The Spanish department at Carleton strives to engage students with both the Spanish language and the cultures of Spain and Latin America in a variety of ways. In addition to helping students cultivate critical thinking, analytical, communication and writing skills, the department provides students with opportunities to grow bi-culturally.
The department offers a wide array of courses taught by faculty who are experts in their fields. Students can take classes in Spanish and Latin American literature that range from more traditional works like Cervantes’ Don Quijote to the Latin American detective novel or the Contemporary Spanish film essay. There are classes on poetry, film, art history, history, and contemporary culture. Many classes draw on other disciplines such as Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Theater.
All students are encouraged to study abroad with our program in Madrid (every fall). The Madrid program is aimed at students who have fulfilled the language requirement and would like to fine-tune their language skills. There are also opportunities for studying abroad in Latin America through many programs vetted by our Off-Campus Studies Office. The vast majority of our students in the minor and major study abroad.
If you are looking for some informal practice to keep up with your Spanish, each year, there is a Spanish Language Associate (LA) from Spain who organizes cultural activities and biweekly Spanish conversation tables during lunch. The department also participates in Carleton’s International Film Forum, presenting Spanish and Latin American films, and brings film directors and authors to campus to give workshops. We strongly encourage students — majors, minors and non-majors alike — to participate in the many activities we organize.