Why Spanish at Iowa?

Spanish is more than a major—it’s a pathway to global fluency and future success.

Enrich your academic journey

Studying Spanish at Iowa builds a strong academic foundation with faculty support and research opportunities with courses that span everything from medieval texts to contemporary cultural studies. Turn your passion for language into a career in education, healthcare, business, or beyond.

Research and scholarship

Explore articles, books, and creative works published by Spanish faculty at the University of Iowa.

Honors

Earn honors in your major while studying Spanish at the University of Iowa.

Study abroad

Practice your language skills, expose yourself to world cultures, and expand your worldview.

Internships

Apply what you learn in the program, gain real world experience, and pursue your future career path.

Connect with an ambassador

Embrace your potential as a student

Become a student ambassador

Share your passion and lead others to success

Why study Spanish at Iowa?

Spanish opens doors—build language skills, cultural insight, and global opportunities at every level.

Studying Spanish at Iowa means more than just learning to speak a global language—it’s about exploring rich cultural histories, engaging with literature, linguistics, and translation, and preparing for a career with international reach. Whether you're drawn to Spanish American or U.S. Latina/o/x cultures, creative writing, or professional applications, the program offers courses that challenge and inspire. Small class sizes and faculty mentorship foster deep learning and community, while hands-on opportunities like the Spanish Speaking and Writing Center and community outreach projects connect your education to the real world.

With undergraduate, MA, PhD, and MFA programs, Iowa supports every stage of your academic journey. Graduate students pursue advanced study in literature, linguistics, or creative writing—an MFA program unique for its dual focus on poetry and fiction in Spanish. Many students gain research experience through ICRU, study abroad in Spanish-speaking countries, or earn prestigious awards like the Fulbright. Whether your goals lie in education, writing, health care, international relations, or beyond, Spanish at Iowa gives you the tools—and the confidence—to succeed anywhere.

Spanish cultural activities and events

Losing Control? Rethinking Control Groups in Second Language Acquisition Research promotional image

Losing Control? Rethinking Control Groups in Second Language Acquisition Research

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 3:30pm to 5:30pm
Phillips Hall
Join us for a conversation with Purdue University Professor of Spanish Linguistics Daniel Olson on the topic of control groups in second language acquisition research.
One Moment: Poetry Reading promotional image

One Moment: Poetry Reading

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Prairie Lights Books
A poetry reading event at Prairie Lights with author Luis Muñoz from his newest book, One Moment, translated from Spanish to English by Idra Novey and Garth Greenwell.
Cafecito Cervantes promotional image

Cafecito Cervantes

Thursday, September 17, 2026 4:00pm to 4:45pm
Virtual
Cafecito Cervantes Fall 2026
Cafecito Cervantes promotional image

Cafecito Cervantes

Thursday, September 24, 2026 4:00pm to 4:45pm
Virtual
Cafecito Cervantes Fall 2026
Cafecito Cervantes promotional image

Cafecito Cervantes

Thursday, October 1, 2026 4:00pm to 4:45pm
Virtual
Cafecito Cervantes Fall 2026
Cafecito Cervantes promotional image

Cafecito Cervantes

Thursday, October 8, 2026 4:00pm to 4:45pm
Virtual
Cafecito Cervantes Fall 2026
View more events

"Spanish is so much more than memorizing vocabulary and conjugating verbs. It truly is a way to immerse yourself in a whole new world of experiences while even making some lifelong friends along the way."

- Tessa Reed

Spanish language and cultural resources

Study abroad

We encourage you to study abroad to develop your linguistic and intercultural competencies. The university has several opportunities to select from.

Write your story

Build knowledge. Conduct research. Create new work. Stand out among your peers. You're going places, and it all starts here.

Spanish faculty

Amber Brian
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Amber Brian, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Horacio Castellanos

Horacio Castellanos

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Roxanna Curto

Roxanna Curto, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Ana Fernandez

Ana Esther Fernández

Title/Position
Assistant Professor of Instruction
picture of Jose Fernandez in front of a bookshelf

Jose Fernandez, PhD

Title/Position
Affiliate Faculty, Spanish
Denise Filios

Denise Filios, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Portrait of Fox Claire

Claire Fox, PhD

Title/Position
MF Carpenter Professor of English
Professor of Spanish and Portuguese
Brian Gollnick

Brian Gollnick, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director, Latin American Studies Program
Director of Graduate Studies
Becky Gonzalez

Becky Gonzalez, PhD

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
Study Abroad Advisor
Alexis Jiménez

Alexis Jiménez, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Rachel Klevar

Rachel Klevar, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Director of Curriculum
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Pilar Marcé

Pilar Marcé, PhD

Title/Position
Professor of Instruction
Luis Martín-Estudillo

Luis Martín-Estudillo, PhD

Title/Position
Professor and Collegiate Scholar
Director of the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies
Ana Merino

Ana Merino, PhD

Title/Position
Adjunct Professor
Kristine Muñoz

Kristine Muñoz, PhD

Title/Position
Professor
Global Health Studies Director
Luis Muñoz

Luis Muñoz, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Director of MFA in Spanish Creative Writing
Kathleen Newman

Kathleen Newman, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Portrait of Maricelle Pinto Tomas

Maricelle Pinto-Tomas, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
headshot of Claudia Pozzobon

Claudia Pozzobon Potratz, PhD

Title/Position
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Jorge Ramos

Jorge Ramos, MA, MS, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
giovanna rivero

Giovanna Rivero, PhD

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
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Ana M. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Graduate College Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Student Success
Portrait of Christine Shea

Christine Shea, PhD

Title/Position
Departmental Executive Officer
Associate Professor
Suzanne Wedeking

Suzanne Wedeking

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Giovanni Zimotti

Giovanni Zimotti, PhD

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Director of Spanish Language Instruction