Graduate Certificate: Spanish for Health Professions

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Learn more about the graduate certificate in Spanish for Health Professions.

About the Certificate

The online graduate certificate in Spanish for Health Professions prepares professionals in healthcare fields to engage in culturally sensitive, knowledgeable Spanish communication with the Latinx and Spanish-speaking community in healthcare settings. This exclusively online certificate offers maximum flexibility in recognition of the unique time and geographical constraints of the working professional. The coursework allows students to:

  • hone and improve their oral, aural, reading, and writing skills in Spanish;
  • appreciate, recognize, and comprehend the varieties of language used by the target population;
  • engage in the practice of the techniques of interpretation and translation between Spanish and English; and
  • learn to recognize their own linguistic capacities and how to harness them.

Cultural competency is developed as students examine the diversity of the Latinx population in the United States, discussing cultural norms, concerns, and expectations around healthcare. Students also acquire an overview of the most prominent health issues in the community to enable them to engage with patients on these topics.

As the coursework is completed entirely in Spanish, both a theoretical and a practical grasp of the issues and the language are attained by completion of the certificate. Once completed, graduates are better able to meet the needs of a healthcare system that demands culturally competent, bilingual individuals be able to serve a diverse set of patients in a variety of healthcare settings.

Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 2 years

Campus Location: Online, with virtual synchronous sessions held in the evenings to accommodate working professionals

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The graduate certificate is completed on a part-time basis. Students may take one course per academic term. Courses are offered in seven-week sessions with two sessions in the Fall semester and two sessions in the Spring semester.

Job Prospects: The certificate program is designed for those either working in the healthcare professions or with the background to do so. Completion of the certificate advances an employee’s professional training, adding value to their agency and their salary.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may take up to 9 credits of coursework before applying to the graduate certificate program.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:
Summer:  Admission is rolling. Students may begin when SPAN 5601 is offered.

Submit your application at https://form.jotform.com/200635209925050.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree at Temple University with a GPA of 2.5 or better.

Statement of Goals: In 500 to 1,000 words, outline your interest in seeking the certificate in Spanish for Health Professions.

Resume: Current resume required.

Language Requirement: All applicants must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to completion of SPAN 1003 at Temple University through the placement exam, AP credits, previous coursework, or Spanish advising placement.

Certificate Requirements

Number of Credits Required to Complete the Certificate: 12

Required Courses:

SPAN 5601Spanish for Health Professions 13
SPAN 5602Advanced Medical Spanish 13
SPAN 5603Latino Health Issues in the US3
SPAN 5604Spanish/English Interpretation Techniques for Healthcare3
Total Credit Hours12

Healthcare professionals may elect to complete the certificate through this intensive one-year schedule:

Year 1
FallCredit Hours
SPAN 5601Spanish for Health Professions13
SPAN 5602Advanced Medical Spanish23
 Term Credit Hours6
Spring
SPAN 5603Latino Health Issues in the US33
SPAN 5604Spanish/English Interpretation Techniques for Healthcare43
 Term Credit Hours6
 Total Credit Hours: 12

GPA Required to be Awarded the Certificate: 3.0 minimum

Culminating Event: Students must successfully pass all four courses to earn the certificate. None of these courses can be applied toward a master’s or doctoral degree in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Courses

SPAN 5060. Special Topics. 3 Credit Hours.

A comprehensive study of language, literature, culture or other areas of special interest in the Hispanic/Latinx worlds.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5083. Directed Readings. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.

Guided readings in Spanish, focusing on themes and topics in Hispanic culture, literature and/or linguistics.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5121. Survey in Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

Survey of selected periods and themes of Spanish literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5122. Medieval Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course analyzes Spanish texts written during the Middle Ages.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5124. 16th and 17th Century Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is devoted to the study of the literature produced during what has been called the Spanish Golden Age.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5126. Cervantes. 3 Credit Hours.

The course entails an in-depth study of Miguel de Cervantes' selected works

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5136. 18th and 19th Century Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is devoted to the study of Spanish literature during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5137. Hispanic Modernism. 3 Credit Hours.

Using significant works by leading authors (i.e., Casal, Gutierrez Najera, Jimenez, Machado, Marti, Unamuno, and/or Valle-Inclan), this course explores aspects of Modernity in Spain and/or Spanish America.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5138. 20th and 21st Century Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is devoted to the study of Spanish literature during the 20th and/or 21st centuries.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5141. Survey in Spanish-American Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

Survey of selected periods and themes in Spanish American literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5142. Spanish-American Short Story. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the evolution of the Spanish- American short story.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5143. Spanish American Novel. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is devoted to the in-depth study of the Spanish-American novel.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5144. Spanish American Poetry. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies the trends in Spanish-American poetry.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5146. National Literatures of Spanish America. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies literature in its cultural context focusing on texts from one or more countries in Spanish America.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5147. 20th and 21st Century Puerto Rican Authors. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers topics and authors in Puerto Rican literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5148. Latin American Literature of Social Conflict. 3 Credit Hours.

