Modern Languages and Literatures: Spanish

Requirements

1. Students majoring in Spanish must spend one semester in a Spanish-speaking country enrolled in a program approved by the Section. Only two courses taken abroad that pertain to the curriculum of the section may count toward fulfillment of the major. For full immersion, all courses taken abroad must be taken in Spanish. Only advanced language courses taken abroad may receive Spanish credit but will not count toward the major.
2. Upon returning from abroad, students must enroll in a one-credit advanced course in the Section.
3. Students must complete a minimum of eight credits of work in courses numbered 008 and above. One of these courses must be SPAN 022 or 023, except in special cases when the section waives this requirement or approves a similar course taken abroad.
4. Students may count only one of these courses toward the major: 008, 010 or 011. SPAN 006A and SPAN 024 will not count toward fulfillment of the major. Note that neither AP nor IB credits will count towards the major.
5. One of the eight credits of advanced work may be taken in English from the courses listed in the catalog under “Literatures in Translation: Spanish” (LITRS) offered by the section.
6. All majors are encouraged to take at least one seminar in the section. Students can take a seminar after one advanced course (numbered 050 to 089) or with permission of the instructor. Only one seminar in the major will count for two credits.
7. A minimum of four of the eight courses must be taken at Swarthmore College. Only two courses taken abroad may count toward the major.
8. Majors must maintain a balance in their overall program, taking advanced work in different historical periods from Spain and Latin America.

Acceptance Criteria

For admission to the course major, the student needs a minimum of B level work in courses taken at Swarthmore taught in Spanish or the required introductory-level literature course (SPAN 022 or 023), demonstrated ability and interest in language and literature, and a minimum C average in course work outside the department.

Prerequisite: SPAN 004 or its equivalent is the language prerequisite for entering the Spanish major. It does not count as one of the 8 credits required for the major.

Requirements

1. Completion of at least one semester of study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country in a program approved by the Spanish section. Only two courses taken abroad that pertain to the curriculum of the section may count towards fulfillment of the minor. To ensure full immersion, all courses taken abroad must be taken in Spanish. In special cases, depending on the student’s language proficiency, this requirement may be fulfilled with a summer-long study abroad program identified and approved by the section. For summer programs, only one relevant course taken abroad may count towards fulfillment of the minor. Only advanced language courses taken abroad may receive Spanish credit but will not count toward the minor.
2. Upon returning from study abroad, students are expected to register in a one-credit advanced course in the section.
3. All minors must take a total of five courses and/or seminar offerings numbered 008 and above. Only one of these may overlap with the student’s major or other minor. Note that AP and IB credits will not count towards the minor.
4. Students may count only one of the following towards their minor: 008, 010 and 011. SPAN 006A, SPAN 024 and courses in English translation will not count toward fulfillment of the minor.
5. All minors must take either SPAN 022 or 023, except in special cases when the section waives this requirement or approves a similar course taken abroad.
6. All minors are strongly encouraged to take seminars offered by the section. Seminars count as one credit toward the minor.
7. To graduate with a minor in Spanish, a student must maintain a minimum grade of B in the discipline, and a C average in course work outside the department. Candidates to the minor must prove their ability and interest in the language, cultures and literatures of the Spanish-speaking world.

Prerequisite: SPAN 004 or its equivalent is the language prerequisite for entering the Spanish minor. It does not count as one of the 5 credits required for the minor.

Requirements

Candidates for the major or minor in Spanish must meet these requirements to be accepted into Honors:

1. A “B” average in Spanish coursework at the College.
2. Completion at Swarthmore of either SPAN 022 or 023 (except in cases when the section waives this requirement or approves a similar course taken abroad) and one course numbered 050 to 089.
3. Completion of one semester of study in a Spanish-speaking country in a program approved by the Spanish Section. In special cases, depending on the student’s language proficiency, honors minors may fulfill this with a summer-long study abroad program identified and approved by the Spanish section.
4. Demonstrated linguistic ability in the language.
5. Present fields for external examination based on either two-credit seminars offered by the section, or the combination of two advanced courses numbered between 050-089 that form a logical pairing.
6. All majors in the Honors Program must do three (3) preparations for a total of six units of credit while all minors must complete one (1) preparation consisting of two units of credit.

