School of Humanities
(440) 826-2244
The native language of 400 million people across the world, Spanish is a culturally enriching and academically enhancing program of study. It is an outstanding major for students preparing for an increasingly global society.
A Spanish major builds competencies in reading, writing, speaking and language comprehension. Coursework includes literature, cultural history, civilization and contemporary lifestyles of Spanish and Latin Americans.
Baldwin Wallace's practical approach links rigorous language study to real life. You'll learn to view the world through a diverse cultural lens as you probe current events, intercultural communication and sensitivities, as well as other topics.
Experiential learning is central to the program. You can attend cultural events and culinary field trips, join student organizations and participate in a Spanish language table (La Tertulia).
Study abroad offers outstanding opportunities for year-long, semester, six- or two-week immersion experiences. Spain, South America and Latin America are some of the options available to you.
Our faculty works with students to help them gain a comprehensive understanding of the Spanish language.
The Spanish for the professions minor helps students in any major build competencies in handling a variety of communicative tasks with Spanish-speaking people and communities.
BW's Spanish Club participates in several events throughout the year, including a Day of the Dead celebration.
Two inductees into the National Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi.
Spanish Language Tables offer students opportunities to participate in weekly conversation tables and cultural events.
Benefits of learning a foreign language are multi-fold and include:
Government, education, business and nonprofit sectors seek individuals who are fluent in two or more languages. Examples of positions include:
With the goal of helping students in any major build competencies in handling a variety of communicative tasks with Spanish-speaking people and communities, BW is offering a Spanish for the professions minor. The new program includes optional service-learning courses as well as a broad range of classes focused on healthcare and other professions.
If you would like to become a Spanish teacher, BW has an outstanding teacher education program.
Offered as a major and minor, Spanish blends comprehensive coursework with dynamic practical application.
It is an outstanding companion major or minor to other disciplines, including international studies, business, communication, sociology and political science.
Spanish courses are open to students of all majors. If you have previously taken classes in Spanish in high school, you will be required to complete a placement test prior to registering for courses.
Within the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, BW offers additional majors and minors in French and German. Instruction also is available for Arabic, Chinese and Italian.
The Spanish major prepares students to:
Course descriptions, requirements for the major and additional information can be found in the University Catalog.
Experiential learning bridges classroom study with real-world opportunities. You can enhance your studies through internships, co-curricular activities and other learning opportunities that include:
Sigma
Delta
Pi
-
National
Honorary
in
Spanish
Members
must
have
completed
three
years
of
study
of
college-level
Spanish
(18
semester
credit
hours)
or
the
equivalent
thereof,
including
at
least
three
semester
hours
of
a
course
in
Hispanic
literature
or
Hispanic
culture
and
civilization
(Spanish
for
the
professions
may
be
considered
as
a
Hispanic
culture
course,
provided
that
culture
is
the
foundation
of
the
course
content).
Members
must
be
at
the
junior
or
senior
level
level;
must
have
a
minimal
grade
point
average
of
3.0
on
a
4.0
point
scale
in
all
Spanish
courses
taken;
must
rank
in
the
upper
35%
of
their
class
(and/or
have
at
least
a
3.2
cumulative
grade
point
average)
-
sophomore,
junior,
or
senior
-
and
must
have
completed
at
least
three
semesters
or
five
quarters
of
college
work.
Spanish
Club
Open
to
all
students,
BW's
Spanish
Club
seeks
to
represent
the
cultures
of
Spanish-speaking
countries
to
the
BW
community,
as
well
as
to
promote
the
use
of
the
Spanish
language.
The
club
aims
to
increase
the
awareness
of
Spanish/Hispanic
cultures
around
the
world
through
art,
literature,
history,
traditions,
guest
speakers
and
more.
It
also
promotes
the
learning
and
use
of
the
Spanish
language
on
the
BW
campus
and
in
the
surrounding
area.
