Undergraduate Program in Spanish

Minor Guidelines · Major Guidelines · Study Abroad Information

The Undergraduate Program in Spanish at Washington University offers a wide array of courses in Spanish and Latin American Literatures and Cultures as well as courses in linguistics, applied linguistics, and second language acquisition. Our basic language program consists of an intensive 3-course sequence (Spanish 101, 102, and 201) designed to increase students’ overall communicative competence in Spanish and understanding of cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Our 300-level language sequence includes two courses in advanced composition and grammar (Spanish 307 and 308) and two courses in oral communication (Spanish 301 and 321). Other 300-level course offerings include Business Spanish and Medical Spanish. Our upper-level 300- and 400-level courses include a variety of literature survey courses as well as advanced seminars that cover a rich variety of topics, including literary theory, film studies, gender studies, cultural studies, and topics related to Hispanic linguistics.

To obtain the Minor in Spanish (Spanish Minor Guidelines), students must complete 18 units of Spanish above the 300 level, including Spanish 307 and 308 and two required literature survey courses from a list of suitable courses. To obtain the Major in Spanish (Spanish Major Guidelines), students must complete 27 units of Spanish (24 units for double majors) above the 300 level, including Spanish 307 and 308, three literature survey courses (including at least one in Spanish (Peninsular) literature and one in Latin American literature, and two 400-level courses in Spanish, one of which must be writing-intensive (e.g., a Spanish 405W seminar).

The undergraduate program in Spanish also affords students with the opportunity to participate in our study abroad programs (Study Abroad Information). Our Summer Institutes are located in Puebla, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Madrid, Spain. Students also may study for a semester or a year abroad in Santiago, Chile or Madrid, Spain. Students earn credit for the Spanish Minor and Major while participating in these programs and may participate in more than one of these programs as part of their undergraduate education.

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What do students have to say about the program?


“My four years of studying Spanish at Wash U provided me the solid foundation that I use, every day, to communicate with students and families at the elementary school where I teach ESL. The expansive vocabulary I acquired during my tenure, along with comprehensive grammar skills and cultural awareness, allow me to be a conduit for peace of mind and involvement of families at all levels in our school community.”


― Nicole Walters
Class of 2004, Educational Studies and Spanish
Currently: Teacher of English as a Second Language,
Bloomington Public Schools #271, Bloomington, Minnesota

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“My Spanish major not only allowed me to develop a high level of linguistic skill, but also gave me the critical tools to engage in a wide range of literary and cultural debates in both the Spanish and Latin American contexts. If you are looking for a course of study that is eye-opening, exciting, rigorous, and rewarding, look no further.”


― Martin Repinecz
Class of 2005, Spanish
Currently: Graduate Student in Romance Studies,
Duke University

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“My experience at Washington University as a Spanish major was essential preparation for a worthwhile career in which I would utilize my foreign language skills while serving my country as a federal employee.”


― Cherish Perry
Class of 2005, Spanish and English Literature
Currently: Investigator, Bilingual (Spanish)
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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“I think having a Spanish degree is a valuable thing in today's society. Studying a culture though its native language adds depth and meaning to literature, film, history, and other [aspects] of that culture. I know this might sound corny, but I really learned what it means for things to be ‘lost in translation.’”


― Chris Riha
Spanish and Mathematics, 2008
Currently: Coordinator for International Programming,
Washington University in St. Louis

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“All of the opportunities I have had are because I am bilingual. I was able to connect with my Spanish speaking students and their families through language and cultural awareness, and that connection was invaluable. As a graduate student at Columbia University, my opportunities are greater because I can read and conduct research in English and Spanish."

― Jessica Hahn
Class of 2005
Currently: Graduate Student,
Columbia University

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“Since completing my Spanish major at Wash U, almost every aspect of my life interacts with the Spanish language. I spent my sophomore year abroad in Spain, became an undergraduate ‘drill’ instructor, taught Spanish to children at a summer camp in Clayton, and completed an MA in second language acquisition. I then lived in Mexico City for two years, which has proved invaluable in my interactions with Spanish-speaking populations in the U.S. I am now a Spanish linguistics professor regularly offering seminars on bilingualism. I'm raising two bilingual sons, writing college Spanish textbooks, and promoting linguistic diversity in the Chicago area through the Heritage Language Cooperative.”


