Spanish Major*

*This program is not accepting incoming students as new majors. The minor is open to all students.

The Spanish curriculum is grounded in a Hispanic cultural context; it is designed to develop oral and listening skills, as well as reading knowledge and writing proficiency in Spanish. Furthermore, it will help the Spanish language learner to enhance his/her awareness and appreciation of Latinx culture and provide insight and understanding of global interconnectedness and interdependence.

The ability to speak and write well in Spanish prepares students for a wide variety of careers in the teaching and medical professions, banking, business, communications, public relations, social work, and government.

Course placement is determined by a review of high school language courses and a response to an online questionnaire. In the case of transfer students, placement is determined by a review of the transfer credit evaluation and student input.

Students will not fulfill their foreign language competency with a course that is at a lower level than what is determined by the department without prior approval of the department chair.

Requirements for the Major in Spanish
(all courses 3 credits unless noted)

Entry-Level Courses:

• SPA 202 - Intermediate Spanish II
• SPA 203 - Conversation and Composition
• SPA 204 - Conversation and Composition

Required Courses: 

• SPA 311 - Advanced Conversation through Spanish and Latin American Films
• SPA 312 - Advanced Grammar and Composition
• SPA 320 - Introduction to Cultural Materials from the Spanish-speaking World

Elective Courses:

• One Spanish for the Professions Class (SPA 206, 208, 210, 216, 217, 219)
• HLAN 301 - Don Quixote and the Art of Imagination
• SPA 302 - Masterpieces of Spanish Literature
• SPA 303 - Survey of Spanish and Latin American Cultures through Film (must be taken in Spanish)
• LAS/SPA 315 - Identity Politics in Latin American (must be taken in Spanish)
• SPA 321 - Latin American Short Story
• SPA 322- Political and Social Transitions in the Spanish-Speaking World through Theatre
• SPA 324 Cultural Perspectives Revealed through Latin American Children's Literature
• LAS/SPA 220 - Latinos in the US (must be taken in Spanish)
• SPA/LAS 460- Mentoring Latino Students in the Norristown Area School District (3 semesters, one credit per semester)

Total Credits for Major: 33

Note: SPA 202 is a prerequisite to SPA 203 or 204, and SPA 203 and SPA 204 are prerequisites for all advanced Spanish courses.

SPA 202, 203 or 204 may be substituted for a higher-level Spanish class for heritage speakers in consultation with the department chair.

Study Abroad 
Spanish majors are encouraged to study abroad. The credits earned abroad will be applied to fulfill required or elective credit.

Student should consult with department chair when selecting courses to study abroad to ensure they fulfil a course or courses for the major, minor, and—when appropriate—the Certificate.

Pass/Fail
To encourage maintenance of language skills, the pass/fail option is available to non-language majors or minors who have fulfilled the foreign language core requirement and who wish to pursue additional language courses.

Spanish for the Professions Courses
Students who are pursuing a major or minor in Spanish must consult the department chair before taking any of these courses: SPA 206, 208, 210, 216, 217, and 219.

These Spanish for the Professions courses will be offered on a rotational basis.

Learning Outcomes
Spanish major will:

1. achieve competency in the four basic skills of the Spanish language (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) with speaking and writing skills at least at the “Intermediate Low” level for SPA 203 and 204 and remaining three-hundred, major-level courses according to the guidelines set by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
2. acquire general historical understanding of Spanish and Spanish American Civilizations and the connections between Spain and the New World
3. acquire a general understanding of the major intellectual and literary movements in Spanish and Spanish American letters
4. analyze, critique, and/or write an original interpretation of a work of Spanish or Spanish American literature or culture in Spanish

Spanish Honors Program
Students who submit an application for Honors and meet the following language department requirements will graduate with Honors in the major:

• Active membership in Phi Sigma Iota
• A minimum overall GPA of 3.0
• A minimum GPA of 3.5 in Spanish courses for the major taken at Cabrini
• Completion of a research project under supervision of a full-time faculty member of the language department and public presentation of the work

Certification in Spanish

Students pursuing Spanish and K-12 Certification must consult with an adviser from the Education Department to monitor education courses.

The chair of romance languages monitors the Spanish requirements.

The cross-listed LAN 350 (Undergraduate) The Teaching of Modern Languages and EDU 513 (Graduate) Teaching of Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language (offered fall semester only) is required for Spanish/K-12 certification.

Students pursuing K-12 certification in Spanish are required to take this cross-listed course at Eastern University, as well as a linguistics class either at Cabrini (ENG 379) or LAN 310 Linguistics at Eastern University, adjacent to Cabrini’s campus.