B.A. in Spanish

Spanish Major

As the world gets “smaller,” the need for people with language skills and cultural competency grows. Spanish is one of the world’s great languages of commerce and diplomacy, and has rich literary and cultural traditions. Graduates who receive a B.A. in Spanish have a diverse array of opportunities in many different fields, especially those with an international focus, including further specialized studies in literature, language, and culture, or careers in other fields such as education, public service, business, law, environmental policies, social services, medicine, or the arts. The undergraduate major in Spanish consists of 36 credits of coursework beyond the prerequisite courses, with an additional 9 credits in a supporting area. Students can choose from 3 major tracks, including: 1) Spanish and Latin American Literature, Culture, and Media; 2) Spanish Linguistics, Culture, and Education; and 3) Spanish Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts. To declare a major in Spanish, students should meet with the Undergraduate Advisor to begin the process. After this advising session, prospective majors will also need advising from the College of Arts And Humanities in 1120 Francis Scott Key.

Study Abroad

All students majoring in Spanish are encouraged to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking environment. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers exciting opportunities for Spanish majors and minors to fulfill requirements abroad. See Education Abroad for more information.

Double Major/Double Degree

Many successful students choose to double major in Spanish and another chosen field. If the two majors do not belong to the same College, the requirements of both Colleges must be met. The courses for the other major will fulfill the Spanish Supporting Courses requirement. A double major may be earned with completion of all requirements and a total of 120 credits. A double degree may be awarded with completion of all requirements and a total of 150 credits. The student must decide on a primary and a secondary major. Academic decisions for each student are made by the primary College.

Combination of the Spanish Major and Teacher’s Certification

Students may combine the Spanish Linguistics Option with a second major in Foreign Language Education to earn teacher certification. Students must take the California Achievement Test to become eligible for admission to the College of Education. Information and Declaration of Major Forms can be found in room 1210 of the Benjamin Building. A graduate program in Education for teacher certification is available to students who receive a B.A. in Spanish from our Department.

Courses for Heritage Speakers

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers several courses specifically designed for heritage learners of Spanish, that is, students from homes where Spanish is spoken or students who have had strong exposure to Spanish in informal contexts. These courses accommodate students from a wide range of backgrounds, from those who are minimally functional (can comprehend Spanish but are not able to speak fluently, read or write) to those who are more proficient and/or literate in Spanish. The courses focus on the development of communicative competence in reading, writing, speaking and listening and viewing, as well as on understanding Hispanic cultures and issues of identity of heritage speakers of Spanish in the United States. Students will also develop an awareness and understanding of Hispanic cultures, including language variation, customs, geography, history, and current events. The Department also offers a minor in Heritage Language and Latina/o Culture. See here for more information on these courses.

ADVISOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Advisor:  Chris Lewis

Office: 2211 Jiménez

Phone: 301-405-6556

Email: spap-advise@umd.edu

For more information about advising, please visit the advising section of our website.

All students enrolling in an SLLC language course for the first time must take the online Foreign Language Placement Assessment (FLPA).

See TESTUDO  for the current list of SPAN course offerings.

Click here to download sample 4-year plans to fulfill the Spanish Undergraduate Major.

Spanish Undergraduate Major Requirements

Prerequisites: Span 103, 203, 204, or equivalent.  (Note:  Students that receive a grade of B+ and above in Spanish 203 can proceed directly to Spanish 207.)

Core Courses (21 Credits):

CORE 12 Credits (Required for all three tracks)

• SPAN 207 Reading and Writing in Spanish; or SPAN 206 Spanish for Heritage Speakers
• SPAN 301 Advanced Grammar and Composition I; or SPAN 306 Spanish for Heritage Speakers II
• SPAN 311 Advanced Communication I or SPAN 316 Spanish Translation I (or SPAN 307 Oral Communication Skills for Heritage Speakers of Spanish).
• SPAN 303 Approaches to Cultural Materials in the Hispanic World

CORE 9 Credits (Required for all three tracks)

• SPAN 331 Spanish Culture, Civilization and Literature I:  Medieval Times
• SPAN 332 Spanish Culture, Civilization and Literature II:  Renaissance and Baroque
• SPAN 333 Spanish Culture, Civilization and Literature III:  Modern Times

OR

• SPAN 361 Latin American Literatures and Cultures I:  Pre-Columbian to Colonial
• SPAN 362 Latin American Literatures and Cultures II:  From Independence to Nation Formation
• SPAN 363 Latin American Literatures and Cultures III:  From Modernism to Neo-liberalism

Notes:

• Students must take language acquisition courses sequentially. Once credit has been received in a higher-level language acquisition or grammar course, a lower-level course may not be taken for credit.
• SPAN 301 and SPAN 303 can only be taken simultaneously by permission of the Spanish Undergraduate Advisor.
• Span 311 or 316 can be substituted with another class by permission of the Spanish Undergraduate Advisor.
• Heritage learners can take Span 307 in place of Span 311 with the permission of the instructor.
• Heritage learners who place out of SPAN 206 can follow the sequence SPAN 306 (Spanish for Heritage Speakers II) and SPAN 307 (Oral Communication Skills for Heritage Speakers of Spanish).
• Native speakers and all others with the ability to begin coursework at a higher level should speak with the Spanish Undergraduate Advisor for course substitutions.
• Students who undertake an honors thesis will take two semesters of SPAN 479 (6 credits).  See Departmental Honors requirements at SPAP website.