Spanish

Bienvenido a Northeastern

Studying a language offers benefits for both your personal and professional life that go far beyond the obvious communicative advantages. In our courses you will build empathy, engage with diversity, develop cultural agility and gain meaningful insight into the perspectives that others have about your own culture. Whether you are planning to study or work abroad, travel the world for pleasure, connect with Spanish-speaking relatives and friends, or serve Spanish-speaking populations in your career, our program can help you develop the linguistic proficiency and deep cultural understanding necessary to achieve your goal.

Find a home within our vibrant Spanish language learning community here at Northeastern! We offer majors and minors in Spanish, Dialogue of Civilization programs to Spain, Peru and Argentina/Uruguay, a National Hispanic Honors Society, as well as the support you need to pursue study abroad and international co-ops.

¿Por qué estudiar español?

It is estimated that Spanish is spoken by over 572 million people of which 477 million people are native speakers.

In its annual report, Spanish in the World of 2017, the language and culture institute found that the number of Spanish native speakers jumped by 5 million between 2016 and 2017.

Roughly 53 million people, 41 million native Spanish speakers, and approximately 11.6 million bilingual Spanish Speakers live in the United States.

An estimated 41 million US residents, or 13.4% of the population, speak Spanish at home.

It is estimated the Hispanic community will increase by 24 percent in 2050 in the United States.

Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries worldwide.

It is the second most widely spoken language in the world in terms of native speakers.

Latin American countries are our most important trading partners. Cultural awareness is essential when dealing with Latin and Spanish commerce.

You will stand out in a competitive job market. Being able to speak Spanish greatly enhances your resume. If you are bilingual, you are even more competitive in the workplace.

Americans who plan on working domestically in law, social services or in business can truly stand out by being proficient in Spanish.

You will improve your cognitive skills and keep your brain healthy and young by learning another language.

You will have more opportunities for discovery while on vacation if you speak Spanish.

National Hispanic Honors Society, Sigma Delta Pi:
Sigma Delta Pi is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honors Society which seeks to recognize students for their outstanding academic achievement in Spanish, as well as “to foster friendly relations and mutual respect between the nations of Hispanic speech and those of English speech”. Our local chapter, Alpha Beta Gamma, was founded in April of 2019 since then, over 100 members have been inducted into the society. Our members work to create a community of Spanish-language learners at Northeastern through a series of cultural events, which are open to the whole Northeastern community. To find information on upcoming events and eligibility requirements for joining, visit the website here.

Course Offerings

If you have had prior training in Spanish before entering Northeastern University, please follow instructions for the placement test. Please contact the Program Coordinator Prof. Christina Agostinelli-Fucile at c.agostinelli-fucile@northeastern.edu for minor advising and other questions about the Spanish program.

Elementary Courses:

  • SPNS 1101 – Elementary Spanish 1
  • SPNS 1102 – Elementary Spanish 2

Intermediate Courses:

  • SPNS 2101 – Intermediate Spanish 1
  • SPNS 2102 – Intermediate Spanish 2

Advanced Courses:

  • SPNS 3101 – Advanced Spanish 1
  • SPNS 3102 – Advanced Spanish 2
  • SPNS 3401 – Advanced Spanish for Healthcare Professionals
  • SPNS 3501 – Advanced Spanish Conversation: Global Communication
  • SPNS 3502 – Authentic Spanish Grammar
  • SPNS 3601 – Exploring Spoken Spanish
  • SPNS 3602 – Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
  • SPNS 3603 – SPNS 3603 – Spanish in the US  / SPNS 3603 – The Bilingual Hispanic World
  • SPNS 3800 – Special Topics in Spanish

Other courses that focus on Spanish culture, literature, and art,  are also available, offered in collaboration with other departments such as Cultures, Societies and Global Studies. See the complete list here.

Course Schedule

Please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for a comprehensive list of current course offerings.

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Minors

Majors