Spanish for Business & Organizations Certificate program

Communicate with a growing Spanish-speaking population at work.

A certificate in Spanish for Business and Organizations will prepare you with the linguistic and intercultural competence to serve a growing population of Spanish speakers in the work world. Hispanics accounted for more than half of the U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2019.

Regardless of whether you plan to stay in the U.S. or live and work abroad, a Spanish for Business and Organizations certificate will help you develop Spanish proficiency and intercultural competence to work with Spanish-speaking professionals from 26 countries.

Undergrad certificate

A program within the Department of Global Cultures & Languages

What is the Spanish for Business and Organizations certificate?

The certificate pairs well with any UWL major, especially international business and other paths that include some experience abroad such as anthropology or geography.

Courses in the certificate are very practical. You will learn Spanish with a community of learners participating in high-impact practices such as service-learning, virtual collaborations with international students, internships abroad, educational trips and more.

Career advancement with a Spanish for Business and Organizations certificate

Local companies and international corporations with multicultural staff are taking an increased interest in applicants’ interpersonal and career readiness skills. Nine out of 10 U.S. employers rely on employees with language skills other than English. Spanish, Chinese and Japanese see the highest demand among U.S. employers. Studying a world language provides you with valuable soft skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and awareness of oneself and the world around you.

Certificate courses are designed to replicate common communicative situations in many workplace contexts and apply eight competencies that national employers highlight as being critical to success in the workforce:

Key skills

Intercultural competence
Adaptability
Collaboration and leadership
Communication
Critical thinking and problem solving
Digital literacy and technology
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Accountability, career and self development.
These are collectively called Eagle Advantage competencies at UWL.

What distinguishes UWL's Spanish for Business and Organizations certificate?

Practical knowledge

This certificate will allow you to develop your communicative abilities (writing and speaking) in Spanish in order to communicate with other professionals in the Spanish-speaking world, both within the U.S. and abroad. The program will combine classes with on-site location experiences.

Service learning

There are opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to projects involving the local community.

International connections

You will have the chance to work remotely on different projects with students in other countries who are studying international business.

Flexibility

The certificate consists of 12 credit hours (three required courses and one
elective). An internship abroad can count as your elective.

Student involvement

Meet other students while growing your language skills and appreciation of Spanish speaking cultures through the Spanish Club or the Conversation Partner Program. Students can also participate in conversation groups to practice speaking and share cultural experiences with international students and native speakers.

Sample courses

SPA 325 Spanish for Professional Communication This course enhances a student's ability to function effectively in an increasingly important commercial language locally, in the United States, and abroad. A variety of adapted readings and videos provide a solid foundation in the vocabulary and written discourse used in Spanish in a variety of professions such as business and marketing, sports sciences, psychology, and human resources, among others. This course also develops a cultural understanding of the Spanish-speaking world, which is key to being able to successfully conduct formal conversations with native professionals. The course, to be conducted primarily in Spanish, includes various activities, grammar topics, and assignments that provide preparation for the final task: writing a cover letter in Spanish for a job in the student's knowledge area where knowledge and/or proficiency of Spanish is required. This intermediate-level course has a strong written-proficiency focus. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or SPA 221 or placement based on UW System Placement Test scores. Offered Annually.

SPA 371 Business Spanish This course enhances students' ability to function effectively in an increasingly important commercial language locally, in the United States, and abroad. This course is designed to introduce students to essential business terminology and language situations in common business contexts, reinforcing strategies for understanding, interpreting, and responding to new information. Students learn the importance of cultural awareness in doing business in Spanish-speaking countries or with Spanish speakers in the United States in general. The course, to be conducted primarily in Spanish, includes some translating and interpreting activities of special importance for managers and leaders. The course also develops students' geographic literacy and cultural understanding of the Spanish-speaking world, as these are central to conducting business successfully in Spanish. Prerequisite: three courses from the following: SPA 302, SPA 307, SPA 309, SPA 310, SPA 312, SPA 322, SPA 323, SPA 325, SPA 332, SPA 333, SPA 335. Offered Annually.

SPA 332 Spanish Speakers in the U.S.: Language, Community, (In)justice In this course students develop and refine their listening comprehension and speaking skills by listening to and discussing the experiences of Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. Students will learn about language and identity by exploring Spanish across the generations and Spanish dialects in context; language ideology by reflecting on Mock Spanish and Spanglish; and language in society by understanding language access in places like schools, healthcare, and other public services. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or SPA 221 or placement based on UW System Placement Test scores. Offered Occasionally.

SPA 333 Spanish Beyond the Classroom: Navigating the Personal and Professional World Throughout this course, students will explore diverse Spanish-speaking communities through the lens of both the professional world and the personal world. To do so, students will analyze the societal impacts of work and play in different cultural contexts while also reviewing and mastering important grammatical concepts in Spanish. Students will have opportunities to apply their knowledge regularly in real-world tasks related to the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Content and grammar instruction and practice will be presented in relevant cultural contexts, paying special attention to the ways in which different forms can be used to make meaning and do things with the language in different spheres of society. Students will build upon their previous language experience to achieve a greater level of proficiency for reading and writing in Spanish while also gaining a deeper understanding of diversity and social responsibility in both the professional and personal sectors. Prerequisite: SPA 202 or SPA 221 or placement based on UW System Placement Test scores. Offered Occasionally.