The College of Arts & Humanities’ Department of World Languages and Cultures will offer new certificates for students to earn official credentials alongside any major.

Starting in the fall of 2026, the Spanish Language Foundations Certificate and the Advanced Spanish and Cultural Immersion Certificate will equip students with tools to learn or expand their knowledge of the Spanish language. Dr. Kelly Suero, Chair for the Department of World Languages and Cultures, said the certificates were designed to complement any major at Troy University by giving students a practical and marketable skill they can add alongside their degree program.

“The goal is to provide flexible options that fit into students’ existing degree plans while helping them develop language skills that are increasingly valuable in many professional fields.”

The Spanish Language Foundations Certificate, which is 12 credits, will help build practical Spanish skills for real-world communication. No prior Spanish is required, and the courses can be completed online, on campus or in a hybrid format. The Advanced Spanish and Cultural Immersion Certificate, which is 21credits, is open to students with intermediate Spanish proficiency who are pursuing careers that work directly with diverse communities or global organizations.

Suero highlights the dual benefits these certificates offer students

“Professionally, we hope students graduate with a clear credential that demonstrates bilingual ability and intercultural competence,” Suero said. “Data consistently shows that employers understand and value tangible certificates that demonstrate specific skill sets, and Spanish proficiency can be a strong asset in fields such as healthcare, criminal justice, education, communications, business, and social services.”

“Personally, language learning broadens students’ perspective,” Suero continued. “We hope students gain greater cultural awareness, confidence communicating across cultures, and a deeper understanding of the diverse communities they may work with in the future.”

TROY’s Department of World Languages and Cultures prepares students to thrive globally through linguistic proficiency, cultural understanding and critical thinking skills. Suero said she is excited to make Spanish study more accessible to students across the university.

“Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and plays an important role in many communities in the United States,” Suero said. “These certificates give our students an opportunity to develop meaningful language skills while also strengthening their competitiveness in the job market.”

For more information about the Spanish Certificates, please contact Suero at ksuero@troy.edu.