Hispanic Studies at Bates
The Department of Hispanic Studies responds to the cultural richness and diversity of the Spanish-speaking world and to the obligations and opportunities of a globalized world.
Students develop strong, practical proficiency in Spanish – which is spoken by over 500 million people worldwide — and build the skills and knowledge needed to engage critically with a broad range of culture produced by Latin America, Spain, and Latino communities in the U.S. From introductory language courses to senior seminars taught exclusively in Spanish, the major cultivates students’ capacity for creative and intellectual expression.
Contact Us
Stephanie Pridgeon, Chair
9 Andrews Road
Roger Williams Hall
Phone: 1- 207-786-8352
spridgeo@bates.edu
What You Will Learn
How to navigate cultural spaces across the Spanish-speaking world with strong language proficiency
To critically analyze literature, film, media, and visual arts from Latin America, Spain, and U.S. Latino communities
How to engage in diverse theoretical approaches and research methods in the humanities
To synthesize study-abroad experiences with on-campus coursework
To communicate with confidence as readers, writers, discussants, and researchers in Spanish
How to engage with the wider community through film screenings, Q&A sessions, and presentations connected to coursework
Life After Bates
Hispanic studies graduates from Bates have gone on to careers in sectors as varied as public health, education, finance, and environmental policy — fields where the ability to navigate a globalized, multilingual world is an increasingly important asset.
94%
of 2020-2024 Bates graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school — settled into their next opportunity within 6 months of graduation.
Selected Places of Employment/Service
- Fulbright
- Citi
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Partners for Justice
- Center for Court Innovation
- Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
- Saint Ignatius Loyola School
- Gartner + Bloom PC
- Global Works
- Martha’s Vineyard Bank
Selected Graduate Schools
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Wesleyan University
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Why study Hispanic Studies at Bates?
Hispanic studies at Bates is for students who want to engage with one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and the rich, diverse cultures it connects, from Latin America to Europe to the United States. The department’s specialized seminars explore wide-ranging topics rooted in faculty members’ eminent research, and students take an active role in creating knowledge. Study abroad is strongly encouraged and deeply integrated into the curriculum, with courses upon return designed to continue building on what was learned abroad.