Department of Hispanic Studies — Requirements

The Spanish Major

The major in Spanish has the following requirements as of September 2004:

A minimum of 10 advanced courses (30 credits), including the following:

1. One advanced language course above 301.
2. Two survey courses: one of Spanish literature or civilization, and one of Spanish-American literature or civilization. A student may take one course in literature and one in civilization, both courses in literature, or both courses in civilization, so long as one focuses on Spain and one on Spanish America. Among these courses are SPAN 351 (Survey of Spanish Literature: from its origins to the present), SPAN 352 (Survey of Spanish-American Literature: from its origins to the present), SPAN 360 (Spanish Civilization), and SPAN 361 (Spanish-American Civilization).
3. The remaining seven courses must be selected from one of the following options:

A. Specialization in language: five advanced language courses (300-400 level); one course in Spanish literature or civilization; one course in Spanish-American literature or civilization.

B. Specialization in literature: two courses in Spanish literature; two courses in Spanish-American literature; three elective courses, one of which must be in literature.

For the purposes of the major requirement, all upper-level literature courses are considered either as “Spanish” or “Spanish-American.” Those not specifically identified as one or the other will be classified according to their content in any given semester, and some courses may count in both categories.

All 300- and 400-level courses are conducted in Spanish. In general, advanced courses are offered in alternate years.

Spanish majors who are also participating in the Teacher Education Program, the Latin American Studies Program, or the Undergraduate Linguistics Program may, with departmental approval, make the following substitutions for upper-level electives:

• The teaching practicum may replace two advanced language courses.
• Two Latin American studies courses may replace Spanish-American literature or civilization courses.
• Two linguistics courses may replace advanced language courses.

Students participating in the departmental translation program may count three credits earned in each course (SPAN 408, 409, 410) toward fulfilling major requirements.

Pass/Fail Option

No courses may be taken for the major on a pass/fail basis.

Transfer Credit Policy

A maximum of five courses (15 credits) may be accepted for the Spanish major.

The Spanish Minor

The minor in Spanish has the following requirements as of September 2004:

1. Intermediate proficiency (SPAN 201-202 or equivalent).
2. Five advanced courses, to be from those specified in the following three categories. At least three of these courses must be taken at UMass Boston.

• SPAN 301 (Advanced Reading, Writing and Speaking) or SPAN 304 (Spanish for Majors and Minors);
• SPAN 351 (Survey of Spanish Literature) and SPAN 352 (Survey of Spanish-American Literature), or SPAN 360 (Spanish Civilization) and SPAN 361 (Spanish-American Civilization);
• Two advanced courses in language, civilization or literature.

All minors must take at least three of these five required courses at UMass Boston.

Pass/Fail Option

One course may be taken for the minor on a pass/fail basis.

Honors

To graduate with departmental honors, the Spanish major must:

• attain at least a 3.5 grade point average in major courses and a 3.0 cumulative grade point average;
• write an honors thesis under the supervision of a teaching member of the department; and
• make an oral defense of the thesis in which the candidate will be asked questions in the general area of his/her written work. The honors thesis and oral defense will be evaluated by a departmental Honors Committee.