Program Overview
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Temple University prepares students for the pluralistic, globalized society of the 21st century. As a student, you’ll benefit from rigorous language training and a liberal arts education. Specialized courses in business, criminal justice, and medical Spanish and translation/interpretation skills complement a robust array of language and literature courses. The result is that both majors and non-majors are both able to tailor their learning towards their professional and intellectual goals.
In addition to on-campus instruction, the department facilitates student connections with local and global communities through participation in one of our special programs: an intensive immersion program in Spanish and Latin American Studies (LASS); diverse programs abroad, including our Temple Spain Programs; and community engagement learning and internships in areas of business, social service and education in Philadelphia. Students studying in Spanish and Portuguese are well positioned for life after Temple. After graduation, our students take on careers in the public and private sectors, working in fields such as international relations and education, while others continue their studies, attending law, medical and graduate schools. Regardless of the context, our students’ language and analytic skills distinguish them from their peers. For more information on Spring 2023 courses in Spanish, please view our course catalog.
Spanish Major
The Bachelor of Arts in Language, Literature and Linguistics major embodies the curriculum of a foundational liberal arts program. Skills in research, information literacy, analysis, cultural competencies and written and oral discourse are honed, along with language proficiency through direct language instruction and courses in literature and linguistics.
The Bachelor of Arts in Language and Professional Studies is designed for the student whose career interests focus upon the professional world. Courses in Translation, Medical, Business and Criminal Justice Spanish form the foundation of this track.
The Bachelor of Arts in Spanish for Education major not only prepares students linguistically for their future careers as educators, but also fulfills the College of Education’s Spanish requirements for certification in Spanish for Secondary Education.
Minor in Portuguese
The Portuguese Minor is designed for students with two principle goals in mind: for students who wish to develop strong language and professional skills, and a critical awareness of Brazilian, Portuguese and Luso-African cultures. Today Brazil constitutes Latin America’s largest and fastest growing economy. With the World Cup (2014) and Olympics (2016), student demand for Brazilian language and culture courses at Temple and Universities across the nation has seen a sizeable increase. Within the past decade, Philadelphia itself has seen a large Brazilian population flock to the Northeast of the city, establishing a community of over 15,000 with flourishing local businesses. There is a clear need for Portuguese speakers in the United States. Whether students’ interests lie in Latin American Studies, visual arts, music, media, literature, international business, foreign relations, or the African diaspora, the Portuguese Minor is globally minded. We believe undergraduate Spanish students can quickly learn Portuguese and increase their job credentials. Finally, our Minor provides excellent language instruction through a variety of cultural contexts. Bem-vindos!
Six courses (18-20 credits) numbered 1000-4999 are required. The distribution of courses depends on the individual student’s proficiency level. See the faculty advisor in Portuguese for more information.
- A maximum of two Portuguese courses at the 1000 level 0-8
- A minimum of four Portuguese courses at the 2000 level or higher 12
- Minors are awarded only at the time of completion of the bachelor’s degree and cannot be awarded either as a stand-alone program of study or after completion of the first bachelor’s degree.
- Students may substitute PORT 1021 Portuguese for Spanish Speakers or intermediate/advanced level courses for the beginning PORT 1001 and PORT 1002.
- The minor in Portuguese requires 6 courses (18 credits minimum) in Portuguese.
- Note: For the Spanish Major, up to two Portuguese courses may be taken in place of two Spanish 2000/3000-level courses.
Learn more about the Minor in Portuguese
Spanish Certificate Ranked #1 in the Nation
Foreign Language Colleges has ranked Temple University’s Spanish Certificate Program #1 in the nation based on US Department of Education data sets released in 2014-15. A diverse set of certificates allows students to meet their linguistic and professional goals
Latin American Studies Semester (LASS)
Latin American Studies students have numerous study abroad opportunities. Don’t restrict your to just the classroom—get out into the Spanish, Portuguese and French speaking worlds! Consider enrolling in the Latin American Studies Semester to study abroad in Ecuador for three weeks!
- Learn More about the Latin American Studies Semester
Online Courses
Are you a Temple student?
Online courses provide the same quality and educational content as traditional classrooms, but with the flexibility to advance your studies on your own time and anywhere in the world.
Are you interested in pursuing Spanish to further professional or personal goals or to earn academic credit for transfer?
Temple Spanish courses are credit-bearing and immersive courses taught by Temple faculty. Our online courses emphasize interactive teaching and learning in a flexible way that is compatible with virtually any schedule. Students markedly progress allowing them to communicate in interactions using Spanish in the real-world.
