For Current Students
El español es uno de los idiomas de más rápido crecimiento en el mundo. It’s the primary language for about 34 million people in this country alone, making the U. S. one of the largest Spanish-speaking countries in the world. Combine this with our proximity and hermanamiento to Spanish-speaking Latin America, and it’s clear that a knowledge of Spanish and Hispanic culture is essential to living and working not only internationally, but in the U.S. as well.
The Spanish program offers classes in grammar, culture, film, and literature for the Hispanic Studies major & minor, as well as for the World Languages major and the Latin American Studies minor. Coursework includes speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Spanish, as well as the study of a broad spectrum of textual analysis, from pre-Columbian Mesoamerican to contemporary Latin culture in the U.S. Studying Spanish prepares students for eight of Lewis & Clark’s overseas programs: Chile (Santiago and Valparaíso), Ecuador (Cuenca), Mexico (Mérida) and Cuba (La Habana).
By majoring in Hispanic Studies, students become immersed in one of the oldest and richest Romance languages, and in a culture with roots in antiquity.
¡Pon el mundo en tus manos con el español!
News
A Bilingual Learning Exchange With Alder Elementary
L&C Spanish students partner with Northeast Portland third-graders—building their own communication skills while helping younger students envision college as part of their future.
Bringing Latinx Culture to Portland’s Coffee Scene
Carlos Sanchez Huizar BA ’18, MA ’20 has turned his love of coffee and his experience at Lewis & Clark into Kilo D’ Cofi, a Latinx-owned café and community space in downtown Portland.
Rabasa Honored Again: Continuing the Legacy of Inclusion and Advocacy
Magalí Rabasa Honored with 2026 Kristi Williams Staff & Faculty Award
For the second time in four years, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies Magalí Rabasa has been recognized for her unwavering commitment to student advocacy and social justice.