Spanish Major, BA

Spanish Major, BA (120 SH)

There are many reasons to study Spanish at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). A recent study by the Governor’s Office on the Hispanics/Latino presence in North Carolina shows that Hispanics/Latinos have accounted for over 25% of North Carolina’s population increase in the past 20 years, that the median age of North Carolina’s Hispanics/Latinos is 23, and that their purchasing power is in the millions of dollars. These reasons point to North Carolina as an important location for Hispanic/Latino immigration in the southern United States, making learning Spanish a good choice for careers in areas such as education, health professions, social work, business, and law.

Students at WSSU may earn a degree in Spanish, or pursue a Spanish minor. Combining a Spanish minor with any degree plan makes students more marketable. Students who successfully complete the Spanish major or minor programs will possess knowledge of the historical, literary, and sociopolitical components of the Spanish-speaking world as well as develop functional language, sociolinguistic, and intercultural skills to make them more competitive in the globally interconnected twenty-first century workforce.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Spanish major will be able to:

1. Students will demonstrate second language proficiency in critical reading through interaction with the written language.
2. Students will demonstrate speaking skills in the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational modes at the advanced level proficiency (ACTFL)*.
3. Students will demonstrate written communication skills through the use of appropriate language, supporting evidence, content, in the interpersonal and presentational modes at the advanced level (ACTFL)*
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate foreign language content after years of language development and production through assessments and self-reflections, student language production.
5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use knowledge of Spanish to participate in diverse, multicultural settings, and to live in a global society.

*The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

Departmental Goal

The goal of the department is to prepare world language students to succeed in professional or postgraduate careers by designing a program of study that provides the requisite skills in language learning, cross-cultural and intercultural understanding.

Departmental Objectives

Language courses in the department are designed to fundamentally develop functional, grammatical, lexical and sociolinguistic competencies in students wishing to earn the undergraduate degree in Spanish, or minor in a world language  In addition to providing opportunities for improved communicative skills, students also study the historical, political, social, cultural and literary aspects of the target languages.  The departmental objectives comprise: 

• Offering world languages courses that lead to the development of standard-based competencies in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
• Providing in-depth studies of the cultures of the target languages
• Introducing students to the literary expressions of the target language-speaking world
• Preparing students for graduate studies
• Preparing students for careers that require training in a foreign language

Prerequisites

Students must successfully complete the foundation courses, show evidence through placement examination that they possess an equivalent level of proficiency in Spanish, or enroll in advanced courses by permission of the instructor.

Foundation Courses (6 SH)

The department made the decision to include SPA 2309  and SPA 2325  among the foundational courses.  These courses are already identified as general education courses with OC and CR SLOs respectively.  With these courses, students will develop important skills in foreign language learning as well as meet requirements for GE.

SPA 2309 , SPA 2311 , SPA 2312 , and SPA 2325  prepare students with the fundamental skills for the Spanish major.

Students must successfully complete the foundation courses with a “C-” or better, or show evidence that they have achieved an equivalent level of proficiency in Spanish before taking advanced courses in the major.

SPA 2309    Intermediate Spanish Conversation

SPA 2311    Intermediate Spanish I

SPA 2312    Intermediate Spanish II

SPA 2325    Introduction to Latino Literature

Breadth Courses (24 SH)

The breadth courses in the Major are broad in scope and build on the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.  Other breath courses not taught in Spanish provide relevant knowledge and skills for the discipline.  POR 3311  will introduce the Spanish major to Latin American literature by Brazilian authors.  This is important because of the geographic, historical and linguistic proximity of Portuguese and Spanish. Furthermore, POR 3311  will introduce the Spanish major to writings from the former Portuguese colonies in Africa.

Finally, ENG 4355  will introduce the Spanish major to the important practice of literary criticism through the examination of key critical writing.

SPA 3310   Spanish Composition and Grammar
SPA 3312   Spanish Phonetics
SPA 3315   Spanish America
SPA 3316   Spanish Conversation and Pronunciation
SPA 3320   Introduction to Pre-Colombian Cultures and Civilizations
SPA 4309   Advanced Spanish Conversation
SPA 4350   Senior Composition in Spanish
POR 3311   Literature of Brazil and Portuguese-Speaking Africa in Translation
ENG 4355   Literary Criticism

Depth Course (9 SH)

Students in the major will understand the literary production of the Spanish speaking world by studying key texts in the canon. In the depth area, student will take a total of three courses to explore in more detail writings from Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean.

SPA 3339   Survey of Latino Literature
SPA 3333   Survey of Spanish Literature
SPA 3335   Survey of Spanish-American Literature
SPA 4338   Masterpiece of Afro-Hispanic Literature

SPA 4390   Special Topics or Readings in Hispanic Culture (Literature of Latin America and the Caribbean in French, Portuguese, Spanish)

Senior Capstone Course (3 SH)

(Prerequisites: senior status and a 2.5 grade point average in Spanish major core courses.)

SPA 4391   Senior Seminar in Spanish

Other Requirements for the Spanish Major (18 SH in a minor or concentration)

Spanish majors must choose a minor to complete the program requirements for the undergraduate degree in Spanish.  A minor in another world language is strongly recommended.