"There is no area of education with a greater potential—or a greater responsibility—than that of foreign language education [because] in our classroom we have the opportunity to help students become open, accepting, caring citizens of the world community." —Genelle Morain
In addition to providing fundamental knowledge of the Spanish language, the Spanish faculty at Colorado Mesa University is committed to helping students develop effective communicative skills in Spanish as well as providing an understanding of the relationship between language and its various cultural manifestations.
The major in Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Colorado Mesa University is designed to provide knowledge and skills to produce effective communication in Spanish, as well as an understanding of the relationship of the Spanish language and its cultures to the world in which we live.
Students gain valuable insights into Peninsular and Latin-American language and literature, their histories and their cultures. With a focused study of Spanish phonetics and phonology, students are also introduced to the linguistic properties of the Spanish language.
This program of study develops in its graduates a wide understanding of the many variations of Spanish as it is spoken throughout this hemisphere as well as how it was spoken during phases in the language’s development. This breadth of study provides the graduate the ability to understand and navigate the nuances of various speech characteristics that exist within the Spanish-speaking population of our region, in the United States, and in the 21 Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish Faculty
The Spanish faculty at Colorado Mesa are valued for their expertise and experience. Among their ranks, there is a professional journalist; a federally-certified translator/interpreter; a specialist in linguistics; a specialist in Latin American women writers; and a specialist in Spanish for Secondary Education. The faculty members are professionally active in their fields and routinely research, present, consult, publish and lecture
Practicum
As part of our their overall academic experience, students complete a the Spanish Practicum (FLAS 498), which is designed to give Spanish majors practical experience in their field(s) of study. Due to this characteristic, a sense of flexibility is implied in the development of each practicum in order to meet the individual student's needs and desired outcomes or goals. For information on this student-tailored course, please read the following document:
Majors in Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Colorado Mesa University take classes that provide knowledge and skills intended to produce effective communication in Spanish, as well as an understanding of the relationship of the Spanish language and its cultures to the world in which we live. Spanish and Hispanic Studies majors gain valuable insights into Peninsular and Latin-American language and literature, their histories and their cultures. Students are also introduced to the linguistic properties of the Spanish language, with a focused study of Spanish phonetics and phonology. Students take classes which provide insights into Spanish in the professions, such as translation, interpreting, and medicine.
Academic Requirements for Bachelor in Hispanic Studies, SpanishMajors in the Secondary Teaching Licensure track study diverse aspects of the language and cultures throughout the Spanish-speaking world, various pedagogies, as well as linguistics, phonetics, phonology, foreign language teaching methodologies, in addition to the literatures and histories of Spain and Latin America. They also gain experience through teaching in a variety of classroom environments throughout the Grand Junction area.
Academic Requirements for Bachelor in Education: Secondary Education, SpanishThis concentration provides invaluable insights and cultural competencies. Your next steps may be to add professional strategies to your bilingual skills. You might consider becoming trained in the high-paying and highly desirable career as professional translators and interpreters, working in the courts and medical fields. Given the demographics of the United States and that it is a destination country for immigrants, the skills required to serve the Spanish-speaking community are in high demand, both locally and in the country as a whole. After pursuing certifications and graduate studies at specialized programs (i.e. Middlebury Institute in Monterrey, CA or Denver University), graduates from CMU’s Spanish & Hispanic Studies program can work as court and medical interpreters and freelance translators, where they are able to apply their cultural competencies that they acquired in classes such as Spanish for Medical and Social Service (FLAS 431), Spanish for the Professions (FLAS 433) Introduction to Translation (FLAS 434) and Introduction to Interpreting (FLAS 435).
Academic Requirements for Bachelor in Translation and InterpretingThe Spanish Program at Colorado Mesa University, along with a degree in three concentrations, provides a rigorous Spanish minor consisting of 21 semester credit hours. This minor complements all majors at Colorado Mesa University. Currently many of our minors have a diversity of majors, including Business, Criminal Justice, and Art.
Academic Requirements for Minor in SpanishGraduates from CMU’s Spanish majors work in a variety of professions, such as directors of human services, law enforcement officers, lawyers, business owners, administrators for nonprofit organizations, teachers, and politicians. In many instances our graduates have continued their studies in graduate schools, where they have increased their skills in these areas as well as a variety of other fields, such as social work, law, health care, and education.
- Teach. Be a tremendous influence in the lives of today's youth.
- Be a translator or interpreter.
- Work as an editor in a publishing company.
- Continue your studies and become a professor of Spanish Linguistics or Spanish Literature.
- Be a bilingual tourist guide.
- Work in the media.
- Work for government agencies.
- Use bilingual skills in almost all professions.
Our alumni are currently working in the following areas:
- Entrepreneurs
- High school teachers
- Interpreters (for courts, lawyers, medical offices)
- Mesa County Sheriff's Department
- Police Officers
- Sales Managers
- Translators
- Others are currently pursuing post-graduate studies in various locations, including Spain, Oregon, and Colorado.
Carousel slider with 1 rotating slides.
Pause or play carousel rotation with button controls.
Slider control tabs. Use the left and right arrow keys to change the displayed slide. Press tab to preview slide.
Students
25 students completed the Spanish & HS Program (2016 - 2019)
Currently Employed
19 of those 25 students are currently employed.
Pursued Higher Degrees
2 of those 25 students went on to pursue higher degrees.
- There are over 400 million Spanish speakers world-wide.
- With more than 33 million speakers, Spanish is the second largest language in the United States.
- Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States, with the majority of them being Spanish speakers.
- By learning Spanish, you'll be better able to communicate with Spanish speakers.
- Latin American countries are our most important trading partners.
- Being able to speak Spanish greatly enhances your resume. If you are bilingual you are more competitive in the workplace.
- Whether as a Spanish teacher or that of any discipline, you can make a difference in the field of education. Your language skills will enable you to interact with English Language Learners.
- You can travel to a Spanish-speaking country and really get to know the culture.
- Your ability to understand Spanish enables you to gain important insights which monolinguals cannot.
- As we grow older, our memory begins to fade. Learning a foreign language actually helps keep your memory sharp.
In order to achieve our mission and reach the institutional student learning outcomes, the Spanish program has selected the following student learning outcomes, with Colorado Mesa University's student learning outcomes identified in parentheses.
Graduates of the Spanish and Hispanic Studies Program will be able to:
- Express themselves coherently in written and oral Spanish. (Communication Fluency)
- Apply knowledge of the structure of the Spanish language, including syntax, phonetics/phonology, and morphology in speech and writing. (Applied Learning)
- Demonstrate an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of important literary and artistic movements/works, linguistics, history, translation, interpretation, and/or cultural aspects in relation to the Spanish-speaking world. (Specialized Knowledge)
- Demonstrate knowledge of the linguistic variations that exist in the Spanish speaking world. (Specialized Knowledge)
- Develop a research project focused on the application of Spanish in an area of the student’s choosing (e.g. analyzes significant literary movements/works and the authors; the application of Spanish in a professional context; second language acquisition or teaching methodologies). (Critical Thinking)
- Compare commonalities and differences between Hispanic and other U.S. cultures. (Critical Thinking)
- Reflect on and respond to ethical, social, civic, and/or environmental challenges at local, national, and/or global levels. (Personal and Social Responsibility)
- Find and incorporate reliable, relevant academic sources in their written research. (Information Literacy)
If you would like to declare a major or minor in Spanish, please see Shannon Davidson in Escalante Hall 237. She can also be reached at 970.248.1687.
Spanish can complement any other major, making students more marketable in their respective fields. Please see the requirements for minoring in Spanish.