Spanish (BA)
Strengthens language fluency and cultural understanding, giving you a competitive edge in any field. Choose between Second Language or Heritage Language tracks, take advanced 300- and 400-level courses and complete a capstone seminar. Graduates are prepared for careers where Spanish fluency makes a difference—business, law, health care, education, international relations and more.
This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Classical and Modern Languages
Academic Plan Code(s): SPANBA
Program Information
The Spanish program offers two options for students wishing to complete the Spanish major.
The Spanish as a Second Language (SL) sequence serves students whose primary experience with Spanish has been in the classroom. Students may place into SPAN 201 or higher through the online placement exam.
The Spanish as a Heritage Language (HL) sequence offers courses for individuals who grew up in Spanish-speaking environments and are able to communicate, to some extent, in more than one language. Some students are immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States and have had extensive schooling in their native countries. Others are first-, second-, or third-generation bilinguals whose abilities in the heritage language vary widely. Placement into Heritage Learner courses is done through departmental evaluation.
Both the Second Language (L2) and Heritage Language options offer 300-level courses that are designed to meet the language needs of both groups and to prepare them for the 400- and 500-level courses that are required for both tracks.
Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Measurement. For details, contact the department.
Degree Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 31 | |
| College/School Requirements | 22 | |
| Program/Major Requirements | 33-36 | |
| Supporting Courses | 32-35 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121 | |
Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.
Departmental Admission Requirements
Admission to the BA in Spanish requires completion of SPAN 201 or higher with a minimum grade of C; a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0; and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on courses in the major.
The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 31 | |
All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above). Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.
College/School Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Sciences Requirements | ||
| GEN 100 | Student Success Center First Year Experience | 1 |
| or GEN 101 | Arts & Sciences First Year Experience | |
| Foreign Language 1 | 12 | |
| Electives in Natural Sciences or Social Sciences 2 | 9 | |
| WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 3 | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 22 | |
Program/Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish Core Courses | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 21-24 | |
| Sequence One (for learners of Spanish as a Second Language): | ||
SPAN 201 & SPAN 202 | Continuing Spanish Language and Culture I Continuing Spanish Language and Culture II | |
SPAN 305 | Spanish Grammar in Context | |
SPAN 310 | Reading and Writing in Spanish | |
SPAN 311 | Advanced Spanish through literature and film | |
SPAN 321 | Communication and Conversation in Spanish | |
Two electives in Spanish at the 300 level or higher | ||
| Sequence Two (for Heritage/Bilingual learners): | ||
SPAN 205 | Intermediate Spanish for Heritage/Bilingual Learners | |
SPAN 325 | Advanced Spanish I for Heritage/Bilingual Speakers | |
SPAN 335 | Advanced Spanish II for Heritage/Bilingual Speakers | |
Four electives in Spanish at the 300 level or higher | ||
| Select two of the following courses: | 6 | |
SPAN 401 | Foundations of Spanish Civilization | |
SPAN 402 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Spain | |
SPAN 403 | Foundations of Latin American Nations and Identities | |
SPAN 404 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Latin America | |
| SPAN 490 | Spanish Capstone Seminar - CUE, WR | 3 |
| SPAN 524 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
| Minimum Total Hours | 33-36 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting Courses | ||
| Electives in Humanities Division disciplines, other than Spanish, at 300 level or above 4 | 9 | |
| Minimum Electives | 23-26 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 32-35 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement) | ||
| Requirement fulfilled by completing: | ||
SPAN 490 | Spanish Capstone Seminar - CUE, WR | |
- 1
Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language
- 2
In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at 300 level or above
- 3
May be incorporated into other degree requirements
- 4
Majors in one foreign language may count courses at the 300 level or above in another foreign language toward this requirement.
No more than 40 hours in Spanish may be applied toward the Bachelor of Arts degree. SPAN 121, SPAN 122, and SPAN 123 and SPAN 141 and SPAN 142 do not count toward the 40 hour maximum in Spanish.
At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| GEN 100 or GEN 101 | Student Success Center First Year Experience or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience | 1 |
| ENGL 101 | Introduction to College Writing - WC | 3 |
| SPAN 201 | Continuing Spanish Language and Culture I | 3 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Quantitative Reasoning - QR | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences - S | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences Lab - SL | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 102 | Intermediate College Writing - WC | 3 |
| SPAN 202 | Continuing Spanish Language and Culture II | 3 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences - S | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences US Perspectives - SBP1 | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPAN 305 | Spanish Grammar in Context | 3 |
| SPAN 310 | Reading and Writing in Spanish | 3 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities Global Perspectives - AHP2 | 3 | |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPAN 311 | Advanced Spanish through literature and film | 3 |
| SPAN 321 | Communication and Conversation in Spanish | 3 |
| General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH | 3 | |
| Humanities elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
SPAN 401 | Foundations of Spanish Civilization | |
SPAN 402 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Spain | |
SPAN 403 | Foundations of Latin American Nations and Identities | |
SPAN 404 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Latin America | |
| SPAN 405 | Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3 |
| Social Science or Natural Science Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Spanish Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Humanities Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
SPAN 401 | Foundations of Spanish Civilization | |
SPAN 402 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Spain | |
SPAN 403 | Foundations of Latin American Nations and Identities | |
SPAN 404 | Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Latin America | |
| Social Science or Natural Science elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPAN 524 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
| Social Science or Natural Science Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| Humanities elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPAN 490 | Spanish Capstone Seminar - CUE, WR | 3 |
| Spanish Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective (300 level or above) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 121 | |
The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years. Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.
Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan. Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.
Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation. Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.
To create these reports:
- Log into your ULink account.
- Click on the Academic Progress tile.
- Select the appropriate report.
- To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
- To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
- To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."
Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.