upper division courses. Interdisciplinary Studies majors also take a minimum of four Interdisciplinary Studies courses. We highly recommend study abroad.

Spanish Minor 

You can benefit from a minor in Spanish by combining it with a major discipline or incorporating it into an interdisciplinary program. A Spanish minor is an invaluable asset if your career involves dealing with people of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. A Spanish minor is also very useful if you're considering a major in Education, Sociology, or Political Science. If you certify to teach in one area of expertise such as English or History, you could become certified in an additional field by completing a Spanish minor.

Required Courses

  • Beginner Spanish 1 and 2 (Spanish 101 and 102)*
  • Intermediate Spanish 1 and 2 (Spanish 201 and 202)
  • Spanish Conversation and Composition (Spanish 300)
  • Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition (Spanish 301)
  • Any two Spanish electives at the 300-level or above

* Students with prior experience in Spanish may take the optional language placement tests and be waived from Spanish 101-102.

Spanish Electives

  • Hispanic Civilization (Spanish 310)
  • Hispanic Literature in Context (Spanish 370)
  • Special Topics in Hispanic Literature and Film (Spanish 390)
  • Teaching Assistant in Modern Language (Modern Language 495), if you want to pursue a teaching career or help teach Spanish, French, or Italian
  • Directed Independent Study (Modern Language 500), if you want to explore a topic in depth

For more information contact Professor Graziana Ramsden or Administrative Assistant Terrie Pratt