Spanish BA
Total Units Required: 120
The Bachelor of Arts in Spanish engages students in the study of Spanish language, literature, and cultures. Students develop advanced proficiency in written and spoken Spanish, which they can apply in a variety of practical and professional settings. Students also deepen their understanding of their own culture and develop a greater appreciation of cultural differences, particularly in and among the Spanish-speaking world.
The major is especially useful for students pursuing careers in medicine, social work, law enforcement and legal services, agriculture, business, or education.
Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad in Spain or Latin America
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 27-43 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
This major can be completed with a minimum of 27 upper-division units.
Language Competence Prerequisite
Only upper-division Spanish courses count toward the Spanish major. The prerequisite for all upper-division Spanish courses is SPAN 202 or its equivalent language competence. Students with little or no previous language preparation or competence must complete some or all of the Language Competence Prerequisites courses listed below.
Some or all of these courses may be waived by the Department through demonstrated language competence or previous high school or community college study. Students with one year of high school Spanish should enroll in SPAN 102; two years: SPAN 201; three years: SPAN 202. Please consult the department for proper level of placement.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Language Competence Prerequisite | ||
| Select 0-16 units from the following: | 0-16 | |
| First-Semester Spanish | ||
| Second-Semester Spanish | ||
| Third-Semester Spanish | ||
or SPAN 201C | Spanish for the Professions I | |
or SPAN 201N | Spanish for Spanish Speakers | |
| Fourth-Semester Spanish | ||
or SPAN 202N | Spanish for Spanish Speakers | |
| Upper-Division Requirements | ||
| SPAN 301 | Grammar and Composition | 3 |
| SPAN 302 | Reading and Composition | 3 |
| SPAN 497W | Spanish Exam and GWAR (W) | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Latin American Literature | ||
| Introduction to Spanish Peninsular Literature | ||
| Select 15 units from the following: | 15 | |
| Advanced Oral Expression | ||
| Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | ||
| Spanish Phonology | ||
| Spanish Culture and Civilization | ||
| Latin American Culture and Civilization | ||
| Introduction to Latin American Literature | ||
| Introduction to Spanish Peninsular Literature | ||
| Spanish Teaching | ||
| Hispanic Short Story | ||
| Hispanic Theater | ||
| Hispanic Novel | ||
| Hispanic Poetry | ||
| Literature of Mexico | ||
| Viewing the Hispanic Caribbean | ||
| Chicano Literature | ||
| Don Quixote | ||
| Women and Literature in the Hispanic World | ||
| Film and Literature in Spain and Latin America | ||
| Direct Field Exper in Spanish 1 | ||
Any other upper-division Spanish (SPAN) courses not taken previously, to include at least two 400-level courses | ||
| Total Units | 27-43 | |
- 1
3 units max allowed.
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
- You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
- You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
- Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
- Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in U.S. Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- FLNG 340W World Literature in Translation (W)
- HIST 382W/LAST 382W Modern Mexico (W)
- LAST 495W Seminar in Selected Topics (W)
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.