Graduate Certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education
An innovative online program emphasizing social justice and critical approaches to teaching Spanish
Catalog Year: 2026-2027
Banner Code: LA-CERG-SHLE
The graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education (SHLE) provides training in heritage language educational policy and practice as well as social justice-oriented approaches to teaching Spanish. Students develop familiarity with the linguistic, sociolinguistic, and cultural characteristics of Spanish-speakers in the US. The SHLE certificate prepares educators and affiliated professionals to advocate for heritage speakers of Spanish, design and implement Spanish for Heritage Speakers (SHL) curricula, and develop teaching materials and pedagogies for use in both SHL and mixed classes.
This is an online certificate. It may be taken alone or in conjunction with several degree programs offered by the Department of Modern & Classical Languages and the College of Education and Human Development.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Admissions
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions. For specific information, see Application Requirements and Deadlines.
Policies
For policies governing all graduate certificates, see AP.6.8 Requirements for Graduate Certificates.
Certificate Requirements
Total credits: 15
This certificate may be pursued on a full-or part-time basis.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FRLN 575 | Heritage Language Education | 3 |
| SPAN 575 | Teaching Spanish for Social Justice | 3 |
| SPAN 574 | Critical Approaches to Teaching Spanish-language Culture | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Restricted Elective
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Hispanic Sociolinguistics | ||
| Spanish Linguistics for Educators | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Additional Elective
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following or a relevant 500-level or above course: 1 | 3 | |
| Hispanic Sociolinguistics | ||
| Spanish Linguistics for Educators | ||
| Applied Spanish Stylistics in Multilingual and Multimodal Contexts | ||
| Mass Media and Popular Culture | ||
| Language Politics and Policy | ||
| Methods and Curriculum Design for Teaching Spanish | ||
| Languages in Contact | ||
| Bilingual Education in the Spanish-Speaking World | ||
| Integrating Technology into Language Learning | ||
| Basic Issues in Language Pedagogy | ||
| The Teaching of Culture in Foreign Language Programs | ||
| Topics in Language Learning and Teaching | ||
| Introduction to Culturally Linguistically Diverse Learners | ||
EDCI 516 |
Bilingualism and Language Acquisition Research | |
EDCI 520 |
Assessment of Language Learners | |
EDCI 560 |
Methods of Teaching in Foreign/World Languages | |
EDCI 684 |
Advanced Methods of Teaching Foreign/Second Languages in PK-12 Schools | |
EDRD 620 |
Reading/Writing in Foreign/World Languages | |
Other relevant course with approval |
||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
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Relevant courses may include special topics in Spanish teaching methods and materials design, Latinx Studies, or sociolinguistics. Elective courses other than those listed must be pre-approved, in writing, by the program director.