Spanish Language and Culture

From enhancing your ability to speak Spanish to providing you with an awareness of and appreciation for Spanish cultural traditions, the Spanish Language and Culture certificate is a well-rounded program that goes beyond just learning a language. Through a combination of language acquisition, reading comprehension and analysis, and an in-depth examination of Spanish-speaking countries, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of Spanish culture through a variety of lenses.

Program Overview

Gain an in-depth knowledge of Spanish culture.

In addition honing your Spanish language skills through speaking, writing, reading, and listening, the Spanish Language and Culture certificate will also teach you about the traditions, history, and cultural practices of Spanish-speaking countries around the globe.

A complement to any major, this 12-credit certificate teaches the importance of celebrating diversity and makes you a candidate with a highly-sought skill when applying for jobs or graduate programs.

Gain well-rounded understanding

The Spanish Language and Culture certificate challenges you not only to learn the Spanish language, but also to immerse yourself in the cultural practices, literatures, and traditions of a multitude of Spanish-speaking countries.

Program Requirements

At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Continuation in the program is based on a progression through elementary to intermediate Spanish classes, which can be summarized as a completion of program requirements. A minimum of 12 credits is required and six of these credits need to be Western residency-credits.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
SPAN 101	Elementary Spanish I	3
SPAN 102	Elementary Spanish II	3
SPAN 201	Intermediate Spanish I	3
SPAN 202	Intermediate Spanish II	3
Total Credits		12

Faculty & Staff

Lorena Gómez, Ph.D.

Professor of Spanish

Cindy Petito

Administrative Assistant III

Marketa Zubkova, M.A.

Lecturer in Spanish

Careers

Top Skills

Communication
Cultural Competence
Interpersonal Skills
Listening Skills
Research
Writing

Career Pathways

Cultural Exchange Coordinator
Interpreter/Translator
Linguist
Media Correspondent
Public Relations Specialist
United Nations Worker

Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.

Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship

The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.

Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.

This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).

Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.

Apply

Alumni Legacy Scholarship

The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).

Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:

This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).

The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.

Apply

Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship

The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.

Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).

Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.

The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Presidential Promise

The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.

For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.

Tuition Discount Programs

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.

For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.

Western Merit Scholarship

Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.

For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.

Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.

Get Involved

Pursue experiential learning opportunities.

Fine-tune your skills, make new connections, and take your education beyond the classroom.

Multicultural Center: Connect with students from many cultures on campus, participate in community service, and organize cultural events.
Volunteering: Students serve at Gunnison County’s Multicultural Resources and Project Hope to provide support for local Spanish-speaking individuals searching for additional resources to succeed in life.

A highly valued skill

By learning one of the most spoken languages in the world, you’ll enhance your resume and stand out to a variety of employers in addition to gaining an invaluable lifelong skill.