Professional Spanish
Why pursue a minor in professional Spanish at North Central College?
Spanish speakers are in high demand in international business, marketing, education, government, travel, health and human services, law and media industries worldwide. Learning Spanish and the Spanish-speaking culture extends beyond language fluency building critical thinking skills that are transferable to many career fields. Individuals that can understand Spanish will find that the knowledge of the Spanish language and culture is often a priority to a potential employer over other job skills for positions they may be applying for. This program is designed to provide both conversational language exposure along with the cultural experiences necessary to succeed in a global work environment. At North Central College you will acquire the skills necessary to live and work in an international community. You will also gain exposure to cultural perspectives that will provide an in depth understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures and how to operate within them. Whatever you choose to do with what you learn, studying Professional Spanish is sure to provide a wide variety of rewarding employment opportunities as a result of this in demand skill.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
- Researching information related to foreign markets, law, labor relations, health and social services, marketing, and news to assist international companies with making informed business decisions
- Providing leadership in the travel industry for organizations with locations, clients or customers in Spanish-speaking regions
- Gaining internship experience using both English and Spanish languages
then a minor in PROFESSIONAL SPANISH might be for you.
Why study professional Spanish at North Central College?
In the Classroom
Coursework topics:
- Internship allowing students apply knowledge and explore career options within companies and organizations with the need for Spanish-speaking professionals
- Advanced Conversation and Composition in Spanish
- Civilization of Spain
- Communicative Spaces in Spanish
- Elementary Spanish• Hispanic Linguistics
- Latin American Area and Civilizations
- Spanish Enrichment
- Spanish for the Professions
- Survey of Latin American Literature
- Survey of Literature of Spain
Beyond the Classroom
As a Professional Spanish minor, you can:
- Participate in a focused internship enhancing your ability to communicate and work in a global environment.
- Gain valuable knowledge from professionals in diverse fields and industries.
- Take advantage of on-campus tutoring options and the Roberta I. Myers Language Resource Center for individualized tutoring or audio and video support.
- Qualify for induction into Sigma Delta Pi, the Spanish Honor Society
Professional Spanish Minor
Students may not complete both a Professional Spanish minor and a major in Spanish.
For additional programs and courses in this department, see Modern and Classical Languages.
A minimum of 20 credit hours, including:
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SPAN 322 - Spanish for the Professions
SPAN 322 - Spanish for the Professions
4.00 credit hours
Oral and written practice focusing on the special terminology of various professions including business, the health professions, social services and legal/law enforcement. Emphasis is placed on simulation of real life situations and methods of communication. Taught in Spanish.
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SPAN 397 - Internship
SPAN 397 - Internship
0.00-12.00 credit hours
Valuable professional experiences supplement classroom instruction and allow students to apply theories and concepts to broader issues and system. Students explore career options within a specific area of study and critically reflect on the experience in a structured manner. May be repeated with different professional experience.
One of the following:
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SPAN 370 - Hispanic Linguistics
SPAN 370 - Hispanic Linguistics
4.00 credit hours
An examination of the basic linguistic features of the Spanish language and its various dialects including the Spanish of the United States. Phonetics, syntax, morphology and sociolinguistic aspects are explored through class discussions and research projects. Taught in Spanish.
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SPAN 390 - Topics
SPAN 390 - Topics
4.00 credit hours
Special topics in Spanish. Recent topics have included: Literary Analysis, Hispanic cinema, Golden Age Theatre, Cervantes, Translation. Taught in Spanish.
Four credit hours from the following:
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BIOL 107 - Infectious Disease and Global Health
BIOL 107 - Infectious Disease and Global Health
4.00 credit hours
Exploration of diseases caused by bacteria and viruses, their causes, prevention, spread and treatment. Scientific concepts are discussed in the context of the historical and modern impacts of disease on health, society, politics and economy. Includes integrated laboratory experience.
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BUSN 201 - Global Business, Ethics and Politics
BUSN 201 - Global Business, Ethics and Politics
4.00 credit hours
Explores the dynamics of global business operations within the context of power structures, geopolitics and ethics. An overview of international business operations, ethical theories and how to apply them internationally, global power structures (i.e. WTO, EU) and their influence on global business. It explores the impact of moral concerns on the norms, institutions and practices of international business. It analyzes the relationship between business and power with a particular emphasis on income inequality and environmental impact. It explores how economic wealth and power affects people around the world.
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ENVI 210 - Sustainability in a Changing World
ENVI 210 - Sustainability in a Changing World
4.00 credit hours
Students learn competing definitions of sustainability, study its practical application on campus and in the Chicago metropolitan area, and investigate what is required from all of us to achieve sustainability. Topics include management of water, waste, energy, food production and mitigation of effects on "people, planet, profit." The course includes community engaged learning and field trips to sustainable projects in action.
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ENVI 325 - Environmental Justice
ENVI 325 - Environmental Justice
4.00 credit hours
Examines the concept of environmental justice through interdisciplinary lenses. Beginning by examining different definitions of "environmental justice," various frameworks are used to analyze environmental issues through the lens of social justice and human inequality. Through selected case studies, the course examines a number of topics and questions, which include the advantages and drawbacks of current systems of production and consumption, who bears the burdens and who enjoys the benefits of our current environmental and social system and what kinds of alternatives are available.
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GSST 340 - Global Views: Women in Science
GSST 340 - Global Views: Women in Science
4.00 credit hours
Examination of global issues facing 20th century women in science. Current literature will be used to explore how socioeconomic and cultural differences impact retention of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Discussion topics will include the driving forces behind women's perception of their lack of ability in these disciplines, gender biases facing women, and current trends in science education of girls and women. Emphasis is placed on what advances for women in STEM disciplines have occurred over the last century, and what disparities still need to be resolved.
