I study Political Science as my primary major and Spanish as my secondary major. Although learning Spanish is a valuable addition to any course of study, it is particularly relevant to a Political Science career. Knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures opens so many doors, both throughout the world but also within our own local communities. I have spent a considerable amount of time abroad, yet I have not connected so much with Spanish-speaking groups closer to home. Although traveling abroad is a wonderful opportunity, it is just as important to foster connections in local communities. Therefore, a Spanish education is valuable whether I want to pursue a political career in another country or within my own state. What matters is the connections that the language allows me to create.
A Spanish education is important to domestic politics because about 13% of the US population speaks Spanish, making it the most spoken language after English. I think that community-facing political figures should at least be interested in learning Spanish to engage with and build trust in the community. Furthermore, language access is crucial to promoting civic engagement and providing access to public resources. One great example of this is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign video, “Zohran para la ciudad de Nueva York.” I think this was a successful campaign strategy because it shows Spanish-speaking communities that they are recognized and that he wants to serve their interest.
Of course, in addition to U.S. politics, a Spanish language education is important in international politics. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries, connecting ideas and economic and political relations across continents. Spanish is also one of the six official UN languages, making it very valuable for diplomacy. This aspect of language learning is exciting because it reminds me that language is, in fact, a way to bridge communications between different countries and communicate on a supranational level. Admittedly, my interest in international relations and diplomatic relationships followed my decision to pursue a dual major in Political Science and Spanish. Oftentimes, people choose to add Spanish as a second major because it will help them work towards a career goal or interest that they have. My experience was the other way around. I added Spanish as a second major simply because I was interested in it and I wanted to develop my skills. As I learned more in both my majors, I discovered my career interests. Taking this into consideration, I would encourage students to study another language as a second major even if they don’t have a clear career interest. It may be, as was in my case, that your innate interests will help guide you to a career goal or interest.
Studying social sciences and Spanish opens up other opportunities aside from being a bilingual politician. For example, I think that bilingual journalists are very important to make credible news sources more accessible to Spanish-speaking populations. You could also use the majors to drive forward a legal profession, especially to serve Spanish-speaking communities through immigration law or labor rights law. Through your Spanish courses at UMass, it is highly likely that you will meet plenty of other double-major students. I would recommend learning about your peers’ majors and their interests to help inspire you and learn about other career opportunities involving Spanish and a second major.
Another interesting aspect of being both a Political Science and Spanish major is that my courses have intersected in unexpected ways. For example, my PoliSci course, Immigration Policy, has provided a lot of context that relates to this course, Spanish Integrative Experience. Latino identity within the US is a prominent theme present in both classes, especially how Latino identity relates to political issues. My prior knowledge of immigration policy helps me apply a political perspective to the experiences we read and hear about as Spanish majors. This intersection also applies to other Social Behavioral Science and Humanities majors, including anthropology and history. These types of fields help you understand Spanish cultural issues from other real-world experiences and events.
Courses in PoliSci that I took abroad have also influenced my thesis topic, which I am writing under the Spanish department. I am writing my thesis on Spain within the European Union, and I have been drawing on knowledge from both majors to adapt a more holistic point of view. It is quite a satisfying feeling when concepts from both your majors intersect because it can help you better understand course content and bring a different perspective to class discussions.
My Spanish literature classes have also helped me become a more thoughtful reader. If you learn to read critically in your second language, you will have much more confidence in your reading and analytical skills in your English-language classes. Writing in Spanish has also made me more conscious of word choice, which I believe has made me a stronger writer overall. You can also use other non-Spanish major courses to help fulfill Spanish-related certification requirements, such as the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies certificate, which combines areas of anthropology, geography, political science, and more.
My Spanish education has opened up numerous opportunities related to my interest in Political Science. My career goals include connecting with international communities, and this is made possible by my knowledge of Spanish. I have the opportunity to pursue a higher education in Spain, opening up a new world of political thought and affairs. I am very interested in Spain-EU relations and EU affairs, and I would not be able to pursue this interest if not for my majors. I encourage anyone interested in Political Science to study Spanish as well.
Meghan Neville
