Program Tracks
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with three program tracks.
Spanish Language and Literatures Track
This track emphasizes knowledge and awareness of:
- The fundamental outlines of the history of Spanish literature and of Spanish American literature.
- The major creative writers in both Spanish and Spanish American literature.
- Basic critical methodologies in the study of poetry, drama, narrative fiction, nonfiction and cinema.
- The cultural and historical contexts in which particular traditions develop.
The program focuses on critical thinking and communication skills (written and oral) and their application in today's real-world global setting. Our internationally recognized professors and instructors integrate their research with their teaching in a fruitful manner. The degree supports an active secondary teaching certification program, which prepares future Spanish instructors for the growing demand for secondary Spanish teachers. Catalan language courses are also offered to broaden students' linguistic spectrum. Advanced students, particularly honor's program students, are invited to begin their MA work in our program by taking graduate seminars during their senior year.
Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Culture Track
This track focuses on the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking and Lusophone countries, guiding students through readings on the history of Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Latin America. Along with major authors and literary movements of the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking worlds, students read a variety of complex texts across academic disciplines.
The linguistic and cultural mastery of Spanish and Portuguese is key in opening endless possibilities to the European Union (Portugal and Spain), as well as Brazil and the whole of Latin America. Through this bilingual combination, students will gain the tools needed to conduct business in the Western Hemisphere in today's competitive global market.
Spanish for the Professions Track
This interdisciplinary track offers exciting career possibilities, both in government and private industry, at home and abroad. Languages and cultural understanding are essential in business, engineering, commerce, civil service, law, library science, media, science, economics, health and social sciences.
The degree emphasizes knowledge and awareness of the cultural environment in which professions are practiced in the Spanish-speaking world. Students develop an advanced level of language proficiency and trans-cultural competence in addition to taking courses in a professional field of their choice.
Education Abroad
The department strongly recommends that all majors include a period of study in a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking country in the course of their undergraduate education. Please visit Education Abroad for more information.
Although the 4-year graduation guarantee does not apply to those who study abroad, it is still entirely possible to go abroad for a semester or a year and graduate in 4 years. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese sponsors Summer Global Seminars in Argentina, Portugal and Spain.
Concurrent Degree Program
BA/MSIB in Spanish
This program is designed for students who wish to combine their BA in Spanish for the Professions with a one-year MS in international business (MSIB) from the University of Colorado Denver. Students seeking this option should complete the Leeds Business Minor.
Students apply for the MSIB program during their third year by declaring their intention to the Spanish for the Professions faculty director, submitting the standard MSIB application forms, and completing admissions requirements, which include the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test). Students are notified of acceptance to the program before the start of their fourth year. Students must have at least a 3.00 GPA to be considered for admission.
Requirements
General Requirements
The following requirements apply to all program tracks.
The College of Arts and Sciences does not allow more than 45 credit hours in any one discipline to be counted toward the 120 credit hours required for a BA degree. This rule does not mean that a student may not take more than 45 credit hours in Spanish, but rather that one must have at least 75 credit hours in courses other than Spanish. PORT 2120 will be accepted as partially fulfilling upper-division courses in other foreign languages.
To fulfill the requirements for any major track, students must complete at least 12 upper-division credits at CU Boulder. For the Spanish Language and Literature track and the Spanish and Portuguese Language and Culture track, 9 of the 12 credits must be from the major works/trends courses listed (SPAN 4150 or SPAN 4160, and SPAN 4170 or SPAN 4180) and SPAN 3100. For the Spanish for the Professions track, students must take at least two of the 3000-level profession courses and SPAN 4070 and SPAN 3100 on the Boulder campus.
No more than 3 independent study credit hours may count toward the major. No grade lower than a C- will be counted in the major requirements. The ancillary GPA (made up of the combined grades from area courses) must be at least 2.00.
