Spanish Major Mission
The Spanish major provides students with instruction in the language, culture, and literature of Spanish-speaking countries, in alignment with the University’s mission to provide a quality education consistent with Christian humanism. Spanish courses promote understanding and respect for global cultural diversity, and are complemented by extra-curricular activities, service learning opportunities, and study abroad experiences. Advanced courses position our Spanish majors to use Spanish in their fields of choice, making them competitive in the job market and prepared for graduate school.
Spanish Major Student Learning Outcomes
Students who graduate from DeSales University with a major in Spanish will be able to:
- demonstrate oral, listening, reading, and writing proficiency in Spanish;
- read Spanish text critically, converse fluently, and produce complex compositions;
- examine critically and compare cultural practices and artifacts, and place them within their historical and cultural contexts.
The Division of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences offers a BA in Spanish. Students study the language, customs and traditions, civilizations, and literature of Spain and Spanish America. In addition to the classroom experience, students are strongly encouraged to travel and study in one of the appropriate countries through programs approved by the students’ academic advisor.
Our program emphasizes all four linguistic skills: listening reading, speaking, and writing, as well as the development of good techniques in analytical and critical thinking. In addition, the student can pursue courses in the art of translation. The variety of courses assures a good basic knowledge of the traditions and cultural characteristics of the people and their countries. The study of a foreign language constitutes a major element of a liberal arts education, offering communication skills that are much in demand in today’s global economy. It also prepares students to appreciate cultural differences of perception and behavior, which provides an easier transition into the students’ chosen careers and a better evaluation and understanding of the professional world.
A major in Spanish by itself or as a dual major provides a strong competitive edge in the current job market and opens the door to a large choice of careers in the business and professional world, including social work, law, international business, the health fields, government, library science, teaching, and graduate studies. It also instills a lifelong curiosity to learn about cultural and human differences, and a greater understanding of those differences.
K-12 teaching certification is available in Spanish. The requirements are the same as for the Spanish major, but one of the ten courses must be SP 334. Please consult the education department entry.
