The Spanish for Specific Purposes Certificate (SSPC) program is designed for traditional as well as nontraditional students. The certificate can be earned as a degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking student.
Each day more and more professionals such as teachers, healthcare professionals, business professionals, law enforcement officers and others have the need to communicate with the Hispanic community. The SSPC program courses are content-, vocabulary- and culture- based. Students learn the vocabulary, language, and cultural background that they will use in their professional field through extensive practice in class and, in some specific cases, beyond the classroom as well.
Some of our students are UAB undergraduates—we are here to fulfill their academic needs and help give them an advantage in their future lives and careers. Our program participants include students from education, business, law enforcement, and health care programs who have anticipated the need to use Spanish in a culturally competent manner in their workplace.
Other students are local professionals looking to enhance their skills and interact with the growing Hispanic community in the Birmingham area. Each day more and more professionals—teachers, medical care employees, business people, law enforcement officers, and others—have the need to communicate in Spanish.
Admissions
You must be a UAB student to enroll in the SSPC program. Non-degree-seeking students must be admitted as temporary students before applying to the SSPC program.
After you have received formal acceptance to the SSPC program, your enrollment will appear in BlazerNet. Since students can take up to 12 credit hours as non-degree-seeking students, overrides may be granted by the SSP Certificate director or the department chair to ensure the ability to fulfill the 18 credit-hour requirement.
Please note that non-native speakers of English will be required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination or equivalent to enter the program.
Want to Know More?
For advising or for more information about the SSPC program, contact Dr. Lourdes Sánchez-López, Director of the Spanish for Specific Purposes Program, at