Binghamton University, State University of New York
Spanish (BA, Minor)
Binghamton, USA
BA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
May 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 7,070 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for new York state residents | for out-of-state residents and international residents - $26,160
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
As the second largest spoken language in the United States and in the world, Spanish plays a key role in superior education. The Spanish major provides students with a strong foundation in oral and written communication, as well as solid training in textual and cultural analysis. The linguistic and cultural competency acquired through our courses allows students to communicate effectively with Latinos and Hispanics in the US and their home countries. Our diverse curricula help students develop the analytical, argumentative, and creative skills valued in most professions.
As students advance in the major, a whole world of culture, history, and linguistic knowledge opens up through upper-level courses, extracurricular events, and study abroad opportunities.
The faculty in the Spanish section includes professors from the U.S., Puerto Rico, and several Spanish-speaking countries, which enhances students' multicultural experiences. If interested, students can pursue a double major in Spanish and a different discipline in the humanities or social/natural sciences to build a holistic degree plan.
Internships, Research Opportunities, and More
The professors in the Spanish section are outstanding educators and internationally recognized scholars, who often teach courses linked to their compelling research fields, which include:
- Contemporary Spanish literature and culture
- Sociolinguistics and Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) language
- Second language acquisition
- Detective fiction and memory studies in Latin America
- Caribbean literature and Gothic fiction
- Chican@ and Latin@ literature and culture
- Hispanics in the US
- Colonial literature, cartography and expeditions
- Picaresque novel
- Cervantes studies
Our internship program allows our majors to work with us as events planners and coordinators, creating opportunities for all students to practice the language they're studying and to learn more about the culture of the regions in which it is spoken. For internship opportunities, please contact the university.
Accelerated/4+1 Degrees
You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!
High-performing students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.
Some courses to consider in your first year:
SPAN 111 - Elementary Spanish I
The first part of the communication-based foundation course. Students focus on speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Spanish in and out of class. Students explore the Spanish language and culture through (short)film, music, and images in a variety of interactive activities. PREREQUISITE: No previous training in Spanish or a maximum of one year in High School. Not open to heritage or native speakers. Please consult the department's language placement guidelines found at http://www.binghamton.edu/romance/placement.html. Students may be removed from this course if they exceed the appropriate level of experience. Offered regularly. 4 credits. Levels: Graduate, Undergraduate
SPAN 115 - Elementary Spanish II
The second part of the communication-based foundation course. Reading, writing, listening comprehension, and speaking skills emerge through practice in class and out. Students with credit for SPAN 115 or equivalent may not take this course. PREREQUISITE: SPAN 111 OR A MAXIMUM OF TWO YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL SPANISH. NOT OPEN TO HERITAGE/NATIVE SPEAKERS OR THOSE WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE. Levels: Graduate, Undergraduate
SPAN 175 - Medical Spanish
This course will enable students in the medical field to communicate with the increasing Spanish-speaking population. The course has a Spanish grammar component, an introduction to cultural awareness in health care, and basic vocabulary needed for communication pertinent to medical issues, such as general expressions used to gather basic information from a patient, parts of the body, and description of symptoms. Open to Decker Nursing Students and students in related pre-med programs with instructor approval. Levels: Undergraduate
SPAN 211 - Intermediate Spanish I
The first part of communication-based intermediate-level Spanish. Students focus on more advanced activities for practicing speaking, listening, reading, and writing in and out of class. Students will also have the opportunity to explore various aspects of Hispanic societies and their culture by using materials, such as current events, music, and TV. PREREQUISITE: SPAN 115 or a maximum of three years of high school. Not open to heritage or native speakers. Please consult the department's language placement guidelines found at http://www.binghamton.edu/romance/placement.html. Students may be removed from this course if they exceed the appropriate level of experience. Offered regularly. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
SPAN 212 - Spanish for Heritage Speakers
If you were raised in a home where Spanish was spoken, but received the majority of your formal education in English, you are considered a heritage speaker. This course is designed to build on the language base heritage speakers already possess, and improve each of the basic communicative skills (oral, listening, reading, and writing). This class offers an opportunity to study Spanish in an academic setting through dynamic lessons, focused on meaningful activities and real-life material. Among other benefits, students in this course will gain awareness and understanding of their cultural heritage, meet peers and instructors with similar interests and experiences, increase career opportunities, and complete a class that counts toward the Spanish minor and major. Equivalent of Span 215. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
SPAN 215 - Intermediate Spanish II
The second part of intermediate-level Spanish. As students improve their speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Spanish they will continue to explore various aspects of the Hispanic societies, including history, culture, and current events, through popular culture, music, advertisements, and memes. PREREQUISITE: SPAN 211 or more than three years of high school Spanish. Not open to heritage or native speakers. Please consult the department's language placement guidelines found at http://www.binghamton.edu/romance/placement.html. Students may be removed from this course if they exceed the appropriate level of experience. Offered regularly. 4 credits. Levels: Undergraduate
SPAN 251 - Advanced Writing and Debate
In preparation for the 300-level courses, Span 251 will focus on improving students’ writing and argumentation skills through several oral and written assignments, as well as introduce the basics of academic writing. Students will practice the different components of debate, such as formulating opinions, analyzing information, and interpreting non-fiction and fictional texts. Class and small-group discussion of topics selected for compositions that require moderately sophisticated use of vocabulary and syntactical and grammatical structures. Open to all students. Required for the major. PREREQUISITE: SPAN 212 or SPAN 250 or equivalent. Levels: Undergraduate
After You Graduate
The linguistic and communication skills acquired in the Spanish major, along with critical-thinking skills and the overall cultural awareness gained, prepare students to pursue employment in fields of teaching, translation and interpretation, academic publishing, communication, art curation, tourism and international aid, etc.
Students who graduate with a Spanish major also pursue a myriad of graduate degrees including a Ph.D. (typically, but not exclusively, in Hispanic studies or comparative literature), MBA, MPA, Master of Spanish, and MAT.
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