Spanish
Club
aids
in
volunteer
efforts
that
affect
people
from
Spanish
speaking
countries
or
aid
people
in
understanding
cultural/language
differences
outside
of
the
BW
community.
Spanish
and
Latinx
Student
Association
(S.A.L.S.A.)
S.A.L.S.A.,
which
is
open
to
all
BW
students,
promotes
awareness
and
appreciation
of
Hispanic
and
Latinx
culture
through
educational
and
social
opportunities.
Spanish
Language
Tables
Language
tables
are
a
great
opportunity
to
practice
language
skills
outside
of
the
classroom.
For
more
details
regarding
weekly
locations
and
times,
contact
Dr.
Karen
Barahona
at
kbarahon@bw.edu
or
Brenda
Lennox,
office
manager
at
the
Department
of
World
Languages,
Literatures
and
Cultures
at
(440)
826-2244
or
blennox@bw.edu.
All
language
levels
are
welcomed.
BW
International
Film
Series
The
BW
International
Film
Series
is
a
student
organization
funded
by
the
Student
Government
and
supported
by
the
French
Club,
German
Club,
Spanish
Club,
Middle
Eastern
Culture
Club,
Chinese
Club
and
Italian
Club.
For
further
information,
please
contact
Dr.
Nadia
Sahely
at
nsahely@bw.edu
or
Brenda
Lennox
at
blennox@bw.edu
in
the
Department
of
World
Languages,
Literatures,
and
Cultures
at
(440)
826-2244.
Jessica
Villacres
'20
is
a
speech-language
pathology
graduate
student
in
Indiana
University's
STEPS
bilingual
training
program.
She
earned
a
degree
in
Spanish
and
communication
sciences
&
disorders
and
was
a
2020
Fulbright
recipient.
She
has
worked
as
a
Spanish
translator
for
COAR
Peace
Mission
and
the
Cleveland
Office
of
Minority
Health.
Katie
Fowler
'20
is
a
speech-language
pathology
master's
student
at
Case
Western
Reserve
University
and
an
intern
at
The
Orange
Effect
Foundation.
She
is
working
on
a
graduate
meta-analysis
pertaining
to
fluency
disorders.
She
earned
a
B.S.
in
communication
sciences
&
disorders
and
a
B.A.
Spanish.
Rachel
Szeles
'17
is
currently
a
graduate
student
at
the
University
of
Cincinnati.
She
received
a
double
degree
in
psychology
and
Spanish
from
BW.
She
has
worked
as
a
Spanish
translator
for
Big
Brothers
Big
Sisters
of
America
as
well
as
a
translator
and
legal
assistant
at
Liner
Legal.
Brad
Weeder
'17
received
a
double
degree
in
psychology
and
Spanish
from
BW.
He
has
worked
as
a
Spanish
translator
for
Medical
Mutual,
Stockyard,
Clark-Fulton,
Brooklyn
Center
and
the
Berea
School
District.
He
became
TEFL/TESOL
certified
to
teach
English
at
Interamerican
Studies
(CEDEI)
in
Cuenca,
Ecuador
in
2017-19.
Jennifer
Jouriles
'16
works
as
an
accountant
at
the
Cleveland
Clinic,
where
she
utilizes
both
of
her
disciplines
and
also
traveled
to
Honduras
on
a
medical
mission
trip
as
a
part
of
international
outreach.
She
received
a
double
degree
in
accounting
and
Spanish
from
BW
and
a
Master's
in
Latin
American
and
Caribbean
Studies
from
University
of
Chicago.
Chair, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Spanish Program Coordinator
Ph.D., The University of Georgia
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Kentucky
Karen Barahona
Chair, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Spanish Program Coordinator
Associate Professor
Ph.D., The University of Georgia
Matthew Feinberg
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Kentucky
Gilma Gamboa
Lecturer
M.A., Cleveland State University
Rosa Mejía
Lecturer
M.A., Cleveland State University