The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a Major in Spanish (Bachelor of Arts) and a Minor in Spanish, open to students from any major across campus.
At the introductory level, students build fluency in speaking and writing through a carefully designed sequence of language courses. For detailed information, please consult the major and minor requirement sheets available in the side menu.
At the advanced level, students take courses in the history of the language, linguistics, and the literatures and cultures of Spain and Latin America. Majors can choose to focus on language, literature, culture, or a combination of these areas.
Many students pair their Spanish major with a second major in fields like the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences, enhancing their academic and career opportunities. This combination broadens their perspective, develops valuable skills, and prepares them for a wide range of professions in a globalized world.
Lower-Division Courses
The Lower-Division Courses in our department include two distinct tracks in the Spanish language program:
A. Spanish for Second Language Learners – Span 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 25
B. Spanish for Heritage Learners – Span 15, 16A and 16B
Students should follow only one of the two Spanish tracks. To determine which track is right for you—especially if you plan to major or minor in Spanish—please consult our Placement Guidelines.
After completing Track A or B, students should enroll in Span 30: Introduction to Hispanic Literature.
Upper-Division Courses
Students pursuing the major or minor in Spanish must complete 40 upper-division units for the major and 20 upper-division units for the minor. These units are distributed across the following areas of study:
- Language and Translation Studies
- Peninsular Spanish Studies
- Latin American Studies
- U.S. Latinx and Indigenous Languages and Cultures of the Americas.