Spanish Major
Foreign Languages Are Important
Language is key to increasing one's understanding of today's world. The internationalization of travel, the arts, media, politics, science and technology and the economic interdependence of the world's nations have caused a demand for multilingual professionals. This increasingly multinational character of American society itself demonstrates the importance of foreign languages in nearly every occupation.
The broadened minds that result from acquiring another language and culture are highly valued in the modern marketplace, as much as--if not more than--the practical aspects of being able to communicate in a second language, which have become critical in many careers in the public and business sectors. In the words of the Wall Street Journal, “successful managers of the future are those who have ... the ability to understand different cultures and different ways of doing business.” Even in sectors in which ability to speak a second language is not strictly necessary, employers value it highly since it is a sign of a flexible and alert mind.
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The importance of Spanish
Spanish is a major world language. It is the language of over 400 million people in over 20 countries and the second most spoken language in the United States. Hispanics have recently become the largest minority in our country and will compose a quarter of the US population in just a few decades. For these reasons Spanish is the most studied foreign language in the country and there is a high demand for people who can use it and teach it.
The Spanish Major at Salem State College
Since Fall 2000, students at Salem State College have had the option of graduating with a Spanish Bachelor of Arts degree. It is the only Spanish major in a Massachusetts college within commuting distance from the North Shore.
Service to the North Shore community is the main objective of the major, with special emphasis upon meeting the need for well-trained teachers of Spanish and the demand for Spanish-language qualified personnel in the public and private sectors.
The Major’s Concentrations
Qualified students may enroll in one of four different concentrations within the major:
- Professional Concentration for professional applications, including business, law, health services, social services and technical professions
- Elementary and Secondary Education concentrations for teacher preparation in Spanish
- Literature and Culture Concentration with a liberal arts base.
In any of the concentrations, the major prepares students to become successful professionals in a global marketplace. Double majors in Spanish and another area of specialization are a popular option at Salem State College.
Unlike any of the three other Spanish majors currently offered within the Massachusetts public college system, the SSC major offers courses in the art of translation and interpretation, as well as courses that prepare students for the Spanish government's internationally-recognized diploma in Spanish proficiency.
The Spanish major at Salem State College also prepares those successfully completing baccalaureate degree requirements to enter SSC graduate programs in both bilingual education and English as a second language.
As part of the major study abroad is strongly encouraged and students are helped and guided every step of the way. From the department’s own month-long summer program in Spain to a semester or year abroad in any of a number of Spanish-speaking countries. Financial aid is available for study abroad.
What Courses Would You Take?
The Spanish major consists of 33 credits (11 classes) above the elementary language level in language, literature, and linguistics. If you already have a strong foundation in Spanish from your high school or from life experience, you may not need to take elementary or even intermediate language courses. You can also obtain credit by examination (CLEP or AP) which counts towards the major. A simple online language placement test will help you get started.
You may view the flowsheets for the different concentrations in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format:
Study abroad is encouraged as part of the Spanish major.
Other relevant links:
Other notes
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