Spanish

The United States is home to more than 37 million hispanohablantes (Spanish speakers), a number that will continue to grow. Spanish is also the third most-spoken language worldwide. The Spanish major and minor prepare you to engage with our increasingly globalized world and our culturally diverse country.

What will I do?

As a Spanish student at Jewell, you will develop strong oral and written language proficiency while increasing your socio-cultural understanding of the Spanish-speaking world and improving critical thinking through analysis of culture, literature, and film.

Majoring or minoring in Spanish can help prepare you for a career in education, business, nonprofit work, healthcare, translation/interpretation, public relations, government – practically anything, really. Fíjate bien: The communication and critical analysis skills honed during your Spanish studies at Jewell will serve you well wherever you head from here.

In addition to Spanish, the Department of Languages teaches French, Latin and Arabic at the elementary and intermediate levels. These courses satisfy the world language requirement for the B.A. degree, and they allow you to explore our world's languages and cultures from diverse perspectives.

Immerse yourself

While much of your language work takes place in the classroom, study abroad is an integral part of the Spanish program. Spend a summer or semester in Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, or Argentina. While abroad, you earn credits toward your Jewell degree while immersing yourself in the day-to-day life of another language and an altogether different cultural environment. Students who study abroad invariably describe the experience as among the most impactful of their college years.

You also can serve others while learning Spanish. Students have opportunities to apply their language skills through service learning in the Kansas City area and beyond. Make a difference, locally or globally, while preparing for your future. ¡Y hazlo en español!

Other Languages

We also offer courses in Arabic, French, and Latin.

My Jewell Journey

Harper Auman

A psychological science and ACT-In major with a Spanish minor, Harper shares how Jewell funded her immersion experience to Costa Rica where she lived with a host family and took Spanish language and culture classes.

Combining Spanish and Nonprofit Leadership

Senior Maggie Knesel wants to use her double majors to serve a Spanish-speaking population. She has studied at the Latin University of Costa Rica, interned with St. Louis Crisis Nursery to learn the struggles facing low-income Spanish speaking families, and was part of a volunteer group that provided healthcare to people living in villages along the Amazon River.

A Spanish-Speaking Auditor

Alex Blevins used a grant to study in Seville, Spain. One class, Spanish Language in Business Practice, was a perfect fit for the Spanish and accounting double major. He is now a financial analyst at Stowers Institute for Medical Research. "My accounting and Spanish advisors collaborate to align my changing goals to our four-year plan, which allowed me to complete my first busy season in public accounting and devote the summer to a Spanish immersion.”