> College of Arts and Humanities     > School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

• Home
• Undergraduate
• Graduate
• Faculty
• Study Abroad
• Contact

• Undergraduate Minor
• Departmental Honors
• Portuguese Program

Spanish Undergraduate Program

The Spanish major is flexible and designed to allow you to satisfy your intellectual curiosity. While all majors study Spanish language through the advanced levels, you will also have the opportunity to select from over 75 courses to accommodate your specific needs and interests. Students can choose from classes in literature, culture, business Spanish, translation, cross-cultural communication, and linguistics. The department also offers courses for heritage and native speakers. Spanish can also be combined with a second major such as international business, criminal justice, government and politics, journalism, sociology, or psychology. Professional careers in the legal, health, and science fields can also be combined with Spanish.

Advising

The Undergraduate Advisor for Spanish, Karen Remson, is available in 2211 JimÈnez Hall to answer all questions related to the Spanish Undergraduate Program. To ensure fulfillment of all of the departmental requirements for graduation, it is suggested that all Spanish majors confer with the advisor every semester. Walk-in advising hours for Karen Remson during the fall and spring semesters: Monday 9:30 to 10:00 and 1:00 to 3:00 Tuesday 9:30 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 3:00 Wednesday 9:30 to 10:00 and 1:00 to 3:00 Friday 9:30 to 10:00 and 1:00 to 2:00

Declaring a major in Spanish

To declare a major in Spanish, students should meet with the Undergraduate Advisor to begin the process. After this advising session, prospective majors will also need advising from the College of Arts And Humanities in 1120 Francis Scott Key.

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish

The Department offers five major options for the B.A. in Spanish. The options consist of 36 or 39 hours of required courses at the 200-level and above plus supporting courses. Prerequisites: successful completion of Spanish language through the intermediate level (Spanish 202 or equivalent knowledge).

Double Major/Double Degree

A student may wish to fulfill the major requirements in two chosen fields. If the two majors do not belong to the same College, the requirements of both Colleges must be met. The courses for the other major will fulfill the Spanish Supporting Courses requirement. A double major may be earned with completion of all requirements and a total of 120 credits. A double degree may be awarded with completion of all requirements and a total of 150 credits. The student must decide on a primary and a secondary major. Academic decisions for each student are made by the primary College.

Combination of the Spanish Major and Teacher's Certification

Students may combine the Spanish Linguistics Option with a second major in Foreign Language Education to earn teacher certification. Students must take the California Achievement Test to become eligible for admission to the College of Education. Information and Declaration of Major Forms can be found in room 1210 of the Benjamin Building. A graduate program in Education for teacher certification is available to students who receive a B.A. in Spanish from our Department.

Departmental Honors

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese encourages Spanish majors to consider adding an honors option to their plan of studies. The Spanish Honors Program provides students with an exciting opportunity to develop an area of special interest in consultation with faculty members. There are many reasons to opt for Honors besides the intellectual challenge. An Honors Student is offered a foretaste of graduate school, while enhancing his/her academic standing as an undergraduate. The B.A. diploma will carry the citation "With Honors" or "With High Honors". The Honors distinction enhances chances for nomination for the Dean's Senior Scholar Award and is a solid recommendation for acceptance into the UMCP Language House. These are just a few of the benefits which participation in Honors offers you.

Eligibility

Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.5 in the major and must be recommended by a member of the regular faculty to be accepted into the Departmental Honors Program. To remain in the program, students must also maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.5 in the major. Transfer students with equivalent academic standing at an accredited institution must also meet these eligibility requirements. Under exceptional circumstances, these acceptance requirements may be waived by the Honors Director. Students may drop the Honors Program without losing any credits acquired. It is strongly recommended that progress towards the honor option program begin by the junior year.

Program Requirements

1) At least two upper-level courses must be taken either in the "H" version or as Honors with permission of the instructor.
2) In addition to those courses regularly taken for the major, the Honors student will enroll in Spanish 479 (Honors Thesis), for a total of 6 credits, split over two semesters.
3) Oral presentation of Honors Thesis in front of departmental committee.

Procedure

1) Contact the Departmental Honors Director (below) to communicate your intent to pursue the honors option after receiving the approval of a professor who will sponsor your candidacy. Be sure to bring your honors advising form with you.

Dr. Eyda M. Merediz
Jiménez Hall 2215H
(301) 405-6451
emerediz (at) umd.edu

2) Select two upper-level classes (ideally during different semesters) that you would like to apply towards your honors credits. This means that you must have a separate working agenda from the rest of class and engage in an individual research project. Then, take the following steps:

a. You must have the consent and approval of the professor teaching the class by submitting a written proposal of your research plan.

b. Download the Honors Option Contract Proposal. Fill in the information and sign it. Also have the professor with whom you are working sign the form.

3) You will write 35-50 page Honors Thesis during your senior year. These are the preparation steps:

a. Register in Span 479, an independent Honors Thesis course during the last two semesters of your undergraduate career (Total Credits 6).

b. Before entering your senior year, contact a faculty member with whom you have or hope to establish a mentor/mentee relationship. You will propose a topic of study in close consultation with the faculty member and begin to research your project.

c. You must turn in the final draft of your thesis during your last semester (December 1st or May 1st). This will allow sufficient time for scheduling an oral presentation before the last day of classes. The presentation takes place in front of a committee, consisting of your thesis director and two other members of the faculty. Grading will consist of either "honors" or "high honors".

d. In order to have the possibility of graduating with "high honors", you must complete the oral presentation requirement.

Portuguese Undergraduate Program

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a minor in Portuguese. In addition, Portuguese studies at College Park offer several courses that can enhance students majoring in other disciplines: History (European, African and South American), Latin American Studies, Women Studies, Anthropology, Cultural Geography, Business, and many others areas that have links with the Portuguese-speaking world.

Students who have an advance knowledge of Spanish (300 level and above) could take advantage of the course Portuguese for Spanish Speakers, offered every Spring semester. Other offerings include: A History of the Portuguese Language, Luso-phone Africa, Brazilian Cinema, Women as Authors and Characters in Brazilian Literature and Environmental Issues of the Amazon Ecosystem, an interdisciplinary course in English, focusing on literary texts, Indigenous oral narratives and on social, political and economic factors of the Amazon Basin.

Learning the Portuguese language and literature as well as the richness of the culture will increase the possibilities of obtaining competitive jobs for future professionals in fields related to Latin America and Africa, European Studies, Comparative Literature and all the areas mentioned above.

Advising
The Undergraduate Advisor for Portuguese, Regina Igel, is available in 2215B Jiménez Hall to answer all questions related to Portuguese language, literature and culture.
Tel: (301) 405-6457. Fax (301) 314-9752 E-mail: ri@umd.edu