The International Programs office is pleased to offer the USA in Mexico Program, a summer study opportunity at the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. The Spanish section offers a weekly Mesa Hispana lunch hour at the student center cafeteria; it is an opportunity to meet with other Spanish speakers and practice spoken Spanish in an informal setting. Intermediate to advanced-level students may volunteer to interpret or translate at the USA Children's and Women's Hospital. Advanced students may work as tutors paid by the department, offering free consultation hours for the beginning and intermediate students. The International Film Series generally shows two to three films in Spanish per semester (along with films in many other languages), Thursdays at 7:00 PM in the Library, Room 5.

The four skills in Spanish (listening, speaking, reading and writing), plus cultural knowledge, are a job boost (and often a pay boost) for any career. In business, law, medicine or the sciences, social work, ministry and communications, competent abilities in a second language lead to the best jobs and the best promotions, while increasing skills in, and awareness of, one's native tongue. The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures works closely with the University of South Alabama's College of Education in preparing the foreign language educators of tomorrow. Although primary and secondary education teaching is a popular field for Spanish, it is by no means the only link. Other students opt to pursue graduate study in Spanish, leading to an M.A., M.A.T. or Ph.D. in literature, linguistics, pedagogy, Latin American studies or European studies.

Previous and current students have been accepted into graduate programs at The Pennsylvania State University, Vanderbilt University, Bowling Green University, Duke, Texas A & M, The University of Florida (Tallahassee), Arizona and New Mexico, among other schools. Some successful Spanish majors and minors from USA have pursued connections with local businesses, the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, and local law enforcement agencies.

Students of Spanish can also explore possibilities in translation, editing, communications, government, international relations and human resources. The Spanish section is proud of its successful alumni, a great many of whom are now high school teachers and university professors.