Spanish
Spanish Program
Our program offers majors and minors in both Spanish and Spanish Teaching. We offer courses at all levels in the language, linguistics, literatures and cultures of Spain and Latin America.
Most of our undergraduate courses are capped at or below 28 students, giving our students more personal attention than possible at other large universities. Full-time faculty members teach the vast majority of our courses.
View Graduate ProgramMasters
Spanish (MA)
Spanish Language Pedagogy (MA)
World Language (MA)
Majors
Spanish (BA)
Spanish Teaching (BA)
Minors
Spanish
Spanish Teaching
Our Program
The program in Spanish provides students with the skills necessary for in-depth research in Latin-American and Spanish Literature. Students become well versed in the traditional canon, advance their critical thinking skills, and explore a variety of analytical and theoretical paradigms. The program offers a wide range of seminars in Golden Age, Modern Peninsular, Colonial Latin American, Caribbean, Contemporary Latin American, and U.S. Latina/o studies, as well as Spanish Linguistics. Specific approaches include cultural theory and intellectual history, post-colonial studies, queer aesthetics, avant garde aesthetics, and popular culture, as well as film and visual studies. Seminar topics range from Indigenous voices, travel literature, and sociolinguistics to studies in race, gender and genre.
As a part of the Department of World Languages and Cultures, we are able to offer students access to a number of seminars outside the purview of traditional Spanish Departments. Students may take innovative courses through our Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies program, participate in a growing number of interdisciplinary programs (such as Latin American Studies and Gender Studies) and engage in academic discussions with students and faculty across the department and within the College of Humanities.
Spanish Majors
Download Major Requirements
Spanish MAJOR REQUIREMENTS Spanish Teaching Major WLC Practicum Options
Spanish Major (BA)
About the Major
The Spanish major offers courses in language, literature, linguistics, film, and culture of Latin America and Spain. The Spanish major will deepen your understanding of how language works and varies across the Spanish-speaking world, including the United States.
Students should declare their major at least two semesters before their expected graduation date. Please visit our Undergraduate Advising page for more information.
Bridge Dual Language Immersion students may see how the Bridge program interacts with the University of Utah's Spanish major on our Bridge program website here.
Required Courses
36 - 39 Total Credits
Completed at least 1 of the following
WLC2010 Introduction to the Study of Literature and Culture (3)
WLC2020 Language in Society (3)
Grammar
*Complete one of the following
Complete the following
SPAN3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading (3)
SPAN3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3)
Complete the following
SPAN3060Advanced Grammar and Composition(3)
*Students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through extended residence in a Spanish-speaking environment (e.g. heritage speaker, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060 level.
Text Analysis
*Complete the following
SPAN3070 Introduction to Textual Analysis in Spanish (3)
*This course is a pre- or co-requisite to 4000 level Spanish courses.
Culture and Civilization
Complete at least 1 of the following
Literature Courses
Complete the following
Electives
Complete all of the following
Earned at least 12 credits from SPAN4000 - 5999
Earned at least 3 credits from SPAN3000 - 5999
Practicum
Completed one practicum (3) - see advisor for options
Minimum Degree Hours
122 Total Credits
Minimum Major Hours
36 Total Credits
- All classes must be passed with a C or better.
- Students must take at least 15 credits of the major in residence at the University of Utah.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will communicate in the presentational, interpersonal and interpretive modes at an advanced level.
- Students will examine and analyze the literary and cultural history of Spain and Latin America.
- Students will compare and contrast the literatures, languages, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
- Students will evaluate and synthesize relevant primary, critical and theoretical sources in order to generate clear and sequential arguments in speech and writing on literary, cultural, and linguistic topics.
- Students will connect academic experience to personal and professional goals.
Spanish Teaching Major (BA)
About the Major
The Spanish Teaching major is a program developed for students who are interested in Spanish and would like to pursue a teaching career. The major requires a total of 33 credit hours of courses in Spanish Literature and/or culture in addition to others in Teaching Methodology and Linguistics.
A 3-credit hour Teaching Practicum is also part of the program. The practicum gives students the opportunity to help in a Spanish Language class as assistants. Students pursuing a Spanish Teaching Major are required to prove advanced proficiency in the ACTFL scale. A Spanish Proficiency Assessment is administered by the department in the last phase of the program.
In order to get a Utah License, teaching majors will need to be admitted to the Secondary Education Licensure Program in the Department of Teaching and Learning. Application to this program must be approved by the Department's teaching major advisor. Please visit the Undergraduate Advising page to make an appointment with an advisor.
