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College of Arts and Humanities > World Languages and Cultures > Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures > Learn Spanish

Learn Spanish

Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures, Concentration in Spanish Studies or Concentration in Spanish for the Professions

Format: Online, in person on the Statesboro Campus or the Armstrong Campus in Savannah
Credit Hours: 124

Spanish – the official language of 20 countries and nearly 560 million people around the world. In the United States alone, 13% of the population speaks Spanish at home – making it the second largest population of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico. Spanish is also the language of some of the world’s best cuisine, fine art, sport, architecture and literature.

So get ready to speak Spanish!

Spanish Concentrations

Spanish Studies: Discover Spanish language and culture with a broad range of coursework in history, literature, art, film and more. Available in Savannah, Statesboro or 100% online.
Spanish for the Professions: Gain a deep understanding of authentic Spanish language and culture in professions such as business, government, health care and more. Available 100% online.

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Why Learn Spanish at Georgia Southern?

Spanish, after Mandarin Chinese, is the most spoken first language in the world.
Participate in face-to-face and online classes.
The Spanish language curriculum encourages double majors and dual degrees.
Participate in your own independent study opportunities in both Spain and Latin America.
Gain a deeper understanding of culture, art, politics, music, literature, religion and history.
Become fully prepared to work and live in the Spanish-speaking world.
Continue your Spanish studies at the graduate level with our MA and MAT in Spanish

What Can You Do With a Major in Spanish?

An understanding of the Spanish language and hispanic culture is becoming critical for employers in the U.S. and around the globe. Employers value workers with existing language skills, especially when they do not have to allow for the time and expense for training.

Spanish speakers are in high demand. If you have achieved fluency or professional working proficiency in Spanish, you will have a leg up in the job market for many different positions such as:

Broadcast media manager
Consultant
Contract or corporate consultant
Copy Editor
Crypto Language Analyst
Development program officer
Doctor/nurse
Engineer
FBI/NSA/CIA agent
Foreign service officer
Government relations specialist
Human intelligence collector
Human rights representative
Immigration and customs work
Intelligence analyst or officer
International banking
International marketing
International relations manager
Interpreter
Journalist
Lawyer or legal assistant
Legislator
Linguist/Language analyst
Military translator or interpreter
Museum management
National Security Analyst
Political risk analyst
Professor
Public relations
Reporter
Social media manager
Teacher
Translator
Travel and tourism careers
Web development

Kelvin Escolero

Degree: B.A. in Spanish, dual enrollment in M.A. and M.A.T. in Spanish

Career: Spanish teacher

“Going into college I knew that I wanted to go into the education field, but I never thought that I would be teaching a language. I am currently teaching Upper School Spanish 1 in Savannah, Ga. Majoring in modern languages has helped me open those doors into the education field not only by teaching my students a different language, but by educating everyone around me with all of the valuable information I learned throughout my years at Georgia Southern University.
With language comes culture and with culture there are so many stories behind the person sitting right next you. Diversity is what makes this country great so let’s learn about different cultures and educate others about them!”

View all Spanish Alumni Profiles

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates job growth for interpreters and translators will be much faster than average through 2029. – bls.gov

The 2020 GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean totaled more than $4.7 trillion. – worldbank.org

Nine out of ten U.S. employers report a reliance on U.S.-based employees with language skills other than English. – businesswire.com

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Spanish Language Curriculum

Foundation Spanish Courses

Elementary Spanish I
- Introduction to listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish and to the culture of Spanish-speaking regions.
Elementary Spanish II
- Continued listening, speaking, reading and writing, in Spanish with further study of the culture of Spanish- speaking regions.
Intermediate Spanish I
- Building upon communication skills (understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish) and cultural understanding, developed at the elementary level.
Intermediate Spanish II
- Continued building upon proficiency skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) and cultural understanding. Focus on development of the ability to create with the language, to resolve simple situations, and to ask and answer questions. After completing this course, successful students should be prepared to function minimally in a Spanish-speaking environment and to take SPAN upper-division courses.
Accelerated Intermediate Spanish
- Accelerated intermediate Spanish with continued work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish and the culture of Spanish-speaking regions. Completes the intermediate levels of Spanish in one semester.

