Programs in Spanish language and literature focus on the spoken and written traditions of Spain and Latin America. Students learn Spanish and its regional dialects. They study stories, myths, and writings. Students also learn how to apply their knowledge to business and technology.
Olé! About 332 million people in the world speak Spanish. This makes it number four on the list of the top ten spoken languages worldwide. The top three are: 3. English, 2. Hindi/Urdu, and 1. Mandarin Chinese. With growing populations of Spanish-speaking people in the U.S., Spanish is becoming increasingly important as a second language for English speakers.
In Spanish language and literature programs, you study just what the name implies – language and literature. You also learn about Spanish culture and history, from bullfighting and flamenco dancing in the southern region to the different ethnic groups located in the northern Basque and Catalan areas. However, because Spanish is spoken in many countries in diverse geographic locations, often you study other Spanish-speaking countries in Latin and South America and the Caribbean in addition to Spain. Therefore, when you study original literature, folklore, and films, you may read books by Spanish poets and authors (Federico Garcia Lorca, Cervantes) as well as writers from Chile (Pablo Neruda) and Colombia (Gabriel Garcia Marquez). You can view and critique famous Spanish films, including recent works by Pedro Almodovar ("All About My Mother" and "Talk to Her"), as well as Mexican films including "Amores Perros."
Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in Spanish language and literature. Most two-year colleges offer the first two years of study. Students can often transfer these credits to a four-year school. Master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree. Most people with graduate degrees become professors.
Students who major in Spanish language and literature may be able to choose concentrations such as:
• Conversation
• Dialects
• Folklore
• Interpreting
• Linguistics
• Literature and Literary Criticism
• Spanish
• Teaching
• Translation