Description
As the nations of the world become more interconnected and interdependent, proficiency in other languages is a vital skill that allows you to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way. Spanish language and culture studies prepare you for future opportunities to compete and succeed in the global economy. Through interdisciplinary instruction and the development of intercultural understanding, our curriculum is designed to help you become proficient in Spanish and prepares you to reach your career aspirations in your chosen field of interest. We encourage our students to double major and to participate in study abroad programs in Spanish-speaking countries sponsored by the Center for Global Education and Engagement.
The Spanish major consists of 33 credits and enables students to acquire an advanced level of proficiency in the language. Literature and culture courses are designed to provide a historical, political and social overview of the Spanish-speaking world. All courses are taught in Spanish.
Recent Modern Languages and Cultures' graduates have gone on to highly competitive Master's and PhD programs in Higher Education Administration, TESOL, French Literature, and Counseling at recognized research universities. Others have joined the workforce as Bilingual, French, and Spanish elementary and high-school teachers in Rochester and around NY state, ESL teachers for adult learners, translators, interpreters for defense attorneys, social workers, law enforcement officers, and health professionals.
Admission to the Program
Any undergraduate student can declare this major.
General Education Requirements (41–44 credits)
Program Requirements (33–42 credits)
Students in the Spanish major pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, and must complete the corresponding degree's requirements.
All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher. Courses with grades lower than "C" must be repeated.
- Prerequisites (0-9 credits depending on placement)
- SPN 111 Beginning Spanish I*
- SPN 112 Beginning Spanish II*
- SPN 211 Intermediate Spanish I*
- Required Courses: (24 credits)
- SPN 212 Intermediate Spanish II*
- SPN 350 It’s All Debatable – Communication in Spanish
- SPN 351 Compose Yourself
- SPN 353 Literature and Cultures of Spain
- SPN 354 Literature and Cultures of Spanish America
- SPN 461 Advanced Spanish Grammar
- One of the two following options:
- SPN 452 Guerrillas, Gays and Gangs
- SPN 457 Contemporary Spanish Writers
- One of the two following options:
- SPN 456 Negotiating Caribbean Identity
- SPN 458 Multiple Realities Multiple Truths
- Elective Courses: (9 credits)
- o Three Spanish courses at the 300 or 400 level. See course descriptions.
*Indicates courses that meet both major and general education requirements. Transfer students should consult with their advisor regarding appropriate course credit if they took upper-division Spanish courses at another institution. (NOTE: I moved this up here).
Additional Degree Requirements
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in all required major courses.
- Completion of all college-wide degree requirements
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of a baccalaureate degree in Spanish, graduates will be able to:
- Narrate and describe using a variety of time frames, extended discourse, and specialized vocabulary.
- Deliver oral presentations on a wide variety of topics, using a variety of strategies to tailor the presentation to the needs of their audience.
- Narrate and describe in all major time frames with good control of aspect and a range of general vocabulary in writing for personal and professional needs.
- Identify the main facts and many supporting details in conventional narrative and descriptive oral texts.
- Identify some of the essential points of argumentative texts in areas of special interest or knowledge.
- Explain key perspectives of some Spanish-speaking cultures within a comparative framework and connect them to cultural products and practices.
- Interpret and synthesize ideas and critical issues from a wide range of historical and contemporary cultural artifacts.