The emphasis is on the culture, civilization, and literature of the people who speak this language. The Spanish major combines the perspective of a liberal arts background, cross-cultural experience, and advanced competency in the language. Students achieve these goals through classroom instruction and residence in a culture where Spanish is the native language. After two years of study at Westmont, the student majoring in Spanish goes for one semester to an accredited university in Spain or Latin America. The curriculum for the Spanish major develops an understanding of Spanish and provides the training which prepares students for professional pursuits or advanced study in Spanish at the graduate level.
Spanish students find many novel ways to practice their new knowledge.
As our society becomes more bilingual, all graduates entering careers in education, ministry, business, and public services would benefit from fluency in Spanish. The major lends itself well to doubling with majors in religious studies, education, economics and business, and sociology, among others. Proficiency in another language and understanding of other peoples and cultures are essential tools in many careers.