― Kim Potowski
Class of 1991
Currently: Associate Professor of Linguistics,
University of Illinois at Chicago

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"In addition to superb language instruction, the variety of available courses [at Wash. U.] afforded me a fantastic opportunity to delve into the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. From ancient Mayan poems to current Spanish literature and film, I was able to study a broad spectrum of styles and genres that helped me become familiar with the subtle nuances of the cultures that created them. Now, as a medical student, I utilize my language skills and cultural awareness with Spanish-speaking patients almost every time I enter a hospital or clinic."

― Whitney Smith
Class of 2007, Spanish
Currently: Medical Student

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“While pursuing my Spanish degree, my eyes were opened to the idea of traveling abroad. For some, international travel is a normal and financially feasible experience. This was not the case for me, and I had never thought of travel or study abroad until I realized that this was my only way of acquiring a fluency in the language. Fortunately, Washington University offers the Chile program. I never dreamed that I would ever travel as far as Chile, Brazil or any of the other places that I have been so blessed to visit and experience. My desire to travel and to continue language learning is insatiable and the memories created are innumerable.”


― Andranique Ellis Scott
Class of 2006, Spanish
Currently: Spanish teacher at John Burroughs

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“I really enjoyed majoring in Spanish. Spanish provided a creative escape, where I could pursue culture, art and literature all in a different language. I am currently a student at St. Louis University School of Medicine and I continue to put my Spanish to good use. I volunteer at the free clinic La Clínica as an intake assistant and translator. Being able to put ‘proficient in Spanish’ on my resume really gave me a step up when I was applying to medical school and I think it will help me once again when I apply for my residency.”


― Tracy Sambo
Class of 2007, Biology and Spanish
Currently: Medical Student,
Saint Louis University School of Medicine

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“As a Spanish major I have been able to deeply experience another culture through study abroad and hone my analytical and expressive skills through study of literature and culture. The Applied Linguistics minor has been incredibly valuable to me because it blends together the theoretical and the practical, illustrating concretely how linguistics can be used for education and social justice. I hope to use my knowledge of Spanish and linguistics to work with Hispanic populations in California as a high school teacher.”

― Akimi Palitz
Class of 2009, Spanish and Applied Linguistics (Minor)
Currently: Graduate Student in Urban Education Studies,
Yale University

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“Study abroad within the Spanish Department was definitely the best part of my experience as a major, as I was able to apply what I had learned in the classroom to real life experience. My language skills flourished as a result, and I came back to Wash U a very proficient speaker with a world of experience I had only dreamed of. As I look toward my future, I know that the skills I have gained as a Romance Language student will give me the background and confidence to excel at challenging tasks. Through my four years as a Spanish major, I learned how to research and write analytical and creative papers, think critically about culture, language and history; and I grew as an undergraduate student in many ways.”

― Laura Stein
Class of 2009, Spanish

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“Learning to communicate effectively in Spanish and having a broader understanding of the cultures and histories of its native speakers has had a tremendous impact on choices I have made since leaving Wash U. It has affected my decisions about where to work, which communities to serve as an educator, my relationships with students and their families, and where to travel. In my current position at an elementary charter school, we teach Spanish as a second language in a full immersion program, [where] we believe deeply that in order to meaningfully engage in issues that affect our nation one must be bilingual, specifically able to communicate in both English and Spanish.”

― Brandon Sorlie
Class of 2003, Spanish and International Business
Currently: Dean of Instruction,
Brooklyn Ascend Charter School

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"My Spanish degree has allowed me to explore both the outside world and my own backyard. From a semester abroad in Madrid to volunteer opportunities in St. Louis, my studies not only helped me grow academically, but personally and emotionally as well."


―Maggie Konich
Class of 2006, Spanish and American Culture Studies
Currently: Spanish Instructor
Parkway Northeast Middle School

 

 

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