The Major in Spanish is an integral part of a traditional education in the liberal arts. The Spanish Major is designed to contribute to the cultural and intellectual formation of students, as well as to prepare them for teaching on the elementary or secondary level, and for work in social services, medical fields, law, criminology, and as interpreters, translators, or representatives in business or government, or for continued work on the graduate level. Spanish majors are expected to achieve proficiency and fluency in the spoken and written language, to become knowledgeable about Hispanic cultures, and to read with critical appreciation and enjoyment representative works of the principal authors of Spain and Latin America. The selection of courses in this major will be made in consultation with the advisor with a view to a complete formation in the language, literature, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Spanish majors are strongly advised to spend a semester or an academic year in a Spanish-speaking country.
Students enter at their placement level in the SPA 101-204 range and take courses progressively. After SPA 204: Literature and Its Interpretations in Spanish, students take courses from the SPA 210-299 and SPA 300-399 ranges to complete the 10 total courses for the major. Students are expected to include language skills, literature, and culture study in their program.
Students studying in health-related fields may take SPA 208: Spanish for the Health Professions and should take it before SPA 204 and usually instead of SPA 201 or 202. Students must take at least one SPA 210-299 course as a pre-requisite for SPA 300-399, with some exceptions made. Thereafter, students may take SPA 210-299 and SPA 300-399 concurrently. All students must have at least one SPA 210-299 and at least one SPA 300-399 course. Students who place at SPA 202 or higher must take two courses numbered SPA 300-399. Students may count LAS 200: Introduction to Latin American Studies or LAS 210 Routes and Roots: Latin American Migration with permission of the department chair when 60% of the assignments are completed in Spanish.
Foundations Program and the Spanish major: Students who are considering a major in Spanish are advised to fulfill the Foundations Program Cornerstone literature requirement with SPA 204 instead of ENG 140. A Spanish course will fulfill the language or culture requirement in the Language, Culture, and Expression Pillar. LAS 200 fulfills the Forum requirement in the Foundations Program.