Spanish
Spanish
The Spanish Department strives to prepare students to participate actively in today’s global world, where Spanish is a major language spoken by over 500 million speakers worldwide. Our program is designed to dually meet the needs of students who are learning Spanish as a second language as well as those students who are bilingual heritage learners.
The language program fosters communicative, proficiency-oriented learning while also providing students with ample opportunities to better understand the diversity of cultures that make up the Spanish-speaking world. Our flexible curriculum for majors and minors draws on rich, interdisciplinary approaches that allow students to explore and engage in the study of literature, linguistics, film and cultural studies across historical periods and across areas of the Spanish-speaking world, including Spain, Latin America, the Caribbean and Latin communities in the U.S.
Students acquire the ability to analyze cultural productions within their specific sociopolitical and historical contexts while also employing critical perspectives that take into account broader frameworks, including class, race, gender, sexuality and power relations. Many of our students refine their linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness by engaging in a period of study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. Upon graduation, students majoring in Spanish are able to apply their language skills and cultural knowledge across a range of professions in the U.S. and abroad where multilingual and transcultural competence are in high demand.
Spanish Tutoring
Library Resources
I currently work on immigration policy, and my passion for this work was partially developed through my exposure to film, history, literature and even food classes offered by Drew’s Spanish department. Majoring in Spanish allowed me to engage in classes that taught me how the movement of peoples throughout history from all regions of the world has shaped the societies in which we live today. Without my engagement in this rigorous curriculum, I would not be able to think above and beyond about the issues I work with every day. ”
As I reflect on my college experience, I am so grateful that I chose Drew University for my undergraduate studies. During the summer before my sophomore year I enrolled in the study abroad program to Barcelona with the intention of fulfilling both the off-campus and my last language requirement. Prior to this trip, I had little to no knowledge of the Spanish language and being immersed and surrounded by native speakers was quite difficult. However, my experience was life changing. Despite how intimidated I initially felt, Professor Cantero encouraged me to continue with the language and eventually add Spanish as my second major.
I am so grateful to the professors in the Spanish Department, especially Professor Cantero, for pushing me to follow through with my second major and for the many hours she spent with me in her office answering my questions, encouraging me, believing in me and helping me organize my three-year graduation plan. Had someone told me three years that I would have added a second major in Spanish, I would have thought they were joking!
My advice for anyone considering a major or minor in Spanish (especially non-native speakers) – “Just do it!” It won’t always be easy, but the professors at Drew will go the extra mile to help you and it will be so worth it! In every financial job I have applied and interviewed for, my Spanish major is what has stood out to potential employees the most. It is such a unique and necessary skill to have and it puts one above the rest.
I do not feel that I would have had the same hands-on, one-on-one mentorship from my professors had I attended another university. The Spanish professors at Drew have truly made my education experience rewarding and worthwhile. ”