Major in Spanish

Why Spanish at Valpo?

Did you know that Spanish is the second-most spoken native language in the world, and the number of speakers only keeps growing? With the demand for bilingual professionals in the United States on a constant rise, adding Spanish to your language portfolio sets you apart from the crowd. Our graduates pursue careers in business, nonprofit foundations, healthcare, social work, and teaching, among many other fields.

At Valpo, our highly involved Spanish faculty use their industry experience to deliver in-depth language and cultural education for both our major and minor. A small student-to-professor ratio allows for in-depth, personalized courses such as advanced language, literature, environmental topics, Spanish through the media, and more. In addition, students have access to a number of academic and cultural resources at the University and around the world.

Here’s your invitation: ¡Vive, aprende, explora y conoce!

Learn More

Spanish Major Highlights

Combinability

Many students at Valpo combine their Spanish major with a second major or minor program to prepare for a variety of careers such as business, global service, or education.

Immersive Learning

Take education beyond the classroom with purpose-driven internships, experiential learning, and study abroad opportunities in Spain, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico.

Community

Valpo hosts a thriving Spanish language community including Spanish-language publications, numerous clubs, our language-immersive Spanish House, and more.

Spanish Major Requirements

Take a look at our Spanish Major Career Map, which contains detailed, per college year information on courses to take, co-curricular and community initiatives, steps to study abroad and career preparation.

Bachelor of arts in Spanish students at Valpo must complete the general-education requirements for the bachelor’s degree in addition to the requirements for the major. This University-wide core strengthens communication and critical-thinking skills while introducing the student to global cultures and traditions.
For transfer students, four-credit language courses can be transferable. Other sequences are taken case-by-case for the maximum benefit of the student.
Students who plan to teach Spanish in elementary, middle, or secondary schools with a major or minor in Spanish should consult their departmental advisor and the education department for specific requirements.

Students who place directly into a course higher than level 204 need not complete level 204 but must complete all other requirements for the major, including the required total of 27 credit hours.

Major Requirements: 54-55 Credits
SPAN 204	Intermediate Spanish II	4 Cr. (3+1)
SPAN 210	Advanced Communication in Spanish	3 Cr.
One Course From the Following Options:
SPAN 230 SPAN 231 SPAN 232	Spain: Studies in Culture and Society Latin America: Studies in Culture and Society Hispanics in the US: Studies in Culture and Society	4 Cr. (3+1)
15-16 Additional Credits in Spanish Beyond SPAN 203:
SPAN 270	Spanish Conversation
SPAN 290	Spanish for Heritage Speakers
SPAN 291	Topics in World Cinema (taught in English)
SPAN 300	Special Topics in Translation (taught in English)
SPAN 303	Professional Communication in Spanish
SPAN 306	Contemporary Social Issues in Hispanic Media
SPAN 307	Spanish for Business
SPAN 308	Spanish for Community Engagement
SPAN 309	Latinx Studies
SPAN 310	Spanish for Health Professions
SPAN 311	Intro to English-Spanish Translation and Interpretation
SPAN 312	Spanish for STEM Professions
SPAN 320	Hispanic Cultural Studies (formerly SPAN 220)
SPAN 321/322	Literature of Spain/Latin America
SPAN 390	Seminar in Spanish
Additional Required Courses:
SPAN 499	Capstone Senior Project	1 Cr.
Total (Minimum): 27 Cr.

Students who place directly into a course higher than level 204 need not complete level 204 but must complete all other requirements for the minor, including the required total of 14 credit hours.

Minor Requirements for Spanish
SPAN 204	Intermediate Spanish II	4 credits
One course from the following options:	SPAN 220 Approaches to Hispanic Literary Studies SPAN 230 Spain: Studies in Culture and Society SPAN 231 Latin America: Studies in Culture and Society	3-4 credits
	Six to seven additional credits in Spanish beyond SPAN 203; at least one course at the 300 level or higher	6-7 credits
TOTAL (Minimum)		14 credits

Spanish Career Outcomes

Language skills are increasingly in demand across a variety of industries and studies show bilingual employees earn more on average in addition to experiencing greater rates of promotion.

Careers in Spanish:

Educators
International business
International sciences
Marketers
Social workers

Apply Now Request More Information Explore Related Majors

Student Success Story

ESTEEMED FACULTY

Valpo’s award-winning Spanish faculty members instruct from real-world industry experience, from the Spanish banking sector to international cooperation, and are authors of regularly published scholarly articles, novels, and textbooks.

Multiple grants enabled our professors to publish and present scholarly work, diversify our curriculum, develop open-access materials for language classes, and foster both community and engagement, among other triumphs.

Study Abroad