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Spanish

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  • Program Type
    Major, Minor
  • Degrees Offered
    B.A.
  • School
    School of Arts & Sciences
Undergraduate Programs

Open the door to the language and culture of half-a-billion people. Enhance your career options as an engaged global citizen.

What You’ll Learn

You’ll learn to communicate orally in Spanish in practical, real-life situations and write clearly and coherently in the language. You’ll develop an understanding and appreciation of the cultural values of the Spanish-speaking world.

Study Abroad

Spanish majors and minors are encouraged to take advantage of Mary’s Study Abroad opportunities to strengthen their language proficiency and experience the Spanish culture firsthand.

Learn in a State-of-the-art Language Lab

Mary offers students the latest technology with a portable, wireless, language lab accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Discover the Spanish and Latin American Mystics and Saints

You’ll expand your understanding of Catholic philosophy by reading the texts of mystics and saints in their native Spanish.

Program Information

Please visit our catalog for admission requirements and a full list of our courses.

Assistant Professor of Spanish Language, Literature, and History and Spanish Chair Andres Ruiz shares an overview of Mary’s Spanish program. 

Careers & Outcomes

Employment Trends

Gaining proficiency in Spanish, the second most common language in the US and the fourth most-spoken language globally, provides graduates of the Spanish program with a wide range of career options, from language translation to business to education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of interpreters and translators to grow 4% through 2032, more than three times faster than the average for all occupations, due to globalization and significant increases in the number of non-English-speaking people in the U.S.

Career Paths

  • Educator
  • Interpreter
  • Translator
  • Entrepreneur
  • Researcher
  • Journalist
  • Marketer
  • Nonprofit Director
  • Community Organizer

The advantage of studying Spanish here is definitely the small class sizes, and also the way that faith is integrated into the classroom.

Laura Hallfrisch, ‘23

Featured Faculty

Andres Ruiz, PhD

Director of Spanish Program, Assistant Professor of Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture, Fellow in Catholic Studies

I am a native from Colombia and am very passionate about the study of history, languages, and cultures. I believe that teaching and learning languages helps you to better understand your own and other cultures. I like my job and I think that being a professor is an opportunity to renew yourself — every year, every semester — and learn every time from your colleagues and your students. For that, I feel blessed. I love (and play) music and I like to write short stories, songs, and hope to publish a novel someday soon.

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Take Your Next Step in Spanish