Spanish
Overview
School of Arts and Sciences / Spanish
Spanish is spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide.
We recognize that although the world has grown smaller through globalization, those who are adept in multiple languages are leaders of their chosen fields. Our Spanish program offers rigorous preparation for the many careers that exist for multilingual graduates. A bachelor’s degree in Spanish will open the worlds of commerce and culture in many places throughout the globe, making our graduates more sought after job candidates, and better qualified hires.
Specialized Degrees
Spanish Immersion and Education Dual Major
The Spanish language is one of the most widely-used languages across the nation. As the population of bilingual students increase the need for passionate and dedicated bilingual teachers increases as well. Spanish immersion teachers, in addition to teaching language and culture, must also be able to instruct in content areas such as math, science, and social studies in the target language. Therefore, these teachers must have native or near native Spanish fluency, as well as a good understanding of second language acquisition theories and pedagogy.
Candidates for this double major will take the Early Childhood (PreK-4) sequence of courses offered our Education department in order to meet certification requirements for Pennsylvania. There are reciprocal licensure agreements between Pennsylvania and several other states. This specialized double major gives students the opportunity to gain the necessary knowledge in second language acquisition theories and instructional methods as well as the skills in both Spanish and English to teach in related content areas, in order to qualify for positions as immersion teachers.
Those interested in becoming Spanish immersion teachers will follow the carefully designed course sequence prepared by the Global Languages, Literatures, and Perspectives as well as the Education Departments, and will receive advisement from both. Students must take a Spanish placement test before beginning the program.
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) and Spanish Dual Major
The Communication Sciences and Disorders/Spanish dual major aims to provide its students with the pre-clinical, linguistic and cultural foundations, which in addition to a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, are necessary to treat and work with patients that are bilingual English/Spanish, as well as those that are Spanish speakers with limited English proficiency. Those wishing to become CSD/Spanish double majors must have their Spanish assessed by a language faculty member in order to begin their studies at the appropriate level. After placement, students will follow the carefully designed course sequence prepared by the CSD and languages departments.
Courses in this Major
Some interesting courses offered in this major include
SPN 314: Latin American Short Stories
This is a survey course in which a wide selection of short stories from the late 19th century through the 21st century are studied. The goal is to familiarize students with works written by a variety of Latin American authors. Themes such as love, gender roles, and discrimination, among others, are examined.
SPN 307: Commercial Spanish
The purpose of this course is to better enable students to utilize Spanish in business and other professional contexts. The course aims to increase students’ workplace vocabulary (ex. vocabulary related to the office, computers, travel, etc. will be covered). Written exercises will include exercises such as business letters and other professional correspondence, as well as short translation exercises. Formality vs. informality, use of proper titles to address people in professional situations, and other issues related to cultural etiquette will be addressed.SPN 330: Second Language Teaching Methods
SPN 330: Second Language Teaching Methods
Second Language Teaching Methods is a general course in second language acquisition theories and teaching methodologies for students interested in a career in second language teaching – both ESL and foreign language. Students will review and familiarize themselves with the dominant theories of the field by linguists such as Stephen Krashen, Michael Long, Susan Gass, Bill VanPatten, Jim Lantolf, and others. This course provides students the opportunity to weigh the merits of the two competing camps within second language acquisition and apply these theories to their own teaching by creating appropriate lesson plans and testing materials to maximize student learning and outcomes in all of the four language skills—reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
SPN 480: Spanish Seminar
Topics of investigation will vary from semester to semester. Recent topics include Contemporary Cinema, and Hispanic Cultural Traditions.
Over the past five years, demand for bilingual workers in the United States more than doubled.
