The GVSU certificate in Spanish for Health Care Professionals prepares students to be culturally and linguistically competent to better serve patients from Spanish speaking communities and backgrounds. Why study Spanish for Health Care Professionals at Grand Valley?

• Develop language proficiency with an emphasis on health and medical contexts.
• Learn and use specialized vocabulary and terminology relevant to the medical field.
• Know the health needs of Spanish-speaking communities by understanding the linguistic and cultural diversity of Spanish-speaking communities in the region.
• Engage with Spanish-speaking patients by going beyond mere verbal communication to providing care grounded in cultural understanding.

Two years of college Spanish or placement in SPA 202 or SPA 300-level are required for admission. Anyone admitted to GVSU as a degree-seeking student may complete this certificate. To complete the certificate, students must select a total of 15 credits. Enrollment in the Spanish major or the minor is not required to complete the certificate, but students may pursue the certificate in Spanish for Health Professionals concurrently with the major or minor. Any course that satisfies both requirements will be counted towards the certificate and the major or minor.

Required Courses

In order to complete the certificate, students must complete a total of 15 credits. Students must take four required courses to fulfill a total of 12 credits. The four required courses are:

• SPA 202: Intermediate Spanish II: Language and Culture Credits: 3
  • Students who test at the 300-level must substitute SPA 202 with an elective at the 300-level 
• SPA 300: Reading and Telling Stories OR SPA 301: Advanced Communication Through Cultural Topics Credits: 3
  • Heritage speakers of Spanish can substitute SPA 300 or 301 with SPA 302: Advanced Communication for Heritage Speakers. Credits: 3
• SPA 304: Spanish for Health Professionals. Credits: 3
• SPA 307: Death and Dying in Hispanic Literature OR SPA 313: U.S. Latino/a/x Civilization & Culture. Credits: 3

Students select one course at the 300-level as an elective to fulfill the 15 credits.

View a full list and description of courses here.

Elective Courses

Available electives if not taken as required courses:

• SPA 300: Reading and Telling Stories. Credits: 3
• SPA 301: Advanced Communication Through Cultural Topics. Credits: 3
• SPA 302: Advanced Communication for Spanish Heritage Speakers. Credits: 3
• SPA 307: Death and Dying in Hispanic Literature. Credits: 3
• SPA 313: U.S Latino/a Civilization and Culture. Credits: 3

Other available electives:

• SPA 308 - Spanish Phonetics. Credits: 3
• SPA 310 - Spanish Civilization & Culture. Credits: 3
• SPA 311 - Latin American Civilization & Culture I. Credits: 3
• SPA 312 - Latin American Civilization & Culture II Credits: 3
• SPA 329 - Sociolinguistics of Spanish. Credits: 3
• SPA 350 - Spanish Laboratory Theatre. Credits: 3
• SPA 360 - Perspectives on Hispanic Culture & Society. Credits: 3
• SPA 361 - Spanish/Latin American Culture Through Film. Credits: 3
• SPA 380 - Special Topics. Credits: 3

What is it?

A digital badge is a credential recognizing a student's completion of a meaningful academic experience. GVSU offers both credit and non-credit badges. Credit-bearing badges, ranging from 0.5 to 15 credits, may include non-credit criteria and are recorded on the academic transcript.

When do I earn it?

While attending Grand Valley State University and following one of three attainment methods based on previous language achievements and proficiency levels.

Why should I pursue it?

This GVSU Multilingualism Badge offers personalized instruction, cultural engagement, and a fast-track to specialization in just one year. It helps students showcase multilingual skills—an asset in fields like business, education, healthcare, law, engineering, and more. Earning the badge demonstrates both global awareness and professional readiness.