The mission of the Department of World Languages and Cultures is to provide high quality instruction in world languages, and to prepare students to be lifelong learners and engaged citizens through the critical study of the literatures and cultures associated with these languages. As a Spanish major, the language and critical thinking skills you develop through written and oral exposition, research, and service learning will enhance your career opportunities in today's global society and provide the basis for a lifetime exploration of multiple cultures and worldviews. The accelerated concentration strand of the B.A. in Spanish provides a pathway for qualified students to move seamlessly into the M.A. in Latin American Literatures and Cultures while sharing up to 12 credits between the two.
To apply to the Accelerated Concentration strand of the B.A. in Spanish, students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and have earned at least 60 credits toward their bachelor's degree; at least 12 of those credits must have been earned at NEIU. In addition, students must complete the online application for the M.A. in Latin American Literatures and Cultures and meet the admission requirements for that program. Accepted students may begin the graduate-level shared coursework once they have earned 72 undergraduate credits, at least 12 of which were at NEIU.
University Core Curriculum Requirements
| General Education Distribution Area | Cr. Hrs. |
|---|---|
| Fine Arts (FA)* 2 courses, from at least two of the following areas of study: Art, CMT (Mass Media or Theatre), Music (includes Dance). | 6 |
| Humanities (HU)* 3 courses, from at least two of the following areas of study: CMT (Communication), English, Linguistics. Philosophy, Women's and Gender Studies, World Languages and Cultures, (Note: No more than two foreign language courses may be used to fulfill this requirement.) | 9 |
| Behavioral/Social Sciences (SB)* 3 courses, from at least two of the following areas of study: African & African American Studies, Anthropology, Computer Science, Economics, Geography & Environmental Studies, History, Justice Studies, Latino & Latin American Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work | 9 |
| Natural Sciences (NS and NSL)** 3 courses, from at least two of the following areas of study; one course must have a laboratory component (NSL): Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physics (Note: If an FYE ANTH that counts as Natural Science is taken, only one Biology course may be used for Natural Science). | 9 |
| Engaged Learning Experiences | |
| Students must complete, at Northeastern, three courses designated as Engaged Learning Experiences courses. One of the Engaged Learning Experiences courses must be at the 300-level, and one Engaged Learning Experiences course must be designated as "Boundary Crossing". | |
| Discipline Specific (ELE-DS) These courses have pre-requisites that are specific courses within a program of study. Discipline Specific courses give students a deeper understanding of how knowledge is created and applied in their field. | |
| Boundary Crossing (ELE-X) These are courses that cross disciplinary boundaries and/or cross boundaries through engagements outside the classroom or University allowing students to see how knowledge gained in one field might inform other fields or other aspects of society. | |
| Math/Quantitative Reasoning (MA) 1 Math course, that has intermediate Algebra as prerequisite OR is a course listed on the General Education Distributive Learning List of Approved Courses. Any 3 hour college level math course, beyond Intermediate Algebra, meets this requirement. |
- *
Majors in Fine Arts, Humanities or Social/Behavioral Sciences, may waive up to 6 credit hours of General Education requirements in the corresponding distribution area.
- **
Majors in Natural Sciences may waive up to 9 credit hours of General Education requirements in the Natural Sciences distribution area.
Students should also be aware of all other university requirements to obtain a degree - NEIU requirements
Major in Spanish
The B.A. in Spanish consists of thirteen courses (39 credit hours): 7 required courses (listed below), one capstone seminar (SPAN 380C), and 5 elective courses at the 300-level. Majors are also required to create an electronic portfolio of work done in the required courses. Majors are encouraged, but not required, to pass both the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) and the WPT (Writing Proficiency Test) at the level of Advanced Low or above. Both tests are administered by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), and are nationally recognized for assessing oral and written proficiency according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. Students in the Accelerated Program (BA + MA) must maintain a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA and earn at least a "B" in all graduate-level courses taken for shared credit. In the Accelerated Program, the undergraduate degree must be completed within four (4) semesters of the start of the shared graduate-level courses.
Required Courses (8) 24 credits:
SPAN 252, 253, 301, 319 (12 credits)
SPAN 314 or 331 (select one culture course from this list) (3 credits)
SPAN 321, 323, 326, 328 and 329 (select two literature courses from this list) (6 credits)
One capstone seminar: SPAN 380C (3 credits)
Elective Courses (5) 15 credits: any additional courses numbered SPAN 300-399.
Total: 24 credits (required) + 15 credits (electives) = 39 credits
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN-252 | Introduction To Literary & Cultural Analysis (Required Courses) | 3 |
| SPAN-253 | Academic Research & Writing In Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN-301 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 |
| SPAN-319 | Applied Spanish Linguistics | 3 |
| SPAN-380C | Seminar In Latin American Literary & Cultural Studies | 3 |
| One of the following culture courses: | 3 crs. | |
| Latin American Culture | ||
| Hispanic World Cultures | ||
| Two of the following literature courses, one of which must be SPAN 321, 323, or 329: | 6 crs. | |
| Latin American Literature I | ||
| Latin American Literature II | ||
| Spanish Literature I | ||
| Spanish Literature II | ||
| Introduction To Spanish American And Spanish Literature | ||
| In addition to 5 elective courses, at the 300-level SPAN 300-399 | 15 crs. | |
Writing Intensive Requirement
Majors in Spanish can meet the Writing Intensive Program (WIP) graduation requirement by taking WLC 333 (WIP: Cross-Cultural Communication: Fundamentals of Translation or LLAS 201 (WIP: History and Culture of Latinos) or SCED 311 (WIP: School Curriculum). Visit the Center for Academic Writing on the fourth floor of the Ronald Williams Library for peer tutoring and other writing resources. Double Majors, (students who major in Spanish and another discipline) need only take one WIP course in the major of their choosing.
Proficiency Testing
The Oral Proficiency Interview and Writing Proficiency Test are administered by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), and are nationally recognized for assessing oral and written proficiency according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. Register online for an appointment to take the tests at the Language Learning Lab.
This sample curricular map is provided to guide you in the planning of your progression for this major. This guide should not replace regular consultations with your program advisor. For specific recommendations of courses not identified, please consult your program advisor.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Hours | |
| SPAN-101 | Beginning Spanish I | 3 |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SPAN-102 | Beginning Spanish II | 3 |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| SPAN-201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| General Education Course | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SPAN-202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| WLC-333 or LLAS 201 | Writing Intensive Program: Cross-Cultural Communication | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| SPAN-224 | The World Of Texts: Developing Essential Reading Skills In Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN-225 | Practical Writing: An Introduction To Personal Expression In Spanish | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SPAN-252 | Introduction To Literary Cultural Analysis | 3 |
| SPAN-253 | Academic Research Writing In Spanish | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| SPAN-314 | Latin American Culture | 3 |
| SPAN-315 | Spanish Culture | 3 |
| SPAN-321 | Latin American Literature I | 3 |
| SPAN-326 | Spanish Literature I | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| SPAN-323 | Latin American Literature II | 3 |
| Capstone Seminar (SPAN 350-399) | 3 | |
| SPAN-328 | Spanish Literature II | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |