This certificate is designed for working professionals in business or consumer services, social services, or legal or medical fields, and for students currently enrolled who anticipate career paths in which the ability to communicate in Spanish will enhance their professional success. Courses in Spanish for Professionals are designed to accommodate different needs and learning styles through computer-based, online instruction using synchronous and asynchronous multimedia tools: Wimba voice boards, virtual classrooms, and online social environments such as Second Life. Students will be trained in using all necessary technology and supported throughout the course by faculty. These approaches allow for flexibility in scheduling both for working community professionals and for students who wish to add this stand-alone certificate to their plan of study while pursuing a related major. Students from all majors are eligible to participate in this online certificate program. It is offered as a stand-alone certificate to students who are not currently enrolled at Valdosta State University, subject to application and successful admission.
Selected Educational Outcomes
Students will:
- build proficiency in the Spanish language, with emphasis upon speaking and listening within the context of the many cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
- speak Spanish in professional situations that require knowledge of the specialized vocabulary and task-based protocols needed within a specific profession.
- achieve at least an intermediate mid to intermediate high ACTFL proficiency level.
Requirements for the Certificate in Spanish for Professionals
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 2001 | Intermediate Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures I (if needed) | 0-3 |
| SPAN 2002 | Intermediate Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures II (if needed) | 0-3 |
| SPAN 3012 | Applied Spanish Conversation for Professionals | 3 |
| SPAN 3014 | Language, Culture, and Advanced Conversation | 3 |
| SPAN 4500 | Profession-Related Practicum or Study Abroad 1 | 3 |
| SPAN 4501 | Research Project in Spanish for Professionals 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12-18 | |
| 1 | A grade of “C” or better is required in each course. |
Note: Appropriate courses in the student’s major field such as business, criminal justice, sociology, social work, nursing, or biology may be substituted.