The Honors Exam for Majors and Minors

Majors will take three (3) three-hour written examinations prepared by external examiners, as well as three (3) half-hour oral exams based on the contents of each field of preparation.

Minors will take one (1) three-hour written examination prepared by the external examiner, as well as one (1) half-hour oral exam based on the contents of the written examination and their overall preparation in the field presented.

All Honors exams will be conducted exclusively in Spanish.

Special Major in Spanish and Educational Studies

The Spanish Program prepares students who wish to pursue a special major in Spanish and educational studies, and also those who are seeking certification to teach Spanish in primary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the 45 states with which Pennsylvania certification is reciprocal.

Requirements for the Special Major in Spanish and Educational Studies

1. Complete six courses in Spanish. None of those courses may be taught in English.
2. A student may only count one of these courses for the major: 008, 010 or 011.
3. Complete a minimum of five courses in Educational Studies.
4. In consultation with the Spanish adviser, as a culminating exercise, develop a set of original teaching materials with the following criteria:
   • Focus on a grammar topic and a specific aspect of language acquisition, such as listening comprehension, speaking skills, discrete reading or writing.
   • Incorporate a variety of class exercises or activities.
   • Take into account different learning styles.
   • The total volume of this portfolio may be the equivalent of a 15-20 page paper.

Note: The special major itself does not constitute preparation toward certification.

Requirements for the Special Major in Spanish and Educational Studies with Teacher Certification

In addition to the requirements of the Educational Studies Department (Introduction to Education; Educational Psychology; Adolescence; one additional course in educational studies; and Curriculum and Methods/Practice Teaching), including LING 001, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Complete the requirements for the Spanish major. No course taught in English, however, may be included among their 8-credit total.
2. By the middle of the fall semester of the senior year, complete 10 hours of observation of language classes in the Spanish Program in consultation with the Spanish adviser.
3. Under the guidance of the Spanish adviser, write a short paper on the relevance of observed pedagogical approaches to a K-12 Spanish classroom.
4. In consultation with the Spanish adviser, as a culminating exercise, develop a set of original teaching materials with the following criteria:
   • Focus on a grammar topic and a specific aspect of language acquisition, such as listening comprehension, speaking skills, discrete reading or writing.
   • Incorporate a variety of class exercises or activities.
   • Take into account different learning styles.
   • The total volume of this portfolio may be the equivalent of a 15-20 page paper.

Seminars

Students wishing to take seminars must have completed at least one course in Spanish numbered 030 or above. Students are admitted to seminars on a case-by-case basis by the instructor according to their overall preparation.

• SPAN 103. Horacio Castellanos Moya: Centroamérica en las venas
• SPAN 108. Jorge Luis Borges

Spanish Courses Not Currently Offered

• SPAN 060. Memoria e identidad
• SPAN 061. El “otro” en la literatura y la cultura
• SPAN 072. Seducciones literarias-traiciones fílmicas
• SPAN 074. Laberintos borgeanos
• SPAN 076. La novela latinoamericana
• SPAN 077. Latinoamérica queer: cine, literatura y cultura
• SPAN 080. Los hijos de la Malinche: Representaciones culturales de la Revolución Mexicana
• SPAN 083. Género, historia e identidad: literatura centroamericana escrita por mujeres
• SPAN 084. México, 1968: La violencia de ayer y hoy
• SPAN 104. La voz de la mujer a través de los siglos
• SPAN 105. Federico García Lorca
• SPAN 107. Héroes y villanos: el siglo XIX español y la democratización literaria
• LITR 075S. Borges: Aesthetics & Theory
• LITR 076S. Latino and Latin American Sexualities