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Spanish and Latin American Studies
Along with their study of Spanish language, students in this concentration also study the literature, culture, history, and politics of Spain and of Latin America.
The threefold emphasis—advanced verbal and written communication, research skills and analysis, and broad knowledge of diverse Spanish-speaking cultures—prepares students for graduate study or careers in a variety of areas, including business, economics, journalism, history, international relations, comparative literature, law, library science, medicine, political science, social services, and diplomatic service.
Related Career paths
Students often pair Spanish and Latin American studies with another concentration in order to enter professions related to bilingual education, social work, government and international organizations, diplomacy, business, journalism, law, and medicine.
Curriculum
This concentration requires at least 31 credits, with a minimum of 11 credits in Spanish at the 205-level or higher, including two courses (or at least eight credits) at the 300-level, one methodology course, and one related course outside the division. Students selecting this concentration typically spend one or both semesters of their junior year studying abroad. Students are encouraged to apply to study at universities in Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Spain through the College’s Spanish Studies Abroad Signature Program. For more information see Spanish Studies Abroad below.
Course Spotlight
Spanish 213: Passion, Trickery, and Revenge: Latin American Detective Novels
Latin American writers have created a number of significant literary sleuths who challenge and change the detective fiction that began in Europe and the United States. Why? What does it mean to parody Poe? To make a detective political? Course readings traverse the rich tradition of la novela detectivesca in Latin American letters. In an array of detective stories and novellas, we see the influence of dime novels and popular culture, an “upside down” form in which the state is criminal, the aesthetics of a labyrinthine plot, and nods to Poe and writers from Europe. All readings and discussions in Spanish. Prerequisites: Spanish 205 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.