Undergraduate Program
Spanish is second only to Chinese in the number of native speakers in the world. People speak Spanish throughout the Americas, in Europe, the Philippines, and parts of Africa. Studying the Hispanic world will unlock foreign cultures, and help you understand current cultural issues in the U.S.
Our approach to Hispanic Studies transcends the traditional course of Spanish studies. You will study many diverse forms of cultural production in the Spanish world. In doing so, you will become fluent in the language and will learn to engage with more complex issues. We explore literature, of course, but also Spanish and Latin American film, art, popular culture, and journalism.
The Department of Modern Languages offers a B.A. in Spanish. We offer a major and a minor in Hispanic Studies. We also offer Spanish language instruction from the beginner through advanced levels. If you studied Spanish in high school, we can place you in a course that matches your ability so you can pick up where you left off.
Other opportunities for students of Hispanic studies include
- faculty-mentored research in international settings,
- study abroad opportunities in Spain and Argentina,
- opportunities for community engagement and service, both locally and abroad.
Many other majors are enhanced with an understanding of Spanish: Latin American Studies, History, International Relations, to name a few. If you need to fulfill W&M's language proficiency requirement, we can't think of a better way than to learn Spanish.
