An understanding of Spanish is essential in this country today, not only to maintain and improve our cultural and economic ties with the 20 countries in which Spanish is the official language, but also to learn about and appreciate the culture of over 50 million Hispanics residing in the United States. The Spanish/Hispanic Studies program offers a broad and diverse experience in the language, literature, and culture of Spanish-speaking people. Students may elect courses that explore various social, political, literary, cultural, and linguistic topics. Our proficiency-oriented approach is supported by multimedia/technology to provide opportunities for original-language practice in context. This is often enhanced by experiential learning activities. A period of study in a Spanish-speaking country is highly encouraged.

Students acquire the ability to analyze cultural productions within their specific sociopolitical and historical contexts while also employing critical perspectives that take into account broader frameworks, including class, race, gender, sexuality and power relations. Many of our students refine their linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness by engaging in a period of study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. Upon graduation, students majoring in Spanish are able to apply their language skills and cultural knowledge across a range of professions in the U.S. and abroad where multilingual and transcultural competence are in high demand.