Spanish as a Heritage Language Track
The Spanish as a Heritage Language (SHL) Track is designed for students who grew up in Spanish-speaking environments and bring with them diverse experiences with the language. Whether students’ connection to Spanish comes from growing up speaking the language or from hearing it with their parents, grandparents, or community, our courses build on each student’s existing relationship with Spanish and provide them with the tools to further develop their language skills.
A hallmark of the SHL Track is its emphasis on U.S. Latino/a/e/x communities and cultures. Coursework integrates authentic materials, projects, and service-learning opportunities that connect classroom learning with the lived experiences of heritage speakers.
The program offers courses at the intermediate and advanced levels. Completion of the intermediate-level sequence fulfills Northwestern’s foreign language requirement, while advanced courses allow students to continue exploring Spanish linguistics, literature, and culture through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese’s diverse undergraduate offerings.
SHL Track Courses
SPANISH 127-0 Accelerated Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Language Learners (1 Unit)
The main purpose of this course is to build upon the language knowledge that students bring to the classroom and advance their proficiency in Spanish for multiple contexts. The course content will generate opportunities for students to hone their oral and written skills, to become acquainted with more formal registers of Spanish, and to deepen their sense of pride in their linguistic and cultural heritage in order to communicate more effectively and more confidently in the target language. Offered in fall only. Prerequisite: Spanish heritage learners with an AP score of 3 or a sufficient score on the Spanish Language Placement Exam.
SPANISH 200-0 Advanced Spanish for Heritage Language Learners (1 Unit)
This course is designed to prepare Spanish heritage learners for advanced studies in the target language by examining contemporary topics within the Spanish-speaking world. It offers insights into how historical events have shaped the present in Latin America, Spain, and the U.S. Latino/a/x communities. Students will foster a critical awareness of their bilingual abilities and improve their reading and writing skills. It is tailored to students who grew up using Spanish as their primary language at home or in their communities. Prerequisite: Spanish heritage learners currently enrolled in or who have taken and passed SPANISH 127-0, OR have an AP score of 4, OR sufficient score on the Spanish Language Placement Exam. U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
SPANISH 121-3: Intermediate Spanish – Special Topics: Spanish for Heritage Speakers (1 Unit)
This is the final course in the three-quarter Intermediate Spanish sequence, designed specifically for heritage learners. The course fulfills the WCAS language requirement and offers students the opportunity to build on their existing language skills while critically examining the role of Spanish in the U.S. and Latin America. Through ample opportunities for reflection, students will engage with topics related to bi-multilingual identity, history, race, and politics. The course is offered only in the spring, and the prerequisite is current enrollment in or successful completion of SPANISH 121-2.