Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions

Beginning Fall 2021, the new Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions assists students interested in pursuing careers in medicine and various health professions, including public health, pharmacy, and other areas, in developing linguistic and cultural competencies related to Spanish and the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. These competencies will assist them in providing services to Spanish-speaking patients and co-workers.

Program Objectives/Outcomes

Students will:

• Further develop their Spanish skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing with a focus on application in a medical- or health-related field;
• Recognize, comprehend, and develop respect for the differences among various types of Spanish and their related cultures;
• Engage in the practice of utilizing various techniques and skills necessary to translate between Spanish and English;
• Develop the ability to work effectively collaboratively.

Requirements for the Minor

If you have any prior experience with studying/speaking Spanish, please review our Placement Exam information prior to registration.

A minimum of 18 hours will be required for the minor. 12 core credit hours and at least 6 elective credit hours are required. No more than three credit hours may be in English. The prerequisites for the Spanish courses are indicated below.

The required core courses include (three credit hours each):

• SPAN 135 Spanish Medical Terminology – prerequisite SPAN 052
• SPAN 136 Basic Methods of Bilingual Medical Interpreting – prerequisite SPAN 052
• SPAN 137 Spanish for Healthcare Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 052
• SPAN 154 Cultural Health Perspectives – prerequisite SPAN 140

Total Required Core Courses = 12 hours

Electives include (three credit hours each):

• BIO 092 Introduction to Ethnobotany
• BIO 196 Biology Internship – with Spanish competence necessary
• HIST 189 US-Mexico Borderlands
• HSCI 104 Global Health
• PHAR 285 Rotations*
• SCSA 175 Medical Anthropology
• SPAN 138 Spanish for Medical Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 052
• SPAN 139 Applied Spanish Medical Terminology – prerequisite SPAN 052
• SPAN 153 Culture and Society (focus on Maya) – prerequisite SPAN 140
• WLC 148 Intercultural Communication
• Other upper-level Spanish courses numbered 150 and above
• Additional courses approved by a WLC advisor

Total Elective Courses = 6 hours (or more)

*Students must have a CPHS-approved rotation at Primary Health Care in which they use Spanish in order to earn three hours of credit toward the Certificate.

Students may not receive both the Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions and the Minor in Spanish Language and Culture. However, the Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions may be earned in conjunction with the Major in Spanish, but no more than 12 credit hours may be counted toward both programs.