Spanish continues to gain ground as a widely spoken, national and international language, making the ability to communicate effectively in both written and spoken Spanish an invaluable intellectual, social, cultural, and professional resource. Spanish is an official language in 21 countries—with more than 400 million speakers worldwide (projected to be 530 million by 2050), it is the third most widely spoken language after Mandarin and English. In 25 years, the United States could have more Spanish speakers than any other country.
These just a few of the many career paths for which proficiency in spoken and written Spanish can be a valuable asset:
- Bilingual and second language education
- Medical, legal, and business professions
- Journalism
- Travel industry
- Translation
- Interpretation
- Nongovernmental/nonprofit work
- Library science
- Foreign service
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
Students declared in the Spanish major are not eligible to declare the Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Students or the Certificate in Business Spanish.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Culture (complete one): | 3 | |
| Introduction to Hispanic Cultures | ||
| Introduction to Latinx Cultures | ||
| Introductory Literature | 3 | |
| Introduction to Hispanic Literatures | ||
| Introductory Linguistics: | 3 | |
| Lying, Swearing, and Breaking the Rules: An Introduction to the Linguistic Study of Spanish | ||
| Advanced Language Practice: | 3 | |
| Advanced Language Practice | ||
| Survey Literature (complete one): | 3 | |
| Survey of Early Hispanic Literature | ||
| Survey of Modern Spanish Literature | ||
| Survey of Spanish American Literature | ||
| Linguistics (complete one): | 3 | |
| Spanish Phonetics | ||
| The Structure of Modern Spanish | ||
| Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Spanish Applied Linguistics | ||
| Advanced Spanish Phonetics | ||
| Introduction to the Romance Languages | ||
| Spanish in the United States | ||
| Topics in Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Study Abroad in Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Culture (complete one): | 3 | |
| Spanish Civilization | ||
| Spanish American Civilization | ||
| Survey of Latinx/e Popular Culture | ||
| Culture and the Environment in the Luso-Hispanic World | ||
| Contemporary Mayas: A Culture of Nature | ||
| Topics in Hispanic Culture | ||
| Topics in Latinx Culture | ||
| Hispanic Screen Studies | ||
| Study Abroad in Hispanic Cultures | ||
| Latin American Rock Cultures | ||
| Border and Race Studies in Latin America | ||
| Topics in Latin American Performance/Visual Studies | ||
| Race, Religion and Ethnicity in the Age of Empire | ||
| Targeted Language Skills (complete one): | 3 | |
| Spanish for Nursing | ||
| Spanish for Pharmacy | ||
| Topics in Spanish Language Practice | ||
| Advanced Conversation | ||
| Advanced Medical Spanish | ||
| Spanish for Business | ||
| Spanish Business Area Studies | ||
| Study Abroad in Spanish Language Practice | ||
| Student Option | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
3 additional SPANISH credits numbered 300 or above | ||
| Topics in Spanish American Literature in Translation | ||
| Intensive Portuguese | ||
| Spanish Electives: | 9 | |
9 additional SPANISH credits numbered 400 or above | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Faculty Engagement
At least 6 credits of SPANISH numbered 400 or above must be taken while physically on the UW-Madison campus.
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in SPANISH and all major courses
- 2.000 GPA on at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major, taken in residence1
- 15 credits in SPANISH, taken on the UW–Madison campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Major in consultation with the Spanish undergraduate advisor.
Honors in the Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA for all SPANISH courses numbered 300 and higher
- Complete the following coursework, taken for Honors, with individual grades of B or better:
- 6 credits, SPANISH 360 to SPANISH 680
- 3 credits, SPANISH 300 to SPANISH 680
- A two-semester Senior Honors Thesis in SPANISH 681 and SPANISH 682 for at least 6 credits.2
Footnotes
- 1
Courses numbered above SPANISH 311 Advanced Language Practice are considered upper-level in the major.
- 2
In certain circumstances (particularly when the student is an Honors candidate in two or more departments), 6 credits in literature, linguistics, or cultural studies in courses numbered 500 and above may be substituted for the Honors Thesis, upon recommendation by the Spanish undergraduate advisor.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop communication skills in Spanish and integrate these skills to exchange and assess ideas effectively and with level-appropriate accuracy in written and spoken Spanish.
- Demonstrate understanding of linguistic, pragmatic, sociolinguistic, and stylistic features of written and spoken Spanish, understand how they influence meaning, and apply these features in level-appropriate ways in writing and speech.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Hispanic cultures across historical epochs, including awareness of the social, cultural, and linguistic diversity that characterizes the Spanish-speaking world.
- Demonstrate familiarity with and apply basic methods of literary and/or linguistic analysis, which for literary analysis includes interpretation of written texts and other forms of artistic/cultural creation, both in and of themselves and in the context of the particular social, cultural, and historical milieus in which they were created.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SPANISH 203 | 4 | SPANISH 204 | 4 |
| Communication A | 3 | Quantatative Reasoning A or Intermediate/Advanced COMP SCI/MATH/STAT (if BS) | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Science Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 5 | Electives | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SPANISH 226 | 3 | SPANISH 223 | 3 |
| SPANISH 225 | 3 | SPANISH 224 | 3 |
| Communication B (Do not take in same semester as SPANISH 311.) | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SPANISH 311 (Do not take in same semester as Communication B.) | 3 | Spanish Survey Literature course | 3 |
| Spanish Targeted Language Skills course | 3 | Advanced Spanish Culture course | 3 |
| Quantatative Reasoning B or Intermediate/Advanced COMP SCI/MATH/STAT (if BS) | 3 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Electives | 6 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Advanced Spanish Linguistics course | 3 | 400 level Spanish Elective | 3 |
| 400 level Spanish Elective | 3 | 400 level Spanish Elective | 3 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Spanish & Portuguese website.
Advising
Please contact the undergraduate advisor (listed in Contact Information) with your questions and visit spanport.wisc.edu/undergrad-advising/.
Careers
International Directions Advisor
languages.wisc.edu/make-an-appointment
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students