Ver en español | Registration
Spanish 4350, Spanish in the Community, was developed as a service-learning course to strengthen the connection between the
University of North Texas at Dallas and the surrounding Spanish-speaking community.
Aligned with the UNT Dallas mission of empowering students, transforming lives, and
strengthening communities, the course provides Spanish students with opportunities
to apply their language skills in real-world contexts while supporting community members
in reaching their educational, economic, and personal goals. Spanish in the Community
is designed as a U.S. citizenship preparation course, offering Spanish-speaking U.S.
residents the tools and support needed to successfully pursue naturalization.
Spanish in the Community is a citizenship preparation course geared toward helping Spanish-speaking U.S. residents achieve their dream.
* All instruction and materials are free of charge for community participants.
For more information: citizenship@untdallas.edu
Authentic interaction with native speakers of Spanish
Practice of formal oral and written communication
Active community involvement
Service hours going toward graduation with honors
Extensive knowledge of the Social Studies components for teacher candidates
Immigration process awareness
Bilingual experience teaching adults
Registration Period: September 1 - September 14
Late Registration: September 14 - September 21
Orientation and Technology Training: February 10th and 12th
Online Technology Training and Orientation for Online Students: September 14 and 16, 7:00pm-8:20pm
In-person Technology Training and Orientation: September 15 and 17, 7:00-8:20pm
Classes Begin: September 21
Online Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm to 7:50pm
In-person Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:20 pm
All candidates must register online prior to attending orientation
Online Location: must register to obtain the website
In-Person Location: UNT Dallas, Founders Hall #101
7400 University Hills Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75241
In the spring of 2017, Dr. Mara Queiroz Vaughn and Dr. Sheryl Santos-Hatchett piloted Spanish 4350, Spanish in the Community, as a service-learning program in partnership with Rey de los Santos, the Executive Director of the Dallas League of United Latin American Citizens National Education Service Center (LULAC – LNESC) at their Edgefield location.
The goal of the US Citizenship Course is to assist legal permanent residents (LPRs) in learning about the history, geography, culture, and government system of the United States to prepare for the citizenship exam administered by the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). The class had a unique structure, with whole-class instruction led by UNT Dallas professors followed by breakout groups led by teams of UNT Dallas students from the Department of Language, Linguistics, and Rhetoric.
Due to the success of the pilot semester, the course was moved to the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) in Fall 2017 to accommodate more participants. The course now enrolls over 200 students annually in this free U.S. Citizenship preparation program.
The course will have two versions: in-person and online. In addition to citizenship preparation, community participants enrolled in the U.S. Citizenship Preparation Program are also granted legal advice, as well as educational opportunities to improve their English skills, to obtain a high school equivalency diploma, and to pursue a vocational career of their choice. As always, all services are gratuitous, provided by UNT Dallas or community partners.
Currently, the course counts with the support of the following partners:
The course continues to be held free of charge to aspiring LPR community members.
For more information, questions, or concerns, please contact us at the following: