“Saludos” are in order for a new academic offering focused on all things Spanish.
Students can now earn a Certificate in Spanish Language and Culture at Dalhousie. The certificate offers a structured yet flexible and accessible pathway for anyone interested in Spanish, including current/degree-seeking students as well as non-degree learners and professionals.
The certificate teaches practical Spanish communication skills and cultural knowledge through film, literature and history. Its coordinator, Magali Dam-Mazzi, sees it as an opportunity to “turn Halifax into a little hub of global connections” — adding that it isn’t just about learning Spanish, “it’s about joining a conversation with over 500 million people worldwide.”
Left: Program coordinator, Magali Dam-Mazzi in Lima, Peru (submitted photo)
This certificate, which received formal approval last month from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC), is offered through the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies in Dalhousie’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) — but is open to currently registered Dal and King’s students across faculties, as well as to members of the broader community.
Learn more: Certificate in Spanish Language and Culture
Prof. Dam-Mazzi, a University Teaching Fellow in the department, says she and her colleagues wanted to make Spanish language and Hispanic cultures accessible to a broader audience, designing the certificate to be achievable for those who cannot commit to a full minor or major while still providing a recognized credential.
“It’s an opportunity to make new friends, share cultures, and open doors to travel and professional growth,” she says, noting the stand-alone certificate option offers professionals in industries including health care, education, immigration, tourism, business, social work, government, and NGOs with a recognized university credential to support career development and mobility.
Opening doors for learners
FASS Associate Dean Academic Lindsay DuBois says taking the certificate as a stand-alone option offers a very focused credential — earned by completing just five courses — to the larger Halifax area community. A postsecondary degree is not required to be eligible to take the courses in this certificate program, although people do need to apply to Dalhousie as a Special Student.
She adds that in a time where so many people are relying on AI to help with translation, developing skills in additional languages and learning about those cultures allows people to expand and demonstrate not just their language skills, but also their intercultural skills.
“Although Google translate is a great tool for reading a menu, it cannot substitute for the language and culture learning which can help people make real human connections,” says Dr. DuBois. “We think this certificate will be great for people looking to upgrade their skills in an increasingly multicultural society just as much as for people who have a passion for Spanish language and culture.”
Jordyn Wolfer, a final-year Therapeutic Recreation student in the Faculty of Health, is the first current student at Dal completing this certificate. Having already taken courses in Spanish, but unable to declare a minor within her degree (as there are no options to add a minor within her program), she jumped at the opportunity to formally add on the certificate when it came available.
“I saw it as an opportunity to improve my Spanish in addition to gaining a deeper understanding and respect for Spanish culture,” she says.
For Jordyn, learning about Spanish culture at the same time as learning the language has many benefits. “The main one for me was that it allowed me to have a better understanding of what I have been learning and to better communicate in the language as well. It provides context behind why you say certain things, use specific gestures or mannerisms when talking in the language.”
As a future health-care worker, Jordyn sees “so much value” in learning another language, in her case, particularly to better serve her future patients and clients. In addition to the professional and academic benefits as a formal credential on her transcript, taking courses in Spanish language and culture has benefitted her personally.
It offered her “the opportunity to travel and be emersed in the culture of another country” that she says she would not have had if she didn’t speak and understand the language. It also allowed her to meet other students outside of her home faculty at Dalhousie who ended up being some of her closest friends.
A complementary offering
Prof. Dam-Mazzi says the certificate can complement degrees in Health, Commerce, International Development, Arts, Education, and more.
“This certificate not only enhances academic profiles but also opens doors to global opportunities, intercultural competence, and career pathways in education, international relations, and beyond,” she says.
She notes that Spanish “brings joy with its music, food, literature, culture, film and laughter.
“We’re creating a welcoming space where someone from Halifax can connect with someone in Bogotá or Madrid and feel right. We’re not just learning words, we’re building bridges and strengthening our community.”
How to earn the certificate
The Certificate in Spanish Language and Culture is available as both a concurrent and a stand-alone credential and is open to all currently registered Dalhousie and King’s students across faculties, as well as to members of the broader community.
- Review the full requirements
- For more information, email dalspan@dal.ca