Spanish Language Pedagogy (certificate)


At a Glance: program details

Learn the skills to effectively teach Spanish as a second language. Develop the expertise to teach students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and to utilize modern technologies to enhance student learning.

Program Description

Certificate Awarded: Spanish Language Pedagogy (certificate)

Through graduate coursework, the certificate program in Spanish language pedagogy enables practicing teachers and graduate students to understand the process of Spanish language acquisition and learn advanced teaching methodologies in order to make sound pedagogical decisions that lead to effective teaching and learning.

Students gain competence in designing effective and engaging Spanish language lessons for their students and learn to be sensitive to the needs of students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, such as heritage learners. Students learn to design accurate assessment measurements, writing assignments and culture-based lessons as well as utilize modern technologies to enhance Spanish language education.

Degree Overview

This certificate allows ASU to meet the local, regional, and national need to provide professional development to practicing teachers of Spanish in K12, community colleges, or at the university level. Teachers in Arizona who are interested in continuing their professional development in both Spanish Language Pedagogy and Spanish language proficiency can pursue this certificate.

Curriculum

Teachers can pursue graduate degree work in Spanish teaching methodologies, second language acquisition, heritage language pedagogy, computer-assisted language teaching, applied linguistics, and the teaching of literature and culture. Graduate students will benefit from this extensive academic preparation in the teaching of Spanish.

Students are required to complete the following:

Degree Requirements Credit Hours
Core Courses 3
Restricted Electives 9
Electives 6
Total Credit Hours Required 18

Degree Requirements

Curriculum Plan Options

  • 18 credit hours and a portfolio

Required Core (3 credit hours)
SPA 596 Second Language Methodologies (3)

Other Requirements (9 credit hours)
SPA 543 Structure of Spanish (3)
SPA 546 Heritage Language Pedagogy (3)
SPA 598 Special Topic: Spanish Second Language Acquisition (3)

Electives (6 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (0 credit hours)
portfolio (0)

Additional Curriculum Information
For courses listed as other requirements, alternative courses may be used with approval of the certificate codirectors.


Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in Spanish, Spanish literature and culture, Spanish linguistics, applied linguistics, second language acquisition and teaching, or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. professional resume
  4. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

International students who need an F1 or J1 visa first need to apply to and be accepted into a graduate degree program prior to being considered for the certificate program. International students residing in the USA on other types of visas must adhere to all Graduate College policies and procedures regarding admission to be considered for admission to this certificate program.


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Career Opportunities

Professionals with this certificate can confidently move into academic, business and international fields. Skills developed through this program are valued for teaching positions, translation work or work in a larger sector such as governmental, diplomatic and international business.

Career examples include:

  • area, ethnic and cultural studies teachers and professors
  • editors
  • foreign language and literature teachers and professors
  • historians
  • instructional coordinators
  • interpreters and translators
  • lawyers
  • reporters and correspondents
  • social and community service managers

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.



Application fee waiver

Applicants facing financial hardship may request a waiver for their application fee. Please complete the online application up to the fee payment page. Please send both Ashley Lawless (Ashley.Lawless@asu.edu) and Xiaoqiao Ling (Xiaoqiao.Ling@asu.edu) a brief essay (about 150 words) describing why paying the application fee is difficult in your situation, along with your application ID number. If your request is accepted, we will let you know that you can submit your application without paying the fee. The School of International Letters and Cultures has established a limited budget for these waivers. Requests will be considered as they are received until the budget is spent.