Requirements for a Major in Hispanic Studies
Bachelor of Arts
The program for a major in Hispanic Studies consists of 10 courses of at least 3 hours beyond SPAN 211, planned in consultation with an adviser in the department. The core of the major, which includes courses in grammar, reading, and conversation, must be completed as soon as possible. All majors must take departmental assessment tests. Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. The capstone experience will be fulfilled in the junior or senior year. Heritage speakers and those whose initial language placements are higher than SPAN 215 may substitute any SPAN course for SPAN 212/SPAN 215 on the major; please consult with the department chair if you believe your language skills meet proficiency standards of the core requirements (language, reading, writing, etc.).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Language Core | ||
| SPAN 212 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| or SPAN 215 | Intermediate Spanish Review | |
| SPAN 232 | Advanced Grammar and Composition | 3 |
| SPAN 241 | Reading in Spanish | 3 |
| or SPAN 242 | Spanish for Social Justice | |
| SPAN 251 | Conversation | 3 |
| or SPAN 255 | Perfecting your Accent | |
| or SPAN 256 | Spanish Service Learning: Latinos in the U.S. | |
| Advanced Spanish Language | ||
| Complete two SPAN courses numbered higher than SPAN 256. | 6 | |
| Electives | ||
| Complete three courses from among the following: 1 | 9 | |
HISP courses (at or above the 200-level) | ||
SPAN courses numbered higher than SPAN 256 | ||
| Capstone | ||
| SPAN 401 | Capstone (Literature) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
At least one elective course (HISP or SPAN) must be taken at the 300-level.
Transfer and study abroad courses may also count in the above categories, as pre-approved by the department chair. Student teaching in Spanish or international internships in Spanish may be eligible to substitute for the capstone; contact the department chair for details and additional expectations.
REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE PREK-12 ENDORSEMENT IN EDUCATION
To meet the Virginia Department of Education’s standards for licensure in preK-12 foreign lan-guage, Spanish education students must complete the following courses and experiences as they complete the major:
- LANG 349
-
at least nine courses taught in Spanish (only one HISP allowed);
-
a semester at an institution of higher learning in a Spanish-speaking country or equivalent, as approved by departmental chair.