Spanish Major (B.A.)

When you major in Spanish you are opening your opportunities to a variety of fields in which proficiency in the Spanish language and knowledge of Hispanic cultures are desirable or required. Such fields might include international relations, business administration, government, social service and communications. In addition, students can prepare to teach Spanish at the elementary and secondary level and in bilingual education programs through UNH’s MAT in Secondary Education with a certification in World Languages. The undergraduate major also provides a basis for graduate study in preparation for scholarly research and teaching at the college level. When combined with coursework or a dual major in other disciplines, the major prepares students for work in Spanish-speaking areas of the world as well as in bilingual regions of the United States.

All students must complete at least 10 classes (40 credits).  All coursework required for the Spanish major must be completed with a grade of C or better. Specific course requirements are:

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While the major may start counting as early as the Intermediate I level (SPAN 503), those who enter the major at a higher level (SPAN 504, SPAN 631, or SPAN 632) will replace the courses they skip from the four in the intermediate and advanced language category with additional electives in the Culture, Linguistics, and Literature category. 

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More electives required if fewer language credits were completed due to proficiency level and placement.
No limit on the number of classes in English allowed. Students taking no classes in the target language in a given semester will be strongly encouraged to enroll in one credit of conversation hour to maintain their language skills, and many of the courses taught in English will allow students the option to (or even require students to) do some work in the target language. 

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Or approved equivalent 700-level course taken at UNH, approved study abroad equivalent, or approved high-impact experience (such as internship with a robust target language/culture component). 

Please note that the required minimum overall GPA for study abroad and the Spanish major coursework is 2.0.

Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.

Spanish majors may use two major-required courses to satisfy two Discovery category requirements.

Linguistic proficiency Students can demonstrate an Advanced level of proficiency (as defined in ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines) in the target language in speaking, writing, listening and reading.

• Speaking: students are able to handle a variety of communicative tasks. They are able to participate in most informal and formal conversations on topics related to school, home, academic, and other activities. They can also speak about topics related to employment, current events, and matters of public and community interest.
• Writing: students are able to meet work and/or academic writing needs. They demonstrate the ability to narrate, describe and express viewpoints about topics in major time frames with control of aspect.
• Listening and Reading: students are able to understand conventional narrative and descriptive texts (spoken and/or written). They can understand the main facts, tone and style, and supporting details.
• Comprehension: students may often develop understanding primarily from their particular situational and subject-matter knowledge(course materials, contextual knowledges, and study abroad experiences), but each student should be able to extend and expand their comprehension to most areas of specialized and non-specialized materials, especially as that directly relates to any of the student’s other major and minor academic subjects of study.

Intercultural and transcultural competence Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of other cultures, and are able to think critically about and are able to recognize and accept culturally differences, and the uniqueness of other cultures and peoples. By the time they graduate from our program, they will be able to:

• Recognize and describe the historical, social, economic, and political forces that shape society in the various target cultures that they have directly studied (taking into account that they cannot be familiar with all the particular specificities of the 23+ nations of the Spanish-Speaking world).
• Analyze and critique the cultural and social products of the target culture(s)(film, literature, art, popular culture, media, etc.) within their context, including conducting basic research projects.
• On a broader level, each student should be able to begin to question the validity of their own cultural beliefs, behaviors and norms, by contrasting and comparing them with those of the target culture (cross-cultural sensitivity and respect).
• Students should be able to perceive and value cultural diversity and reinterpret the place of the self as an individual culturally situated within the global context of the twenty-first century.