Sample Courses
- Linguistics
- Peninsular and Latin American Civilizations
- Transatlantic Hispanic Cultures and Readings
- Written and Oral Expression
Popular Electives
- Bilingualism in the Hispanic World
- Communication and Culture in Spain
- Introduction to Linguistics
- Language Field School in Afro-Hispanic Societies
- Latin American Civilizations
- Peninsular Literature
- Spanish for the Professions
- Women in the Hispanic Literary Tradition
Recent Internships
- Costa Rica study abroad
- Cultures Learning TOGETHER, Inc.
- Peru/Ecuador study abroad
Alumni Spotlight
Karen Caswell ’21
Majors: Spanish, Communication (Intercultural Communication)
Minors: Latin American Studies, Linguistics
Career: Caswell is in Monterey, CA, pursuing a master’s degree in the Middlebury Institute for International Studies’ translation and interpretation Spanish-English program.
Spanish Major
Why study Spanish at Geneseo?
Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in the US and the second-most spoken globally, making a broad awareness of Hispanic cultures and heritages valuable for almost any career path.
At Geneseo, students of Spanish have an opportunity to go beyond the study of language skills to real-world applications through community service-oriented programs and internships. Our Spanish program offers a variety of dynamic civilization, linguistic, and professions courses to complement language and cultural knowledge acquisition. Double majors are common with many disciplines.
Faculty encourage students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities, directed studies, classroom assistant experiences, academic conferences, and cultural events organized by our active Spanish Club. Geneseo’s graduates in Spanish are well prepared to pursue a variety of careers or further their education.
Program Options
- BA in Spanish
- BA in Spanish, Adolescence Education
- Minor in Spanish
- Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Additional Options
- Certification in Adolescence Education: Spanish (7–12)
- Concentration in Foreign Language: Spanish with Childhood Education with Special Education (1–6)
- Concentration in Foreign Language: Spanish with Early Childhood/Childhood Education (B–6)
- Microcredential in Sociocultural Mediator in Spanish
Program Highlights
- Class size is small, so students receive plenty of personal attention.
- Almost all faculty hold a PhD and have extensive experience teaching in the US and abroad.
- Geneseo offers study abroad opportunities in Spain, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, and Argentina, many of which are faculty-led or include internship opportunities. An annual department scholarship supports study abroad.
- Students may work one-on-one with professors on independent research; research is often presented at local, regional, and national conferences.
- Students are eligible for membership in the Geneseo chapters of nationally accredited academic honor societies in Spanish and foreign languages.
- The Center for Languages and Cultures creates a cross-cultural bridge with the world for Geneseo students and the wider community; it also provides a space where students may volunteer to tutor Spanish or receive free peer tutoring.
- Many of the college’s recipients of Fulbright Awards, Gilman International Scholarships, and other prestigious fellowships and scholarships are language students.
Example Careers
- Director of Study Abroad or Global Programs
- Editor, Multimedia Journalist, PR Professional
- Foreign Service Member
- Government Worker or Official
- Medical Professional
- Migrant/bilingual Educator
- NGO Worker or Official
- School Administrator
- Teacher or Professor
- Translator or Interpreter
- US or International Lawyer
Recent Employers
- Apple
- Camerican International
- Homeland Security, Colorado Division
- Hover, Inc.
- Movable Ink
- Multipure International
- NYU Langone Health
- Paychex
- Quit Genius
- SUNY Cortland Research Foundation
- Team Cymru, Inc.
- Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Recent Grad Schools
- American University in Cairo
- Binghamton University
- Indiana University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Middlebury Institute for International Studies, Monterey, CA
- SUNY Buffalo
- Texas State University
- The Graduate Center, CUNY
- Tulane University
- University of Florida
- University of Illinois College of Medicine
- University of Pittsburgh
Contact Info
Susana Castillo-Rodríguez, Associate Professor
castillos@geneseo.edu
Welles Hall 206B
585-245-6350
