Spanish at Butler
More and more college students are
choosing to study Spanish, a trend that reflects the very real
demographic shift which has occurred recently in the United
States. The latest census figures show that the
Hispanic/Latino population is now the largest minority in the US.
In fact, one in five people in the US speak Spanish as their
native/heritage language and the US ranks as the fifth largest
Spanish speaking country among the 21 Spanish-speaking countries in
the world. College students are realizing that there is a
good chance that, at best, they will need to cultivate the
necessary skills to be able to communicate in Spanish, or, at the
very least, they will need to have some introduction to
Hispanic/Latino culture as they enter the 21st-century workforce
after graduation. If you are considering a major or minor in
Spanish, remember that it makes a nice partner major to almost any
other field of study, including Political
Science, Biology, and Dance.
If you choose to major in Spanish at Butler you will have a
variety of courses to choose from, including Hispanic Film,
Hispanic Short Story, Latin American Culture, Advanced Spanish
Grammar, and specialized seminars like Contemporary Spanish Fiction
and the Latin American Women Writers. We also have a Service
Learning course that connects Butler students with the growing
Latino population of Indianapolis, creating meaningful learning
communities and local immersion experiences that strengthen
linguistic skills and increase cultural awareness. Students
interested in studying abroad have a variety of choices, including
our own program in Alcalá de Henares a town famous for its
university and just a short drive from Madrid. This program was
designed for Butler students and a Butler faculty member is the
on-site supervisor and director for the students. We also sponsor a
Summer Study trip to Guadalajara, Mexico which is excellent for
students who prefer to arrange for their study abroad during the
summer.
We encourage our students to cultivate an interest in the
Spanish language and culture outside of the traditional classroom
experience. Our students study abroad in record numbers, download
realtime radio programs in other languages, watch the all-Spanish
television station "Univisión" in their dorms, pass around tapes of
pop-musical icons like Shakira, or visit our Mexican consulate to
say hello to the very accessible Consul, Sergio Aguilera. Our
location in a large city like Indianapolis affords us many of these
cultural opportunities, which also include the annual Fiesta celebration downtown
and several other community gatherings for holidays like Día de
los muertos and Cinco de Mayo.
After graduation our Spanish majors go on to pursue a variety of
professional paths, including: teachers, graduate studies, lawyers,
musicians, dancers, study abroad directors, and professors.
We are excited about our growing program, and we are eager to
talk with you about any questions you might have. Please don't
hesitate to call or email us.