I am interested in Spanish and ecology/conservation, but is there a way I can get credits without being in a traditional classroom setting?
You should talk with an Advisor in CLAS (since you’re interested in Spanish). It’s possible to earn credits via travel abroad programs, internships and “independent study”. Independent study looks like a normal class, in that it’s supervised by a facility member. Independent study is about working on individual projects on topics not otherwise covered in the scheduled course offerings with faculty members who have agreed in advance to supervise those projects.