It can help, but students test into different levels depending on the skills they enter with—and beginners are welcome! There are courses designed for every level. Once you have a solid grounding in the language, you’ll be able to access a wider range of upper-level courses, some of which are taught entirely in Spanish.
You can do a lot with a Hispanic Studies degree. Jobs that interact specifically with Latinx communities in the U.S. or require fluency in Spanish are plentiful. Bilingual, culturally competent employees are in high demand in healthcare, marketing, social services, education, diplomacy, law and many other sectors. Plus, your language proficiency can prepare you for the global job market if you have your sights set on working outside the U.S.
