Undergraduate Program
Spanish
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Spanish Studies
With an estimated 470 million native speakers, and another 90 million people who have learned the language, Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. It is spoken in more than 20 countries, and preserves in its sounds and syntaxes a rich history of language contact with Arabic, Latin, and the many languages of the Americas.
Around the world and here in Charlottesville, Spanish is a key language of connection and community.
Please use the undergraduate and graduate pages to find more information about our programs in language, literary, and cultural studies at the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. levels.
From building core competencies in the language to developing original research projects and engaging with communities, the undergraduate program in Spanish offers a rich array of learning opportunities.
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Majoring in Spanish
There are currently 136 students majoring in Spanish. Many Spanish majors go on to graduate or professional school to become lawyers, doctors and educators. Others go directly into the working world, finding their Spanish major useful for careers in business, the government, and international agencies.
Spanish majors have access to a nationally-ranked group of faculty members whose expertise ranges across a wide range of areas: Peninsular literature from the medieval to the modern periods; Latin American literature from colonial times to the present; Portuguese and Brazilian literature; Spanish and Latin American cinema; Spanish, Latin American and US Latina women’s writing; Spanish and Latin American culture; and Spanish linguistics.
In addition to these specialists, the department regularly invites visiting scholars and Hispanic authors for a semester. Past authors have included Isabel Allende, Pía Barros, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Antonio Cisneros, Diamela Eltit, Laura Freixas, Mempo Giardinelli, Liliana Heker, Carmen Martín Gaite, Rosa Montero, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Antonio Skármeta and Ana Maria Shua.
As part of the 10-course, 30-credit sequence of the B.A. in Spanish, students will build competencies in the Spanish language, and better understand the literatures, histories, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. For more information about the undergraduate major and the three concentrations offered for the B.A. -- General, Literature, and Linguistics -- please visit the page for Spanish majors.
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Minoring in Spanish
There are currently about 90 students minoring in Spanish. A minor in Spanish consists of 18 credits of Spanish study at the 3000 level or above. The department offers two minors: a general minor in Spanish, and, as part of the UVa Valencia program, a minor in business Spanish. Please click here for more information about the minor.
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Summer Language Institute
The Summer Language Institute (SLI) at the University of Virginia offers a unique intensive program in which students can complete beginning and intermediate levels of Spanish in nine weeks, earn 12 credits, and fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement.
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Student Spotlights
For more information on our students and their work, please visit our student spotlights page.
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Forms
For a list of all of the forms housed on this site, please visit the forms page.
Note: The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found in the University Records Archive.