The Spanish Heritage track

The Spanish Heritage track is specially designed for students who have primarily learned their Spanish either at home or living within a Spanish-speaking community. 

Spanish Heritage Course at ASU

This track has been created to help bilingual students expand their Spanish skills and knowledge of their cultural heritage in a rich, confidence-building environment. 

See more

Learn more about Spanish Heritage track

How are these courses different than the regular Spanish?

Heritage learners’ needs are different from traditional second language learners, whom have not been in constant contact with Spanish while growing up. We offer these separate courses as recognition of heritage learners’ unique abilities and needs within our classrooms, and as a way to expand our Spanish-speaking community at Arizona State University.  

How are these courses different than the regular Spanish as second language courses?

  • Classes focus on cultural heritage.

  • All levels of Spanish have a place in the program, from beginning to advanced.

  • Students share similar language and cultural experiences that are incorporated into the course materials.

Spanish Heritage learners will be able to:

Our mission is to promote Spanish language development and maintenance in the United States. We believe that every heritage student has rich linguistic resources and cultural competencies that are welcomed and nourished in the classroom context. In our program we aim to:

  • Provide students with a ‘home away from home’ by building community with peers.
  • Provide an inclusive and nurturing environment for our students that respects their diversity.
  • Broaden their understanding of their personal histories by learning about the cultural experiences of U.S. Latinxs.
  • Instill a sense of pride in their cultural heritage.
  • Boost their sense of self-confidence.
  • Support our students to succeed in their academic journey.
  • Expand their fluency in their Spanish and bilingual skills.
  • Empower students to use Spanish confidently in family and community settings as well as in professional settings.
  • Spread the value and recognition of bilingualism and U.S. Spanish in Arizona.
  • Empower students with a critical understanding of the sociopolitical dynamics of heritage language maintenance in the United States.

How to sign up?

To find out what course is most appropriate for you, please take the placement exam. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Sara Beaudriethe program director for the Spanish heritage learner program, or Melissa Negron, the Spanish heritage learner program coordinator.

Undergraduate Spanish heritage learner courses:
Spanish 103 Spanish 203 Spanish 204 Spanish 315 Spanish 316 Spanish 416
Add class Add class Add class Add class Add class Add class

These courses count towards your second language requirement, Spanish minor and Spanish major. You can speak to an advisor to learn more

Doctoral studies in Spanish linguistics and heritage studies

The School of International Letters and Cultures also offers a focus area in the Ph.D. in Spanish linguistics for those who see to specialize in heritage studies. The focus area is in “Spanish heritage studies and sociolinguistics” and it offers advanced interdisciplinary graduate training that combines key areas in Spanish heritage language research and pedagogy, bilingualism and Spanish sociolinguistics. For questions, please contact Sara Beaudrie.

Meet Your Faculty

Eventos

Check out some of the events are happening in the Spanish Heritage Language Program; an abundance of language, theater, music, art, sports and literary y mucho más!

See events