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Travel study students in village.
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Travel study students on bikes.

Spanish Language Studies

Did you know the United States has more Spanish speakers than Spain? There are 52 million Spanish speakers in the US, and only Mexico has more Spanish speakers. Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the US, and the Hispanic population is expected to double by 2050.

Study Spanish at WSU!

  • Being bilingual improves cognitive functions like being able to ignore distractions and hold information in memory.
  • Employers are seeking applicants who can speak Spanish in nearly every profession (medical, government, legal, journalism, finance, education, sales, etc.).
  • More than 300 million people speak Spanish worldwide, making it one of the largest markets for businesses and one of the most useful languages in the world for travel.
  • Spanish is the official language in 21 countries and an official language in the European Union, UNESCO, GATT and many other international organizations.

Our Programs Fit Your Plans

We offer a Spanish Major (Bachelor of Arts), a Spanish teaching major BS (Teaching) Major, and a Spanish Minor.

Many students double-major with Spanish and a variety of primary majors such as:

  • Nursing
  • Elementary Education
  • Business
  • And many others!

Our Courses Get You Talking

Our Elementary and Intermediate level courses emphasize speaking from the first day of class. The goal is to build fluency and accuracy while you learn about current events, cultural nuances, and historical context.

We offer a range of upper-division courses in Peninsular and Latin American Literatures, Cultures, and Spanish Linguistics.

Our faculty come from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds that will enhance your educational experience. Develop language proficiency while expanding your knowledge of Hispanic cultures and literatures!

View the current Spanish courses taught in the GSWL Department.

Spanish for Native/Heritage Speakers

Our SPAN 310 course is designed for people who grew up speaking Spanish at home or who learned the language in an immersion program. The course emphasizes formal literacy skills in Spanish, such as using accent marks, spelling differences with English and advanced grammar issues related to society.

Spanish Placement Exam

If you have studied Spanish before and wish to enroll at a level suitable for you, take the Spanish placement exam online.