The Spanish program emphasizes listening, reading, writing, and speaking in all language courses. The department also offers courses in Peninsular and Spanish-American literature. There are study abroad opportunities in Madrid and Cáceres, Spain; Quito, Ecuador; Oaxaca, Mexico; San José, Costa Rica; and Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile.

Off-campus experiences are complemented by on-campus study and experiences that maintain or improve a student's language skills. Opportunities to view Spanish language films, read Spanish publications, and converse with native speakers are an integral part of the Spanish program.

Faculty members meet students inside and outside the classroom, participate in campus activities, and counsel students regarding career choices in foreign service, music, high school and college teaching, science, publishing, international trade, international banking, and other fields.

Placement

All incoming students who have previously studied Spanish in high school or elsewhere or have had significant exposure to Spanish must take the College's placement test in Spanish. Those students who wish to receive credit for language courses they have taken at another college or university before enrolling at Kalamazoo College must take the Spanish language placement test and test into a higher-level course than the one for which they are seeking credit. To fulfill the college's language requirement, students must either successfully complete the third quarter course (SPAN 201) or be placed into a course higher than 201 by the department's placement test. Any appeal of the placement test results should be directed to a Spanish faculty member. Placement can also be determined by a student's score on the College Board's SAT II test or the Advanced Placement test in Spanish. Students with three or more years of high school Spanish may not earn graduation credit for SPAN 101.

SAT II
Students with scores of 425 or lower (and with fewer than three years of high school Spanish) will be placed in SPAN 101 or 102; 426–500 = SPAN 102; 501–550 = SPAN 102 or 201; 551–624 = SPAN 201; 625 or higher = SPAN 202, 203, or 301. If an SAT II score indicates a choice of two levels, a student should consult with a Spanish faculty member for placement. A score of 700 or higher may qualify a student for more advanced courses.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit
An Advanced Placement (AP) score of 4 or 5 in Spanish language will count as one credit toward the Spanish major or minor, provided that the student take Spanish 203 or beyond as her/his first Spanish course at the college. Such students must still take the Spanish language placement test.

An advanced placement (AP) score of 5 in Spanish literature shall count as one credit toward the Spanish major or minor provided that the student take Spanish 203 or beyond as her/his first Spanish course at the college.