Required Courses
Completed at least 1 of the following
WLC2010 Introduction to the Study of Literature and Culture (3)
WLC2020 Language in Society (3)
GRAMMAR
*Complete one of the following
Complete the following
SPAN3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading (3)
SPAN3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3)
Complete the following
SPAN3060 Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
*Students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through extended residence in a Spanish-speaking environment (e.g. heritage speaker, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060 level.
TEXT ANALYSIS
*Complete the following
SPAN3070 Introduction to Textual Analysis in Spanish (3)
*This course is a pre- or co-requisite to 4000 level Spanish courses.
CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Complete the following
LITERATURE COURSES
Complete the following
Complete the following
Spanish Teaching Practicum
SPAN5320 Spanish Teaching Practicum (1 - 3)
Spanish Proficiency Assessment
See advisor
Practicum
Completed one practicum (3) - see advisor for options
Secondary Teacher Licensure Required Courses
First Year
Complete the following
EDU1010 Introduction to Teaching (3)
ECS2150 Introduction to Multicultural Education (3)
Completed at least 1 of the following
ED PS3721 Child Development and Learning: Understanding Adolescents Grades 7 - 12 (3)
PSY1230 Psychology of Adolescence (3)
FCS5230 Adolescence (3)
Second Year
Complete the following
EDU5200 Teacher Language Awareness (3)
ED PS5151 Educational Applications of Technology in Grades 6-12 (3)
SP ED5012 Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Secondary Classrooms (3)
SP ED5021 Principles of Assessment & Data-Based Decision Making (3)
SP ED5022 Principles of Instruction & Behavioral Support (3)
Third Year
Complete the following
ECS5645 Assessment of Linguistically Diverse Populations (3)
ECS5709 Building Family-School Partnerships for Youth Success (3)
FOURTH YEAR
Complete the following
EDU5490 Field Practicum: Secondary (3)
EDU5201 Teaching Practices, Ethics, and Professional Development (1)
EDU5491 Professional Development and Teacher Research (1 - 12)
EDU5495 Student Teaching: Secondary (1 - 12)
Optional ESL Endorsement
Complete the following
ECS5647 Instructional Methods for Linguistically Diverse Populations (3)
Minimum Degree Hours
122 Total Credits
Minimum Major Hours
73 Total Credits
- All courses must be completed with a C or better.
- At least 15 credits of major requirements must be taken in residence at the University of Utah.
-
Completing this major does not give you a teaching license. In order to recieve a teaching license, students will need to complete the Secondary Teacher Licensure coursework. This may increase the minimum degree hours.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will communicate in the presentational, interpersonal and interpretive modes at an advanced level.
- Students will examine and analyze the literary and cultural history of Spain and Latin America.
- Students will compare and contrast the literatures, languages, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
- Students will evaluate and synthesize relevant primary, critical and theoretical sources in order to generate, in speech and writing, clear and sequential arguments on literary, cultural, and linguistic topics.
- Students will connect academic experience to personal and professional goals.
- Students will acquire and demonstrate a broad knowledge of current language teaching methodologies and the pedagogical tools and skills necessary for teaching the target language and culture.
Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.
Spanish Minors
If you are not a Spanish major but would like to keep up with your language skills, a minor in Spanish might be for you. While a minor does not require the same degree of language immersion or specialization as a major, a Spanish minor can be an asset to any major!
Bridge Dual Language Immersion students may see how the Bridge program interacts with the University of Utah's Spanish minor on our Bridge program website here.
Download Minor Requirements
Spanish Minor REQUIREMENTSSpanish Teaching Minor
Spanish Minor
Required Courses
18-21 Total Credits
GRAMMAR
*Complete one of the following sets
Set 1 (for students who learned Spanish in a classroom setting)
SPAN3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading (3)
SPAN3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3)
Set 2 (for students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through 1.5+ years in a Spanish-speaking environment, e.g. heritage speakers, military service personnel, LDS missionaries)
SPAN3060 Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
*Students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through 1.5+ years in a Spanish-speaking environment (e.g. heritage speaker, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060 level.
TEXT ANALYSIS
*Complete the following
SPAN3070 Introduction to Textual Analysis in Spanish (3)
*This course is a pre- or co-requisite to 4000 level Spanish courses.
CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Complete at least 1 of the following
Electives
Complete all of the following
SPAN Electives at the 4000-level
Earned at least 6 credits from SPAN 4000 - 5999, excluding
SPAN5320 Spanish Teaching Practicum (1 - 3)
Additional Upper-Division SPAN Elective
Earned at least 3 credits from SPAN 3000 - 5999, excluding
SPAN3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading (3)
SPAN3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3)
SPAN3060 Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
SPAN3600 Intermediate Spanish Conversation (1)
SPAN5320 Spanish Teaching Practicum (1 - 3)
Minimum Minor Hours
18 - 21 Total Credits
Students who need SPAN 3020 and 3040 will earn 21 credits
- All courses must be passed with a C or better.
