Will taking a Spanish course in college really help me with my future career in psychology?

Hello Brittany.

I think taking Spanish course will help you as long as you are going to be helping Spanish speaking people or work on a Spanish speaking country.

Learning a second language and becoming fluent in it will serve you well in the long term.

First, you will forge neural connections in your brain that you would ‘t develop otherwise.

Second, learning a second language will help you to undstand English grammar better.

Third, if you get sufficiently proficient, you might be able to read journal articles written in the Spanish language; reading science articles in the tongue in which they are written is always better than reading a translation of same.

Fourth, having fluency in a second language makes you more employable. In order to serve some clients well you need to be able to communicate with them directly without the use of a translator. Using a translator in a therapeutic setting is problematic because of issues of confidentiality.

Fifth, there are more immigrants in our nation who speak Spanish. These Spanish speaking people are in need of many social and mental health services. If you do not go to graduate school for a masters degree or doctorate, it is likely that you will find work in a social service agency.

Good luck with your academic pursuits.