Hispanic Studies/Spanish

The Hispanic Studies program will teach you about the Spanish culture and language — a language that more than 400 million people speak in our globalized world. With our Latin American neighbors and large population of Spanish-speakers in the U.S., there are many local applications for this major at home too.

With a Hispanic Studies degree, your career options include sales and marketing, international relations, business management, bilingual educator, translator, refugee/immigrant assistance, tourism and travel, medical interpreter, foreign news correspondent, customs/immigration officer and political analyst.

• Writing: Write effectively in target language
• Speaking: Speak effectively in target language
• Reading and comprehending: Read critically in target language and comprehend the spoken target language
• Cultural literacy: Identify and appreciate cultural difference appropriate to the target language
• Literature: Familiarity with literary histories appropriate to the studied language
• Understanding of linguistic structure: Familiarity with grammar, syntax, phonology of the target language

Full list of Hispanic Studies program goals can be found on the Hub for Teaching and Learning site.

Visit the University Catalog:

Learn about degree requirements and coursework for the Hispanic Studies major, minor, and secondary certification.

Learn about degree requirements and coursework for the Hispanic Studies concentration in the International Studies program.

Learn which Dearborn Discovery Core requirements are fulfilled by taking Hispanic Studies courses.

There are opportunities to develop skills and connect with others interested in Hispanic Studies beyond the classroom. Check out the Hispanic Studies Major Map to get a more detailed, year-by-year view of how you can learn, engage, network and transform your community and prepare for life after graduation.

Get Involved

Join La Mezcla (Spanish Club), which organizes various events such as excursions to Hispanic restaurants, trips to Detroit's barrio, visits to local and regional museums featuring Hispanic exhibitions, and viewing of films in the Spanish language. Participate in the Tertulia or social hour that takes place bi-weekly and is designed for students who wish to converse in Spanish with other students outside the normal classroom setting. 

Join the nationally recognized Spanish Speaking Fraternity, Sigma Delta Pi, and explore UM-Dearborn student organizations on VictorsLink.

Get Real World Experience

Hablando de Valencia, the study abroad program at the Institute of Spanish Studies in Valencia, Spain, is where our students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Spanish language and culture. During their summer abroad, our students, while taking classes that contribute to the completion of the program’s major or minor requirements, stay with Spanish families, go on excursions, and travel throughout Spain. 

Students are also encouraged to complement their coursework by completing an internship in an appropriate placement. 

Plan for Life After Graduation

Hispanic Studies prepares students with the skills necessary in the modern workplace.  Career Services offers assistance with job searching, resumes, interviews or graduate school applications.

• Bachelor of Arts - Major/Minor/Concentration/Honors
• Hispanic Studies Three-Year Course Cycle
• Internship opportunities available
• Scholarships available

• Spanish is the official language of 21 countries

• Spanish is a language of business
• Spanish is the third most commonly used language on the Internet (after English and Chinese)
• Spanish is the second most used language in international communication, and an official language of the UN and its organizations
• There are approximately 53 million Hispanics in the United States according to the Census Bureau
• The Hispanic population in the United States is the largest of any country in the Spanish-speaking world except for Mexico 
• Spanish is the second most used language in the United States
• Spanish serves as the most commonly taught foreign language in the United States

Sources: Pew Hispanic Center and American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese