A concentration in Spanish consists of nine courses numbered 140 or higher, including the 400 Senior Seminar (normally for honors candidates), at least five of which must be taken at Hamilton or in the Hamilton College Academic Year in Spain. These must include three courses at the 200-level numbered 210 or higher (or similar courses approved by the department), one of which must be in literature and another in culture; and a minimum of three courses at the 300-level or higher, relating to Peninsular, Latin American or Latino/a literature and culture (or similar courses approved by the department), including at least one in both the Peninsular and Latin American fields, and at least one in obth early (before 1800) and modern (after 1800) periods. Any history or culture course offered by another department or College program (such as Africana Studies, Anthropology, Art, Economics, Government, History, Music, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Theater and Dance, or Women's Studies) and concentrating specifically on Spain, Latgin America or Latino/a United States may satisfy the 200-level requirement but will not count as one of the nine concentration courses. Only one course in translation (from Spanish, Comparative Literature or English) and concentrating specifically on Spain, Latin America, Latino/a United States or literary theory may be counted as one of the nine courses for the concentration or as one of the five required for the minor. Concentrators may not normally fulfill the requirement for the concentration through the election of 200-level courses during the senior year. Concentrators participate in an assessment of their oral proficiency in an interview conducted by outside examiners early in the spring semester.

In order to fulfill the requirements for the major, all concentrators in Spanish are advised to complete the language series or the equivalent by the end of the fall semester (and no later than the spring) of their sophomore year, either through the completion of the regular sequence (110, 120, 130, 140, 200), the intensive sequence (115, 135, 200), or the native speaker offering (201), or by way of a placement waiver.

All concentrators in Spanish are required to complete the Senior Program sequence by: completion of a 300-level or higher course in obth the fall and spring semesters, and, if not honors candidates, by writing a substantial research paper in one of these courses. The Spanish 400 Senior Seminar, normally required for honors candidates and strongly advised for Spanish concentrators, emphasizes the importance of scholarly research and critical methodology and culminates in an original essay, which itself may lead to the subject matter dealt with in a subsequent Senior Project (Spanish 550).

Honors are awarded on the basis of a concentration cumulative average of at least B+ (88) and the completion of Spanish 550 (in lieu of the 300-level spring requirement) with distinction (a grade of A- or higher).

A minor in Spanish consists of five courses numbered 200 or higher, including at least one literature course and one course (excluding courses in translation) at the 300 level or higher.

Students planning to pursue New York State Secondary School Teaching Certification in Spanish must complete all requirements for a concentration in Spanish as well as one semester of study abroad.