An associate's degree in Spanish consists of two years of study. These programs usually teach up to intermediate levels of Spanish, including learning how to speak, read and write the language. Often, courses include Spanish history and open oral discussions. For example, Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, California, has a program with 29 total credits in Spanish I to IV, Conversational Spanish, Chicano Experience and Hispanic Civilizations. A person with a Spanish associate's degree can transfer to a four-year university and apply to a bachelor's program.
If you major in Spanish at a four-year institution, the training is much more rigorous than in an associate's degree. Programs include reading novels and poetry in Spanish, with up to 120 required hours in Spanish to earn a bachelor of arts (B.A.). You can also minor in Spanish if you want to major in an another area where the language would be useful, such as public relations, medicine or hospitality. For example, the University of Florida offers a Spanish degree as a major or minor, for both bilinguals and non-bilinguals, with 33 semester hours of course work that begins with applied Spanish. Also, students at the baccalaureate level can pick a Spanish language to focus in, such as Portuguese.
At the graduate level the study of the Spanish language has different applications. At California State University students can earn a master of arts in Hispanic studies that focuses on literature, linguistics and cultures in Spanish-speaking regions. These programs often assist students who want to work abroad at the elementary, secondary or college level, as well as students who want to work in foreign business, international relations, government agencies and international relations as language specialists.
Students who study abroad have the advantage of conversing with native speakers. Boston University has an international program for students wishing to study seasonally in Spanish-speaking countries, such as an Argentina cultural studies program for the summer. In these environments, students learn colloquialisms in native countries and immerse themselves in a completely foreign environment, which allows for enriching cultural and linguistic experiences.