Spanish Studies Program

Sabías que… The Spanish language is the most widely spoken Romance language, both in terms of number of speakers and the number of countries in which it is the dominant language. Spanish originated in the Castile region of Spain and today has hundreds of millions of native-speakers.

Founded in 1996 as an outgrowth of the Iberian Studies Group, the Spanish Studies Program (SSP) promotes the interdisciplinary study of the countries and cultures of the Iberian peninsula, primarily by sponsoring lectures, conferences, performances, and other events on the UC Berkeley campus. The Spanish Studies Program aims to,

1. Foster better contacts between the UC Berkeley and other universities and research institutions in Spain
2. Strengthen Berkeley’s academic, intellectual and institutional ties to Spain
3. Support graduate and undergraduate teaching and research about topics relating to Spain, both from a contemporary and a historical perspective
4. Support study abroad and internship programs for Berkeley students in Spain
5. Support interdisciplinary research that fosters the transatlantic connections between Spain and the United States..
6. Support teaching of the Spanish and Catalan languages on the Berkeley campus
7. Reach out to the members of the Bay Area community with an interest in Spanish studies.
8. Coordinate its activities on the Berkeley campus with those of analogous groups throughout the University of California.

Director