Studying Spanish can take you any direction that speaks to you, starting with your Augustana education. You have three options for your major, plus related minors:
• Spanish major and minor, studying the language and the history, culture and arts of Spain or Latin America,
• Spanish teaching major, preparing you to teach in secondary schools, or
• Spanish for professional use, to complement a second major in business, communication sciences and disorders, or one of the pre-professional health sciences.
• Augustana also offers related minors in linguistics, the scientific study of language, and in Latin American studies, focusing on the study of Latin America, the Caribbean and Latinx United States.
All of the majors emphasize research, writing, analytical thinking and communication. You’ll graduate with essential skills for a profession where knowledge of Spanish is a fundamental asset, such as medicine, communication, law, education, government, international business and service, management and more.
Whatever major or combination you choose, you’ll benefit from the diversity of teaching methods, professors and students in Augustana’s Spanish program, student groups and cultural events on campus, and opportunities for international study and travel.
Disciplinary knowledge
Gain a deep understanding of your subject and how it connects to other subjects.
Communication competence
Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.
Intercultural competence
Understand real and imaginary similarities and differences. Use more than one perspective to view issues.
Ethical citizenship
Examine and embrace your strengths, passions and values. Develop ethical convictions and act on them.
Creative thinking
Combine ideas to create something new. Use imaginative ways of solving problems.
• To boost language proficiency and cultural understanding, Spanish majors are expected (or at least highly encouraged) to study abroad. Many use their $2,000 Augie Choice funding towards travel.
• Augustana’s study abroad opportunities are many and varied, and Spanish majors find opportunities to fit their schedules and future plans. Examples include our Summer Spanish Program in the Andes (Ecuador and Peru); a semester in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica or Peru; or a 3.5-week January term (J-term) course.
• Augustana’s proximity to Hispanic neighborhoods in Rock Island and Moline offers many opportunities for internships, volunteering and speaking Spanish, including conversation sessions (tertulias) led by Augustana students.
• Augustana has an active campus culture, and welcomes more and more international students to campus each year. Student groups of special interest to Spanish majors include Latinx Unidos, Spanish Club, SAFARI (Student Advocates for Awareness of Refugee and Immigrant Issues), Búhos (free English classes for English language learners in the community), the Hispanic Film Festival and holiday events.
Tabitha Hoey ’21 is pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in social and behavioral sciences at the University of Florida.
Carstyn Joiner '21 is a research assistant with the Fanning Lab in the Department of Cancer Biology at Loyola University Chicago.
Courtney Baker ’20 is pursuing a doctorate in audiology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Samantha Wright '20 is a family therapist at Families, Inc., serving the Quad Cities and president of Palomares Social Justice Center in Rock Island, Ill.
Alyssa Mish ’19 is a program specialist at Creative Group, Inc., in Schaumburg, Ill.
Montserrat Ricossa ’19 is a weekend anchor/reporter at KWQV TV6 in Davenport, Iowa.
Rachel Hart ’19 teaches Spanish at Pleasant Valley (Iowa) High School.
Andrew Silverman ’19 is an implementation specialist at Onbe in Chicago.
Adam Lydigsen-Grimes '18 is a patient care family care center technician (hospital) at OSF HealthCare, based in Peoria, Ill.
Sylvia Salinas '17 teaches in the world languages department at Moline (Ill.) High School.
“I never pictured myself shadowing in almost every department of a hospital or sitting in lecture halls at Yale University or speaking fluent Spanish with ESL students.”Read More
“The Spanish and French language departments have always pushed me to challenge myself and to take advantage of my college experience.”Read More
“My peak experience is definitely my study abroad trip to Ecuador where I stayed with a host family for 10 weeks and spent another week in Peru.”Read More
Augustana's fall Symposium Day 2024 invited big ideas from any and all disciplines, welcoming presentations from students, faculty and staff, and distinguished guests — including keynote speaker Dr. Roosevelt Montás from Columbia University and Dr. Chris Hedlin '11 from the University of Notre Dame.
High jumper Gabriela Loiz '23 earned All-American status at the NCAA DIII Outdoor National Championships in Rochester, N.Y. She is Augustana's first women's All-American in the high jump since 1997.
Every year, students in Augustana's EDGE Center lay groundwork for the success of the World Family Therapy Congress, held somewhere in the world.
