The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers several courses specifically designed for Spanish heritage speakers who wish to improve their speaking, writing and reading skills for use in professional and academic settings. Students also develop an awareness and understanding of the Hispanic cultures in the U.S. and abroad.

Are You a Heritage Speaker of Spanish?

You are considered a Spanish heritage speaker if you have a personal, familial or community connection to Spanish but received the majority of your formal education in English.

Some typical situations are the following:

• You were raised in a Spanish speaking household where one or both parents spoke Spanish and received your formal education in English.
• You were born in a Spanish speaking environment (i.e., Colombia, El Salvador, etc.) but then moved to an English speaking community (i.e., USA), when you were still a young child.

Heritage students comprise a broad range of experiences and levels of competency in Spanish: from mostly being able to understand the language or speaking it with some difficulty, to feeling comfortable talking and reading about a wide variety of topics in the language.

Why Taking Spanish Courses for Heritage Speakers Is Incredibly Beneficial

These courses offer Spanish heritage speakers many benefits, such as:

• Study Spanish in an academic setting in the same way that native English-speakers study English.
• Polish both oral and written language skills.
• Learn more about your language and your cultural heritage.
• Meet students with similar interests and experiences.
• Gain awareness and understanding of the Hispanic cultures: i.e., Hispanic identity and communities in the US, language variation, geography, history, customs and traditions, current events, music, arts and food.
• Increase career opportunities.
• Increase internship opportunities.
• Take classes that count towards a major, minor or humanities requirement