There are 40 million Spanish speakers in the United States, and the Spanish-speaking population is growing rapidly. With over 400 million speakers, Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the world. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is a native language in 21 countries, including the United States.
As a Spanish major at Ohio Wesleyan, you will acquire the ability to read, write, and converse in Spanish at a proficient level, while also gaining an understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures that make up the Hispanic world. At the advanced level, you will have the opportunity to take courses that delve deeper into a variety of topics related to the Spanish language, cultures, literatures, and cinemas, in their specific sociohistorical and geographical contexts, and in dialogue with other languages spoken in Latin America and Spain.
In some courses you will learn to analyze and interpret authentic cultural materials with an awareness of the sociocultural, historical and political contexts in which cultural and artistic productions take place. In other courses, you have the chance to think about language scientifically as you study topics in linguistics ranging from the sounds and structures of Spanish to language acquisition and bilingualism.
Pamplona is a small medium-size city (population: 300,000). It has a local airport with direct daily flights to Madrid and Frankfurt (Germany). Very well connected by rapid trains (ALVIA) to Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. It is also close to the other four major Spanish cities: San Sebastián, Vitoria, Logroño, and Zaragoza.
In Pamplona, students will spend a semester at one of Spain's prestigious universities, the University of Navarra. The University of Navarra is a private institution, number one overall in educational innovation and number three in Europe, after Oxford and Cambridge, in teaching quality (Times Higher Education Ranking 2019).
Undergraduate research, performed under the mentorship of expert faculty, is a central component of The OWU Connection.
We emphasize intellectual curiosity, creativity, initiative, and synthesis. OWU provides opportunities, including traveling abroad, for you to explore an existing problem or develop a totally new avenue of exploration. You can work with a faculty mentor and apply for grant funding—and present your research at the Spring Student Symposium.
From your first year on campus, you can get off campus with Travel-Learning Courses and Study Abroad. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.
Most Spanish majors spend a semester (or summer) studying in a Spanish-speaking country to fulfill their immersion requirement. Many choose to study at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, via OWU's signature Pamplona Program. Other recent destinations have included Seville, Granada, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.
Build your experience and connections to the professional world with internships both on and off campus. OWU World Languages & Cultures faculty use their connections in the field to help students secure valuable internships.
Spanish students have completed internships, at OWU and internationally, that have allowed them to combine their Spanish skills with a wide variety of interests, including teaching, veterinary medicine, film studies, theatre, museum studies, social work and community activism.
VIVA is a cultural group / club that seeks to foster understanding of Latin American cultures and issues on the OWU campus, as well as to provide programs and venues through which the campus can get involved. All students with interest and willingness to participate are welcome and encouraged to join, regardless of ethnic backgrounds and experiences.
LA CASA is a Small Living Unit (SLU) that seeks to bring together the students who come from different Latin American countries to promote inclusivity within the community and to encourage each other personally, culturally, socially, and academically. LA CASA is a safe and welcoming place for all our identifying Latin students, as well as any other student who is excited to learn, embrace, and promote Latin American, Hispanic, and Latinx cultures on campus.
The Language Learning Center (UN 213) offers language students a space to read, study, work on projects with classmates or attend language tutoring sessions supported by the WLC department. Advanced students and/or native speakers can apply to become language tutors with faculty endorsement.
A competitive, four-year program for high-achieving students focused on international issues, interdisciplinary study, and cultural immersion. Scholars receive a $4,000 stipend for study abroad, engage in specialized, team-taught courses, and complete a senior capstone project to earn a certificate in global studies.
Kristen gained experience in animal care and research through laboratory and field work, preparing for a career in veterinary medicine. She now works full-time as a Veterinary Technician at Care Center: ER Veterinary Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ohio Wesleyan Students Learn Business Lessons from Disney, Universal Studios, NASA, More
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Ohio Wesleyan Senior Translates Play from Spanish to English, Works with Theatrical Production
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Charlie Kottler '18, an International Business major and Spanish minor, studied entrepreneurship, international marketing, and Spanish linguistics and culture during a semester in Seville, Spain.
Spanish majors Samantha Merino ’21 and Austin Strayer ’20 visited Argentina with faculty member Andrea Colvin to study the country’s "culture of remembrance." Their experience was supported by The OWU Connection.
The Department of Modern Foreign Languages is housed in iconic University Hall.
