Spanish Majors
For an application for a Spanish Major, please contact Julianna Chaszar, jxc50@psu.edu.
Learning Objectives for Spanish Majors and Students of Spanish
The following points include the learning Objectives for students who complete any of the three Spanish majors (BA Degree, BS Degree with Business Option, BS with Applied Option) and the Spanish courses offered by the Department that address those goals.
Students majoring in Spanish will develop the following:
Oral skills in Spanish such that students can communicate most survival needs and limited demands in social and professional settings. (SPAN 110, SPAN 305, SPAN 410, SPAN 420)
Ability to write Spanish with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to communicate effectively in most types of informal and formal correspondence. (SPAN 100, SPAN 200, SPAN 253W, SPAN 300)
A general understanding and appreciation of the history, culture and customs of countries in the Spanish speaking world. (SPAN 210, SPAN 220)
Skills that enable students to read and interpret a variety of literary genres. (SPAN 253W, SPAN 353, SPAN 354, SPAN 355, SPAN 356, SPAN 472, SPAN 476, SPAN 490, SPAN 491)
An understanding of the basic concepts of Spanish linguistics, including phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, language change, and language variation. (SPAN 215, SPAN 414, SPAN 415, SPAN 418)
The Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese offers each year a variety of Special Topics Courses, which also address the objectives listed above. Majors and minors are encouraged to participate in a study abroad program in a Spanish speaking country.
ACTFL testing will be required of all graduating Spanish majors and will be optional for Spanish minors.
Major in Spanish (SPNBA) - B.A. Degree
Total Credits Required: 124
• General Education....................................................46 credits
• College B.A. Requirements......................................24 credits
• Major Requirements.................................................36 credits
• Electives...................................................................18 credits
PLEASE NOTE: A grade of at least “C” is required for all courses required for the major.
Take all of the following courses: 12 credits
Spanish 100* Intermediate Grammar & Composition
Spanish 110* Intermediate Conversation
Spanish 215 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
Spanish 253W Introduction to Hispanic Literature
Take three of the following courses: 9 credits
Spanish 210 Readings in Iberian Civilization
Spanish 220 Readings in Ibero-American Civilization
Spanish 297 Special Topics
Spanish 300 Advanced Grammar and Composition Through Reading
Spanish 305 Spanish for Social Services
Spanish 353 Survey of Spanish Literature Before 1700
Spanish 354 Survey of Spanish Literature Since 1700
Spanish 355 Survey of Spanish American Literature Through “Modernismo”
Spanish 356 Survey of Spanish American Literature after “Modernismo”
Spanish 397 Special Topics
Spanish 399 Foreign Study---Spanish
Take five of the following courses: 15 credits
Spanish 410* Advance Conversation Spanish 472 Contemporary Spanish American Novel
Spanish 412 Translation Spanish 476 Masterpieces of Spanish American Literature
Spanish 414 Spanish Phonology Spanish 490 Masterpieces of Spanish Prose
Spanish 415 Spanish Morphology and Syntax Spanish 491 Masterpieces of Spanish Drama and Poetry
Spanish 418 Evolution of Spanish Spanish 497 Special Topics
Spanish 420 Spanish for Business and Int’l Trade Spanish 499 Foreign Study---Spanish
Spanish 439 Don Quijote
*Heritage speakers (students with Spanish language in family background but not necessarily a native speaker) should take SPAN 100A and SPAN 301 instead of SPAN 100 and SPAN 110. May not take SPAN 410.
Electives: 18 credits
Courses may be taken in any field
Spanish Business Option (SPNBs) - B.S. Degree
Minimum Number of Credits Required: 124 **
• General Education....................................................46 credits
• Major Requirements.................................................36 credits
**Business Option…….………..……………………34 credits
• Electives...................................................................18 credits
PLEASE NOTE: A grade of at least “C” is required for all courses required for the major.
