Both at Dartmouth and around the country, students are choosing to study Spanish more than in the past while the popularity of German and French courses is declining.
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported about the national trend, which shows the number of college students studying Spanish has grown to an unprecedented level, while enrollment in French and German has declined.
Enrollment patterns over the last 10 years reveal that this national trend holds true for foreign language study at Dartmouth.
During the 1993-94 academic year, 1,527 Dartmouth students took courses in Spanish, while 1,329 students studied French and 533 studied German.
Raul Bueno-Chavez, the Spanish department's interim chair, described the surge in students studying Spanish as a "cycle."
"Now, it happens that we are in a boom, but we have to weigh this carefully," Bueno-Chavez said. "This phenomenon cannot be considered in the short term. We are taking the situation cautiously because the tendency could revert."
The Chronicle of Higher Education pointed to the importance of knowing Spanish in the job market as a major incentive for studying the language.
Bueno-Chavez agreed, adding that the North American Free Trade Agreement opened the Mexican job market to Americans.
A survey done by the KPMG Peat Marwick international consulting firm revealed that 40 percent of the 936 top corporate executives are hiring applicants fluent in Spanish as a result of the new economic opportunities created by NAFTA.
The growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States is another factor responsible for an increase in demand for Spanish-speaking professionals, Bueno-Chavez said. By the turn of the century, it is possible that the Hispanic population will comprise the largest minority group in the United States, he added.
Bueno-Chavez also noted Hispanic minorities are gaining greater social and economic leverage in the United States and now, more than ever, they are trying to preserve their culture and language.
The popularity of Spanish can also be explained by the important role Spain is playing within the European Community. The United States wants connections to both Spain and other thriving Latin-American countries, Bueno-Chavez said.
The increase in the number of Dartmouth students studying Spanish over the past 10 years is coupled by a growth in the number of Spanish majors and greater enrollment in upper-level classes, Bueno-Chavez said.
While 10 Spanish majors graduated from Dartmouth in 1985, 19 graduated in 1994, and 25 are expected to graduate in 1995. The Spanish department expects about 35 majors to graduate in 1996, Bueno-Chavez said.
Spanish major Kirsten Teaney '95 said, "Before I came to Dartmouth, I took a year off and lived in Mexico where I learned Spanish. I ended up a major because I didn't want to loose the skills that I had. I do know, however, that a lot of [pre-medical students] take Spanish because it is vital in today's world."
College enrollment patterns for introductory level Spanish courses reveal the growth in the popularity of Spanish over the past 10 years. In 1984-85, 513 students were enrolled in Spanish 1, 2 and 3 as compared to 767 who were enrolled in 1993-94, Bueno-Chavez reported.
Statistics also indicate that students are arriving at Dartmouth with stronger backgrounds in Spanish than a decade ago.
In 1984-85, 246 students enrolled in Spanish 1, 119 in Spanish 2 and 148 in Spanish 3, while in 1993-94 222 students enrolled in Spanish 1, 294 in Spanish 2 and 251 in Spanish 3.
Bueno-Chavez accounts for these statistics by explaining that more students are coming to Dartmouth with prior Spanish knowledge and are pursuing the study of Spanish on a higher level than in earlier years.
The enrollment in upper-level Spanish courses has also increased slightly in the past 10 years, he said.
The rise in popularity of Spanish has prompted several changes within the department. Bueno-Chavez estimated that the faculty has grown by 30 percent during the past five years with the hiring of more tenured professors, visiting professors and lecturers.
Spanish 7, Writing and Speaking: A Cultural Approach, was created in 1991 to meet the growing demand of students who want to gain a more complete written and oral understanding of the language. According to Bueno-Chavez, the course was a success from the start and its initial enrollment has grown from 57 in 1991-92 to 124 in 1993-94.
The increase in the number of students studying Spanish has made an impact on other departments. German and French are two of the primary languages which must work harder to attract more students.
German Department Chair Steven Scher said the increased popularity in Spanish has had, "no direct effect, but we are all aware this is the newest fad; it is the Spanish Sputnik."
French Professor Lawrence Kritzman attempted to make the study of French more interesting for students at the College by organizing a summer institute to improve teaching methods and make the curriculum more interdisciplinary.
But according to students, there is a positive side to the declining popularity of French and French courses at the College.
"Most of the upper level courses now are fairly small and allow for great interaction between professors and students and a real opportunity to express and develop your own ideas," French and linguistics major Matthew Riley '95 said.
