Spanish

About the Program

Spanish is the national language of many countries in the western hemisphere. And as the fastest growing language in California, with almost 30% of the population speaking it, knowing Spanish is a greater career asset than ever before. Native speakers of Spanish study Spanish to enhance their career opportunities by building upon their spoken, social Spanish to develop skills for professional and educational contexts.  

Knowing Spanish can also be an asset when traveling to many countries, and it can help develop one’s cultural sensitivity as they experience how others think and view the world.

Whether taking Spanish classes for personal enrichment, as preparation for degrees or other disciplines, or to earn one of our Certificates or Degrees in Spanish, you will acquire important communications skills for work and life. 

Our faculty believe that language is not just a skill for transactional communication. Rather, language is an integral part of ethnicity, identity, and culture. In other words, it is an integral part of how one understands and navigates the world. And when we learn a new language, it expands our worldview to incorporate the worldview of others, challenging us to be humble, to have the courage to make mistakes as seek to communicate and connect with others.

When you earn a Spanish degree at Foothill, you learn about cultures and civilizations in a holistic approach that connects language with Ethnic Studies/Latinx Studies, Latin American History, and Latino/a Literature. You’ll widen your view of how language is integrated into our modern global society. 

Degree & Program Types

At Foothill, we offer First Year Elementary courses (SPAN 1, 2, and 3) and Second Year Intermediate courses (SPAN 4, 5, and 6). Students taking our courses can earn a Certificate of Achievement, an Associate in Arts Degree, and/or an Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer.

For program requirements and the full listing of certificates and degrees, view the Spanish page in the Foothill Catalog.

Certificate of Achievement (CA)

Students who complete SPAN 1, 2, and 3 will earn a Certificate of Achievement in Spanish, and students who complete SPAN 4, 5, and 6 will earn a Certificate of Achievement in Spanish – Advanced. Earn certificates as you work toward a degree!

• View the Program Map for the sequence of courses required to earn our Certificate of Achievement in Spanish and Certificate of Achievement in Spanish – Advanced.

Associate in Arts (AA)

The A.A. degree is awarded to students who complete all of the requirements in a major or area of emphasis in the liberal arts, social sciences and fields other than science, technology, engineering or mathematics. This degree also requires completion of the Foothill College General Education requirements or IGETC or CSU GE Breadth. 

• View the Program Map for the suggested sequence of courses to earn our AA in Spanish.

Associate in Arts for Transfer

The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (Senate Bill 1440, now codified in California Education Code sections 66746–66749) guarantees admission to California State University (CSU) system for any community college student who completes an associate degree for transfer. The Associate in Arts for Transfer (A.A.-T) or the Associate in Science for Transfer (A.S.-T) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor's degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing these degrees (A.A.-T or A.S.-T) are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major.

• View the Program Map for the suggested sequence of courses to earn our AA-T in Spanish.

Credit By Exam

Students with prior knowledge of Spanish can receive credit by exam for one quarter of Spanish. 

The WLC

You can work as a Spanish Conversation Leader or enjoy the services of the WLC to enhance your experience.