Spanish, B.A.
Become a global professional with superior levels of Spanish speaking skills.
“If you find language and culture exciting and you want to learn how to think with a global perspective, this major is a great match.”
Reed Peets (B.A. in Spanish and International Studies '22)
Market Operations and Customer Success at TruckerCloud
About the Bachelor of Arts in Spanish
The Department of Modern Languages in the College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in Spanish. Spanish majors study the language, linguistics, histories, literatures, and cultures of Latin America and Spain. They develop language skills in listening and reading comprehension, speaking and writing, and gain multicultural competency.
The Spanish major empowers students to navigate complexity, diversity, and change, while developing talents that are highly sought in the workforce: effective communication, problem-solving, analytical thinking, worldliness, and the ability to work with diverse groups of people. Bbecome a global citizen with superior Spanish skills to make an impact on our interconnected world.
The Value of Spanish Proficiency
Spanish is the second most spoken language on the planet and is the primary language in 21 countries. Over 400 million people speak Spanish worldwide and the United States alone is home to 40 million Spanish speakers. Our Spanish graduates have gone into careers in education, business, research, health care, law, marketing, government, banking, tourism, journalism, translation, foreign service, publishing, multimedia production, and more.
On this Page…
Program Information
Degree
B.A. in Spanish
Required Credit Hours
120
Program Type
Major
Minor
Program Location
School
Duration
4 years
Degree Requirements
Find out about credit hour and course requirements from the 2025-26 academic catalog.
Students in the College of Liberal Arts earning the B.A. degree have a common set of 48-50 hours of general education. The specific courses taken to complete the categories of general education may differ between majors.
Categories of General Education:
- First Year Writing I, II
- English Literature Survey
- Modern or Ancient Language
- History
- Additional Humanities
- Fine or Performing Arts Appreciation
- Mathematics
- Social Sciences
- Natural Sciences
To see the details for these general education requirements, visit the UM online catalog or the degree sheet attached at the top of this webpage.
Students in the B.A.in Spanish program complete 30 credit hours at the 300 level or above. They must complete a minimum of 9 advanced credit hours in residence at UM and a maximum of 9 credit hours through an approved study abroad program. Grades lower than C in Spanish courses will not be counted toward the major. Students completing the BA degree in the College of Liberal Arts are also required to complete a minor field of study (or second major).
One of the following:
- Span 303 and 304: Conversation and Composition I and II
- Span 305: Intensive Conversation and Composition
- Span 306 and 307: Spanish for Heritage Learners I and II
Complete the following:
- Span 330: Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
- Span 331: Intro to Lit and Literary Analysis
- 3 courses (9 credit hours) at the 300-level or higher
- 3 courses (9 credit hours) at the 500-level or higher with at least one literature and one linguistics course
One of the following:
- Span 303 and 304: Conversation and Composition I and II
- Span 305: Intensive Conversation and Composition
- Span 306 and 307: Spanish for Heritage Learners I and II
Complete the following:
- 3 courses (9 credit hours) of Spanish electives
See all the Spanish courses in the online catalog.
Department Opportunities
Video: What Do Students Say About Studying Spanish?
Hear firsthand from students, faculty, and staff about the Spanish program.
Double Major: Spanish and International Studies
Enhance your Spanish degree with a B.A. in International Studies, an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the connections between politics, economics, and culture at the international level. Apply to the Croft Institute by January 10.
Students in the Croft Institute:
- Have access to small, discussion-based Croft courses with the Institute's professors who foster discussion, reflection and analysis.
- Specialize in a foreign language and study abroad for at least one semester in a country where that language is spoken.
- Can apply to Croft Scholars program, a prestigious scholarship which can be combined with other forms of financial assistance.
What Can You Do With a Spanish Degree?
- Senior VP at Bank of America
- Owner of Pan American Solidarity
- VP of Marketing at Aquila Commercial
- Senior Communications Specialist at FedEx
- CEO at Global Outreach
- Public Relations at Exxon
- International Non-Profit Developer at United Nations
- Hospital Physician at Duke University
- Intelligence Analyst for the U.S. Army
- Associate Attorney at Linklaters
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students
We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet.
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?