Spanish

Are you interested in learning Spanish, or in improving your Spanish-language skills? Would you like to study the culture, literature, and even the business practices of the Hispanic sector of the global community? Does the prospect of studying in Mexico, Argentina, or Spain appear on your wish list? Do you thrive in small classes, in a challenging but family-like atmosphere? If your answer to these questions is affirmative, you may want to consider joining us at Hollins! We invite you to peruse this Web page and to contact us with any questions or comments.

The Curriculum

Hollins offers a wide variety of courses in Spanish. In addition to classes on Hispanic literatures, we teach Business Spanish, Advanced Conversation and Composition, Advanced Grammar, Cultures and Civilizations of Spain and Latin America, Special Topics courses and a Senior Seminar.
    Students in beginning, intermediate and conversation/composition classes meet once a week for an hour in small groups with our language assistant for additional practice in conversational Spanish. The assistant also offers a language table once a week during lunch that is open to the Hollins community.

Internships

Internships have been very popular among Spanish students. A few examples include the Chamber of Commerce in San Jose, Costa Rica, the American Embassy in Mexico City and the Institute of International Education in New York City. One student went to Bolivia to research how businesses operate there, and another year a student went to Honduras with a medical team to serve as a translator and to make a documentary of the experience. Students have worked as translators and interpreters for Refugee Services both during Short Term and the academic year. Other individuals have elected to spend Short Term in language institutes in Spanish-speaking countries (including Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain) for a month-long immersion course. During the school year, several of our students have volunteered to teach Spanish to third graders in the Roanoke public schools and have also worked with first graders at a local elementary school.

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