Spanish
About Spanish
Our Program and Courses
By the time you graduate, you will have:
- Proficiency in Spanish and the ability to communicate effectively and cohesively verbally and in writing
- An appreciation and understanding of the richness, diversity, and complexity of the Spanish-speaking world
- The ability to reflect upon your own culture through comparisons with Spanish-speaking cultures
- Familiarity with relevant historical periods, cultural traditions, social issues, artistic movements, major authors, representative texts and works, and figures of the Spanish-speaking world
- A foundation in modes of critical analysis, including close reading, socio-historical contextualization, literary analysis, scholarly research, and more.
Spanish Language Placement Exam
If you鈥檙e admitted to F&M and plan to study Spanish, you must complete a language placement exam. You鈥檒l complete this test the summer before you arrive on campus. This will allow us to place you in the class that best aligns with your skill level.Wondering what a Spanish course is like? Take a look at our course catalog to explore what鈥檚 available to you.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Off-Campus Study
As a speaker of the second-most spoken language in the U.S., you will have opportunities to apply what you learn outside the classroom. Our students have studied in Spain, Mexico, and many other Spanish-speaking countries. There are summer travel awards available to help you finance your efforts to study abroad.Explore off-campus study at F&M
Community-Based Learning
Spanish-speaking communities make up a large portion of Lancaster City, offering opportunities to practice your language skills through class projects, internships, and at cultural and social events. Our students have collaborated with the Latin American Alliance, the Literacy Council of Lancaster, the Festival Latinoamericano, Latino Health Summit, and more.Research Opportunities
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research. With faculty guidance, you can do a more in-depth dive into the topics related to the Spanish-speaking world that interest you most.Explore research at F&M
Spanish Tutoring
As you begin learning Spanish at F&M, you can work one-on-one with a peer language tutor. Our tutors can guide you through Spanish homework, share Spanish-specific study skills, help you prepare for exams, and more.Learn more about academic support at F&M
The Spanish Language Center
The language experts at our Spanish Language Center (SLC) are available to help with the complex process of learning to communicate in another language. You can turn to the SLC for individual, collaborative support to develop your Spanish written and oral expression, from essays and theses to presentations, slide design, podcast, etc. The center can also help you prepare for internships and job interviews in which Spanish is required. Whether Spanish is your heritage language or a second language, SLC staff are here to help.Learn more about academic support at F&M
Honors in Spanish
Completing an independent study can lead to honors in Spanish. To be considered for honors, you must first be nominated based on the results of your independent study, after which you will continue to research, defend, and refine results.Success Beyond F&M
Graduate School and Fellowships
It鈥檚 not uncommon for Spanish graduates to be awarded prestigious fellowships and continue their academic and professional development abroad. Alumni enroll in law, business, and medical school, have been awarded Fulbright teaching assistantships, or go on to work as English language teaching assistantships in Spain.Learn more about fellowships
Career Paths
Recent graduates of Spanish at F&M have pursued careers in law, medicine, business, and non-profit organizations. They hold positions such as:- Attorney
- Teaching Fellow
- Translator
- Doctor
Video by Max Escobar-Raulli '24Student Spotlight
Leveraging Science and Language in the Pursuit of Sustainability
鈥淚 have always been interested in the various aspects of biology, and I wanted to
explore its diverse disciplines in greater depth,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 pursued Spanish to
broaden my ability to connect with a wider range of people and to help bridge language
barriers, particularly within scientific settings.鈥�
This commitment to real-world impact led Rosato to a Franklin & Marshall lab where
she is investigating ocean climate change alongside Peter Fields, the Dr. E. Paul
& Frances H. Reiff Professor of Biology.
鈥淚 was drawn to Professor Fields鈥� research because his work is concerned with the
ecological consequences of climate change and utilizing molecular biological approaches
to identify long-term solutions to ecosystem loss,鈥� Rosato said.
Read More 禄Alumni Spotlight
鈥淵our other classes and experiences on- and off-campus have prepared you more than
you think to explore things outside your academic comfort zone.鈥�
鈥淵our other classes and experiences on- and off-campus have prepared you more than
you think to explore things outside your academic comfort zone,鈥� he said.
Turetsky took a course in science writing, became a Writing Center tutor, traveled
to Peru to study local perceptions of environmental and economic change in the Andes,
and completed a thesis studying Latin American historical fiction鈥檚 intersection with
themes of health and agriculture.
鈥淭he thesis project ultimately led to where I am now, a doctoral student in history
at Carnegie Mellon University studying the history of agriculture, environment, and
food in Latin America. My dissertation investigates the history of quinoa and other
Andean crops in the twentieth century,鈥� Turetsky said.
Read More 禄Alumni Spotlight
F&M in Harrisburg Offers Firsthand Look at Careers in Government
鈥淟ast semester, I testified on a panel of food-chain workers at the state capital
as part of a campaign for Driving PA Forward,鈥� Rivera-Esquivias, a government and
Spanish double major, said. 鈥淚 spoke about my life experiences as the daughter of
Mexican immigrant farmworkers.鈥�
Through this experience, Rivera-Esquivias met F&M alumnus Stephen Rudman 鈥�05, director
of legislative affairs at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The F&M in Harrisburg
Practicum made it possible for Rivera-Esquivias to turn this connection into an internship
with the department 鈥� and then a full-time job after graduation.
鈥淎s a native Pennsylvanian, my previous visits to Harrisburg were accompanying my
parents to meet with their immigration attorney,鈥� which was often stressful, she said.
鈥淗aving the opportunity to be in these spaces of public service and power has been
very reaffirming and healing for me.鈥�
Read More 禄
Related Fields of Study
Latin American and Latinx Studies
The peoples of Latin America and the diaspora embody diverse cultures, experiences, art, and history. As a student of Latin American and Latinx Studies at F&M, you will gain a deep understanding of key themes relating to the study of Latin America and Latinx cultures.
Linguistics
Language is what sets humans apart from other species, but how well do we understand it? By studying linguistics at F&M, you will learn about the roots of language, and why it鈥檚 so important in understanding humankind.
Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Engage with a program that is a true representation of the liberal arts. Established as a major in 2015, the innovative women鈥檚, gender and sexuality studies at F&M blends several academic disciplines to explore diverse perspectives of feminist theory.
Spanish at 同城约炮 in Action
March 25, 2026
James Conway 鈥�26 Concludes Historic Wrestling Career
同城约炮 wrestling captain James Conway 鈥�26 left it all on the mat at last weekend鈥檚 Division I NCAA championships to conclude one of the most decorated careers in school history. See his biggest takeaways as a student-athlete at 同城约炮, and what鈥檚 next after graduation.
September 29, 2025
Students Make Waves as Susquehanna River Watchdogs
Roselyn Ovalles 鈥�26 and Grace Uwezukwe 鈥�26 spent the summer monitoring the Susquehanna River and its many local tributaries as interns with the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association.
March 24, 2025
Sara Beqiraj 鈥�25 Pursues Passion for Medicine
鈥淕iven my early passion in medicine, I knew 同城约炮 would be the right place for me,鈥� says Sara Beqiraj, a biochemistry and molecular biology major and Spanish minor. See what she learned in the science lab and beyond at 同城约炮.