Languages and Culture
Highlands offers a bachelor’s degree in Spanish in the rich multicultural setting of Northern New Mexico. Our program is committed to preserving this multicultural heritage and offers two tracks.
The Spanish for Heritage Speakers Program is for students who grew up speaking Spanish but never formally studied it. The other track is the Spanish as a Second Language Program. Our Spanish program is popular as a double major and also as a minor. Some courses are offered online.
Our Spanish majors master the four language competencies of fluency in speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing. Our program also gives students a strong understanding of the culture, literature, and linguistics of the Spanish-speaking world. Our Language Learning Center provides invaluable support resources like conversational Spanish groups, onsite and online tutoring, workshops and a Spanish writing lab.
Job Prospects
Spanish is the official language of 21 countries, with more than 400 million Spanish speakers worldwide. The global demand for bilingual Spanish speakers is growing quickly across all job sectors, including business, government, education and nonprofit. A Spanish degree is versatile and can be a gateway to a wide range of rewarding careers such as bilingual educator, law enforcement agent, Spanish teacher, translator/interpreter, foreign service officer, immigration officer, bilingual medical professional, international relations consultant, foreign correspondent, cultural events coordinator, and cultural attaché. Our graduates go on to excel at their chosen careers.
Faculty
Our dedicated Spanish faculty has diverse expertise in Hispanic literature, Spanish linguistics, teaching Spanish as a heritage language and as a second language, and more.
Undergraduate catalog: Languages and Culture
Courses in Languages and Culture
The New Mexico Highlands undergraduate catalog outlines your options and the steps you need to take to complete degree requirements for your chosen major. To ensure the seamless completion of your degree, consult often with your academic adviser and utilize Highlands’ Degree Audit tool to keep track of your academic progress.
The department does not offer a standalone graduate degree. The department offers graduate-level courses in Spanish that support graduate degrees in other disciplines such as Public Affairs, Southwest Studies, and Curriculum and Instruction.
Faculty and Staff
Norma A. Valenzuela, Ph.D.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPANISH; CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURE
P: 505-454-3013
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 237
Eric Romero, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISPANO STUDIES
P: 505-454-3009
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 235
Andres Sabogal, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SPANISH; DIRECTOR, LANGUAGE LEARNING CENTER
P: 505-454-3095
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 239N
Carmella M. Scorcia Pacheco, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES; DIRECTOR OF BACHELOR OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES (BUS)
P: 505-454-2110
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 236
Carol Litherland, MA, ASLTA MC, RID CI/CT
INSTRUCTOR OF AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
P: 505-454-2141
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 114
Gina-Marie Medina
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURE
P: 505-454-3013
Office: Douglas Hall, Rm. 234
Our Mission
Because of its location, the discipline of languages and cultures is committed to the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of the unique multicultural heritage of the region. Thus, it recognizes the importance of the Spanish and Native American presence in the local and global community. The discipline further strives to integrate other foreign languages along with their respective culture and literatures.