Spanish

Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries. It’s the third most spoken language in the world. Becoming fluent in a second language such as Spanish adds value to your education, broadens your worldview and make you more attractive to employers in today’s global marketplace. And it pays off! Bilingual employees will earn up to four percent more than other graduates.

About the Spanish Major

Carroll University’s Spanish program provides you with direct linguistic contact with a culture different from your own. It’s the key to understanding one another—and the world. After all, a culture expresses itself primarily through its language and its literature. In the Spanish program, you’ll acquire indispensable skills in communication, training in problem-solving and the kind of understanding of cultures other than our own that is possible only through language. You’ll learn to speak, read and write Spanish as you study phonetics and Latin American or Hispanic history and culture. As a Spanish major, we encourage you to spend a summer, semester or year abroad, for a truly immersive experience in another culture.

A Spanish major is a natural complement to many other areas such as business, pre-law, pre-medical programs or to such fields as English, fine arts, theater arts, history, political science, communication, psychology, mathematics, sociology or the natural sciences. In our program, you can easily add a second major in Spanish to your studies and still graduate in four years. If you cannot complete a full second major, a minor in another field is very common, as is a language minor to accompany some other primary specialization.

You can also study abroad during a summer, semester or full academic year by applying to the International and Off-Campus Programs Office. Recent graduates have studied in Argentina, Costa Rica, Spain, Cuba, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Become a Spanish Teacher

Pairing a Spanish major with a secondary education major prepares you for teaching Spanish. Through the education department, you’ll study educational psychology, literacy, multicultural and intercultural education and instructional design and receive a special focus on the methodology of teaching elementary and secondary subjects. You’ll also spend extensive time in immersive student teaching experiences. Of course, you’ll also learn all about Spanish syntax, phonetics and grammar as you become fluent in reading, writing and speaking Spanish.

See Secondary Education Major

“The Spanish Program has been a great experience, helping me improve my speaking and understanding, while making the class fun and engaging.”
-Aeriqa Rosciszewski ‘28

“I have grown to become more culturally aware and to understand that just because someone speaks Spanish it doesn't mean you will understand everything, they say. At the same time, I was be able to merge part of my identity with my professional career.”
-Alma Lopez '27

Minor/Certificate/Specialization

In addition to the major, Carroll offers a minor, specialization and certificate in Spanish that complements many areas of study. 

Internships

We help you build real world experience, explore careers and network with professionals through internship opportunities. Recent placements include the following companies and organizations:

  • Waukesha's La Casa de Esperanza
  • Voces de la Frontera
  • Safe Babies, Healthy Families of Waukesha
  • The Waukesha Hispanic Resource Center
  • CORE / El Centro Natural Healing Center
  • School District of Waukesha
  • UW Extension
  • Futura Language Professionals
  • Waukesha Memorial Hospital
  • City of Milwaukee Health Department
  • Waukesha Free Clinic
  • Urban Ecology Center
  • Waukesha Public Library
  • Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
  • Hispanic Collaborative Network

Careers

College is a big investment in a bright future. Learn more about the industries and careers our majors pursue, and the workplaces and experiences of the alumni from our program. See where yours may take you.

More Resources

Meet the Faculty

Panoramic View of campus