Major code BA5225

College of Arts and Sciences
Modern Languages Department
Gordy Hall 283
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.2765
Fax: 740.593.0729
modern.languages@ohio.edu
http://www.ohio.edu/modlang

Lois Vines, contact person

Program Overview

Spanish courses provide students with a base of knowledge not only in languages but also in cultural content so vital for understanding and navigating the world. Spanish majors learn to think analytically and critically in courses on literature, culture, linguistics, film, and art, and they acquire clarity of thought and expression through frequent writing assignments and speaking activities. Students enhance their technological skills in our Language Resource Center’s audio, video, and computer labs.

Spanish majors are required to study abroad. Most students participate in one of the Ohio University sponsored programs in Spain, Mexico, and Ecuador, where they polish their language skills and develop first-hand familiarity with the culture of a Spanish-speaking country.

The Spanish faculty is committed to student advising, and to guiding students through the options of double majors, minors, complementary certificate programs, and elective courses. We limit our class sizes so professors can address the needs of individual learners and encourage dialogue, collaboration, openness, and critical thinking.

To complement course work, the Spanish Club and the Spanish National Honor Society sponsor events such as weekly conversation meetings and foreign film series. The Spanish major challenges undergraduate students in a supportive environment where they can thrive and prepare themselves for a successful future.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy

No selective or limited admission requirements.

External Transfer Admission

No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Spanish majors are not limited to a specific career track. The ability to think analytically, communicate clearly, and understand people from diverse cultural backgrounds has served our graduates well in a wide range of professions. Ohio University Spanish majors discover that current job listings call for the types of abilities they have acquired through their liberal arts education: communication skills, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, a capacity for problem solving, and the ability to learn quickly. Many job listings include foreign language proficiency as a desirable or necessary tool.

In consultation with a faculty advisor and with the help of Ohio University Career Services, students approaching graduation can identify companies and organizations offering job opportunities that correspond to the student’s personal interests. When recent graduates can employ their marketable skills in the pursuit of an individual passion, they greatly enhance their chances for success, satisfaction, and lifelong rewards.

Some of our students combine a major in Spanish with a secondary discipline such as journalism, political science, education, sociology, or business, and then seek employment in print or broadcast media, government, teaching, social services, or industry. These students possess career-specific skills in addition to general knowledge and language proficiency.

Many of our majors acquire additional training prior to seeking employment. Some pursue internships, either in the United States or abroad, in which they employ their foreign language skills in a professional capacity. With faculty guidance, our seniors have successfully competed for postgraduate awards such as Fulbright Scholarships. Many graduates enter M.A. and Ph.D. programs, either in Spanish or another discipline, and go on to academic positions at universities. Others attend law school or medical school. Volunteer service abroad with organizations such as the Peace Corps provides training that can help a student identify a future career track.

Requirements