Major Minor
Why Study Spanish at K?
Intimate class sizes, engaging language labs, rich departmental culture, personalized mentorship, and immersive study abroad opportunities make K a premier college to study Spanish.
The Spanish program emphasizes a critical understanding of the Spanish-speaking world by focusing on language skills, analytical tools, and the study of a variety of cultural expressions. The department prides itself on the personal mentorship and relationships built between faculty, teaching assistants, and students as well as the flexibility to allow you to combine your studies with other majors, minors and concentrations.
Starting with the basics, you will learn about Spanish literature, culture, and history, in courses like Beginning Spanish, Advanced Literary Studies, The Spanish-Speaking World on Film, and Constructing Spanish-America—to name a few. You can also take specialized courses to learn how to apply your Spanish in different fields like business and health.
Your coursework is additionally supplemented by engaging language labs and cultural activities led by teaching assistants from Ecuador, Mexico, and Spain who provide fun activities to practice conversing in Spanish. Each year the department also hosts a film series open to the Kalamazoo community to highlight new Spanish-speaking artistry and stories.
Nearly 70% of all Kalamazoo College students participate in a meaningful, immersive international and intercultural experience like study abroad, and the Spanish department is no exception! Our students have the opportunity to study abroad in Spanish-speaking countries, with programs in Spain, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Cuba and Colombia, and a study away opportunity on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The competencies you develop as a Spanish literature and language student at K will be an asset to you as you begin your career and enable you to appreciate the rich culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world. Our graduates pursue careers in diverse fields, including translation, interpretation, music, high school and college instruction, science, publishing, international trade, international banking, and foreign service.
What can you do with a Spanish language and literature degree?
Below are some of the careers, employers, and graduate schools of our Spanish alumni.
Careers
- Teacher
- Translator / Interpreter
- Human Resources
- Attorney
- Business Analyst
Employers
- Spain Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports
- Peace Corps
- TransPefect
- World Strides
- Stryker
Graduate Schools
- Michigan State University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Wayne State University
- University of Oregon
- University of California Irvine
Program Spotlights
Explore the World with 10+ Spanish-Speaking Study Abroad Opportunities
While you can choose from any of the College’s 50+ study abroad programs, many of them have special applied-Spanish focuses, such as studying International Relations in Madrid, Spain; engaging in meaningful service-learning work preserving cultural rights in Oaxaca, Mexico; applying your community and global health knowledge in San José, Costa Rica; or learning about ecology exactly as Darwin did on the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. See all 11 Spanish study abroad programs.
Experience Global Spanish culture right here in Kalamazoo
Each year visiting international students come to campus to experience life in America and impart their culture to you. These visiting international students, alongside senior K students, will be your teaching assistants and host cultural events so that you can taste international cuisine, learn modern slang and get to know international artists and films. Outside of the department, the College has several student organizations centered on Spanish-speaking cultures and identity groups.
Learn to Apply your Spanish with Professional Spanish Classes
The Spanish department offers a wide breadth of coursework so that you can explore the many applications of Spanish language and culture across business, global health, history and linguistics. Students will often pair their Spanish degree with another major, and these specialized courses will give you the skills and vocabulary needed to apply your Spanish in your future career. Past students have leveraged their professional Spanish into bilingual careers in medicine, social work and business.
Meet the Current Departmental Student Advisor
Gustavo Gonzalez-Martinez (He/Him)
Majors: Spanish and Business
What is the best thing about being part of this department?
Being a part of the department allows one to explore a new world of rich language, culture, people, histories, alongside great peers and supportive professors.
How have you taken advantage of the open curriculum or experienced breadth in your education?
This is tough. One of my favorite classes at K was Hispanic Health and Diseases. I loved this class The open curriculum at Kalamazoo College has allowed me to take a diverse range of courses, which has introduced me to new ideas, interests, hobbies, and skills. Photography, religion, and ethnographic work are a few examples.
What experiential education opportunities have you participated in?
Through K’s partnership program with the Washington Center, I completed an internship and academic seminar in Washington, D.C. I worked at the Council for Opportunity in Education, where I advocated for college access and achievement for low-income students, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. While working with the public policy group, I investigated different pedagogical approaches for heritage Spanish language learners.
What is your Senior Integrated Project (SIP)?
My SIP is an investigation on heritage Spanish-Language learners and their experiences in the Spanish Language and Literature department.
What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?
My current career aspirations lie in the Spanish linguistics field or working international business.