Spanish (B.A.)

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Program Coordinator/Contact

Christine Garst-Santos, Associate Professor of Spanish and Interim Department Head
Department of Modern Languages and Global Studies
Wagner Hall 121
605-688-5102

Program Information

The Spanish major at SDSU consists of language, culture, literature and professional courses to prepare students for careers in which they will use Spanish as a language for communication. The major offers flexibility and can easily be added to another major.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the Spanish major, students should be able to:

Speak, read and write Spanish at the Intermediate-High or Advanced level
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the cultures and communication cultures of the Spanish-speaking world
Demonstrate knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world’s civilizations and their cultural products, such as literatures, arts, political institutions, etc.

Academic Requirements

Major Coursework

A minimum grade of “C” is required for a Spanish course to count towards the major or minor.

Placement

Students who have a background in modern language study before entering the University should take the Placement Examination to determine the appropriate course in which to enroll. Credit may be obtained for courses exempted upon completion of one course in the department, with a grade of “C” or better, and the payment of the established fee to the Testing Center. Please refer to Modern Language Credit under Policies & General Academic Information in the catalog for more detailed information.

Oral Proficiency Interview

An official Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is required of all students majoring in Spanish. A minimum ranking of Intermediate Mid is required for all Spanish Majors and Intermediate High for majors with a teaching specialization.

Course Delivery Format

Most courses in the Spanish major are offered face-to-face on campus. Some upper-division courses are offered online, normally during the summer term.

Requirements for Spanish Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication:
ENGL 101
and
ENGL 201
Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SPCM 101
Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity : Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity : Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics : Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences : Credits: 6

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements

Bachelor of Arts Requirements: 9+

Modern Foreign Language Including the 202-Level Credits: 6+
AHSS 111 - Introduction to Global Citizenship and Diversity Credits: 3
One declared minor outside of the major prefix OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department. The minor can be in a different college. The minor must be declared no later than the student’s third semester of enrollment.
Capstone course in the major discipline
Upper division coursework Credits: 33

System General Education and/or major coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements. Consult program advisor for details. See the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences for additional information about Bachelor of Arts specifications.

Major Requirements

GLST 489 - Capstone Intercultural Competencies Credits: 3 (Capstone)
SPAN 201 - Intermediate Spanish I (COM) [SGR #4] Credits: 3
SPAN 202 - Intermediate Spanish II (COM) [SGR #4] Credits: 3
SPAN 310 - Practical Language Skills Credits: 3
SPAN 330 - Reading and Writing for Communication (COM) Credits: 3

Select from the following

21 credits total are required from the following 3 elective categories; distribution will vary for the Humanities Emphasis or the Professional Emphasis.
15 of the 21 elective credits must be at the 300 and 400 level.
In total, 24 of the 36 credits required for the Spanish major must be at the 300 and 400 level.

Advanced Language/Linguistics Electives

Select from the following courses. Credits: 3-6*
*Minimum of 1 course is required for the Humanities Emphasis;
*Minimum of 2 courses are required for the Professional Emphasis

SPAN 308 - Spanish for the Health Professions Credits: 2-3
SPAN 340 - Phonetics (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 350 - Spanish for Business Communication (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 392 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-6 (3 credits required) (if Advanced Language/Linguistics)
SPAN 443 - Linguistics (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 444 - Introduction to Translation Credits: 3
SPAN 492 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-3 (3 credits required) (if Advanced Language/Linguistics)

Literature and Culture Electives

Select from the following courses. Credits: 6-9*
*Minimum of 3 courses are required for the Humanities Emphasis;
*Minimum of 2 courses are required for the Professional Emphasis

SPAN 353 - Introduction to Spanish Literature I (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 355 - Introduction to Latin-American Literature I (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 392 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-6 (3 credits required) (if Literature or Culture)
SPAN 433 - Spanish Civilization and Culture (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 435 - Latin American Civilization and Culture Credits: 3
SPAN 437 - Topics in Film Studies (COM) Credits: 3
SPAN 472 - Early Modern Spain Credits: 3
SPAN 473 - Colonial Spanish America Credits: 3
SPAN 476 - 19th and 20th Century Spain Credits: 3
SPAN 477 - 19th and 20th Century Latin America Credits: 3
SPAN 478 - Spanish Transatlantic Studies Credits: 3
SPAN 492 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-3 (3 credits required) (if Literature or Culture)

Applied and Experiential Learning Electives

Select from the following courses. Credits: 0-9*
*No courses from this category are required; however students can draw from this category OR the previous categories (Advanced Language/Linguistics & Literature and Culture) in order to complete their remaining elective credits for a total of 21.

SPAN 250 - Intermediate Conversation Credits: 3
SPAN 296 - Field Experience (COM) Credits: 1-6
or SPAN 396 - Field Experience (COM) Credits: 1-6
or SPAN 496 - Field Experience (COM) Credits: 1-6
SPAN 386 - Service Learning Credits: 1-4 (3 credits required)
SPAN 415 - Extensive Reading in Spanish Credits: 1
SPAN 491-591 - Independent Study (COM) Credits: 1-6

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
System General Education Requirements	30 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements*	9+ Credit Hours
Major Requirements	36 Credit Hours
Electives**	51 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements, Major Requirements, and Supporting Coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

Spanish (B.A.)