Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies

General Degree Requirements for Majors

General Degree Requirements for Spanish Majors

How to declare a Major

Preparatory courses and testing

Required Courses

1. Advanced Language

to be taken successively

**Students who obtain a grade in the C range in Span 3015 taken under the semester system are required to take Span 3021 and pass it with grade of C- (C minus) or better in order to advance to the Critical Analysis courses. Students who obtain a B- (B minus) or better in Span 3015 (semester course) may advance immediately to the Critical Analysis courses. Whether students take Span 3021 by choice or by obligation it will count as an upper level elective.

2. Critical Analysis Courses

Must take all in any order or concurrently

The Critical Analysis Courses must be completed with a C- or higher in order to continue to the Advanced Elective Courses. They use Spanish as a medium for focusing on critical analysis of texts (Span 3104), cultures (Span 3105) and Hispanic linguistics (Span 3017). Provided that prerequisites are met, these may be taken simultaneously or one by one, and need not all be completed before advancing to the Advanced Elective Courses. Keep in mind, however, that all must be completed for the major and that they are prerequisites for some of the Advanced Elective Courses (i.e. Span 3104 is a prerequisite for all upper division literature courses, Span 3105 for all upper division culture classes and Span 3107 for all upper division linguistics classes).

3. Advanced Elective Courses

Six sem. courses; four of the six courses must have a Critical Analysis course (Span 3104/3105/3107) as a prerequisite, two do not need to have a Critical Analysis course as a prerequisite.

Elective courses must be chosen in consultation with the Spanish and Portuguese advising staff who will ensure that courses meet departmental requirements in this category and help students choose courses that will best prepare them for their chosen major project topic. Each of the topics courses (e.g., Span 3510, 3730, 3910, etc.) may be taken up to three times for credit in this category, provided that each time the course covers a different topic. Honors students are required to take at least one 5xxx-level course (two are highly recommended) in order to fulfill the major honors requirement. Other majors may take 5xxx-level courses as electives only with advisor and instructor approval.

4. Senior Seminar

All CLA candidates for the B.A. must complete the senior seminar in which they write their major project. The seminar is the capstone course in the Spanish major and should be taken after all other Spanish coursework has been completed. However, students may take a maximum of one 3xxx-level elective concurrently with the seminar.  The seminar must be taken in residency at U of M. Students should formulate a research topic before enrolling for the course; early planning is advised so students may take a relevant core of upper-level electives to prepare for the seminar. Students with a double major within CLA who choose to complete their major project in their other CLA department must substitute an additional Spanish 3xxx-level elective course with a Critical Analysis course prerequisite for the senior seminar. Double majors whose second major is in a college other than CLA must complete the senior seminar in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Honors students must make special arrangements in advance of registering for the seminar in Spanish.   

A detailed description of the Major process.

General Requirements for the Spanish & Portuguese Combined Major

Preparatory courses and testing

*Port 3001can not be taken until the completion of Span 3015. Students may take Port 1101-1104 and the LPE in Portuguese in the pace of Port 3001.

Required Courses

1. Advanced Language

to be taken successively

**Students who obtain a grade in the C range in Span 3015 taken under semester system are required to take Span 3021 and pass it with grade of C- (C minus) or better in order to advance to the critical analysis courses. Students who obtain a B- (B minus) or better in Span 3015 (semester course) may advance immediately to the critical analysis courses. Whether students take Span 3021 by choice or by obligation it will count as an upper level elective.  

2. Critical Analysis Courses

Must take all in any order or concurrently

The Critical Analysis Courses must be completed with a C- or higher in order to continue to the Advanced Elective Courses. They use Spanish as a medium for focusing on critical analysis of texts (Span 3104),  and Hispanic linguistics (Span 3017). Provided that prerequisites are met, these may be taken simultaneously or one by one, and need not all be completed before advancing to the Advanced Elective Courses. Keep in mind, however, that Span 3104 and Span 3107 must be completed for the major and that they are prerequisites for some of the Advanced Elective Courses (i.e. Span 3104 is a prerequisite for all upper division literature courses and Span 3107 for all upper division linguistics classes).

3. One Portuguese Literature and Culture Course:
4. Advanced Elective Courses

Five sem. courses; two of the five must have a have a Critical Analysis course (Span 3104/3105/3107) as a prerequisite, two upper level Portuguese courses and one 3xxx Span or Port elective.

Elective courses must be chosen in consultation with the Spanish & Portuguese advising staff to ensure that students are choosing courses that both 1) meet departmental requirements in this category, as well as 2) form a cohesive core in preparation for graduation (strategic selection of elective courses is critical in preparation for the Graduation Seminar).  Each topics course (e.g., Span 3510, 3800, 3910, 3920, Port 3910, etc.) may be taken up to three times for major credit provided that they are different topics.  Honors students are required to take at least one 5xxx-level course (two are recommended) in order to fulfill the major honors requirement. Other majors may take 5xxx-level courses as electives only with instructor approval.

5. Senior Seminar

 All CLA candidates for the B.A. must complete the senior seminar in which they write their major project. The seminar is the capstone course in the Spanish/ Portuguese major and should be taken after all other Spanish/Portuguese coursework has been completed.  However, students may take a maximum of one 3xxx-level elective concurrently with the seminar.  The seminar must be taken in residency at U of M. Students should formulate a research topic before enrolling for the course; early planning is advised so students may take a relevant core of upper-level electives to prepare for the seminar. The paper can be written in Spanish or Portuguese.  Students with a double major within CLA who choose to complete their major project in their other CLA department must substitute an additional Spanish 3xxx-level elective course with a Critical Analysis course prerequisite for the senior seminar. Double majors whose second major is in a college other than CLA must complete the senior seminar in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Honors students must make special arrangements in advance of registering for the seminar in Spanish/Portuguese. 

A detailed description of the Combined Major process.

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Last modified on July 27, 2009