DEPARTMENT OF SPANISH
The Future Speaks Spanish
Master the language of success for a thriving career in any profession! There are almost 600 million Spanish speakers worldwide, and the U.S. has the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico. Knowing Spanish gives you a competitive edge in a global market where communication is key. With the Hispanic population in the U.S. projected to reach nearly one out of every four people by 2050, learning Spanish is no longer just a valuable asset—it is a vital necessity.
WHY STUDY SPANISH?
Bilingual skills are highly valued across the U.S. job market, with Spanish being the language most in-demand. Proficiency in a second language is becoming a vital skill across all sectors, and employers in diverse industries—including medical, government, legal, journalism, business, education, sales and more—seek applicants who can communicate fluently in Spanish.
Bilingual employees earn an average of 5-20% more than their monolingual counterparts and are in great demand in high-prestige jobs. Proficiency in Spanish can help you stand out in a competitive job market and secure high-paying and prestigious roles in business management, industrial engineering, finance, law, social work, and healthcare among other industries.
Learning a second language not only fosters creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills—it also enhances your ability to process information quickly and efficiently. These critical skills are often at the top of the list of desired attributes for employees with pivotal roles in industry.
With its Latin roots, similar alphabet, and about 20,000 cognates with English, Spanish is considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. Proficiency in Spanish also makes it easier to learn Latin-based languages like French, Italian and Portuguese.
