As a I prepare to graduate with a dual degree in Communication Disorders and Spanish I could not be more pleased with how well these two distinct majors have complemented each other. My Spanish major has provided me with a route to diversify my studies prior to entering graduate school. For example, in my Communication Disorders studies, we discuss what it means to be culturally competent as a clinician. In my Spanish studies, I am able to further explore this topic of cultural competency within the Spanish speaking world. Moreover, studying abroad for my Spanish major has helped me to further understand and be more aware of the different characteristics in cultures that may not be immediately evident, but are important for a clinician to be aware of.

While I am very pleased with my two complementary majors – I wish I had known sooner about other opportunities at UMass to bring the majors together. Namely – the certificate for Spanish and Health. This certificate would have fit perfectly with what I am studying and my future goals.                                                                                                                                                “Recognizing the need for Spanish/English bilingual health professionals in the Commonwealth and the country, the Program of Spanish and Portuguese and the College of Nursing are sponsoring a new certificate program in Spanish and Health designed to equip our graduates to address the health-care needs of Spanish-speaking populations. The certificate emphasizes the language and cultural skills needed for professional work in those settings. The training offered by this certificate should serve a broad range of students from a variety of fields – including Spanish, Nursing, Public Health, Nutrition, Psychology, pre-med, translation, among others – who expect to work in a Spanish-Speaking healthcare environment.”

While I feel as though my studies have complemented each other quite naturally, this certificate would have been a great way to highlight all that I have learned. Additionally, I would have gained a lot from taking more of the classes required for the certificate. For example, from a comm dis perspective Educ 201 – Social Issues in Intergroup Relations, Public Health 390E – Understanding Health Disparities and Psych 391SS – Prejudice and Intergroup Relations would have been extraordinarily helpful.

The best thing you can do while here at UMass is to use the resources that are provided to you. Talk to your professors, your advisors, and your peers and find out what else there is you can do to supplement your degree. Had I known about this certificate in time to complete it, it would have been an excellent addition to my degrees and would have showcased what I have been doing for the past four years! Reach out to the people around you while you can – your time here at UMass is limited and valuable – USE IT!