The Spanish Department seeks to provide students with proficiency in Spanish as a language, as well as to offer them in-depth study of the literature and culture of other peoples in Spanish. Students continue or embark on the study of Spanish because, in general, they want to achieve fluency in a foreign or a second language.

Spanish is one of the most frequently studied second languages in the world; it can be beneficial to enter professions in business, law, journalism, international affairs, science, social services, education or politics. Considering that over 10% of the population of the U.S. is of Hispanic origin, the Department seeks to affirm, within the liberal arts tradition of the college, the importance of Iberian and Latin American cultures for a nation that is increasingly aware of the wealth of its own rich Hispanic heritage.