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School of American and International Studies 
Spanish Language Studies 
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Spanish Language Studies

Requirements of the Major

Requirements of the Minor

Foreign Language Web Site
(see disclaimer below)



Convener: Iraida H. López
Faculty: Paula Straile-Costa
Natalia Santamaria-Laorden

About the Major

The major consists of at least 30 hours above intermediate level Spanish. Students who wish to major in Spanish Language Studies have to have Intermediate Spanish II or an equivalent course. The required 30-hour sequence includes an 18-hour core, a Capstone Seminar in Spanish, plus a nine-hour concentration option. Students select a nine-hour concentration in literature, teacher education, Latin American studies, social work, media and communications, or business. These concentrations consist of selected courses in Hispanic literature and culture, education and pedagogy, advanced business Spanish, Latin American studies, media and communications of the Hispanic world, and social work. The major requires participation in pre-approved study abroad, service learning, or internship program. In addition students must complete a senior capstone seminar (3 credits) in Spanish, and defend their research paper before the Spanish faculty.

The major in Spanish Language Studies strives for excellence through oral and written exit proficiency requirements. Through the defense of their senior thesis, majors prove their writing and communication skills in Spanish. In addition, all majors must pass an informal Oral Proficiency Interview administered by the Spanish faculty to determine exit language proficiency. The program meets the state teacher certification standards for New Jersey. Furthermore, the major in Spanish language studies strives to comply with admissions criteria for the leading graduate programs in Spanish, or participation in one of the programs offered through the New Jersey State Consortium for International Studies (NJCIS).

The major in Spanish Language Studies is designed to be international, intercultural and interdisciplinary. Special emphasis is also put on the study abroad and experiential learning programs of the college.

Students majoring in Spanish Language studies are encouraged to pursue an approved summer of semester-long study abroad program in Spain or Latin America. We already have an existing language program in Costa Rica, and offer a semester or year-abroad in Cádiz, Spain, in collaboration with the University of Washington in Seattle.


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