Spanish

At Gustavus, students are encouraged to become confident communicators and lifelong learners. We want our students to respect and value the socioeconomic and cultural differences present in our globalized society and to become critical thinkers. Our curriculum offers students hands-on experience in Spanish-speaking communities at home and abroad, enabling them to become translingually and transculturally competent as they seek to achieve their goals.

At Gustavus, you will study Spanish with content-based language instruction using authentic materials and exploring relevant contemporary issues, while connecting with Spanish-speaking communities. 

Majors and Minor

You can earn a major or minor in Spanish or a Spanish Teaching major. Talk with a member of the Spanish faculty about declaring a major and receiving a faculty advisor. When you declare your major, you can work with your advisor on your four-year academic plan. Meet each semester with your faculty advisor before class registration.

Activtivities and Events

There are many ways to celebrate Hispanic events at community or to be involved wiht student organizations. This may include everything fro students meeting regularly to talk Spanish at dinner to the Latinx Film Festival.

OLAS: The mission of OLAS (Organization for Latin American, Latino/a and Spanish Cultures) is to foster transcultural competence through community outreach for the purpose of promoting empathy, inclusion and belonging.

Language Buddies is a Spanish student organization in partnership with the Latino community of St. Peter. Students and families meet regularly to work on their English and Spanish language needs. Find out more .

Sigma Delta Pi is the National Hispanic Honor Society. Students who are members of the society are committed not only to learning a language, but also to understanding the culture and traditions of Spanish speakers across the globe. Here at Gustavus, we are responsible for coordinating and developing programs which help involve both students and the Saint Peter community in Hispanic culture. From volunteering in area schools to hosting weekly social events, we are working to provide a wide range of activities designed to introduce students to a completely different world.

Community-Based Education

Community-Based Learning and Community engagement is embedded on many courses to help you gain "real world" experiences. Some expressions of Community-based learning include: volunteering, community service, service-learning, internships and other forms of community engagement.

Study Away

You are encouraged to experience Hispanic culture by studying abroad and living with host a family. There are numerous semester-long study away programs managed by the Center for International and Cultural Education. Choose a location where you can maximize your opportunities to speak Spanish, have contact with native Spanish speakers, and immerse yourself in the local culture. Before registering for studying abroad, be sure to discuss your plans with your advisor! According to your four-year plan needs, your advisor can give you pre-approval so your courses abroad will transfer. Once abroad, you should keep in contact with your advisor at registration, and should provide a final list of the courses you registered for your semester/s abroad. Then take a look at the approved study abroad courses on the Center for International and Cultural Education page.

Tutors

Spanish tutors of all levels are available at the Culpeper Language Learning Center. To meet with a tutor you can stop by Culpeper directly or you can sign up before hand to make sure you have an appointment. Tutoring on campus is a wonderful way for students to use personal skills to help a fellow student. Students who are interested in becoming a tutor can contact contact a Spanish faculty members to learn more.

Goals and Outcomes

It is the goal of the Spanish faculty to provide students with a well-round education that will help them achieve their personal career goals and to help students to become translingually and transculturally competent. When students graduate they will be able to demonstrate a transcultural awareness of the relationship between the products, practices and perspectives of the target culture; apply the presentational, interpretative, and interpersonal communication modes; achieve intermediate-high level of proficiency according to ACTFL guidelines or equivalent communicative competence; identify similarities and differences between Spanish-speaking communities at home and abroad; engage with Hispanic community members at home or abroad through volunteer work, community-based work, language exchanges, or interships; and make logical connections across disciplines.

How do I know what level course I should take?

Pleaes refer to the language courses and requirements page.