BA in Spanish in Queens United States | Queens College, CUNY

The Hispanic Languages and Literatures department's curriculum aims to equip students with precise reading skills, strong listening comprehension, and conversational fluency, enabling them to grasp and value the language, literature, and cultural heritage of Spanish-speaking regions. After finishing foundational courses, students should possess comprehensive, practical Spanish proficiency, including deeper insights into the culture(s) embodied by the language.

As the official language of Spain, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean nations like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, plus most of South America, Spanish ranks as the world's fourth most spoken tongue with around 320 million speakers. The United States has become the fifth largest Spanish-speaking country globally, with roughly 10% of its population (over 30 million people) using Spanish as either their primary or secondary language. Mastering Spanish opens doors to international trade and finance communication, especially with NAFTA strengthening ties between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, making Spanish increasingly vital in global commerce. Additionally, it provides direct access to original literature, research, media, and Spanish-language broadcasts.

Professional prospects span business management, trade, finance, public relations, translation, publishing, journalism, tourism, hospitality, and education at various levels. Students can enhance their Spanish studies by combining them with disciplines like history, political science, business, geography, or anthropology. Given Spanish's global reach, bilingual graduates are sought after by multinational corporations, diplomatic services, and international organizations including the World Bank, WHO, and the United Nations.