Jul 16, 2025

2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

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2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Spanish (B.A.) - Teaching Specialization

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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Instructor presenting to classroom.

Program Coordinator/Contact

José (Pepe) Álvarez, Associate Professor of Spanish
School of American and Global Studies
Lincoln Hall 321, Box 2212
605-688-4273

Program Information

The Spanish major - Teaching Specialization at SDSU consists of language, culture, literature and professional courses to prepare students for teaching careers in primary, middle or secondary schools or for further graduate study.

Accreditation

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

South Dakota Department of Education

Certification and Licensure

Completion of an approved teacher preparation program.
Completion of an approved South Dakota Indian studies course.
Pass the state designated content knowledge test or 2.7 GPA in content major coursework.
Pass the state designated pedagogy test.
Apply online with the South Dakota Department of Education.
Written recommendation from institution of higher education (SDSU) verifying program completion.

Course Delivery Format

The Spanish major offers a combination of face-to-face on campus and online courses every semester. During the summer term, we also offer faculty-led study abroad programs and non-faculty-lead internships abroad as well as online courses.

Teacher Education Program Progression Requirements

Acceptance into Teacher Education

A grade of “C” or better is required in education coursework (classes with AIS, EDFN, SPED, or SEED prefixes).
An overall GPA of 2.5 is required.
A GPA in the academic major of 2.6 is required.
Completion of program application and professional licensure location form.

Acceptance into Residency I

A grade of “C” or better is required in education coursework (classes with AIS, EDFN, SPED, or SEED prefixes).
An overall GPA of 2.5 is required.
A GPA of 2.7 is required in both major and education courses.
The teacher candidate must take the Praxis content exam.
The teacher candidate is also required to complete a criminal background check with field placements, a TB test with negative reading, and CPR and first aid certification.

Acceptance into Residency II

A grade of “C” or better is required in education coursework (classes with AIS, EDFN, SPED, or SEED prefixes).
An overall GPA of 2.5 is required.
A GPA of 2.7 is required in both major and education courses.
The teacher candidate must take the Praxis PLT exam.

Academic Requirements

A grade of “C” or better is required in education coursework (classes with AIS, EDFN, SPED, or SEED prefixes).
A grade of “C” or better is required in academic major coursework (classes with SPAN or MFL prefixes).
An overall GPA of 2.5 is required.
A GPA of 2.7 is required in both major and education courses.

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 Advanced-Low is the target for majors with a teaching specialization.

Requirements for Spanish Major - Teaching Specialization: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Arts

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences:
SGR #3 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
SGR #5 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
SGR #6 Electives Credits: 6

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements

Bachelor of Arts Requirements: 6+

Modern Foreign Language including the 202-Level Credits: 6+
One declared minor outside of the major discipline OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or school or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department or school. 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 and Social Sciences for additional information about Bachelor of Arts specifications.

Major Requirements

SPAN 201 - Intermediate Spanish I (COM) [SGR #4, HSDC] Credits: 3
SPAN 202 - Intermediate Spanish II (COM) [SGR #4, HSDC] Credits: 3
SPAN 310 - Conversation and Culture for Proficiency Credits: 3
SPAN 330 - Reading and Writing for Communication (COM) Credits: 3

Select from the following

24 credits total are required from the following 3 elective categories; distribution will vary for the Humanities Emphasis, the Professional Emphasis, and the Teaching Specialization.
15 of the 24 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 and the Teaching Specialization;
*Minimum of 2 courses are required for the Professional Emphasis

SPAN 308 - Spanish for the Health Professions Credits: 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 - Hispanic 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: 6-12*
*Minimum of 4 courses are required for the Teaching Specialization;
*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 359 - Hispanic/Latinx Experiences in the US 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 - The Moving Image in the Spanish-Speaking World 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 24.

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 - Spanish in the Community Credits: 1-4 (3 credits required)
SPAN 392 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-6 (if Advanced Conversation)
SPAN 491 - Independent Study (COM) Credits: 1-6
SPAN 492 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-3 (if Advanced Conversation)

Teaching Specialization Requirements

AIS 211 - South Dakota American Indian Culture and Education (COM) [SGR #3, HSDC] Credits: 3
EDFN 102 - Introduction to Education (COM) Credits: 3
EDFN 340 - Adolescent Development in Educational Contexts Credits: 3
EDFN 351 - Teaching and Learning I Credits: 1
EDFN 352 - Teaching and Learning II Credits: 3
EDFN 453 - Teaching and Learning III Credits: 3
EDFN 453L - Teaching and Learning III Lab Credits: 4
EDFN 454 - Teaching and Learning IV: Student Teaching Credits: 11
MFL 420 - K-12 Foreign Language Methods (COM) Credits: 3 (Teaching Content Methods Requirement) (Capstone)
SEED 450 - Reading and Content Literacy (COM) Credits: 2
SEED 456 - Capstone/Action Research Credits: 1
SPED 100 - Introduction to Persons with Exceptionalities (COM) Credits: 3

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Arts
System General Education Requirements*	30 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements**	6+ Credit Hours
Major Requirements	36 Credit Hours
Teaching Specialization Requirements	40 Credit Hours
Electives***	14 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements, Supporting Coursework, and College Requirements.
**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.