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Spanish
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The Spanish major seeks to provide students with a degree of proficiency in Spanish, the official language of many countries and the second language for millions of people in the United States. The major also familiarizes students with the literature and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. The bachelor of arts degree is designed primarily for students who wish to go on for an advanced degree and eventually teach at the college level. The bachelor of science degree includes two options: Applied Spanish and Business.
The Applied Spanish option is best suited for students who plan to do social, governmental, and educational work in Spanish-speaking communities or for work connected with hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and other related professional areas. The option is designed to develop basic skills in Spanish and to introduce students to social welfare, law enforcement, hotel and restaurant management, English as a second language, bilingual education, and other relevant areas.
The Business option is designed for students planning to enter the business community, especially the sectors that serve Spanish speakers. In addition to developing basic skills in Spanish, this option acquaints students with fields essential to business, especially in the international arena.
RELATED EXPERIENCES
Penn State offers education abroad programs in Salamanca, Spain; San German, Puerto Rico; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Puebla, Mexico. The Spanish Club and Spanish Interest House offer co-curricular activities at University Park campus.
Combining a Spanish major with courses in fields such as economics, hotel and restaurant management, business administration, or Latin American studies provides access to careers in a wide variety of areas.
The federal government often employs liberal arts graduates with a foreign language specialization. Spanish is useful for employment in the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department, and the U.S. Information Agency, among others. Other opportunities exist with business firms, exporting and importing trade establishments, commercial correspondence, translating and interpreting, airlines, and the tourism and travel industry. In addition, many attractive opportunities exist in teaching. Students who intend to teach in the public schools should consult the College of Education for teacher certification requirements. Some occupations in which Spanish graduates are employed include: foreign service officer, foreign trade administrator, import/export executive, immigration officer, intelligence specialist, international attorney, journalist, public relations director, teacher (bilingual), translator, and travel agent.