Design of Spanish for specific purposes academic programs

Abstract

This chapter explores the design of academic programs in the area of Spanish for Specific Purposes (SSP) in a global context. After a thorough review of the history and evolution of the fundamental concepts that have shaped the field, the chapter presents the current state of SSP through curricular and institutional lenses from within the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Focusing on the design of academic programs, this chapter examines the ways programs modify common threads of SSP to accommodate local needs. In addition, the chapter considers the disciplinary and institutional implications for the category of "Spanish major" in the United States and "Majors in literature, linguistics and/or philology" in universities in Latin America and Spain. The role of translation and interculturality studies within the SSP academic program also will be explored. The chapter concludes with predictions and suggestions for future directions for academic programs in SSP in a global context that will necessarily bring together Spanish second language learners from diverse native languages (English, indigenous languages, Asian languages, other European languages), heritage speakers of Spanish in countries where Spanish is a minoritized language, and native speakers of Spanish from Spanish-speaking countries.