Top Reasons Non-Language Majors Should Learn Spanish

By Jairo Pérez

Reading time: 0 minute

November 04, 2025

Contents

Introduction

Why Spanish Matters for Non-Language Majors

What Schools Can Do: Campus Language Programs

Placement Tests That Support Students

Study Abroad for Everyone

Career Skills with Spanish

Flexible Ways to Learn Spanish

Creative Ways to Promote Spanish

Fixing Challenges: Teachers and Budget

The Big Picture: Why Spanish Learning Matters

Conclusion: A Message to Schools

Introduction

Learning Spanish isn’t just for language students. It’s a great choice for everyone, especially non-language majors. Spanish is the second most spoken language worldwide.

It plays a role in many careers and everyday situations. Students in STEM, business, healthcare, education, and other fields can all benefit from knowing Spanish.

This blog shows how learning Spanish can be fun, useful, and easy for non-language majors. It also explains how schools can encourage all students to take Spanish courses, even if they don’t plan to major in languages.

Why Spanish Matters for Non-Language Majors

Spanish is an important language in today’s world. It’s used in many parts of the U.S., Latin America, and Spain. For non-language majors, learning Spanish helps build communication skills and makes you more competitive when looking for jobs.

Language and cultural identity are closely linked. When students learn Spanish, they also discover traditions and values. This knowledge helps them understand different cultures better.

Adding Spanish as an elective course helps non-language majors explore language learning without needing to switch their major. Language learning can really help STEM majors. This is true for those who want to work internationally or with diverse teams.

What Schools Can Do: Campus Language Programs

Colleges and universities can support Spanish for non-language majors by including Spanish in their campus language programs. Here’s how:

Make Spanish available as an elective for students in all majors, not just language majors.
Promote Spanish courses to all students using posters, emails, social media, and classroom visits.
Show students how learning Spanish connects to real careers in healthcare, business, engineering, education, and more.
Let students know about heritage language learners, students who may already speak some Spanish at home and want to strengthen their skills.

Placement Tests That Support Students

To help students join the right Spanish class, colleges use language placement tests. But these tests can sometimes feel scary. Students may worry if they haven’t practiced Spanish in a while.

To improve placement testing:

Use adaptive tests that change the difficulty based on each student’s answers.
Offer free practice tests and review guides.
Give clear explanations of what the results mean.

These steps can reduce stress and help students feel ready to take Spanish as an elective course.

Study Abroad for Everyone

Many students believe study abroad is only for language majors but that’s not true! Schools should encourage non-language majors to learn Spanish by letting them join Spanish study abroad programs. These trips offer immersive Spanish classroom ideas in real life.

Examples:

A biology major could study environmental science in Costa Rica.
A business major might join a marketing internship in Mexico.
A nursing student could volunteer in a health clinic in Peru.

Cultural immersion Spanish class experiences like these help students connect language and cultural identity and build confidence.

Career Skills with Spanish

Spanish isn’t just helpful, it’s powerful for getting a job. Many employers in the U.S. look for people who can speak Spanish and understand Hispanic culture. Language skills enhance global readiness, especially in:

Healthcare: Talk with Spanish-speaking patients.
Education: Teach or support bilingual students.
Business: Work with Spanish-speaking partners or clients.
Social Work: Help diverse communities.

To support this, schools can offer:

Spanish for Business
Spanish for Healthcare
Spanish for Engineers

These certificate programs show that you can use Spanish in a real job. It’s a great way to show the value of Spanish proficiency in any field.

Flexible Ways to Learn Spanish

Not all students have time for traditional language classes. That’s why schools should offer flexible elective courses like:

Online Spanish classes
Evening or weekend classes
Self-paced Spanish lessons
Spanish language learning apps

Tools like Comligo make learning Spanish easier. These tools let students learn from native speakers, practice at their own pace, and enjoy language learning.

Offering Spanish as an elective for non-majors makes sure everyone has access no matter their schedule or major.

Creative Ways to Promote Spanish

Here are ideas for schools to encourage non-language majors to take Spanish:

Host a “Spanish Culture Week” with music, food, and guest speakers.
Add small Spanish projects into business or science classes.
Share videos showing how students use Spanish in internships or jobs.
Create a club for heritage language learners who want to strengthen their Spanish.
Invite professionals who use Spanish in their work to talk with students.

Fixing Challenges: Teachers and Budget

Some colleges struggle with teacher shortages or not enough money for language programs. Here are ways to fix that:

Partner with online platforms like Comligo to provide Spanish lessons.
Use language learning apps as extra practice tools.
Apply for grants or funding from organizations that support bilingual education.
Share resources between departments like STEM and language faculty teaming up.

Even with limited funds, schools can grow their campus language programs to help more students learn Spanish.

Real Examples That Work

Some colleges already use smart ideas to grow Spanish programs:

University of Texas offers a Professional Spanish Certificate for non-majors. It mixes language learning with career workshops.
UC Berkeley includes “Spanish for Business” as a class in their business major. It helps students learn how to speak Spanish at work.

The Big Picture: Why Spanish Learning Matters

Students learn best when they can connect new skills to their real lives. By making Spanish part of elective courses and campus language programs, schools help students:

Communicate better in a diverse world
Understand culture and identity
Improve their chances of getting good jobs
Feel confident using Spanish in real situations

Spanish isn’t just about words. It’s about people, culture, identity, and opportunity.

Conclusion: A Message to Schools

To get more students learning Spanish, colleges need to take simple but smart steps:

Promote Spanish for non-language majors in every major.
Create Spanish electives that connect to real careers.
Offer flexible learning options and online classes.
Partner with platforms like Comligo to grow access.
Add Spanish to study abroad programs for all majors.

Let students know that Spanish isn’t just for a few it’s for everyone. By encouraging non-language majors to learn Spanish, schools help build a more connected, prepared, and understanding student body.

Jairo Pérez

Academic Team

Jairo Pérez is the Head of Academics at Comligo. Originally from Mexico, he has extensive experience teaching Spanish as a second language and in the fields of Human and Artistic Sciences. Passionate about language, culture, and education, he enjoys exploring different cultures, visiting museums, and embracing nature.