Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
Contact Information
Spanish
College of Arts and Sciences
910 Clemens Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4620
Phone: 716.645.2191
Fax: 716.645.5981
Web Address: rll.buffalo.edu
Dr. Christian FlaughDirector of Undergraduate Studies (SPA 200-level Courses and Higher)
716.645.0879
cflaugh@buffalo.edu
Dr. Barbara Avila-ShahLanguage Program Director (SPA 101 - SPA 152)
716.645.0867
bia@buffalo.edu
Overview
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 Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Spain, among other world regions.
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.