SPANISH MAJOR
at 糖心Vlog
As a Spanish major, you鈥檒l develop language and cultural skills and learn to apply these skills in practical situations, including employment. You will acquire the advanced language skills needed to pursue graduate study, and you can also pursue teacher licensure, which prepares you to teach K-12 Spanish.
Our Bachelor鈥檚 in Spanish
Spanish majors acquire basic and advanced skills by studying language, literature, and cultures; develop cross-cultural knowledge; enhance their understanding of their own language; and sharpen their critical thinking skills.
After earning your Spanish degree, you will be able to communicate effectively in writing and in speaking in a range of formal and informal situations, demonstrate intercultural competence, apply specialized terminology and critical approaches in a variety of contexts, and locate, evaluate, incorporate, and document research sources in support of oral and written assignments.
Our Spanish Programs
Students can major in Spanish with a concentration in cultural literacy or professional Spanish. They may also pursue a Spanish minor or teacher licensure.
Major in Spanish with a Concentration in Cultural Literacy
Students majoring in are required to complete 35-38 hours, which includes 21-24 hours of core courses, eight hours of concentration courses, and six hours of elective courses.
Major in Spanish with a Concentration in Professional Spanish
Students majoring in are required to complete 35-38 hours, which includes 21-24 hours of core courses, eight hours of concentration courses, and six hours of elective courses.
Minor in Spanish
Students are required to complete 18-21 credits, including 12 hours of core credits and 6-9 additional hours of elective courses.
K-12 Spanish Teacher Licensure
The K-12 provides appropriate learning experiences to meet the needs, capabilities, and interests of K-12 students studying Spanish. The program is designed to assist individuals in acquiring knowledge, developing skills and dispositions within a learning environment focused on active involvement and integrated learning activities.
Requirements
To complete the teacher education program and earn licensure in Spanish for grades K-12, students must complete the requirements for general education and their chosen major, as well as the following licensure requirements.
Students must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program to enroll.
Why Get Your Spanish Degree From Meredith?
- Choose from two concentrations: or .
- Apply what you鈥檙e learning in a real-world context. All Spanish majors are required to participate in community-based learning, which allows you to practice your Spanish and deepen your learning through experiences with partner agencies. You can also intern with local organizations. And, if you鈥檙e pursuing licensure to teach Spanish, you鈥檒l complete a field placement as a student teacher.
- Many Spanish majors choose to study abroad 鈥� often more than once. You鈥檒l hone your language skills, increase your independence and self-confidence, and experience a Spanish-speaking culture more deeply. In addition, Meredith鈥檚 World Languages Travel Award provides financial support for strong students who wish to study abroad.
- With the completion of Business Spanish (SPA 301), students can apply for Business Spanish certification.
- Student organizations for Spanish majors include La Tertulia, Meredith鈥檚 Spanish club, and the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi.
- The Learning Center provides free, one-on-one tutoring to any Meredith student who needs assistance with foreign languages, mathematics, science, and writing for all subjects. All tutors are Meredith students who have excelled in their coursework and have been trained to assist their peers.
- Examples of student success include
- Briana Petrusa, a Fulbright award recipient who is now a candidate for medical school.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Spanish?
A Spanish major or minor is a valuable addition to students pursuing any number of career paths, including pre-med, pre-law, dentistry, business, and education. Those who have graduated with a major in Spanish in recent years have gone on to graduate school, immediate employment, and other opportunities.
Internships
Meredith鈥檚 Spanish program offers numerous and varied internship opportunities for students to apply their proficiency in the language to real-world scenarios. Recent examples of internship placements and community-based learning partner organizations include:
- Urban Ministries Open Door Clinic
- Neighbor-to-Neighbor Latino Outreach
- North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals
- El Centro para Familias Hispanas
- Passage Home
- Together for a Better Education (Wake County 4-H Youth Development)
- Telamon Corporation
- Legal Aid of North Carolina
- Student Action with Farmworkers
- El Pueblo
- First Baptist Church of Raleigh Clothing Ministry
- Raleigh Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources
- YMCAs of the Triangle
Careers
Careers for Spanish majors and graduate or professional programs attended by recent graduates include聽
- M.A. in Spanish literature at the University of Virginia
- M.D. program at UNC Medical School
- Student Doctor, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Medical Library Scientist, Duke University Health System
- Spanish teacher for Wake County and District of Columbia Public Schools
A wide range of positions are available to Spanish majors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for graduates with a foreign language degree is .
Research
Many students choose to participate in Meredith鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program and go on to present at the annual Celebrating Student Achievement event. Research topics presented include:
- Immigration and the U.S. Construction Industry
- Migration after NAFTA: A closer look into agricultural communities in Mexico
- The Effects of Gender, School, and Residence on Achievement in the Argentine University
- Cinemexicanidad: Representations of Mexican National Identity in Two Films
- Reality is in the eye of the beholder: Perception of reality vs. dream in two Argentinian short stories
Rosemary Vega Escutia, 鈥�23, is taking the lessons she learned at 糖心Vlog into her own classroom.
Fulbright recipient Briana Petrusa, 鈥�21, is combining her interests in chemistry and Spanish to pursue a career in medicine helping underserved populations.
Inspired by a study abroad experience and with guidance from her faculty mentor, honors student Natalya Brown, 鈥�21, chose to pursue three majors: Spanish, criminology, and sociology. After graduating and working for two years, she received a Fulbright Award.
After Spanish and biology major Cinthia Arreola, 鈥�21,聽took a course in Spanish translation during her junior year, she found new ways to support her community.
Fulbright grant聽recipient Belle Williams, 鈥�19, loved the Spanish language from a very young age, inspiring her to study Spanish and international studies.
With drive and persistence Andressia Ramirez, 鈥�19, has used her time at 糖心Vlog to build experiences that will lead to her dream career as an immigration lawyer.
Videos About Meredith鈥檚 Spanish Major
Inspired by a study abroad experience and with guidance from her faculty mentor, honors student Natalya Brown, 鈥�21, chose to pursue three majors: Spanish, criminology, and sociology.
Spanish News and Events
After a campus-wide search last spring, Assistant Professor of Spanish Callie DeBellis has been named director of Meredith in Italy. She began her new role in August.
Three recent graduates of Meredith, Briana Petrusa, 鈥�21, Bailey Birtchet, 鈥�21, and Delaney Rhodes, 鈥�20, have been awarded Fulbright scholarships. The Fulbright Program funds scholarships for students to study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.聽
Contact Information
Jonathan Wade Department Chair, Professor of Spanish
109 Martin Hall
(919) 760-8738
wadejon@meredith.edu
World Languages & Cultures 禄
School of Arts & Humanities 禄