Please note that students seeking Colorado State Teaching Certification should complete the Spanish Language and Literature Track. Students seeking teaching certification in Spanish must take certain classes. For full requirements, please contact the advisor for the Secondary Spanish Teaching Certificate program in the department.
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses. All Spanish majors are encouraged to consult with the Spanish and Portuguese Department professional advisor before they register each semester.
Transfer credit must be approved by the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies. Study Abroad courses must be approved; contact the Spanish and Portuguese Department Professional Advisor to begin the process.
Program Track Requirements
Spanish Language and Literatures Track
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SPAN 3000 | Advanced Spanish Language Skills | 5 |
| SPAN 3100 | Literary and Cultural Analysis in Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN 3010 | Advanced Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or SPAN 3120 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | |
| Hispanic Linguistics Requirement | 3 | |
| Spanish Phonology and Phonetics | ||
or SPAN 3150 | Linguistic Analysis of Spanish | |
or SPAN 4430 | Special Topics in Hispanic Linguistics | |
or SPAN 4450 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | |
| 4000-level Spanish Language and Literature courses | 9 | |
Spanish Literature and Culture | ||
| Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain Up to 1700 | ||
or SPAN 4160 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain: 1700-Present | |
Latin American Literature and Culture | ||
| Major Works/Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America Up to the 19th Century | ||
or SPAN 4180 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America: 1900-Present | |
| Additional 4000-level Spanish Literature course | ||
Choose one of the following courses not used to fulfill a requirement above: | ||
| Hispanic Women Writers | ||
or SPAN 4150 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain Up to 1700 | |
or SPAN 4160 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain: 1700-Present | |
or SPAN 4170 | Major Works/Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America Up to the 19th Century | |
or SPAN 4180 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America: 1900-Present | |
or SPAN 4220 | Special Topics in Spanish and/or Spanish American Literature | |
or SPAN 4620 | Cervantes | |
| Upper-Division Spanish Electives | 9 | |
9 credit hours of upper-division SPAN electives. 3 credit hours must be 4000-level. Can include courses not used to fulfill an above requirement. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 32 | |
Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Culture Track
Note that prerequisites for the program include sufficient Spanish knowledge to be admitted to 3000-level courses and sufficient knowledge of Portuguese to be admitted to 2000-level courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PORT 2110 | Second-Year Portuguese 1 | 3 |
| or PORT 2350 | Portuguese for Romance Language Speakers | |
| PORT 2120 | Second-Year Portuguese 2 (or SPAN/PORT upper-division) 1 | 3 |
| or PORT 2800 | Brazil: Past and Present | |
| PORT 3003 | Advanced Portuguese Language Skills 2 | 3 |
| or PORT 3170 | Lisbon as a Global City: Cosmopolitanism, Diversity, and Innovation | |
| or PORT 3220 | Latin American Culture: Spanish America and Brazil | |
| or PORT 3230 | Transatlantic Relations in the Portuguese Speaking World | |
| 4000-level PORT course 2 | 3 | |
| Required Spanish Language and Literature Courses | ||
| SPAN 3000 | Advanced Spanish Language Skills | 5 |
| SPAN 3100 | Literary and Cultural Analysis in Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN 3010 | Advanced Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or SPAN 3120 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | |
| Hispanic Linguistic Requirement | 3 | |
Choose one of the following: | ||
| Spanish Phonology and Phonetics | ||
or SPAN 3150 | Linguistic Analysis of Spanish | |
or SPAN 4430 | Special Topics in Hispanic Linguistics | |
or SPAN 4450 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture Course | 3 | |
| Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain Up to 1700 | ||
or SPAN 4160 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain: 1700-Present | |
| Latin American Literature and Culture Course | 3 | |
| Major Works/Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America Up to the 19th Century | ||
or SPAN 4180 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America: 1900-Present | |
| SPAN or PORT Elective | 3 | |
Upper division (3000/4000 level) SPAN or PORT literature, culture and/or language. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 35 | |
| 1 | Native speakers of Portuguese, and in general, all students whose Portuguese skills are beyond the PORT 2120 level, are not required to take Portuguese lower-division courses. However, students have to make up these credit hours by taking 6 hours of upper-division SPAN or PORT courses or any related courses outside the department. Related courses must be approved by the department. |
| 2 | Some 3000-level and 4000-level Portuguese (PORT) courses are repeatable for up to 6 credits each. |
Spanish for the Professions Track
The department offers an interdisciplinary major in Spanish for the Professions, which includes the completion of 12 credits in a professional field, in a second major or in a second degree. It offers students numerous career possibilities, both in government and private industry at home and abroad. Those choosing this major are not able to enter the CU Boulder graduate program in Spanish without fulfilling the requirements in the language and literature major.
Prerequisites for the program include sufficient Spanish to be admitted to 3000-level courses and any pertinent prerequisites for the 12 credits in the professional field. SPAN 4070 must be taken at CU Boulder.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Spanish Courses 1 | 9 | |
| Choose three of the following: | ||
| Professional Spanish for Business 1 | ||
| Spanish for Careers in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development | ||
| Spanish 21st Century Media Professions | ||
| Spanish Health Professions | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| SPAN 4060 | Problems of Translation for Professions in Spanish 1 | 3 |
| SPAN 4070 | Problems of Translation for Professions in Spanish 2 | 3 |
| Spanish Language Courses | ||
| SPAN 3000 | Advanced Spanish Language Skills | 5 |
| SPAN 3100 | Literary and Cultural Analysis in Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN 3010 | Advanced Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or SPAN 3120 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | |
| Upper-Division SPAN Elective | ||
| One Upper Division course (SPAN 3000 or 4000 level) | 3 | |
| One SPAN 4000-level course. SPAN 4930 is an option. | 3 | |
| Non-SPAN Electives | 12 | |
Students are required to take 12 credit hours outside of Spanish in a certificate program, minor, second major or degree related to their professional interests. Students must fulfill the prerequisites for the relevant program. The Business Minor, or the Public Health Certificate, or the Technology, Arts and Media Certificate are recommended. Courses meeting this requirement must be approved by the faculty director of the major. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 44 | |
| 1 | No substitutions permitted. |
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students can complete all 12 credits of the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement and potentially the Upper-division Written Communication component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| SPAN 1010 | Beginning Spanish 1 (If needed, does not fulfill Spanish major course requirements) | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences with Lab) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SPAN 1020 | Beginning Spanish 2 (If needed, does not fulfill Spanish major course requirements) | 5 |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SPAN 2110 | Second-Year Spanish 1 (If needed, does not fulfill Spanish major course requirements) | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SPAN 2120 | Second-Year Spanish 2 (If needed, does not fulfill Spanish major course requirements) | 3 |
| Related Fields course outside of Spanish (see degree audit for details and instructions) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SPAN 3000 | Advanced Spanish Language Skills | 5 |
| Related Fields course outside of Spanish (See Degree Audit for details and instructions) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SPAN 3100 | Literary and Cultural Analysis in Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN 3120 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 |
| SPAN 3010 | Advanced Rhetoric and Composition (Also fulfills Gen. Ed. Skills course: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) - Upper-Division | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SPAN 3050 | Spanish Phonology and Phonetics or Linguistic Analysis of Spanish or Special Topics in Hispanic Linguistics or Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics or Spanish in the United States | 3 |
| SPAN 4150 or SPAN 4160 | Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain Up to 1700 or Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Spain: 1700-Present | 3 |
| SPAN Literature course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) - Upper-Division | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SPAN 4170 or SPAN 4180 | Major Works/Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America Up to the 19th Century or Major Works and Trends in Literature and Culture in Latin America: 1900-Present | 3 |
| SPAN 4000 level elective | 3 | |
| SPAN Upper-Division elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 122 | |