The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers undergraduates an opportunity to master the four fundamental skills in language acquisition which include: speaking, understanding, reading, and writing in Spanish and Portuguese.  In addition, to the study of literary, cultural, and linguistic heritages of the Spanish-and Portuguese-speaking peoples in the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas.

The Department offers the B.A. degree in Spanish and in Portuguese.  For those interested in pursuing the M.A. degree, the Department offers specialties in Spanish-American literature; Hispanic linguistics or studies in bilingualism; Hispanic, Portuguese, and Brazilian literatures.  For those interested in pursuing the Ph.D. degree, the Department offers specialties in Hispanic languages and literatures with specialization in Spanish and Spanish-American Literature;  Hispanic languages and literatures with specialization in Hispanic Linguistics; and literatures with specialization in Portuguese and Brazilian Literature.  In addition, the following Optional PhD Emphasizes in European Medieval Studies or Feminist Studies or Applied Linguistics.

Students interested in a Spanish or Portuguese major may meet with the department chair and/or academic advisor on the first day of each quarter. Student Affairs staff in the Department are available on a regular basis for advice on academic matters.