The Spanish curriculum focuses on teaching students to master basic and advanced grammar through written coursework, improve speaking fluency through conversation-based courses, and develop an appreciation for the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries through civilization and literature courses.
Freshmen may take a placement exam to begin their first semester in a course above the 101 level. Students who test into levels higher than 202 must replace the three lower-level credits with courses at the 300 or 400 level to complete the Spanish major or minor.
All courses are conducted completely in Spanish in order to immerse students in the language. The Spanish department does, however, strongly encourage students to study abroad for further immersion and interaction with the culture.
During their senior year, students majoring in Spanish must complete both oral and written comprehensive exams.
Requirements
Spanish Major
A major in Spanish shall consist of a minimum of 27 semester hours in Spanish, not including 101, 102 or 201. The student must also complete the following:
- SPN 202: Intermediate Spanish II
- SPN 302: Iberian Civilization and Culture or SPN 303: Latin American Civilization and Culture
- SPN 304: Introduction to Iberian and Latin American Literature
Three 300-level Spanish language classes chosen from:
- SPN 300: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition
- SPN 301: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Oral Composition
- SPN 350: Study Travel in a Spanish-Speaking Country
- or SPN 393: Language Seminar (393 may be repeated if taken from a different professor or if the class is substantively different from a previous 393 class)
Three 400-level Spanish literature classes chosen from:
- SPN 400: Latin American Literature: Pre-Columbian to 1880
- SPN 401: Latin American Literature: 1880 to Present
- SPN 410: Iberian Literature: Medieval to Early Modern
- SPN 411: Iberian Literature: 1700 to Present
- or SPN 493: Literature Seminar (493 may be repeated if taken from a different professor or if the class is substantively different from a previous 493 class)
Spanish Minor
A minor in Spanish shall consist of 20 semester hours of coursework beyond SPN 101 and must include the following:
- SPN 202: Intermediate Spanish II
Three 300-level Spanish language classes chosen from:
- SPN 300: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition
- SPN 301: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Oral Composition
- SPN 350: Study Travel in a Spanish-Speaking Country
- or SPN 393: Language Seminar SPN 302: or SPN: 303
SPN 304: Introduction to Iberian and Latin American Literature
A 400-level literature course is not required for the minor, but it is strongly recommended.