Additional Spanish Courses

Applied Speaking Skills I
- This course provides practice in listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills with emphasis on oral communication at the intermediate level of proficiency, based on the ACTFL guidelines. Focus is placed on the development of narration, description, summary, comparison, and explanation in all major time frames within specific communicative contexts in paragraph-length discourse.
Applied Speaking Skills II
- This course builds on listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills with an emphasis on oral communication at the advanced level of proficiency, based on the ACTFL guidelines. Students will focus on speaking and the acquisition of advanced grammatical concepts appropriate for more complex communicative tasks, including stating and supporting opinions, hypothesizing, and speaking in the abstract in linked-paragraph discourse.
Critical Reading and Writing I
- This course provides practice in writing, reading, and oral skills with emphasis on reading comprehension and written communication at the intermediate level of proficiency, based on the ACTFL guidelines. Focus is placed on the development of narration, description, summary, comparison, and explanation in all major time frames within specific communicative contexts in paragraph-length discourse.
Critical Reading and Writing II
- This course builds on writing, reading, and oral skills with emphasis on reading comprehension and written communication at the advanced level of proficiency, based on the ACTFL guidelines. Students will focus on the acquisition of advanced grammatical concepts appropriate for the production and comprehension of more complex texts. This course targets communicative tasks such as stating and supporting opinions, hypothesizing, and writing in the abstract, all in linked-paragraph discourse
Spanish Phonetics & Phonology
- A detailed analysis both in theory and in practice of Spanish speech patterns, vowels, consonants, and intonation.
Conversation, Composition, Culture: South America
- Focuses on improving linguistic and cultural proficiency within the context of Spanish American cultural content. Course content varies; may include film, music, art, literature, history, etc. Emphasis will be placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate at ease with a native speaker of Spanish who is unaccustomed to speaking with non-Spanish speakers.
Conversation, Composition, Culture: Mexico & Central America
- Focuses on improving linguistic and cultural proficiency within the context of Mexican and Central American cultural content. Course content varies; may include film, music, art, literature, history, etc. Emphasis will be placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate at ease with a native speaker of Spanish who is unaccustomed to speaking with non-Spanish speakers.
Conversation, Composition, Culture: The Caribbean
- Focuses on improving linguistic and cultural proficiency within the context of Caribbean cultural content. Course content varies; may include film, music, art, literature, history, etc. Emphasis will be placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate at ease with a native speaker of Spanish who is unaccustomed to speaking with non-Spanish speakers.
Conversation, Composition, Culture: Spain
- Focuses on improving linguistic and cultural proficiency within the context of Peninsular cultural content (Spain). Course content varies; may include film, music, art, literature, history, etc. Emphasis will be placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate at ease with a native speaker of Spanish who is unaccustomed to speaking with non-Spanish speakers.
Conversation, Composition, Culture: Latino USA
- Focuses on improving linguistic and cultural proficiency within the context of US Latino cultural content. Course content varies; may include film, music, art, literature, history, etc. Emphasis will be placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate at ease with native speakers of Spanish.
Selected Topics
- Exploration of a variety of topics (cultural, historical, literary, etc.), with attention more to theme than to period or place. Emphasis placed on helping students achieve consistency with paragraph formation, narration, detailed description, and resolving a situation with a complication. The linguistic goal of the course is to help students approach the point at which they can communicate with ease with native speakers of Spanish. May be repeated for additional credit when the topic changes.
Spanish for the Professions
- This course incorporates authentic cultural materials and situational practice as students explore a wide range of advanced-level Spanish content and discourse related to professions.
Advanced Spanish for Health Care Professions
- Skills and techniques needed to work as a translator/ interpreter in the healthcare field, with an introduction to the variety of careers available to bilingual healthcare professionals.
Introduction to Hispanic Literature
- Introduction to literary and cultural texts in Spanish: to their production, interpretation, and signification. Selected works may include examples of poetry, narrative, drama, essay, and film. Students will study and practice the basics of textual analysis while they continue to work on the ability to narrate, describe, and explain in all time frames
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
- What is language? How do languages function? How is human language different from other communication systems? Focusing on Spanish, this course explores language acquisition, language contact, and bilingualism.
Foundations of Translation
- This course is an introduction to the field of translation. It focuses on comparative study of characteristic modes of expression and introduction to the theoretical aspects and practical techniques of translation, using documents from a variety of sources.
Spanish American Life, Literature, and Thought
- An exploration of the life, literature, and thought of Spanish America, with focus on building advanced-level proficiency in writing, listening, reading, and speaking.
Peninsular Life, Literature, and Thought
- An exploration of the life, literature, and thought of Spain, with focus on building advanced-level proficiency in writing, listening, reading, and speaking.
Studies in Hispanic Film
- Practice of Superior-level Spanish-proficiency skills through study of the films of the Spanish-speaking world. Situates works in their cultural, historical, and aesthetic contexts using appropriate critical methodologies. Course repeatable for credit with advisor approval.

World Languages and Cultures B.A., Concentration in Spanish Studies Curriculum

World Languages and Cultures B.A., Concentration in Spanish for the Professions Curriculum

Already know some Spanish? View the Language Course Placement Guide.

Minor in Spanish

Having a minor in Spanish will allow you to communicate intra-, inter- and trans-culturally. You’ll be able to adapt to different environments, be more sensitive to diversity and think more critically.

Spanish Minor Courses and Curriculum

Spanish for the Professions Minor Courses and Curriculum

Latin American Studies Minor Courses and Curriculum

Kayla Cobb

Degree: B.S. Physical Therapy, Spanish minor

“I took Spanish classes just to fulfill my core classes, not knowing that l’d fall in love with it. After taking a couple of classes, I decided to pursue my minor in Spanish and studied abroad in Costa Rica for a month. It was then when my love and passion for Spanish culture was solidified. My minor has helped me in many aspects of my life. I can bond and communicate with the Spanish patients in the clinics and I’ve continued to visit other Spanish countries and explore more of the culture.”

