¡Bienvenidos/as/es!

students talking around table and standing in crowded roomStudying Spanish at De Anza College is a great way to

  • Engage with the many Latinx communities in the Bay Area
  • Deepen your connection to your own cultural and linguistic heritage
  • Develop valuable career skills
  • Expand your access to other areas of study

The Spanish Department is keenly sensitive to the wide range of language experiences and needs – personal, academic and occupational – of the students who enroll in our courses.  We foster a culture of inclusion and collaboration among learners who are completely new to Spanish, those with previous coursework, and those with occupational or personal ties to Spanish-speaking communities.

Already Know Some Spanish?

You may be eligible to skip certain lower-level courses. This is called "clearing" a prerequisite. 

Plan Your Progress!

We offer first-year, quarter-long language courses that build practical communication skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), which are taught primarily in Spanish from the very beginning. 

Offered in Fall Quarter Offered in Winter Quarter Offered in Spring Quarter
SPAN 1: Elementary Spanish SPAN 1: Elementary Spanish SPAN 1: Elementary Spanish
SPAN 2: Elementary Spanish SPAN 2: Elementary Spanish SPAN 2: Elementary Spanish
SPAN 3: Elementary Spanish SPAN 4: Intermediate Spanish I SPAN 3: Elementary Spanish

These courses fulfill General Education requirements, are transferable, and meet a requirement of the A.A. Degree in Global Studies.

  • We currently do not offer SPAN 5 or SPAN 6 
  • For detailed course descriptions, visit our Course Information webpage
  • Check classes, times and instructors for each quarter by consulting the class schedule


Understanding Prerequisites 

Each course in Spanish is designed to prepare you for the next one: Most students should take SPAN 1 before SPAN 2, and SPAN 2 before SPAN 3. These are called prerequisites.

If you already speak some Spanish, or studied Spanish in high school or another college, you may be eligible to skip one or more classes in the sequence. This is called clearing a prerequisite. You must follow the clearance process so that we can accurately assess your ability – and support your success!

In general:

  • One year of high school language instruction is equivalent to one quarter at De Anza. For example, if you took Spanish 1 in high school, you may be eligible to start with Spanish 2 at De Anza.
  • If you skip one or more levels at De Anza, you will not receive college credit on your transcript for the courses you skipped.

Visit the World Languages Prerequsite Clearance webpage for detailed instructions and a link to the required form for requesting a prerequisite clearance.

Helpful Resources 

Available at the De Anza Library

  • Dictionaries 
  • Level-appropriate audio books
  • Textbooks available on Reserve
  • Visit the Library website for more information

Additional Resources

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