Spanish program

Learn the second most common language in the U.S.

Studying Spanish is an opportunity to open up your worldview and gain marketable language skills for your future as communities become increasingly multilingual and multicultural. 

Spanish is offered through UWL's Department of Global Cultures and Languages. Spanish faculty are committed to developing students’ linguistic and cultural competence, including effective communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills. Courses include in-depth study of film, literature, linguistics, history, art and culture. 

Undergrad major Undergrad minor Teacher license

Spanish

Spanish is one of the fastest growing languages worldwide. Because of the prominence of this language, it is likely you will interact with Spanish speakers in your future. By studying Spanish, you will develop not only language skills to interact, but also cultural competency. These skills help you to work with people from other cultures more effectively and appropriately.

Undergrad major Undergrad minor View a sample plan for Spanish Catalogfor Spanish Learn more for Spanish

Education

Completion of the Spanish Education Program and associated benchmark assessments will lead to endorsement for a Wisconsin teaching license in Spanish for grades K-12 (1365). Students in all teacher education programs must satisfy the School of Education (SOE) core requirements.

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Education & Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Completion of the Spanish Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Program and associated benchmark assessments will lead to endorsement for the following Wisconsin teaching licenses: Spanish, grades K-12 (1365) and English as a Second Language, grades K-12 (ESL, 1395). Students in all teacher education programs must satisfy the School of Education (SOE) core requirements.

Undergrad major Teacher license View a sample plan for Education & Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Catalogfor Education & Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

A program within Global Cultures & Languages

Jobs in Spanish

Studying a liberal arts degree such as Spanish gives students the skills to find and develop their own career pathway. Spanish faculty prepare students to interact with speakers of other languages in various economic contexts, both within the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S, the growth of multilingualism and multiculturalism has created an increased interest in college graduates with strong language and intercultural skills. Spanish can be applied to many career pathways. 

Many students choose to minor in Spanish as a complement to their major area of study. Minors pursue careers in a variety of fields.

Use Spanish in

  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Counseling and social work
  • Business, management or international business
  • Recreation and hospitality
  • Sport science
  • Law and diplomacy
  • Communications and marketing
  • Human resources
  • Public health
  • Urban planning
  • Government and politics

Teach Spanish

Multiple certification options are available for students interested in teaching Spanish at the elementary, middle, and high-school level. In each certification option, students enroll in foundational education courses and then complete a range of language courses, depending on the type of certification. Certification options for Spanish include: Dual certification in Elementary/Middle Education and Spanish Education (certification K-9); World language education major in Spanish Education (PreK-12 certification); and Dual certification in Spanish Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (PreK-12 certification).

What distinguishes UWL's Spanish program?

Student involvement

Meet other students while growing your language skills and appreciation of Spanish speaking cultures though the Spanish Club. Students can also participate in conversation groups to practice speaking and share cultural experiences with international students and native speakers. 

Peer-to-peer mentoring

Advanced language students can volunteer as tutors at the Global Cultures and Language Department's Language Resource Center or collaborate with faculty. Spanish students also have the opportunity to join Sigma Delta Pi, a national honor society for students of Hispanic Studies.

Innovation in teaching that engages cultures

Spanish faculty engage students in relevant issues such as social justice and cultural and linguistic diversity. Using innovative teaching methods and technologies, faculty and students explore their role as global citizens through service to and engagement with cultures in the community, on campus or abroad.

Hands-on experiences here and abroad

Students can participate in research projects with faculty and find internships and volunteer opportunities in the La Crosse region where language skills are required. Spanish students can also pursue international internships in business or health-related fields, and the department prepares students through Languages for Professional Purposes courses such as Spanish for the Health Professions.

Study abroad opportunities

Students are encouraged to study abroad so they can improve their language proficiency and further develop their cross-cultural preparation. Spanish students can return to campus with up to 16 credits to use toward their Spanish major or minor and can also earn UWL general education credit for courses taken in a Spanish speaking country. The department has faculty-led programs to Granada, Spain and Havana, Cuba. 

Undergraduate research opportunities

Students gain important experience and develop skills as they learn how to complete collaborative research with a faculty mentor, present research and travel to national and international conferences. Students have received grants and/or completed research and travel related to a variety of interdisciplinary topics such as AIDS in the male gay community in Havana, Cuba and Mexican immigrant students and their challenges in the U.S Public School system.

Retroactive credits for proficiency and heritage or native speakers

Incoming students take a placement test to determine their course level in Spanish. Once a student is placed in a UWL Spanish course above 103, they can earn a B or better and receive up to 16 retroactive credits for courses taken at other institutions. Also, students who have attended high school in Spanish, or speak Spanish at home, have many options to receive retroactive credits as heritage speakers or native speakers. 

Open doors to work abroad

Because Spanish curriculum emphasizes internationalization and intercultural competence, graduates are well-equipped to join the workforce abroad. Many opportunities are available after graduation to teach English or work for non-profit organizations around the world through global programs such as the North American Language and Cultural Ambassadors Program, Fulbright Scholars Program, Council on International Educational Exchange and many more.

Sample courses

SPA 355 Latinx in the U.S.: Culture and Society This course is an introduction to the historic, social and cultural contexts of Latinx culture in the United States. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students analyze literature, art, music, media, film, performance, and social activism which reflect the main events and social movements in the trajectory of Latinx culture in the U.S. The course focuses on the impact of U.S. colonialism and imperialism on Latinx social systems in the U.S., as well as Latin American migrations and their impact on modern-day Latinx identities. The course also explores issues of statehood, racism, gender inequalities, cultural hybridization, and immigration. Conducted in Spanish with some materials in Spanglish. Prerequisite: three courses from the following: SPA 302, SPA 307, SPA 309, SPA 310, SPA 312, SPA 322, SPA 323, SPA 325, SPA 332, SPA 333, SPA 335. Offered Occasionally.

SPA 370 Spanish for the Health Professions In this course students will develop linguistic, professional, and cultural skills necessary to work with and advocate for Spanish-speaking patients in the healthcare professions. To do this, students will learn how Limited English Proficient patients experience the United States healthcare system and reflect on their own role as cultural brokers in this setting. Class activities and assignments are designed to allow the student to engage with and interpret the healthcare system from the perspective of Spanish-speaking patients. Prerequisite: three courses from the following: SPA 302, SPA 307, SPA 309, SPA 310, SPA 312, SPA 322, SPA 323, SPA 325, SPA 332, SPA 333, SPA 335. Offered Occasionally.

SPA 302 Faces of Spain: Conversation and Culture This course is an introduction to the concepts of diversity and social responsibility through the study of the construction of national identity in Spain. A main focus will be on describing these themes in their social and cultural contexts, especially through the analysis of films in Spanish. This course explores issues related to origins of Spanish identity, diversity in communities, changing social structures, and independence movements. Students will also develop all four language skills, with an emphasis on oral proficiency (focusing on listening and speaking), along with critical thinking. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or SPA 221 or placement based on UW System Placement Test scores. Offered Occasionally.