全世界有超过3亿人讲西班牙语，占美国人口的10％以上。在全球所有语言中，它仅次于中文。葡萄牙语是四大洲国家的母语，并且几乎与西班牙语一样广泛使用。它对历史，艺术，当代经济学和国际关系的影响是不言而喻的。达特茅斯（Dartmouth）的西班牙语和葡萄牙语系在西班牙裔研究，浪漫史研究和Lusophone研究中设有主修，辅修和改修专业。它还提供浪漫研究专业，修读葡语学习专业的辅修课程以及西班牙裔和葡语学习专业的辅修课程。该系还以西班牙语运行三个级别的校外课程，并以葡萄牙语运行一个级别的课程，并提供可用学生资助的
The program in Spanish and Portuguese offers the opportunity to do intellectual work in the Humanities in a foreign language. Students may graduate in one of the following major concentrations: (a) Hispanic Studies, (b) Romance Studies, (c) Modified Major in Hispanic Studies, and (d) Modified Major in Lusophone Studies (Literature and Culture of Brazil and the Portuguese speaking world) and minors in both Hispanic Studies and Lusophone Studies.<br><br>The areas of concentration developed in the Department focus on the languages, literatures, and cultures of Latin America, the Spanish Caribbean, Spain, Brazil, and the Portuguese speaking world. Students are encouraged to explore the cultural, social, political, and economic specificities of these regions as well as the impact of Hispanic and Brazilian communities in the US. To that end, courses cover a variety of historical periods, regional traditions, modes of artistic expression, and forms of cultural critique. The major provides students with interpretive and writing skills that are key for careers in the arts and humanities, education, government, international relations, international business, law, medicine, and social service. It also directly prepares students to succeed in graduate school in such fields ranging from Hispanic and Brazilian Cultural Studies, History, Comparative Literature, to medicine, and law.