Undergraduate Studies

• Degree Program
• Studying Abroad

Spanish is one of the major languages of the world and also the language of the fastest growing minority within the United States. The Hispanic world has a long and rich tradition, and it will continue to be important socially and economically on both a national and international scale.

Career Opportunities

Employers are increasingly looking for job candidates with the ability to communicate with Spanish speakers. BGSU offers its Spanish majors the chance to develop linguistic and cultural
competencies for interacting effectively with others in Spanish. Graduates are finding numerous opportunities for international careers in Non-Governmental Organizations, health and social service professions, international relations, diplomacy, and international business.

Another common career opportunity for students majoring in Spanish is the teaching profession, and BGSU offers preparation for teaching Spanish at all grade levels. For more information about becoming a teacher, consult the School of Teaching and Learning (STL) in the College of Education and Human Development.

Curriculum

Before a student begins a major in Spanish, the elementary and intermediate Spanish courses, equivalent to four years of high school Spanish, must be completed. One year of high school is generally considered equivalent to one semester of college Spanish.

All students majoring in Spanish follow programs emphasizing conversation, composition, civilization of the Spanish-speaking world, literature, linguistics and film studies.

A student, in consultation with their undergraduate adviser, may choose to focus on a specialized area of Spanish: the Basic Spanish Option or the Latin American Culture Studies Specialization Option.

Students who wish to teach Spanish should follow a program offered by the College of Education and Human Development which leads to a bachelor's degree in education. This program includes professional education courses, field and clinical experiences and supervised student teaching, leading to certification from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

All programs in Spanish require the completion of general education courses which cover such areas as natural science, social and behavioral sciences, foreign languages and cultures, humanities and arts, and cultural diversity in the United States.

Special Features

A special feature of the Spanish program is the highly regarded semester, summer or year-long program in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The program boasts of being one of the oldest U.S. study abroad programs in Spain and, because of our extensive commitments and contacts, it is also one of the least expensive. The Spanish program also offers a short-term study abroad opportunity to Mexico. Students benefit both linguistically and culturally from these experiences, and Spanish majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad.

For opportunities to speak Spanish on campus, students can take advantage of conversational, cultural and social events organized by The Spanish Club, La Comunidad residence living, The Spanish Honor Society, and Sigma Delta Pi.

High School Preparation

Students should study as much Spanish as possible while in high school. Those who come to BGSU with with four or more years of language in high school can usually move directly into the major. Students who have fewer years will need to take one or two courses at BGSU to complete the prerequisites.

Students should follow a college preparatory curriculum that includes four units (credits) of English, three units of college preparatory mathematics, three units of science, three units of social studies, two units of the same foreign language and one unit of the visual or performing arts. Students who have not taken all these recommended courses may be required to take University courses to make up deficiencies.

Sample Program

The following are two typical programs for a student majoring in Spanish. The numbers in parentheses indicate credit hours.

The Spanish major requires 33 hours above Intermediate Spanish II. In addition, it is strongly recommended that all Spanish majors and minors spend at least one semester in a Spanish-speaking country.

Basic Spanish Options

First Year

• Intermediate Spanish (3)
• Spanish Composition and Conversation (3)
• English Composition (3-6)
• Natural Sciences elective (6-10)
• Ethnic Studies (3)
• Geography (3)
• Mathematics (4)

Second year (in Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

• Spanish Composition and Conversation (3-6)
• Civilization of Spain (3)
• Art of Spain (3)
• Geography of Spain (3)
• Foundations in Hispanic Literature (3)
• Foundations in Hispanic Civilization (3)
• Spanish Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
• Folk Culture of Spain (3)
• Contemporary Spanish Literature (3)
• Career Spanish (3)

Third Year

• Two Topics in Hispanic Literature, Culture, Film, or Language (3)
• Civilization of South America (3)
• Introduction to Psychology (3)
• Philosophy (3)
• Social Sciences (3)
• Minor or second major (15)

Fourth Year

• Spanish Applied Linguistics (3)
• Spanish elective (3)
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (3)
• Minor or second major (15)
• Electives

Students wishing to obtain a double major can do so within four years by judiciously selecting their courses during the first, third and fourth years.

Latin American Culture Studies Option

The Latin American Culture Studies specialization offers an interdisciplinary planned curriculum of studies on Latin America through the following courses:

• Introduction to Latin American Culture Studies (3)
• Spanish Composition and Conversation (3)
• Foundations in Hispanic Lit. (3)
• Foundations in Hispanic Civ. (3)
• Latin American Culture Studies Seminar (3)
• Modern Latin America (3)
• Governments and Politics of Latin America (3)
• 12 additional elective hours from specified courses in History, Geography and Spanish-6 must be at the 4000 level.

Students choosing the Latin American Culture Studies specialization must fulfill the Spanish language requirement by completing Spanish at the 351 level or demonstrate competency in the Spanish language, e.g. by completing intensive Spanish language and culture courses through the summer abroad program in Mexico.