This course analyzes class, ethnic, gender, religious, and other social conflicts in Latin American literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5151. Literature of the Caribbean. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a comparative study of representative literary works from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and non-Spanish speaking nations of the Caribbean.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5152. U.S. Latino Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines U.S. Latino literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5161. Hispanic Literature through Art. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a comparative study of trends and styles in Hispanic literature in the context of trends and styles in the history of art.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 5301. Spanish Phonetics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies the articulatory and acoustic nature of Spanish phonemes and allophones, the syllable, stress, suprasegmentals, and intonation, with attention to regional variation and comparisons with English.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5302. Introduction to Spanish Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers concepts and methods of linguistic description and explanation applied to the phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of the Spanish language.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5303. Spanish/English Contrasts. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a systematic study of the phonological, morphosyntactic, and lexico-semantic patterns of Spanish and English.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5304. Spanish Applied Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course takes a linguistic approach to theories of language learning and teaching, including second language acquisition.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5305. History of the Spanish Language. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers the development of the Spanish language from its early beginnings (Latin) to the many present-day regional, social, and stylistic varieties. Analysis is made of the phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical, and semantic changes Spanish went through.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5306. Spanish Sociolinguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers the concepts and methods in sociolinguistic research as applied to the study of variation and change in the Spanish language.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5401. The Art of Translation. 3 Credit Hours.

This is an advanced course on the strategies of translating literary texts from Spanish to English, including practice and practical orientation.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 5601. Spanish for Health Professions. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course students will acquire a foundational knowledge of the medical language and cultural practices pertinent to interactions in a healthcare context that includes Spanish-speaking and Latino patients. Intensive study of medical vocabulary, participation in role-plays, and readings of cultural norms in medical contexts will prepare students for basic interactions with Spanish-speakers. In addition to discrete vocabulary terms, students will learn to use and recognize high frequency phrases in medical contexts bettering their oral and aural skills. To develop long-term retention of vocabulary, frequent practice using video, audio, online activities and interactions with the instructor will cement new vocabulary. In alignment with the CLAS (National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services), course content will cover several areas of cultural competency, which include, but are not limited to, linguistic register, managing a situation without a trained interpreter, patient dignity, respect for cultural practice, ethical use of language, etc. The emphasis of the course is on the building a breadth of foundational skills that prepare the student linguistically and knowledgeably for more in-depth study of medical Spanish, translation/interpretation and Latino health issues.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites:
SPAN 1003|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently
OR LCSP EXMPT|May not be taken concurrently.

SPAN 5602. Advanced Medical Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

In Spanish 5602 students use their Spanish for a specific purpose: providing health services to a Spanish speaker, or intervening as an interpreter or translator to facilitate the practice of some aspect of medicine. Course content covers cultural competency, health literacy, communication skills, Spanish vocabulary and expressions for anatomy, systems, diseases and health-related concerns, medical tests, nutrition, and in-depth discussions of a selection of health-related situations. All class work, student-student interactions and student-professor interactions and assignments will be in Spanish. The emphasis of the course is on oral skills, which will be practiced in a variety of online platforms including: paired recordings, synchronous sessions with the professor, recorded responses to video and audio prompts, and an interview with a healthcare professional. The oral work will include presentations, role-plays and simple medical explanations. Readings of health-related materials and articles will be assigned, followed by oral and written reports which will consolidate students' ability to express themselves on materials studied.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites:
SPAN 2096|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently
OR SPAN 5601|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently.

SPAN 5603. Latino Health Issues in the US. 3 Credit Hours.

In 2015, the Hispanic population comprised 17% of the US population with 53 million individuals with diverse backgrounds. Effectively working with this population requires an understanding of the cultural, environmental, economic and medical factors that play a part in an individual's health, wellness and care. Through contemporary readings in Spanish and English from government publications, medical journals, US and foreign newspapers and a textbook, students will gain an understanding of the diversity of the Latino population and knowledge of the current research on the health issues and concerns that most frequently impact the Latino community. Additionally, this course will include practice in language varieties and registers to help professionals recognize the myriad language varieties they might encounter and to increase sensitivity to potentially offensive language expectations; instruction in some history and geography will develop cultural competencies and background knowledge of the population. In addition to readings, discussions and an ethnography, the students will engage in case studies and problem solving. Specific topics include: Access to Health Systems, Chronic Diseases, Child and Elder care, Mental Health.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites:
SPAN 2096|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently
OR SPAN 5602|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently.

