If you’re interested in the literature, culture, and language of Spanish-speaking nations, there are lots of options for you to study it in college — including if you are already fluent. Many top schools offer Spanish language programs that go far beyond simply learning to speak it, but they come with a variety of names (as you’ll see below). In some places the major is called Hispanic Studies, while in others Spanish Literature. Some schools use the term Latinx, while others put everything together in the romance languages bucket. Much of this is based on when the department was founded, who runs it currently, and what geographic regions they are most focused on.
As you consider where to study, these are all things that you should consider when picking a college. If you want to study Mexican literature, for example, you definitely don’t want to go to a school with a strong focus on Spain and only one Mexican literature course. Before you get that far, though, be prepared to take every Spanish class your high school offers before graduation. Many colleges expect to see strong interest in the field before you get to campus, and even more require a high level of fluency for the major and for accessing major-compatible study abroad programs.
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Columbia University — New York, New York
Columbia offers one of the best majors in Hispanic Studies in the country with a heavy Spain focus. Housed in the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, students in the major study Hispanic culture beginning in Islamic Spain through to today, with opportunities for greater depth and focus on the periods you’re most interested in. Majors are also encouraged to study Portuguese or Catalan, and you can choose to do a specialization in a subject like anthropology, Latino studies, music, or political science among others. As a major, you’ll also be able to take advantage of the Hispanic Institute and Sundial House, a forum for Latin American and Iberian authors alongside the art of literary translation.
University of Pennsylvania (Penn) — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Like Columbia, Penn calls their version of a Spanish literature major Hispanic Studies, with courses ranging from “Latinx Environmental Justice” to “Culture and Conflict in 21st-Century Spain.” All majors are required to complete a 12 to 15-page research paper in Spanish with bibliography and notes during the spring of their junior year or during their senior year. Students can also receive credit for up to six Spanish courses taken in an approved study abroad program, with programs available in Cuba, Spain, Argentina, and Chile.
Dartmouth University — Hanover, New Hampshire
Dartmouth also offers a major in Hispanic Studies, which is based in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. The major is rooted in language and literature, and students have to take mandatory “drill” classes practicing spoken Spanish. Courses include “Latinx Writing and Composition”, “Of Machos and Malinches,” and “Blood Cinema. Spanish Movies from 1926 to 2019.” There are study abroad programs in Spain and Argentina, and students who are passionate about multiple languages can major in Romance Studies, in which students major in two Romance languages and study them through the lens of fluency, literature, history, and textual analysis.
Hamilton College — Clinton, New York
Students in the Hispanic Studies program at Hamilton use literary and cultural analysis to learn about Spain, Latin America, and Hispanic U.S. Courses include “Women in Spanish Literature and Film” and “Jewels of Spanish Poetry,” and many students go on to work in Spanish language education and with nonprofits that benefit from their expertise. In their senior year, students complete a Senior Program, which is an in-depth research project guided by at least one faculty member.
Tufts University — Medford, Massachusetts
Tufts offers a strong Spanish Literature major in the Department of Romance Studies. The major requires students to study both Latin America and Spain, and they offer courses including “Medieval & Early Modern Spanish Literature” and “Puerto Rican Literature & Culture.”
University of California San Diego — San Diego, California
Students in the Spanish Literature major at the University of California San Diego go through intensive language training. If you choose to go there, you’d be able to dive deep into Spanish, Latin American, and Chicano literature. UCSD also highly recommends that students study abroad, and the school works hard to support students in study abroad programs.
Wesleyan University — Middletown, Connecticut
Wesleyan offers a major in Hispanic literatures and cultures, which “emphasizes the history and cultural diversity” of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition to studying the literature of Spanish-speaking areas, students look at film, performance, and visual arts. The major encourages students to use study abroad as an opportunity to pursue courses not offered at Wesleyan, including through programs in Spain, Columbia, Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
Syracuse University — Syracuse, New York
The Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture major at Syracuse explores the “literary and linguistic cultures of the Spanish, South American, Central American, Caribbean, and Latino peoples.” Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world, and the program aims to reflect that diversity. Courses include “Boarder Culture” and “Text and Context in Cuban Revolutionary Literature,” and students can become involved in La Casita Cultural center, which offers career-focused internship and volunteer opportunities. Students in the major often study abroad at the Syracuse University centers in Madrid, Spain and Santiago, Chile.
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill —Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The Spanish studies program at UNC-Chapel Hill is housed in the Romance Languages Major, with a focus on Hispanic Literatures and Cultures. The program is deeply focused on literature and theoretical approaches, and “includes the study of indigenous, Afro-descendant, Asian, and other cultures.” Students can expect to graduate with exceptional language skills paired with a deep cultural and historical understanding of the Spanish-speaking world.
University of California Berkeley — Berkeley California
Berkeley’s version of a Spanish literature program is “The Languages, Literatures, and Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World.” The program is a minor, not a major, but is an immersive and impressive option. In order to qualify for the minor, you must be an exemplary Spanish speaker, and complete classes like writing workshops, grammar and composition courses, “Survey of Spanish American Literature” and “The Spanish American Short Story.”
If you are interested in studying a language-focused major in college, expect the learning curve to be steep. Take every relevant course you can in high school, and consider taking courses at your local community college if you’ve already placed out of your high school offerings. While the course credits may not transfer, you will be able to place out of lower-level language courses through testing.
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