— New American Economy Research Study
Blaze Your Own Path
Career Paths
A bachelor’s degree in Spanish can open the door to many employment opportunities that span various industries. Now more than ever organizations are looking for multilingual employees who are ready and able to conquer their tasks in the workplace. Upon graduation you’ll have honed your written, and verbal skills to be able to use them in the work place. Our curriculum not only trains you for your specific field but puts you in real-life scenarios to learn collaborative and interpersonal skills, professionalism, and diligence. Our students have gone on to work in sectors including
- Medical and Health
- Legal and Law Enforcement
- Publishing
- Education
- Social Work
- Interpretation
- Translation
Our alumni work for employers such as:
- University of Pennsylvania Hospitals
- S Immigration Services
- Hiccup Media
- Einstein Medical Center
- Pennsylvania State Courts
- Luz Inc. (a translation company)
- Border Servants Corps
- S. military
- Bryn Mawr Trust
- the City of Philadelphia
Graduate Study
If you decide to further your education in Spanish, your studies could take you around the world. Graduates of our Spanish bachelor’s degree program have chosen to stay at La Salle and continue their education here, or they’ve gone on to study in places as far as Seville, Spain. No matter where you go, you’ll be ready to take the next step in furthering your knowledge about Spanish language and culture. Here at La Salle we offer several master’s programs to continue in Spanish. These programs include:
- Translation and Interpretation
- Bilingual/Bicultural Studies
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
In addition to full master’s degree programs we offer certificate programs for English as a Second Language, Translation, and Interpretation. To explore more about our graduate programs visit our Hispanic Institute page.
Research
La Salle places an incredible emphasis on undergraduate research. In the Spanish major you’ll have the opportunity to research and learn more about hard hitting issues in the Latin American community. Our students present their work in many places such as La Salle University Undergraduate Research Day and the Annual Undergraduate Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Symposium. Students have the opportunity to choose their own topic of interest and dive into to a new world of information. Past topics include:
- Is Biculturalism a Myth?: A Closer Look at the Case of Spanish Heritage Speakers
- Overcoming Hurdles: The Afro-Columbian Woman’s Journey
- The Power of Words: Feminism in Latin American Culture
- The Norman Quest
A number of students have earned the prestigious Fulbright grant to fund their research.
I am an Explorer
Ludmille Glaude, ’18
Ludmille Glaude is a shining example of a student who used the opportunities La Salle provided to blaze her own path. Upon coming to La Salle, she immediately carved a spot for herself as an Explorer by getting involved on campus. She’s on the women’s club rugby team, former president of the African American Student […]
Ludmille Glaude, ’18
Ludmille Glaude is a shining example of a student who used the opportunities La Salle provided to blaze her own path. Upon coming to La Salle, she immediately carved a spot for herself as an Explorer by getting involved on campus. She’s on the women’s club rugby team, former president of the African American Student League, and tirelessly addresses issues of social injustice in the world, using her voice to help others find their own. She used that same voice to introduce former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama when she spoke on campus in 2016. “Meeting her was definitely a highlight of my time at La Salle,” she says. “It was an amazing opportunity that I will never forget.” Majoring in political science, international relations, and Spanish with a religion minor, Ludmille plans to continue using her voice and education to make a difference in the world. “I want to be an ambassador,” she says. “Having lived in Haiti as a child, I always saw myself as a global citizen, so if I can help people with policy change and travel the world, that’s the dream.” Ludmille recognizes Philadelphia is the perfect city to explore her passions and to help fulfill her dreams. With so many internship opportunities available in a city as large as Philadelphia, she’s already had several internships which have helped her build an impressive resume even before she graduates. But, she says the friendly community has been her favorite part of La Salle. “I feel very blessed because every single person I’ve encountered has helped me in some way,” she says.
Beyond the Classroom
Study Abroad Opportunities
Journey to a new place for an entire semester
Study Abroad Opportunities
Students who study abroad have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture, a new language, and a new environment for an entire semester. Through our own programs in Italy, Mexico, Ireland, and Australia, or through partnerships with other Lasallian schools, students can choose among programs on six continents. Students who are Spanish majors and minors qualify for the Moran Scholarship which assists them with their travel expenses.
To explore more about study abroad visit http://www.lasalle.edu/travelstudyabroad/.
92% of graduates are employed, volunteering full-time through service programs or pursuing additional education full time within one year of graduation.
83% of faculty hold a Ph.D. or the highest degree in their field.
Ranked in Forbes 2017 Top U.S. Colleges.
Listed by the New York Times in the Top 6% for median income of graduates at age 34.