There are over 400 million Spanish speakers worldwide and Spanish is a prevalent language in the United States. As a result, the demand for people who speak and understand the Spanish language is growing. Spanish majors explore the fundamental aspects of the language, develop communicative skills, and explore historical and cultural manifestations of the language. Many fields seek Spanish speakers including business, education, health care, social service and many more so there is an abundance of possible career paths.
The Colorado Mesa University Bachelor of Arts in Spanish program offers three major concentrations:
Applied Professional, Literature and Language, and Secondary Education. All students benefit from
classes that provide knowledge and skills related to communication in Spanish as well as the
understanding of the relationship between its language and its cultures. Applied Professional majors
attend classes that strengthen their skills in a professional environment including: translation, (judicial)
interpreting, Business Spanish, and Spanish for the medical and social services fields. Language and
Literature majors gain valuable insights into Peninsular (Spanish spoken in Europe) and Latin-American
language and literature, as well as their histories and cultures. Students learn through intense
examinations of literature in poetry, narrative, theatre, and film. The Secondary Education track leads
students to licensure in Colorado through faculty guidance and classroom experience.
CMU’s Spanish Program also offers Spanish students language and professional development
experiences outside of the classroom setting, including study abroad trips to Spanish-speaking countries
like Costa Rica and Spain. The Department also hosts the annual Four Corners Conference, during which
students will have the opportunity to interact with professionals from a wide range of disciplines while
discussing issues related to the Four Corners region.
• Accountant
• Advertising manager
• Advertising copywriter
• Air traffic assistant
• Archivist
• Art dealer
• Banking correspondent
• Bilingual officer/clerk
• Bilingual educator
• Civil service employee
• Commercial loan officer
• Consultant
• Court interpreter
• Cultural attaché
• Cultural officer
• Customs/immigration officer
• Drug enforcement officer
• Editor
• FBI agent
• Filmmaker
• Foreign diplomat
• Foreign correspondent
• Foreign exchange trader
• Foreign service officer
• Foreign service peacekeeper
• Foreign social worker
• Fund raiser
• Guide
• Human resources director
• Importer/exporter
• International account manager
• International banking officer
• International consultant
• International trade specialist
• Interpreter
• Journalist
• Lawyer
• Library technician
• Linguist
• Media specialist
• Missionary
• Museum coordinator
• National security agent
• Negotiator
• Oversees personnel manager
• Peace corps volunteer
• Police officer
• Professor
• Proofreader
• Public health administrator
• Radio/TV announcer
• Reporter
• Salesperson
• Scientific linguist
• Travel agent
• Translator
• Travel writer
Note: Some of the occupations listed above may require additional education, experience, or training beyond a Bachelor’s Degree. To research these occupations use the Career Research Resources links below.
• Communicate with a Spanish-speaking student in a classroom.
• Teach Spanish to a group of students.
• Assist with clients traveling to or from Spanish speaking regions for vacation.
• Translate for Spanish-speaking businesses.
• Armed Forces
• Immigration agencies
• Narcotic agencies
• Law enforcement
• Health services
• Missionary services
• Tax consultant firms
• Hospitals
• Schools/universities
• Publishing companies
• Libraries
• Museums
• Travel agencies
• Airlines/airports
• Banks
• Marketing firm
• Advertising agency
• Import/export firms
• Hotels
Skills needed by Spanish majors:
• Read and write Spanish well
• Ability to speak Spanish clearly
• Ability to understand speakers of Spanish
• An understanding of cultural diversity
• Willingness to relocate
• Be able to speak to groups
• Patience
Other Spanish resources
Reach out to CMU Career Services for resources and guidance on reaching your career goals. Career Services takes an active role in providing career exploration, workshops, events and on-campus employer visits to encourage students to investigate and gain information while creating their career path.
You can also use these sites to research information about specific occupations such as nature of the work, training or qualifications, employment or job outlook, projections, earnings and wages.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Use the A-Z index to select the occupation you are researching.
The U.S. Department of Labor
- In the occupational search box type in key words, job titles, or occupational codes to research various careers.
The Department of Defense
- This site compiles information from departments of Commerce, Education and Labor.
- American Association for Applied linguistics (AAAL)
- American Association of Language Specialists, The (TAALS)
- American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)
- American Translators Association (ATA)
- The Associations of Language Companies
- Colorado Translators Association
- National Associations of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT)