Spanish Major (B.A.)

Spanish Major (B.A.)

Spanish professor giving a lecture

What is Spanish?

Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world today, and the second language of the United States. In this degree program, you’ll gain fluency in Spanish while also developing an appreciation for linguistics, Spanish literature, and Spanish or Latin American civilization and culture. You’ll be prepared to live and work in a world community where Spanish is important for both personal and professional reasons. Many students in the program consider a double or dual major in a field such as business administration, linguistics, social work or international affairs.

Why study Spanish at UNH?

Study abroad opportunities in Granada, Spain, and Costa Rica, are among the many highlights of the Spanish program at UNH. Our Latin American studies minor is another way to enhance your studies. Throughout the academic year, you’ll have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that complement your studies.

Potential careers

  • Business leader
  • Communications director
  • Community advocate
  • Diplomat
  • Foreign service officer
  • International lawyer
  • Interpreter
  • Journalist
  • Social services case worker
  • Spanish teacher
  • Textbook author
  • Tour guide
  • Translator

Contact

Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
210L Murkland Hall
15 Library Way
Durham, NH 03824

Phone: (603) 862-4005

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  • photo of Meg Sawyer
    Wildcats
    Meg Sawyer ‘23
    Spanish and International Affairs Majors
    Hometown: Milford, N.H. What made you choose UNH? I visited UNH for Prospective Students Day and I loved the campus. The presenters highlighted some really interesting classes I could take through the Discovery program that stood out to me even though they were completely unrelated to what I wanted...
    Learn More
    Wildcats
    Meg Sawyer ‘23
    Spanish and International Affairs Majors
    Hometown: Milford, N.H. What made you choose UNH? I visited UNH for Prospective Students Day and I loved the campus. The presenters highlighted some really interesting classes I could take through the Discovery program that stood out to me even though they were completely unrelated to what I wanted...
    Learn More
  • photo of Kate Heaney
    Alumni
    Kate Heaney '19 '20G
    English Teaching and Spanish Majors, Teaching Masters | Fulbright Teacher
    What are you currently doing for work and how did you get to this point? After graduating UNH with majors in English Teaching and Spanish, I stayed at UNH to finish my Master’s in Teaching. During this year I applied for a Fulbright fellowship to teach English in Spain which is what I will be doing...
    Learn More
    Alumni
    Kate Heaney '19 '20G
    English Teaching and Spanish Majors, Teaching Masters | Fulbright Teacher
    What are you currently doing for work and how did you get to this point? After graduating UNH with majors in English Teaching and Spanish, I stayed at UNH to finish my Master’s in Teaching. During this year I applied for a Fulbright fellowship to teach English in Spain which is what I will be doing...
    Learn More
  • Audrey Hansen '13
    Alumni
    Audrey Hansen '13
    Spanish and Political Science Major | Spanish Ph.D
      About Audrey and where she is today I graduated from UNH in 2013 and majored in Spanish and political science. I came back a year later to start my Master's degree in Spanish, which I am currently finishing. During my year off I taught high school Spanish and spent 3 months at an internship in...
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    Alumni
    Audrey Hansen '13
    Spanish and Political Science Major | Spanish Ph.D
      About Audrey and where she is today I graduated from UNH in 2013 and majored in Spanish and political science. I came back a year later to start my Master's degree in Spanish, which I am currently finishing. During my year off I taught high school Spanish and spent 3 months at an internship in...
    Learn More
  • Tess Renker '14
    Alumni
    Tess Renker '14
    Spanish Major | Non-Profit Educational Organization
    About Tess and where she is today 
    Learn More
    Alumni
    Tess Renker '14
    Spanish Major | Non-Profit Educational Organization
    About Tess and where she is today 
    Learn More
  • omahony john
    Alumni
    John O'Mahony '15
    Spanish Major | Spanish Teacher
    About John and where he is today Born in Ireland and schooled in Dover NH, I have always had a fascination for studying different languages and cultures. After I graduated high school, I made the short trip up the road to study Spanish at UNH. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in 2015 and the...
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    Alumni
    John O'Mahony '15
    Spanish Major | Spanish Teacher
    About John and where he is today Born in Ireland and schooled in Dover NH, I have always had a fascination for studying different languages and cultures. After I graduated high school, I made the short trip up the road to study Spanish at UNH. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in 2015 and the...
    Learn More

View All Spanish Major (B.A.) Spotlights

Curriculum & Requirements

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 levels and in bilingual education programs through UNH’s foreign language teacher education program. 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.

The major consists of a minimum of 40 credits. All coursework required for the Spanish major must be completed with a grade of C or better. Specific course requirements are:

SPAN 631
& SPAN 632		Advanced Conversation and Composition I
and Advanced Conversation and Composition II		8
Select five of the following culture, linguistics, and literature electives or equivalent:20
SPAN 641
Spanish Language Variation & Change
SPAN 645
Intro to Spanish Linguistics
SPAN 647
Topics in Hispanic Cultural Studies
SPAN 648
The Hispanic World Today
SPAN 650
Hispanic Literature and Popular Culture
SPAN 651
Introduction to Spanish Literature and Thought
SPAN 652
Introduction to Spanish Literature and Thought
SPAN 653
Introduction to Latin American Literature and Thought
SPAN 654
Introduction to Latin American Literature and Thought
SPAN 525
Introduction to Spanish Cultures 1
or SPAN 526
 Introduction to Latin American Cultures
Select three courses taught in Spanish at the 700 level12
Total Credits40

An approved foreign study experience in a Spanish-speaking country of a minimum of one semester is required; a full academic year is highly recommended. The Discovery Program capstone requirement may be fulfilled by completing SPAN 797 Topics in Hispanic Literary and Cultural Studies (topic R only) in the fall semester or any 700-level Spanish course in the spring semester. Students completing their Discovery capstone in the spring semester must designate one class as their capstone and present their final work in that class at the Undergraduate Research Conference that semester.

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.

Explore Program Details

Spanish placement surveys are required so that students may register for the course appropriate to their skills.

Go to the Placement Survey page and begin your Survey

Spanish Course Placement Guidelines

Spanish 401-402 Spanish 403 Spanish 503 Spanish 504 Spanish 631*
Elementary Spanish Intensive Review of Spanish Intermediate Spanish (I) Intermediate Spanish (II) Advanced Spanish Conv./Comp.
Intro. to basic language skills Remedial course for students with limited language skills. Development of lang. skills, intro. to cultural materials from Spain and Latin America Continued development of language skills, cultural materials from the Hispanic world, expanded In-depth study of more complex lang. skills and patterns (incl. grammar, conversation, composition) and cultural material
Less than 2 years of HS study of Spanish 2 years of high school Spanish or significant elapse of time since previous study 3-4 years high school Spanish or Spanish 402 or 403 with C or better 4-5 years high school Spanish, or AP score “3” or Spanish 503 with C or better 5+ years of language study, or AP Spanish score “4” or Spanish 504 with C or better
Placement test not req’d Placement survey assessment by faculty* Placement survey assessment by faculty Placement survey assessment by faculty Placement survey assessment by faculty**
 You must complete both 401 and 402 to satisfy the BA foreign language requirement; does not satisfy some honor society reqmts. Does not count toward major/minor, gen. ed. 5, nor for some honor society reqmts. Does not fulfill the BA foreign lang. requirement Counts toward minor, gen.ed. 5, BA foreign language, & some honor society requirements Counts toward minor, gen.ed. 5, BA foreign language, & some honor society requirements Counts toward major, minor, BA foreign language, & some honor society requirements.
 No credit will be given for this course if student has previously studied 2 or more years of Spanish       Family language heritage, residence in a Spanish-speaking country, or study of another foreign language may be an additional factor in placing into higher Spanish classes.

*If the years of previous study and the placement survey offer contradictory advice about placement, students may consult a language advisor. However, no student with 4 or more years of previous study should be placed below Spanish 503. Students who qualify for Spanish 504 or 631 based on their placement survey and grades in previous study are to be congratulated and are encouraged to consider majoring or minoring in Spanish.

**Students with extensive background in Spanish, or an AP test score “5”, may be placed into Span 632 (Advanced Conversation and Composition II).

Spanish majors are required to spend at least one semester abroad in a Spanish-speaking country. A full year of academic study abroad is highly recommended. The Spanish Program at UNH offers a study abroad option in Granada, Spain, and a summer program in Costa Rica, both managed by program faculty and administered by the College's Center for Study Abroad. To see other Study Abroad Opportunities that are approved by the University, visit UNH Global Education.

COLA Study Abroad
UNH Study Abroad

The dual-degree B.A./M.A. program in Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers high-achieving students the opportunity to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree during their time at UNH. Qualified students may be accepted into the program late in the first semester of their junior year and begin to take graduate courses in the spring of their senior year. Students graduate with a B.A. upon completion of 128 credits (including all University, College and Program requirements), and then complete graduate work (30 credits) the following year. After only five years of study, students earn both degrees.

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