Double major in Spanish?

[Anonymous]

Just for personal reasons I say yes! For professional reasons, it's so hard to predict where he will be five or ten years from now. At a software company with Latin American clients? Who knows?

But one major benefit is the analytical and critical thinking skills that come from studying literature, history, film, culture, etc. Those are skills that are used whatever you do.

A Spanish minor could also be enough to satisfy him, ensure fluency and expose him to some area studies courses.

[Anonymous]

I can't decide what's weirder about this thread.

1. An Ivy League student running a proposed double major in Spanish by his mommy and his mommy actually crowd sourcing it?

2. Responders actually poo-pooing the idea.

[Anonymous]

The only reason I was "NO" on the double major was the specificity of getting a double major.

It doesn't seem like a thing that will get anyone hired, so why not just take the classes you want and skip the idea that it could be an additional line on your diploma?

I'm not saying Spanish is bad. Or any language! It's that you could skip those couple annoying 'do this to get the double major just take classes that are enjoyable and lock down your primary major and breathe easier.

[Anonymous]

Fine.

My kid has German as a double major at an Ivy—lower/whatever. I think that term is so dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH's counselor at a just-missed-Ivy college says the only extra worth having is a minor in math or foreign language. Based on that I'd suggest OP's kid minor in Spanish and be golden.

DH's counselor is an idiot.

Hard to go wrong with extra math or a foreign language. Unless you're a white nationalist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason I was "NO" on the double major was the specificity of getting a double major.

It doesn't seem like a thing that will get anyone hired, so why not just take the classes you want and skip the idea that it could be an additional line on your diploma?

I'm not saying Spanish is bad. Or any language! It's that you could skip those couple annoying 'do this to get the double major just take classes that are enjoyable and lock down your primary major and breathe easier.

I agree with this. Stated slightly differently, your son should take whatever Spanish classes he wants and enjoys but not stress about officially taking enough to “double major.” If that amounts to a second major, great, if not, the classes have still been enriching and who knows where they may benefit him in the future. My older kid will graduate one class short of a second major in Spanish and I advised him the same way. Beyond satisfying university distributiom requirements and his primary major requirements, I wanted him to be able to take the classes he wants and not feel like he needed to cram Spanish into all of his remaining open class slots, but to still feel free to take as much Spanish as he wants (he, too, enjoys the classes and studied for a semester in Chile).

To those who asked, upper level collegiate Spanish classes will not be language focused - they will include literature, poetry, history, politics, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously majoring in Spanish creates an opportunity to engage with:

Latin America
Spain
Latin American Immigrant communities in USA.


What about Spanish interests him?

He just loves the language/culture and foreign language comes very easily to him. The classes don't feel like classes.

Then I vote yes! DCUM is awful ... I can't believe people are telling you it doesn't add value. It's adding value to his brain and his quality of life!

+1. Upper level language classes can be incredibly interesting and there are usually opportunities for extracurricular activities as well. At some schools it can also be a tight-knit community.

Not everything is about maximizing a resume. He’s already majoring in math at an Ivy. He’ll be fine. Let him do something he likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously majoring in Spanish creates an opportunity to engage with:

Latin America
Spain
Latin American Immigrant communities in USA.


What about Spanish interests him?

He just loves the language/culture and foreign language comes very easily to him. The classes don't feel like classes.

Then I vote yes! DCUM is awful ... I can't believe people are telling you it doesn't add value. It's adding value to his brain and his quality of life!

you can only take so many classes in college. if you dont care about 18th Century Spanish literature (a class I took), then skip the Spanish double major and take something ELSE!! the Spanish double major doesn't add a lot to your marketability, although being fluent in Spanish does .. which you can indicate elsewhere. There's honestly a short amount of time you even keep your major on your resume. TAKE WHAT INTERESTS YOU!

OP literally said the kid loves the language and culture.

[Anonymous]

My freshman is getting dual degree in applied math (bio concentration) and German. They are hoping to possibly go to graduate school in Europe.

I think if this will bring your kid joy it is not a waste. Who jas been harmed by being bilingual? This would be a life enhancing benefit, who cares if other people think it is a waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously majoring in Spanish creates an opportunity to engage with:

Latin America
Spain
Latin American Immigrant communities in USA.


What about Spanish interests him?

He just loves the language/culture and foreign language comes very easily to him. The classes don't feel like classes.

Then I vote yes! DCUM is awful ... I can't believe people are telling you it doesn't add value. It's adding value to his brain and his quality of life!