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HIST 114 - History of the American West
HIST 114 - History of the American West
4.00 credit hours
A survey of the American West as a place, a process, and an idea. Most of the readings are primary sources. Key topics include the ongoing story of Native American history, U.S. territorial acquisition, westward expansion, military conflict, economic development, Mexican American history, and social movements in today's West.
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HIST 120 - Chicago History
HIST 120 - Chicago History
4.00 credit hours
This introduction to Chicago history explores the major events, people, and transformations of the metropolitan area from Indian Country to twenty-first century metropolis through historical texts, films, literature, visual art, and media related to Chicago's development. Particular attention will be paid to the following themes: politics and government; industrialization and technological change; reform and social change; labor; and racial and ethnic identities.
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HIST 226 - U.S. and Illinois since 1945
HIST 226 - U.S. and Illinois since 1945
4.00 credit hours
An examination of major political, social and economic developments in the United States since the end of World War II to understand today's America. Early topics include the Cold War and American prosperity, Civil Rights movements by African Americans and others, and the Vietnam War. Later topics include the collapse of the New Deal coalition, conservative responses to social upheaval, the shift from an industrial economy to a service economy and America's role in the world since the Cold War's end. Special attention is given to linking the broader current of American history to Illinois.
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HIST 310 - Immigration and U.S. Ethnic Identity
HIST 310 - Immigration and U.S. Ethnic Identity
4.00 credit hours
This research seminar examines U.S. immigration history from colonial times to the present. Exploration of the world conditions that led to the major waves of American immigration. Comparison of immigrant experiences to those of African Americans and Native Americans opens to wider focus on the concept of ethnic identity in U.S. history. Each student designs, researches and writes a historical essay related to major course themes.
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HIST 320 - U.S. Social Movements
HIST 320 - U.S. Social Movements
4.00 credit hours
This research seminar examines the major social movements in the modern United States. Emphasis on the African American civil rights movement, the women's movement, and the labor movement. Each student designs, researches and writes a historical essay related to major course themes.
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HIST 325 - American Cities and Suburbs
HIST 325 - American Cities and Suburbs
4.00 credit hours
This research seminar explores the development of American cities and suburbs, focusing on the forces that have stimulated their growth and transformation. Topics include the influence of immigrants and migrants, technological and industrial revolutions, population mobility and suburbanization, private and public responses to change, race and ethnic issues as well as class and gender matters. Each student designs, researches and writes a historical essay related to major course themes.
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LEAD 120 - Leaders Without Borders
LEAD 120 - Leaders Without Borders
4.00 credit hours
World leaders must navigate an array of domestic and international issues on a daily basis. Their leadership qualities and styles often reflect cultural and social norms as well as their nation's political system. The underlying theme of this course is that the skills and behaviors that are perceived as effective leadership characteristics in one culture are not necessarily those that will be effective in a different culture. Students will explore the ways in which specific characteristics are valued differently by different cultures. Students will also acquire frameworks for assessing how to approach a work assignment in a culture that is not their own. Finally, students will consider the effect of globalization on leadership, and define the characteristics necessary to successfully lead in a highly diverse and complex world that challenges them to understand and respond to nationalism, terrorism, trade, human rights, environmental challenges, power and justice, and explore regional leadership issues.
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LEAD 350 - Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution
LEAD 350 - Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution
4.00 credit hours
Students discover the origins of and build a conceptual framework for understanding ethnic and religious conflict. The approach will be interdisciplinary and examine the central causes, consequences, and ultimately solutions for resolving ethnic and religious conflict. We will use numerous case studies to explore the key conceptual and theoretical areas and questions within the field. The reading is plentiful, but thought provoking, and should enable you to explore the dynamics of global conflict with greater rigor and precision. Come prepared for a stimulating academic experience.
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MGMT 305 - Management and Organizational Behavior
MGMT 305 - Management and Organizational Behavior
4.00 credit hours
Provides a formal overview of why organizations exist and how they operate within the context of society. Basic management issues such as the structure of organizations are explored. In many cases management topics are covered in a generic manner that can be applied to any organization. Other issues are addressed with specific applications to certain firms. This course examines our role as individuals as it pertains to organizations. It is generally meant to provide a framework to analyze organizations that exist in the U.S. but will also cover some international topics.
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MGMT 475 - International Management
MGMT 475 - International Management
4.00 credit hours
Explores organizational management and business strategy issues in an increasingly global environment. It explains the origins of global interdependence and its implications for multinational corporations. The course analyzes the process and impact of internationalization and its contributions to the development of a multicultural world and utilizes international management theories to help students acquire basic global business analytical and cross-cultural management and communication skills. Finally, it provides an ability to utilize the tools for the assessment, analysis and decision-making related to organizational internalization.
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MKTG 300 - Principles of Marketing
MKTG 300 - Principles of Marketing
4.00 credit hours
Presents an overview of Marketing as a principle, a discipline, and as a profession. Students examine all elements of Marketing including integrated promotional strategies, consumer behavior, and ethics and social responsibility. Emphasis is placed on the Marketing Mix (Product, Place, Promotion and Price) as students design and implement a comprehensive marketing plan.
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PSYC 310 - Cultural Psychology
PSYC 310 - Cultural Psychology
4.00 credit hours
An examination of how definitions of culture shape knowledge about topics in psychology, such as human development, self-concept, and mental illness. The focus is on psychological and anthropological approaches to studying culture.
Gain valuable knowledge from professionals in diverse fields and industries!
Our internships will provide you with experience of specific job cultures, practices and challenges in bilingual settings in the fields of Business, Medicine, Psychology, Jurisprudence, Education and many others. North Central’s Office of Career Development can assist you in crafting an internship that best meets your needs.
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