SPAN 5604. Spanish/English Interpretation Techniques for Healthcare. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to the ethics and techniques of interpretation and translation used in healthcare settings. To ensure safe and reliable communication and to help students engage in best practices whenever in the role of translator/interpreter, the course covers both translation/interpretation theory and practice. Students will learn about the roles of an interpreter, how to evaluate their ability to interpret in any given situation and how culture influences translation/interpretation. Students will work with authentic documents such as patient consent sheets, fact sheets, clinical paperwork (discharges) and medical journal articles. Interpretation practice will encompass such topics as medical diagnosis, procedural descriptions, and accurate interpretations of anatomy, physiology and medical language. Students must also demonstrate appropriate culture competence when interpreting.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites:
SPAN 2096|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently
OR SPAN 5602|Minimum Grade of C|May not be taken concurrently.

SPAN 8000. Special Topic Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.

Special topics course. Subject varies with instructor.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8001. Hispanic Bibliography and Research. 3 Credit Hours.

This course presents the tools and methods of research and investigation in Spanish and Ibero-American languages and literatures.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 8110. Seminar in Spanish and Spanish-American Literature. 2 to 3 Credit Hours.

The students examine intensively particular topics or issues concerning Spanish and/or Spanish-American literature. This course may be repeated if subject varies.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8122. Seminar in Medieval Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of medieval Spanish literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8130. Seminar in Golden Age Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of Golden Age-Spanish literature

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8140. Seminar in 18th and 19th Century Spanish-American Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of 18th and/or 19th century Spanish literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8141. Seminar in 20th and 21st Century Spanish Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of 20th and/or 21st century Spanish literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8146. Colonial and 19th Century Spanish-American Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of colonial and/or 19th century Spanish American literature.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8147. 20th and 21st Century Spanish-American Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies aspects of 20th and/or 21st century Spanish American literature

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8149. Spanish-American Theater. 3 Credit Hours.

This graduate seminar deals with the developments in Spanish-American theater since Naturalism.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 8161. Critical Approaches to Hispanic Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an overview of critical theories and schools of thought in literary criticism.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8300. Seminar in Spanish Linguistics. 2 to 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers selected problems in the field of Spanish language and linguistics using a contemporary analytical and/or historical approach.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8301. Spanish Phonology and Morphology. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an advanced theoretical and applied study of the sound system and the morphological system of present day Spanish and their relationship to each other.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8302. Syntax. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers the advanced theoretical study of Spanish syntax that combines generalizations of a descriptive nature with current syntactic theories such as functionalism and minimalism. Topics studied are noun phrase and verb phrase structure, case assignment and arguments, predication, transitivity/intransitivity, voice and syntactic relations.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8303. Hispanic Dialectology. 3 Credit Hours.

This course discusses the mechanisms of dialectal differentiation in Spain and Latin America as the result of diatopic, diastratic, and diachronic changes through normal language transmission and internal development, with special attention given to both historical and contemporary perspectives.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8304. Spanish Language of Puerto Rico. 3 Credit Hours.

This course studies the history, dialectology, and sociolinguistics of the Spanish language in Puerto Rico.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8305. Comparative Romance Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This seminar covers topics from several Romance languages - Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French - including synchronic and diachronic perspectives.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 8385. Internship in the Teaching of Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

This is a theoretical and practical course required for all new teaching assistants. Theories and applications of teaching Spanish as a foreign language, class management, lesson planning, curriculum design, testing, and grading are covered. Supervision of teaching of Spanish language classes is provided.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 8985. Teaching Higher Education: Language. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.

This course focuses on learning theory and the best teaching practices, with the aim of preparing students for effective higher education teaching.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 9001. Spanish for Graduate Reading Knowledge. 1 Credit Hour.

This course provides guidance and practice in the reading of Spanish language texts for students preparing for the Spanish reading/translation exam.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

SPAN 9083. Directed Readings. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.

This course is offered for students who wish to pursue independent study of research topics with faculty supervision. It is not to be used as a substitute for courses offered in the Department.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 9991. Directed Research. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.

This course is offered for students who wish to pursue independent study of research topics with faculty supervision. It is not to be used as a substitute for courses offered in the Department.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 9994. Preliminary Examination Preparation. 1 to 6 Credit Hour.

Must be taken by all graduate students in the semester following coursework completion.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 9998. Pre-Dissertation Research. 1 to 6 Credit Hour.

Must be taken by all students in the Ph.D. program who have finished coursework, passed the Preliminary Examination, and are preparing the dissertation proposal.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

SPAN 9999. Dissertation Research. 1 to 12 Credit Hour.

This course is intended only for those students who have achieved Ph.D. Candidacy status. A minimum of 6 semester hours is required for graduation.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Student Attribute Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Student Attributes: Dissertation Writing Student.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

Contacts

Certificate Program Web Address:

https://www.temple.edu/academics/degree-programs/spanish-for-the-health-professions-certificate-graduate-la-sphp-grad

Admissions Information:

Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese

428 Anderson Hall

1114 W. Polett Walk

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090

spangrad@temple.edu

215-204-2877

Mailing Address for Application Materials:

Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese

428 Anderson Hall (022-34)

1114 W. Polett Walk

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090

Department Contacts:

Certificate Coordinator:

Norma Corrales-Martin

436 Anderson Hall

ncm@temple.edu