Take all of the following courses: 15 credits
SPAN 100* Intermediate Grammar & Composition
SPAN 110* Intermediate Conversation
SPAN 215 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
SPAN 253W Introduction to Hispanic Literature
SPAN 420 Spanish for Bus & International Trade
Take three of the following courses: 9 credits
SPAN 210 Readings in Iberian Civilization
SPAN 220 Readings in Ibero-American Civilization
SPAN 300 Advanced Grammar and Composition through Reading
SPAN 305 Spanish for Social Services
SPAN 353 Survey of Spanish Literature Before 1700
SPAN 354 Survey of Spanish Literature Since 1700
SPAN 355 Survey of Spanish American Literature through “Modernismo”
SPAN 356 Survey of Spanish American Literature after “Modernismo”
SPAN 399 Study Abroad---Spanish
Take four of the following courses: 12 credits
SPAN 410* Advanced Conversation SPAN 472 Contemporary Spanish American Novel
SPAN 412 Translation SPAN 476 Masterpieces of Spanish American Lit.
SPAN 414 Spanish Phonology SPAN 490 Masterpieces of Spanish Prose
SPAN 415 Spanish Morphology and Syntax SPAN 491 Masterpieces of Spanish Drama and Poetry
SPAN 418 Evolution of Spanish SPAN 497 Special Topics (Linguistics, Literature or Culture)
SPAN 439 Don Quijote SPAN 499 Study Abroad…Spanish
SPAN 440 Teaching Romance Languages
**Business Option: 34 credits
ENGL 202D** ECON 002** MKTG 221 IB 303 FIN 100 SCM 200 OR STAT 200
ECON 004** ECON 333** ACCTG 211 (4 credits) IB 403 MGMT 100W
**Number of required courses appears to exceed 124 credit minimum because option requirements marked above with double asterisk (**) may be double counted in GENED requirements.
Electives: 18 credits – Courses may be taken in any field
*Heritage speakers (students with Spanish language in family background but not necessarily a native speaker) should take SPAN 100A and SPAN 301 instead of SPAN 100 and SPAN 110. May not take SPAN 410.
Applied Spanish Option (SPNBS) - B.S. Degree
Minimum number of Credits Required: 124
* General Education....................................................46 credits
* Major Requirements.................................................39 credits
* Option Requirements………………………………21 credits
* Electives....................................................................18 credits
PLEASE NOTE: A grade of at least “C” is required for all courses required for the major.
Take all of the following courses: 12 credits
SPAN 100* Intermediate Grammar & Composition
SPAN 110* Intermediate Conversation
SPAN 215 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
SPAN 253W Introduction to Hispanic Literature
Take three of the following courses: 9 credits
SPAN 210 Readings in Iberian Civilization
SPAN 220 Readings in Ibero-American Civilization
SPAN 300 Advanced Grammar and Composition through Reading
SPAN 305 Spanish for Social Services
SPAN 353 Survey of Spanish Literature Before 1700
SPAN 354 Survey of Spanish Literature Since 1700
SPAN 355 Survey of Spanish American Literature through “Modernismo”
SPAN 356 Survey of Spanish American Literature after “Modernismo”
SPAN 399 Study Abroad….Spanish
Take six of the following courses: 18 credits
SPAN 410* Advanced Conversation SPAN 440 Teaching Romance Languages
SPAN 412 Translation SPAN 472 Contemporary Spanish American Novel
SPAN 414 Spanish Phonology SPAN 476 Masterpieces of Spanish American Lit.
SPAN 415 Spanish Morphology and Syntax SPAN 490 Masterpieces of Spanish Prose
SPAN 418 Evolution of Spanish SPAN 491 Masterpieces of Spanish Drama & Poetry
SPAN 420 Span. For Bus. & Int. Trade SPAN 497 Special Topics (Linguistics, Literature or Culture)
SPAN 439 Don Quijote SPAN 499 Study Abroad---Spanish
Applied Option:
Students select another field of study in consultation with their Spanish major advisor. They take 21 credits in that field, including at
least two 400-level courses. All courses used for option must be approved by Spanish major advisor.
Electives: 18 credits
Courses may be taken in any field
*Heritage speakers (students with Spanish language in family background but not necessarily a native speaker) should take SPAN 100A and SPAN 301 instead of SPAN 100 and SPAN 110. May not take SPAN 410.