+1. Upper level language classes can be incredibly interesting and there are usually opportunities for extracurricular activities as well. At some schools it can also be a tight-knit community.

Not everything is about maximizing a resume. He’s already majoring in math at an Ivy. He’ll be fine. Let him do something he likes.

+1 my kid is leaning to second major in German- at an Ivy. College sophomore. The German department fully embraced him - won an award the first year, study abroad fall of sophomore year, encouraged him to apply for full funded diplomatic council in a different German city this summer. This was a kid who hated the 5 years of Spanish he had pre-college.

[Anonymous]

Why not just a minor? My kid is pre-med at an Ivy and that's what she's doing. It really doesn't add many classes. But if your kid needs the credits anyways and loves Spanish, then go for the double major!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think there much value added, unless he decides he hates the math stuff and just wants to teach Spanish. (The schools are always short on Spanish teachers!). I think kids always overestimate the value of extra majors or minors. But if he loves it, he should take the classes.

Such a narrow-minded response on many levels. First of all, a student who double majors in a math/science field and a humanities field demonstrates intellectual curiosity and breadth, along with some very useful skills. Second, having a Spanish major opens many doors locally and internatiomally beyond being a Spanish teacher (although I agree that Spanish teachers are in demand.)

+1 Some of these posters live in a bubble and don't live in communities with people who speak Spanish as their first lsngusge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just a minor? My kid is pre-med at an Ivy and that's what she's doing. It really doesn't add many classes. But if your kid needs the credits anyways and loves Spanish, then go for the double major!

Your kid is pre-med! They may be taking 30 hours of non-major related science courses already. Or at least 8 cause iI doubt they otherwise need organic chem.

A kid who is not pre-med has plenty of space to due a full double major in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason I was "NO" on the double major was the specificity of getting a double major.

It doesn't seem like a thing that will get anyone hired, so why not just take the classes you want and skip the idea that it could be an additional line on your diploma?

I'm not saying Spanish is bad. Or any language! It's that you could skip those couple annoying 'do this to get the double major just take classes that are enjoyable and lock down your primary major and breathe easier.

I agree with this. Stated slightly differently, your son should take whatever Spanish classes he wants and enjoys but not stress about officially taking enough to “double major.” If that amounts to a second major, great, if not, the classes have still been enriching and who knows where they may benefit him in the future. My older kid will graduate one class short of a second major in Spanish and I advised him the same way. Beyond satisfying university distributiom requirements and his primary major requirements, I wanted him to be able to take the classes he wants and not feel like he needed to cram Spanish into all of his remaining open class slots, but to still feel free to take as much Spanish as he wants (he, too, enjoys the classes and studied for a semester in Chile).

To those who asked, upper level collegiate Spanish classes will not be language focused - they will include literature, poetry, history, politics, etc.

A double major does carry weight because a student is not dabbling in a field. Sure it’s fine to get advanced language training and stop there but I’d be more impressed if students take advanced literature and other related courses and demonstrate depth and breadth in their studies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason I was "NO" on the double major was the specificity of getting a double major.

It doesn't seem like a thing that will get anyone hired, so why not just take the classes you want and skip the idea that it could be an additional line on your diploma?

I'm not saying Spanish is bad. Or any language! It's that you could skip those couple annoying 'do this to get the double major just take classes that are enjoyable and lock down your primary major and breathe easier.

I agree with this. Stated slightly differently, your son should take whatever Spanish classes he wants and enjoys but not stress about officially taking enough to “double major.” If that amounts to a second major, great, if not, the classes have still been enriching and who knows where they may benefit him in the future. My older kid will graduate one class short of a second major in Spanish and I advised him the same way. Beyond satisfying university distributiom requirements and his primary major requirements, I wanted him to be able to take the classes he wants and not feel like he needed to cram Spanish into all of his remaining open class slots, but to still feel free to take as much Spanish as he wants (he, too, enjoys the classes and studied for a semester in Chile).

To those who asked, upper level collegiate Spanish classes will not be language focused - they will include literature, poetry, history, politics, etc.

A double major does carry weight because a student is not dabbling in a field. Sure it’s fine to get advanced language training and stop there but I’d be more impressed if students take advanced literature and other related courses and demonstrate depth and breadth in their studies.

We aren’t disagreeing (I don’t think). As I said, my kid will be one class short of a Spanish major so he has taken advanced literature, history and culture classes within the major - I see value in all of those classes. I didn’t see the need to tell him to push to fit in one extra class at the expense of another unrelated class he wanted to take just to officially declare a second major, that’s the point I was making to OP.