Today, Spanish is one of the principal languages of the world in terms of numbers of native speakers. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations. There are over 700 million Spanish speakers and the numbers are consistently on the rise. Students who choose to major in Spanish will find that, in addition to getting a desirable degree in the arts that aims at enriching their lives, the knowledge of Spanish may be helpful in the selection of a career since international business and world trade seem to be the way of the future.
The Spanish and Latin American Studies Department offers both General and Honours programs. In the General program, the student may choose language-oriented or literature-oriented courses while concentrating on either Latin American or Peninsular literature. In the Honours program, one may choose Spanish as a single Honours or in combination with other disciplines.
In Canada, the North-American Free Trade Agreement has promoted the need for Spanish/English translators capable not only of conveying the meaning of one language into another but also of recognizing and understanding the social and cultural backgrounds that underlie the two linguistic communities. Advanced language skills, as well as subject knowledge, ethics, and professional ethics, are essential to professional translators. Our goal is to provide students with the necessary tools to overcome the very complex process of translation.
The Spanish/English Translation academic plans are especially suitable for students who wish to pursue a career in translation or for those who are already working as translators and seek formal professional training. The academic plans include a Specialization for students in our department, a Minor for students from other departments in the Faculty of Arts or from other faculties, and a Diploma for post-degree and non-degree students.
For more information on all our programs, please visit the Spanish and Latin American Studies website.