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Liberal Arts Advisement & Careers

Spanish Studies (Secondary Major)

Engaging in the Major

Students earning a major in Spanish Studies (Secondary Major) explore the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Spanish-speaking world, including its literature, history, art, and traditions. The program provides essential knowledge of Hispanic cultures across Europe and Latin America while fostering advanced proficiency in the Spanish language. Students develop critical Spanish language skills such as careful reading, analytical writing, and effective speaking. The major offers multiple course options to accommodate diverse academic and professional goals.

Resources for Engaging
Competencies and Careers
Course Progression
Funding & Internships
Campus Resources

Competencies and Careers

Competencies Developed in the Program

Students in the Spanish Translation program can expect to develop strong Communication, Information Literacy, and Cultural Navigation competencies. Want to know more about these professional competencies? Career Readiness

Common Career Fields
Spanish Translation students can use their degree to pursue careers in many fields!
Some of those include: law, education, tourism, business, and government.

Jobs in These Career Fields
Would you like to know about specific jobs in these fields?
Check out this pamphlet

Handshake: Check out job postings in a career field that interests you! Use Handshake, the ultimate job board for internships and entry level jobs. Use it to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and research companies.

Meet with Your Advisor
Would you like to know more about the program to see if it’s a good fit for your goals? Would you like to know more about your career options? Do you have a career option in mind but you’d like resources to help you chart a path toward that goal? Come meet with your Academic and Professional Development Manager, Heather Lagrosa-Farr.

Contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to set up an appointment!

Meet with Your Career Director
Your Career Director can help you get connected to alumni, find companies that hare hiring, hone your resume, and strategically look for jobs. Set up an appointment with Christian Sagers here.

Course Progression

All students in the major will begin with SPAN 321. If you are unsure about which class you need to be in, please see the Spanish Placement Map https://spanport.byu.edu/which-spanish-class-should-i-take

The Challenge Exam allows BYU students who had a significant language immersion experience for which they did not receive academic credit to demonstrate their proficiency and to receive graded credit. The exam must be taken during SPAN 206 or SPAN 321 please see this website for details https://spanport.byu.edu/challenge-exam

If you would like help creating a full graduation plan, please consider meeting with an undergraduate specialist at the Liberal Arts Advisement Center https://liberalarts.byu.edu/contact-us

Funding & Internships

Should I do an internship?
Internships are encouraged! They vary widely, based on students’ career path of choice! If you are curious about which internship options are a good fit for you, reach out to your academic and professional development manager, Heather Lagrosa-Farr, or career director, Christian Sagers, or the Spanish Internship Coordinators Scott Alvord & Barbara Bonyata.

Resources to find internships:

Funding for Internships
We offer funding for unpaid, professional internships. Please apply!
Humanities Financial Aid

Funding for mentored research
You can participate in a faculty-mentored research project, and you can receive funding for your project. Learn about the Hum Grants program.

College of Humanities Tuition Scholarships
The College of Humanities offers tuition scholarships. You can find out about the scholarship options and apply here: Humanities Financial Aid

Funding for Study Abroad Programs:
Check out the department website or Find Your Program through the Kennedy Center.
The College of Humanities offers funding for Humanities students going on Humanities study abroad programs

University financial aid options
There are many resources to help you fund your tuition and experiences at BYU. The Financial Aid Office can help!

Campus Resources

  • Spanish and Portuguese Department: For course questions, faculty contacts, and more, contact the Spanish and Portuguese Department 
  • Pre-Professional Advisement: For pre-med or pre-law resources, contact the Pre-Professional Advisement Center.
  • Handshake Internships and Job Board: To search internships and jobs that match your interests and skills, use Handshake.
  • Kennedy Center: For International Study programs and funding, contact the BYU Kennedy Center.
  • Career Director: To get help searching for and applying to jobs, plus connecting with employers and alumni, meet with Christian Sagers.
  • Course Descriptions and offerings: To check out which classes will be offered in the upcoming semester, use the BYU Class Search.

Getting Involved

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Study Abroad

There are great study abroad programs for Spanish students. Find Your Program through the Kennedy Center.
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Mentored Research

Consider doing a research project with a professor. You can apply for funding for the project through the College of Humanities. HUM Grants
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Language Immersion Student Residence

Live on campus and improve your Spanish! Students living at the LISR participate in a unique language immersion experience, while pursuing regular class schedules. Students in each apartment study and speak Spanish. A Language Facilitator resides in each apartment, modeling correct language usage so your language skills improve. Students gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Spanish language and culture.
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Join the Spanish Club

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FAQ's

  • Spanish pairs well with many minors! Depending on your career goals, you might choose: Digital Humanities, TESOL, Global Business and Literacy, Biology, Legal Studies, or Localization. You can check out all of the minors BYU offers in the BYU Catalog.

  • The Center for Language Studies administers all language certificates. Check out their website for information on classes to take and registering for your certificate proficiency exams.

  • The Challenge Exam allows BYU students who had a significant language immersion experience for which they did not receive academic credit to demonstrate their proficiency and to receive graded credit. The exam must be taken during your first Spanish language-focused class at BYU or your first Spanish language-focused class after your mission.
    - Eligible classes: SPAN 321. See this website for details.
    - Note: Native speakers cannot take the exam for credit.

  • If it is an AIP hold, please meet with your academic and professional development manager, Heather Lagrosa-Farr, to get that hold removed. Contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to set up an appointment with her.

Links

Exploring the Major
Engaging in the Major
Looking Forward
FAQs