Faculty: Hernandez, Herrera de La Muela, Riess

The Spanish major is a program in the Languages, Literature, and Culture Area of Study.

Spanish Major Learning Outcomes

Students who have successfully completed the coursework for our Spanish major can:

1. demonstrate understanding of and interpret complex fictional and informational texts with attention to linguistic and cultural nuances;
2. in conversation with native Spanish-language speakers, communicate about a wide range of topics and viewpoints, showing knowledge of and concern for cultural and societal differences;
3. compose longer written analyses on topics of cultural and societal interest, integrating the ideas of others with their own to produce nuanced and original arguments;
4. identify a range of significant personalities and cultural productions from Spanish-speaking cultures, situate them in cultural context, and offer interpretations and opinions pertaining to them.

Students who have successfully completed a Senior Project in Spanish can:

1. compose a substantial discussion in written Spanish about a complex topic of their choosing pertaining to a Spanish-speaking culture, incorporating findings from research in both Spanish and English with their own ideas into a clear and cohesive argument;
2. discuss, spontaneously and at length, the topic of their written project.

The Spanish Major

The Spanish major, consisting of 42 credits, leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree. At graduation, Spanish majors must have a GPA of at least 2.0 in the major. The calculation is based on the grades of Spanish courses taken at Allegheny on a letter-grade basis. Only the most recent grade is considered for curses that have been repeated. Only SPAN 600  may be taken on a Credit/No credit basis.  

Courses taken in an approved program abroad may count for the major and minor. Students who place at or above the 225 level will need to design an alternate selection of courses to complete their program. Please see Spanish faculty for advising.

Double majors who choose the language as the second major may complete only 40 semester credit hours. The senior thesis for a double major student must include an analytical component in Spanish that is relevant to a cultural, literary, or linguistic aspect of Hispanic studies; the Spanish component may or may not coincide with the thesis topic of the other major. Bilingual students who have learned Spanish at home are encouraged to speak with a Spanish advisor regarding placement and course of study.