Program Description
The Spanish minor focuses on two outcomes: developing students’ linguistic proficiency and broadening their insights into Hispanic cultures so that students may engage in meaningful interactions with Spanish speakers throughout the world. The communication skills and transcultural awareness that students develop throughout the course of the minor prepare them for a wide range of opportunities and experiences, both in and beyond the classroom.
Program Requirements
Your requirements depend on the academic year in which you matriculated at Northeastern. Below are the most current guidelines for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please note that if you are a current minor and you would like to follow the most current guidelines, you may do so, but you may not mix and match guidelines from different calendar years. Please contact Professor Agostinelli at c.agostinelli-fucile@northeastern.edu for more information.
Prior Spanish Minor Guidelines can be found here:
Complete a total of five courses, including at least four courses taught in Spanish. Unless otherwise specified, all courses must be completed as outlined below. A maximum of two transfer courses, including transferable courses taken abroad, may count toward the five courses required for the minor. Study-abroad courses must be approved by the Spanish program director prior to the semester abroad. The minimum of four courses taught in Spanish may include courses at or above the intermediate level (course number 2101 or higher) completed via a Northeastern University Dialogue of Civilizations.
Required Courses
Complete four of the following courses from the list below:
For students with prior knowledge of Spanish, a placement test will determine the appropriate first course. Students who place above SPNS 2102 are required to complete the sequence up to SPNS 3102 and select additional electives to reach a total of five courses. Students who place out of SPNS 3102 must complete five electives. In all cases, at least four of the five courses must be taught in Spanish; one course may be taught in English.
SPNS 1101 Elementary Spanish 1
SPNS 1102 Elementary Spanish 2
SPNS 2101 Intermediate Spanish 1
SPNS 2102 Intermediate Spanish 2
SPNS 3101 Advanced Spanish 1
SPNS 3102 Advanced Spanish 2
Electives
Complete one or more of the following courses to meet the five total courses required for the minor.
Electives Taught in Spanish
SPNS 2900 Specialized Instruction in Spanish
SPNS 3240 Social Justice in Latin American and Latinx Film
SPNS 3403 Spanish for Global Professionals
SPNS 3502 Authentic Spanish Grammar
SPNS 3601 Exploring Spoken Spanish
SPNS 3602 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
SPNS 3603 Special Topics in Spanish Linguistics
SPNS 3715 New Narratives: Latin America after 1989
SPNS 3720 Literature, Arts and Poverty in Latin America
SPNS 3800 Special Topics in Spanish
SPNS 3900 Specialized Instruction in Spanish
SPNS 4655 Latin American Literature
SPNS 4944 Cultural Engagement: Dialogue of Civilization
Elective Taught in English
ANTH 4500 Latin American Society and Development
CLTR 1120 Introduction to Language, Literature, and Culture
CLTR 3805 Culture, Politics, and Media in Spain
HIST 1187 Latin American History
LACS 1220 Latino, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies
SPNS 1504 Cultural History of Spain
SPNS 1505 Latin American Culture, History, and Politics
SPNS 1973 Special Topics in Hispanic Culture
You can view individual course descriptions in Northeastern’s course catalog.
Getting Started
Please take the Spanish placement test which you can access in the Student Hub. All students who have prior experience with Spanish must take the placement test which lasts around 10-20 minutes. This gives us an idea of what level you will be starting off with and what options you have for courses.
After taking the placement test, please schedule a 15-minute advising meeting with Professor Agostinelli, the Spanish Program Director.
You can declare the Spanish for Healthcare Minor using this form.