B.A. Spanish

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Overview

Beyond creating a pathway to a variety of jobs for Spanish majors, our bachelor’s degree in Spanish will enrich your life and perspective as an individual and a contributing member of a global society. Develop a high level of language proficiency in Spanish, while exploring the historic development and culture of Hispanic culture and gaining deeper understanding of the characteristics and behaviors of the Hispanic world. Our Spanish bachelor’s degree offers programs with or without teacher certification, translation and interpreting, or with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. Developing a secondary language proficiency gives you an advantage when searching for almost any job. You also can combine your BA degree in Spanish with other majors, such as Nursing, Business, Kinesiology, or Pre-Law.

Undergraduate students with four or more years of high school Spanish or native or heritage speakers can receive credit for the first four required Spanish courses, which is the equivalent of fourteen credit hours, as determined by the Language Placement Exam.

Program Benefits

  • Research has shown that bilingual employees can earn 5 to 20% more than those who are not bilingual. Graduates who are proficient in using both English and Spanish in a professional setting are highly sought after in the current job market.
  • Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 20 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.
  • Internship opportunity for Medical Interpreting students at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, TX to gain hands-on experience in a real healthcare setting.
  • Award-winning faculty with diverse areas of expertise, including journalistic chronicles of the Colombian Caribbean, language acquisition, translation and interpretation for medical or legal professionals.
  • Inclusive, interactive classroom environment and small class sizes
  • Network with classmates and your professors that can further your career
  • Learn about important cultures, at home and worldwide: The Hispanic population in the United States is growing rapidly, and over 600 million people throughout the world speak Spanish as their native or primary language.
  • The bachelor’s in Spanish With Teacher Certification program has specialized courses in education for Spanish majors who want to teach Spanish at the secondary level. Our degree program is one of few Texas programs in Spanish that offers a Spanish Language Pedagogy course designed to prepare you for the Pedagogy section of the state teacher certification exam

Courses

Visit the University Catalog

More About the Program

Experience Spanish language and culture: Study abroad in Spain for four weeks of language and culture instruction while living in a university residence hall and visiting nearby cities. With one of the longest running study abroad programs at Tarleton, we offer an immersive cultural experience that allows you to practice your skills while navigating daily situations in a variety of settings. You'll earn six credit hours and Applied Learning Experience credit, as well as international and foreign language experience that's valuable to many employers.

Student Resources: Language aides in the Writing Center offer help to undergraduate students in Spanish courses of all levels. Texans 4 Texans in the Tutoring and Learning Center is certified by the College Reading and Learning Association and offers free tutoring services to all Tarleton students.

Student Activities: Join Sigma Delta Pi, the Hispanic Student Organization, The Modern Language Association or other student and professional organizations. Special events on campus include activities to promote Spanish culture, guest lectures, film screenings and more.

Offered Concentrations

  • With Teacher Certification
  • Without Teacher Certification
  • Criminal Justice
  • Translation and Interpretation

Learning Outcomes

  • Advanced communication skills in both written and spoken Spanish across a variety of formal and informal contexts.
  • Cultural competence and the ability to analyze and engage with diverse perspectives from the Spanish-speaking world.
  • Critical thinking and analytical abilities through the study of literature, film, and contemporary social issues.

Career Outcomes

  • Interpreter or Translator
  • National security agent (CIA, FBI, DOD, DOS)
  • Customer Service Representative

Certification and Licensure Preparation

Texas State Teacher Certification Exam, Spanish Language Pedagogy section

Learn about Certification and Licensure

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

Advising Guide

View the Advising Guide (PDF)
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