Advising
Spanish is the most studied world language in the United States and many important public documents are published in both English and Spanish. The Department of Spanish at Western Michigan University offers Spanish language classes from beginner to expert.
Studying Spanish
Determine your level in order to study Spanish.
- If you wish to study Spanish for the first time, enroll in Basic Spanish I (SPAN 1000).
- If you have had some contact with the language, either through high school coursework or through other experiences, take the Spanish online placement examination and then register according to your test results. If you take AP, IB, or CLEP exams, view this summary of credit you can receive, based on your scores.
- Native speakers of Spanish should meet with a Spanish advisor to determine an appropriate first class for their foreign language studies at WMU.
Advising for a major or minor
If you are interested in majoring or minoring in Spanish, meet with a Spanish advisor early in your study career. You and the advisor will review the required courses as well as the number and type of elective courses you will need to complete the major or minor.
Major and minor requirements may change with each new WMU undergraduate catalog. The requirements are usually determined by the catalog year under which you begin study at WMU. Transfer students from Michigan community colleges are often eligible to apply the WMU catalog in effect at the time when the student began their studies at the two-year institution. Meet with your Spanish advisor as soon as possible to determine which requirements apply to you.
You may be eligible to receive retroactive credits for Spanish skills acquired before entering WMU. The first step toward eligibility for such credits is to take the proficiency exam (different than the online placement test) before you enroll in your first WMU Spanish class.
Over the summer, please use the department contact form if you need advising, as faculty advisors have limited availability. Regular advising office hours resume in fall semester.
Undergraduate advisors
Study abroad advisor
- Dr. Pablo Pastrana-Pérez (Interim, in lieu of Dr. Michael Millar)
Future Spanish educators advisor
Graduate advising
Dr. Patricia Montilla assists potential students in the application process and helps all graduate students plan a curriculum suited to their needs and interests.