Spanish, with approximately 320 million speakers, is the fourth most spoken language on the planet. It is the official language, not only of Spain, but also of Mexico, Central America, several Caribbean islands, most of the countries of South America, and Equatorial Guinea. In the United States, Spanish is spoken by approximately 10 percent of the total population of the United States (nearly 25,000,000 people), making the U.S. the fifth largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Spanish is a major international language of banking, commerce, cultural production, diplomacy, and science.

RLL's Spanish program introduces students to a wide range of disciplines within the area of Hispanic language and civilization. Its goal is to build students' proficiency in the Spanish language. Students may focus on literature, linguistics, language teaching, or other related areas. The program offers a broad selection of courses, as well as opportunity for independent study or directed work in allied fields. UB students currently have access to SUNY programs in Salamanca, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Spain, among other countries.

Students wishing to satisfy the requirements for teacher certification should plan their programs with particular care in order to accommodate the required semester of the professional sequence during their senior year. For certification requirements, students should contact the Teacher Education Institute, Graduate School of Education, 367 Baldy Hall.