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Spanish

Spanish Placement test: Click here to find out which level class to take.

 

Spanish

With more than 400 million speakers, Spanish is one of the most important languages in our globalized world. Spanish is the official language in 21 countries and more than 45 million speak it in the United States. Apart from its demographic importance, Spanish is also important because of its cultural and literary influence. Writers such as Cervantes, Borges, and García Márquez; artists such as Goya, Velázquez, and Picasso; and the musical styles of salsa, tango, and mambo are some of the numerous contributions of the Hispanic world to world culture.

Globalization is part of the reality of the twenty-first century and speaking Spanish has almost become a necessity. Miami has become a city of tremendous social and economic growth, and it offers many opportunities for academic and professional development in bilingual environments. In this prosperous city known as the Gateway to the Americas, more than 60% of the population speaks Spanish, which makes it an ideal place for learning the language. Unlike other American cities, Miami’s Hispanics are not just from one nationality, as the city has residents from all of Latin America and Spain. For those who wish to learn or improve their Spanish as a second language, Miami offers an ideal environment for learning the language in a multicultural environment. At the same time, native speakers have the opportunity to compare and explore the many facets of the language, literature, art, and culture of all the different Hispanic countries.

The Department of Modern Languages at Florida International University offers a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in Spanish. Our mission is to educate cur students in language, literature, linguistics, and Latin American and Spanish culture. To meet this goal, the Spanish program offers introductory and advanced courses in language, linguistics, literature, translation and interpretation, film, and culture. In addition, our summer program in Spain, established in 1992, offers an excellent opportunity to explore another aspect of Spanish language and culture by living directly with Spanish-speaking families. We also feature a highly qualified faculty from some of the finest universities in the country, with a diversity of academic interests and with long years of experience, which makes our department an ideal place to study Spanish.

Español

Con más de 400 millones de hablantes, el español es uno de los idiomas más importantes de nuestro mundo globalizado. En 21 países es la lengua oficial y en Estados Unidos viven más de 45 millones de personas que lo hablan. Además de su importancia demográfica, el español también destaca por su influencia cultural y literaria. Escritores como Cervantes, Borges y García Márquez; pintores como Goya, Velázquez y Picasso; y expresiones musicales como la salsa, el tango y el mambo, son algunos de los numerosos ejemplos de la influencia del mundo hispánico en la cultura universal.

La globalización es una realidad incuestionable del siglo XXI y hablar español se ha vuelto una necesidad. En la actualidad Miami es una ciudad de gran expansión tanto social como económica, que ofrece oportunidades ideales para el desempeño académico y profesional en ambientes bilingües. En esta próspera ciudad conocida como “La puerta de las Américas” más del 60% de sus habitantes hablan español, lo que la convierte en el lugar ideal para el aprendizaje de este idioma. A diferencia de otras ciudades, Miami no sólo acoge a hispanos de una nacionalidad. En ella residen personas de toda Hispanoamérica y España. Para aquéllos que aspiran a aprender o a mejorar el español como segunda lengua, estudiar en Miami les permitirá un aprendizaje idóneo de la lengua dentro de un contexto multicultural; mientras que los nativos del idioma tendrán la oportunidad de comparar y explorar las múltiples facetas de la lengua, la literatura, las artes y la cultura de los diferentes países hispanos.

El departamento de Lenguas Modernas de la Universidad Internacional de la Florida ofrece una Licenciatura (Bachelor), una Maestría y un Doctorado en español. Nuestra misión es educar a los estudiantes en la lengua, la literatura, la lingüística y la cultura española e hispanoamericana. Para alcanzar esta meta, el programa de español ofrece cursos introductorios y avanzados de lengua, lingüística, literatura, traducción e interpretación, cine y cultura. Además, nuestro programa de verano en España, establecido en 1992, representa una excelente oportunidad para explorar una faceta adicional y directa de la lengua y cultura española entre familias de habla hispana. También contamos con un profesorado altamente cualificado, procedente de las mejores universidades del país, con una gran diversidad de intereses académicos y con muchos años de experiencia, lo que en conjunto nos convierte en un lugar óptimo para estudiar español.

Contacts

To receive more information about lower-division Spanish classes (SPN1130, SPN1131, SPN2200, SPN 2201), please contact the Department of Modern Languages at (305) 348-2851 or e-mail Dr. Marie Guiribitey, at mguiribi@fiu.edu.

To receive information about upper-division Spanish classes, please contact the Department of Modern Languages at (305) 348-2851 or e-mail Dr. Andrea Fanta, at afanta@fiu.edu. 

For information about the Graduate Spanish Program, please contact the Department of Modern Languages at (305) 348-2851 or e-mail our Interim Graduate Program Director, Dr. Maida Watson, at watsonm@fiu.edu.

Sigma Delta Pi- National Hispanic Honor Society 

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SIGMA DELTA PI

Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica

www.sigmadeltapi.org

Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, is currently accepting applications for membership by Tuesday, October 12, 2023.

Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible if they are currently enrolled in upper-level Spanish courses and:

Those who are already members of another chapter are requested to contact Prof. Idania Cater icater@fiu.edu.

  1. Completion of three years of study of college-level Spanish (18 semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization (or a course whose content includes at least 1/3 of these) at the junior (third-year) level. A student may be admitted to active membership while still enrolled in the second junior-level course if:  a) all other requirements have been met; b) the course’s instructor certifies that the student’s work is of “B” or better; c) the first junior-level course has already been completed with a grade of “B” or better at the current institution.
  2. A minimal grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all Spanish courses taken. (The candidate MUST have earned grades in completed Spanish courses in order to qualify for membership.) 
  3. Ranking in the upper 35% of their class—sophomore, junior, or senior— and the completion of at least three semesters or five quarters of college work (institutions unable to generate class rank should use a 3.2 cumulative grade point average as this criterion).  

Graduate students who have been unconditionally admitted to a degree granting program may be confirmed for membership upon completion of two graduate courses in Spanish with an average that, if continued, will make them eligible for a graduate degree. 

Application form and an unofficial FIU transcript to the mailbox of Idania Cater at icater@fiu.edu, Secretary of Sigma Delta Pi.

Election to Sigma Delta Pi is based on scholarship in general, a high level of attainment in the study of Spanish, a genuine interest in things Hispanic, and professorial recommendation. If accepted, the student must attend the induction ceremony on November 16 at 6 pm. A one-time dues charge of $30 includes a certificate and pin.

The deadline for application is Tuesday, October 12, 2023.

Applicationsare available to download.

Please direct any questions to Prof. Mileusnich and/or Prof. Cater at mmileusn@fiu.edu or icater@fiu.edu.

MEMBER BENEFITS

REASONS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF SIGMA DELTA PI:

  • Association with the only honor society devoted exclusively to students of Spanish in four-year colleges and universities, the largest foreign-language honor society in existence (over 180,000 members) and one of the elite as attested by its membership in the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation’s only certifying agency for college and university honor societies.
  • Active and ambitious student members may apply as a chapter for Chapter Project Grants to help finance their group’s activities that complement the mission of Sigma Delta Pi.
  • An enhanced résumé afforded by serving as an active chapter officer: organizational leadership and initiative are attractive qualities to prospective employers.
  • Available awards for outstanding faculty of Hispanic Studies or members of one’s local community who have made exceptional efforts in furthering Sigma Delta Pi’s mission.
  • Closer association with students of similar interests and out-of-class interaction with members of faculty.
  • Opportunities to participate and/or present in Sigma Delta Pi’s annual sessions, held in conjunction with the AATSP and the Kentucky Foreign Language Conference, and the triennial convention, held during the meeting of the AATSP.