The Spanish-speaking population in the United States continues to flourish. It is now the most common non-English language spoken in Indiana and has become a hugely desirable skill in the workplace.
Studying Spanish will teach you to communicate with Spanish speakers in the workplace, at home or abroad, understand cultural practices of other peoples, and appreciate the nature of language itself. You’re likely to find that learning another language helps you to better understand your own!
We offer introductory and intermediate course series for non-majors and an advanced curriculum for continuing students, providing you with all the resources and knowledge needed to achieve your unique goals.
The Program in Spanish offers:
Undergraduate Programs
Major in Spanish
Minor in Spanish
Certificate in Intercultural Health-Spanish
Graduate Programs
Master of Arts in the Teaching of Spanish
Certificate in Translation Studies
“For me, learning Spanish is something I’ve always been determined to do. I had an experience as a child where I became neighbors with a girl who moved from Mexico to the United States with her family and she didn’t know any English. Because of this barrier she and her family were isolated from the rest of the community. From that experience I learned the importance of inclusion and have been learning Spanish ever since.
Studying Spanish has helped me grow, not only as an academic student but as an individual as well. Though Spanish is not my first language, the professors in the Spanish department are always willing to help provide resources and opportunities to help their students excel. Though this experience has been very challenging and rewarding for me I have learned a lot over the past 4 years about Spanish culture, literature and linguistics.
The technical side of my studies in Spanish has allowed me to learn the necessary skills to read, write and speak publicly at an advanced level, which has translated over to the work that I do at the Indianapolis Public Library. There, I help many patrons who come from Spanish speaking countries who need assistance accessing materials, finding employment opportunities and more. Having studied Spanish at the IU School of Liberal Arts, I’m able to put what I have learned to use in my everyday life, and not only that, but I feel content knowing that I can be a resource for other Spanish speakers in this country.”
— Briesa Koch, B.A. Spanish (2022)
As an IU Indianapolis undergraduate student majoring in any area, you are eligible to earn a BA in Spanish. Develop a unique advantage and carve your own path without adding time to your studies by combining a Spanish degree with your other interests in any School on campus through the Dual Degree Advantage Program.
The School of Liberal Arts has a long history of working together with the School of Engineering and Technology for students to gain a language degree with their engineering degree.
We offer a variety of disciplines that explore the greater concepts of the Spanish language. Our mission is to provide you with a real-world ability and complex cultural understanding. To meet this goal, the program in Spanish offers language, linguistics, culture and civilization, literature, and applied language studies. We also offer courses specially catered to developing a working knowledge of language and culture in a chosen field, including SPAN-S 315: Spanish in the Business World.
All IU Indianapolis students who have previously taken a world language in high school or have previous experience in that language are eligible to take a World Language Placement Test.
The Program in Spanish encourages students to explore immersive options through abroad learning. Spanish majors as well as non-language majors have the option to study in Spain, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.
Contact Rosa Tezanos-Pinto, Director of Program in Spanish.