View all Spanish Alumni Profiles

Spanish Degree Options

Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures, Concentration in Spanish Studies: 124 credit hours
Bachelor of Arts in World Languages and Cultures, Spanish for the Professions Concentration: 124 credit hours
Minor in Spanish: 15 credit hours
Minor in Latin American Studies: 15 credit hours
Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, Concentration in Spanish: 124 credit hours
Bachelor of Science in International Trade, Spanish as Language Component: 124 credit hours
Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Spanish Emphasis: 124 credit hours
Spanish Proficiency Area of Distinction for the European Union Studies Certificate: 6 credit hours
The certificate in European Union Studies is operated under the supervision of the European Council of the University System of Georgia. The program is open to all institutions and students of the University System of Georgia as well as to professionals with an undergraduate degree.
M.A. in Spanish, M.A.T. in Spanish, or Dual Enrollment in both

barranquilla colombia study abroad experience for spanish ba program at georgia southern

Learn Spanish in a Study Abroad Experience

Study Abroad Classes

For classes in Spain and Colombia, you will be enrolled in six credit hours of lower or upper division courses and will do a series of assignments, both orally and in writing, for your Georgia Southern professor. Additionally, as part of your immersion experience, each morning, Monday – Friday, in small groups, you will spend four hours practicing your language skills with native speakers who are trained in teaching their language to foreigners.

Study Abroad Scholarships

Seville, Spain

Seville is the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region and is the fourth largest city in Spain. Steeped in history, the city is home to Europe’s largest historic center. Major landmarks include the ornate Alcázar castle complex, built during the Moorish Almohad dynasty, and the 18th-century Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza bullring. The Gothic Seville Cathedral is the site of Christopher Columbus’ tomb and a minaret turned bell tower, the Giralda.

Learn more about Seville, Spain

Partner Language School

CLIC (Centro de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural) is a Spanish language and culture study abroad program located in Seville, Spain. CLIC was founded in 1983 and is dedicated to providing a variety of intensive and flexible programs for those interested in acquiring functional fluency in Spanish while learning about the Spanish culture. To learn more about CLIC and Seville, view the photobook (pdf).

Cultural Activities and Excursions

Flamenco/Sevillanas mini-course
Spanish cooking lessons
Excursions to Córdoba (including visit to the Mezquita), Granada and other locations

Study Abroad in Seville, Spain

Barranquilla, Colombia

Barranquilla, the capital of Colombia’s Atlántico Department, is a bustling seaport on the Magdalena River. Barranquilla is the largest city and port in the northern Caribbean Coast region of Colombia, with a population over two million. The city is known for its enormous Carnival, which brings together brilliantly costumed performers, elaborate floats and cumbia music.

Learn more about Barranquilla, Colombia

Partner Language School

Universidad del Norte is an innovative university, recognized as the most outstanding institution of higher learning in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. The Language Institute at Universidad del Norte has been offering Spanish as a foreign language courses since 1994. The university offers between three and six weeks of study and cultural immersion, with six different levels based upon language proficiency.

Cultural Activities and Excursions

Dancing lessons of Caribbean rhythms such as salsa, merengue, vallenato, champeta, reggaeton, and some more traditional like cumbia, mapalé, and bullerengue
Culinary lessons
Barranquilla tours and field trips
Cartagena and Barú Island, Usiacurí, Santa Marta, Taganga and other locations

Study Abroad in Barranquilla, Colombia

The World Languages and Cultures department also offers Independent Study Abroad programs.

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Spanish Language Clubs, Events and Student Activities

El club de Español
The goal of the Spanish club is to promote Hispanic and Latino culture. The Spanish club organizes meetings twice a month and a variety of cultural events throughout the year. Look for postings on campus and contact the Department of World Languages and Cultures for more information.
La Mesa de Conversación
Students studying Spanish meet regularly every semester to practice Spanish in a casual setting and have fun! Look for postings on campus and check with Spanish faculty for more information.
Sigma Delta Pi (Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica)
Sigma Delta Pi, or Spanías Didagéi Proágomen, is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.

Angela Williams

Degree: B.A. World Languages, Spanish

Career: Spanish teacher at Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts

“Majoring in World Languages and Cultures has helped me immensely in my job as a Spanish teacher. I have been able to use my degree to expose students to a new language, new ways of thinking, increasing cultural awareness, and advocating for social justice. I am also able to connect our Spanish speaking families to the larger school community and advocate for their needs.”

View all Spanish Alumni Profiles

hispanic women with fruit on their head study spanish at georgia southern

Spanish Language Faculty

Georgia Southern’s Spanish program features sixteen faculty with decades of experience as trained specialists in the history and culture of particular regions of the Spanish-speaking world. All of our faculty have received nationally recognized training from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. They are genuinely interested in your learning and success, and will provide you with all the tools and support you’ll need during your Georgia Southern learning experience.

Meet the Spanish Faculty

Have Any Questions? Please Contact Us!

Dr. Miguel García
Assistant Professor of Spanish
Interdisciplinary Academic Building 2080
Email: mgarcia@georgiasouthern.edu
Phone: 912-478-5695