Spanish for the Professions minor and certificate at Downtown Phoenix campus

The Spanish for the Professions minor/certificate both consist of an 18-credit series of courses designed to develop your communication skills and cultural knowledge to more expertly serve the needs of Spanish speakers in the U.S. and abroad. 

Combining professionally focused courses and practical experiences, you will prepare for employment in positions that require advanced proficiency in Spanish and an in-depth understanding of U.S.-Latinx and Latin American cultures.

Whether your field is social work, health care, criminology, journalism, business, education, law or any other professional field, this certificate/minor can help you to engage in the social challenges of your profession and in civil discourse. This program will open the doors for you to integrate your professional knowledge with different cultural perspectives in a way that is purpose-driven, innovative, and focused on problem-solving.

Whether your interests are in health, food, culture, racial discourse, justice, government administration, the arts, and more, you’ll develop abilities to engage with diverse people, cultivate cultural understanding, promote civil discourse, and build healthy social networks.

Mission

The Spanish for the Professions programs offer you the opportunity to integrate technological tools, community interactions, real work experiences, and cultural and professional knowledge that will lead you to your career success. 

The minor and certificate programs prepare you, as a second language learner or Spanish heritage student, to improve and apply language skills in your professional field. You will discover cultural perspectives and communication methods of public value. These tools will help you to assume fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of your community.

Contact us

All questions about the Spanish minor and Spanish for the Professions certificate can be directed to cisa@asu.edu.

Online Spanish tutoring. Free help with Spanish writing, grammar, and conversation for students enrolled in Spanish courses at the ASU Downtown Campus. All levels welcome. Sign up on Eventbrite at links.asu.edu/CISA-Spanish-Tutoring

Virtual sessions on Zoom

Get speaking or writing help with your Spanish! We welcome undergraduate and graduate students from across all ASU colleges and schools, whether you're working on Spanish courses or working on Spanish translation or academic writing. (Note: Help with writing can be more in-depth on Tuesday evening sessions).

Sign up on Eventbrite

The three focus areas

Once students reach the higher level of course for the minor or certificate, they will select a focus for their their further studies.

Learn by doing: pre-arranged internships

Spend a semester learning and working at a pre-approved community internship venue! You will hone your ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking clients and work effectively in a cross-cultural setting.

Enrollment in SPA 484:

Spanish Internship is not limited to students in the Spanish for the Professions certificate or the Spanish minor. Any undergraduate or graduate student can be part of it! Contact the Spanish for the Professions coordinator to learn more: spanishfortheprofessions@asu.edu

 

Recent internship venues have included:

  • Univision Arizona
  • Aliento AZ
  • Advance Community, a global non-profit health organization
  • Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic
  • The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
  • Judicial Branch of Maricopa County, Law Library Resource Center
  • Educational Outreach and Student Services, American Dream Academy, ASU
  • ACCEL, K-12 Special Needs Education
  • Cronkite Noticias, Arizona PBS
  • Student Health Outreach for Wellness (SHOW) Community Initiative

Our faculty will help you to develop career readiness by:

  • empowering you to use knowledge responsibly, innovatively, and fairly.
  • inspiring you to develop a work ethic that respects different cultural values.
  • challenging you to be innovative and socially inclusive.
  • engaging you in the use of new technologies.
  • preparing you to work in teams and collaboratively.
  • enhancing your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • developing your Spanish oral and written communication skills.
  • training you to be an effective and fair-minded leader.

Career possibilities

Use the list below to help you check out some of the current job openings for Bilingual Spanish/English professionals at online employment sites such as Indeed.com.

Spanish student highlights

Below you will find the stories about the experiences of current and former students in the Spanish for the Professions certificate and Spanish minor programs.

Special learning opportunities for healthcare professionals

The Spanish faculty in the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus also offer three levels of Spanish for Healthcare Professionals: SPA 118, 218, and 318.* These courses focus heavily on acquiring and understanding the appropriate use of grammar, conversational skills, and medical vocabulary in Spanish. They are in high demand by nursing and nutrition students as well as by professionals working in a healthcare field.

*Notice that SPA 118 and SPA 218 do not form part of the professional Minor/Certificate.

Beyond the classroom

While preparing you to use your language skills in the career of your choice, the Spanish for the Professions certificate and the Spanish minor also:

  • connect you with Spanish speakers in your community.
  • coordinate an Internship Program so you can expand your work experience.
  • introduce you to professionals and guest speakers who visit your classrooms.
  • prepare you for public speaking through poster presentations and expos of your own work.
  • integrate community outreach events into your courses.
  • host events that celebrate the Latinx culture, such as Hispanic Heritage Month events, Día de los muertos celebrations, film screenings, reading sessions for kids, and more.
  • offer you personalized help to improve your language skills in the Spanish Writing and Tutoring Center.

FAQs

The Spanish for the Professions minor and certificate have identical requirements but cater to different student audiences. The minor is for ASU students majoring outside Spanish (e.g., journalism, health solutions, social work, criminology), while the certificate is open to all ASU degree programs (including Spanish majors).

The SPMCP requires 18 credits, comprising four core courses (including the
internship) and two electives.

Typically, the 18-credit program (including an internship) takes three to four semesters to complete.

You need to have completed SPA 314 or SPA 316, or obtain instructor permission (e.g. in the case of a waiver of the requirement) to start the SPMCP.

If you have prior Spanish knowledge or experience in a Spanish-speaking country, you can request a waiver for pre-requisites by taking a placement test. To be considered for this waiver, please contact: spanishfortheprofessions@asu.edu.

SPA 317 Spanish for the Professions (3)
SPA 404 Spanish in U.S. Professional Communities, C (3)
SPA 405 Latino Cultural Perspectives for the Professions, (L or HU) & C & G (3)
 
SPA 484 Internship (3)*
* Prerequisite for SPA 484 Internship: A minimum of 12 credit hours completed in the SPMCP OR permission of the instructor. 

The three-credit internship requires 135 contact hours at a workplace venue to be chosen in consultation with the SPMCP Internship Coordinator (an average of 9 hours per week).

Choose six credits from the following list:
SPA 318 Advanced Spanish for Healthcare Professionals (3)
SPA 401 Spanish Oral Communication for the Professions (3) ***
SPA 402 Spanish Written Communication for the Professions (3) ***
SPA 403 Spanish Grammar and Stylistics for the Professions (3) *** 
SPA 406 Introduction to Spanish/English Medical Interpretation (3)
SPA 494 Introduction to Spanish Translation for the Professions (3) 
*** indicates Cronkite-recommended courses
 
SPA 494 Community Interpretation (3)
SPA 494 Latinx/Latin American Film: Ethical Discussions for the Professions H, G, L (3)    
OR
Any SPA 300- or 400-level Spanish course focused on the professions (e.g., business, engineering and urban planning,legal and justice studies, sustainability) (3)
 

Yes, Spanish credits from other ASU units (e.g., the School of International Letters & Cultures) or external institutions focusing on professional Spanish use can count towards the SPMCP.

To fulfill program requirements, you must earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.00) or better in
all courses.

Having a minor or certificate in Spanish for the Professions offers a competitive advantage by increasing employability and providing strong communication skills. It opens doors to diverse career paths, global opportunities, and positions that require bilingualism. Additionally, it fosters cultural sensitivity, which is vital in today’s interconnected world, and can lead to professional growth, higher earning potential, and promotions in various sectors, making it a valuable asset in today’s increasingly global job market.