The Major
Number of Units
Eight units are required, not including SPAN 101, 102, or 201 but may include the SIP. No more than two of these units can be earned during study abroad. No more than three units total may be earned off campus through any combination of study abroad, AP, IB, transfer credits or inter-institutional enrollment. Although a student may take any number of courses at the 200 (intermediate) level, no more than two of these courses may count toward the major.
Requirements
- 0 – 3 units from intermediate courses (SPAN 202 – SPAN 206)
- SPAN 301 Introduction to Hispanic Literature (prerequisite to all 400 level courses) and up to one additional 300-level course
- SPAN 491 or 492, the Senior Seminars (taken in the senior year)
- Three or more 400-level courses besides the senior seminar
- Successful completion of Comprehensive Examinations during the Senior year
- Speech Communities: An experience of study abroad, study away, service learning, internship or community service in a Spanish-speaking environment; or growing up in a Spanish-speaking community that fostered the acquisition of language and cultural knowledge
Units from Study Abroad
Only two units, to be used toward the major in Spanish, may be earned in a long term (6 month) or an extended term (9 month) program. One unit only from a short term (3 month) program may be used.
- The student who goes abroad AFTER having taken SPAN 301 may bring back one unit in hispanophone literature or culture, and another one in language or topics pertaining to the country/region; students on short-term programs may only bring back one unit. That student must still take the Senior Seminar and enough 400-level courses on campus to complete the eight-unit requirement.
- The student who goes abroad BEFORE having taken SPAN 301 may bring back one unit in hispanophone literature or culture and another one in language or topics pertaining to the country and region; students on short term programs may only bring back one unit. Students must still take SPAN 301, the Senior Seminar, and enough 400-level courses to complete the eight-unit requirement.
Spanish majors are expected to participate in a study abroad program and acquire a high proficiency of language skill. Spanish majors are encouraged to develop appropriate cognate programs in areas such as the Sciences, History, Political Science, Economics, Business, Music, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, or International and Area Studies.
Comprehensive Exams
The first part of the comprehensive exam is a formal presentation during the senior seminar for which students must receive a passing grade. The second part is the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), an interview between the student and a Spanish faculty member, certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, that assesses the student’s speaking skills in Spanish.
The Minor
Number of Units
Six or more units are required, not including SPAN 101, 102, or 201. No more than one of these units can be earned during study abroad.
Requirements
- 0 – 3 units from intermediate courses (SPAN 202 – SPAN 206)
- SPAN 301 Introduction to Hispanic Literature and up to one additional 300-level course
- Two or more 400-level courses
- Speech Communities: An experience of study abroad, study away, service learning, internship or community service in a Spanish-speaking environment; or growing up in a Spanish-speaking community that fostered the acquisition of language and cultural knowledge
Units from Study Abroad
- A student may count one unit from abroad toward the minor in Spanish. The unit, which must be taught in Spanish, may be in the literature of the hispanophone world, or in language, or a cultural/topical course pertaining to the hispanophone world.
- If a student has taken SPAN 301 (Introduction to Literature) before going abroad, the student brings back a unit in literature or culture (from abroad) towards the minor. A student who goes abroad before taking SPAN 301 needs to take SPAN 301 and enough 400-level courses on campus after study abroad in order to complete the minor requirements. Students who go on study abroad before taking SPAN 301 should contact Spanish faculty prior to their return to determine which on-campus Spanish course to take next in the sequence.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit for Spanish Major and Minor
Students with Advanced Placement (AP) or IB scores must still take the placement test in Spanish. An Advanced Placement (AP) score of 4 or 5 in Spanish language will count as one credit toward the Spanish major or minor, provided that the student take Spanish 203 or beyond as her/his first Spanish course at the college.
An advanced placement (AP) score of 5 in Spanish literature shall count as one credit toward the Spanish major or minor provided that the student take Spanish 203 or beyond as her/his first Spanish course at the college.
IB scores of 5-6-7 on the Higher Level may count toward a major, minor, or concentration at the discretion of the department faculty.