- At least 6 credits of minor requirements must be taken in residence at the University of Utah.
-
Students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through extended residence in a Spanish-speaking environment (e.g. native speakers, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060-level.
Spanish Teaching Minor
Degree Requirements
GRAMMAR
*Complete one of the following
Complete the following
SPAN3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading (3)
SPAN3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition (3)
Complete the following
SPAN3060 Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
*Students who have advanced proficiency in Spanish through extended residence in a Spanish-speaking environment (e.g. heritage speaker, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060 level.
TEXT ANALYSIS
*Complete the following
SPAN3070 Introduction to Textual Analysis in Spanish (3)
*This course is a pre- or co-requisite to 4000 level Spanish courses.
Linguistics
Complete the following
SPAN5242Spanish Pronunciation and Phonetics (3)
Electives
Earned at least 3 credits from SPAN 3060 - 4999, excluding
SPAN3600Intermediate Spanish Conversation(1)
Teaching
Complete the following
SPAN5320Spanish Teaching Practicum (1 - 3)
Methodology
Complete the following
WLC5410 L2 Methodology (3)
Spanish Proficiency Assessment
See advisor
Secondary Teacher Licensure Required Courses
First Year
Complete the following
EDU1010 Introduction to Teaching (3)
ECS2150 Introduction to Multicultural Education (3)
Completed at least 1 of the following
ED PS3721 Child Development and Learning: Understanding Adolescents Grades 7 - 12 (3)
PSY1230 Psychology of Adolescence (3)
FCS5230 Adolescence (3)
Second Year
Complete the following
EDU5200 Teacher Language Awareness (3)
ED PS5151 Educational Applications of Technology in Grades 6-12 (3)
SP ED5012 Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Secondary Classrooms (3)
SP ED5021 Principles of Assessment & Data-Based Decision Making (3)
SP ED5022 Principles of Instruction & Behavioral Support (3)
Third Year
Complete the following
Fourth Year
Complete the following
Optional ESL Endorsement
Complete the following
ECS5647 Instructional Methods for Linguistically Diverse Populations (3)
Minimum Minor Hours
55 Total Credits
- All courses must be passed with a C or better.
- At least 6 credits of minor requirements must be taken in residence at the University of Utah.
-
Completing the Secondary Teacher Licensure coursework may increase the minimum required hours.
Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.
Courses
Regular Course Offerings
Please see the General Catalog for specific course descriptions
SPAN 1010, 1020, 2010, 2010
Beginning and Intermediate Spanish language courses that are taught in regular or
hybrid formats.
SPAN 3020 Intermediate Conversation and Reading
SPAN 3040 Intermediate Grammar and Composition
OR
SPAN 3060 Advanced Grammar and Composition
Students with advanced proficiency in Spanish through extended residence in a Spanish-speaking
environment (e.g. native speaker, military service personnel, LDS missionaries), are not eligible to take Spanish courses below the 3060 level.
SPAN 3070 Intro to Text Analysis
SPAN 4550 Spanish Civilization and Culture
SPAN 4560 Culture and Customs of Spanish America
SPAN 4620 Introduction to Spanish Literature
SPAN 4630 Survey of Spanish American Literature
SPAN 3116, 3117, and 3118 Bridge Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program courses taught in local high schools
SPAN 3116: Pop Culture: Film, Media and Entertainment (3)
SPAN 3117: Breaking Down Walls, Building Identities (3)
SPAN 3118: Literature and Film: Contemporary Issues (3)
SPAN 3510 / 3520 Business Spanish I/II
SPAN 3940 Community Volunteering
SPAN 4900 Special Topics - Undergraduate Level
Works, authors, and genres not normally covered elsewhere. Repeatable for credit when
topic varies.
SPAN 5242 Phonetics and Spanish Pronunciation
SPAN 6900 Special Topics - Graduate Level
Topics vary. Graduate students take several 6900 courses to complete their degrees.
Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.
Experience
Learning Abroad
Learning abroad is the opportunity to live, study and intern abroad while completing your degree here at the University of Utah. Learning Abroad helps connect you to over 500+ program options in over 50 countries, many of which are great for improving your proficiency in another language. Learn more about Learning Abroad by visiting learningabroad.utah.edu and completing Learning Abroad 101.
To get started, see below for program options for Spanish.
For questions, email Learning Abroad at learningabroad@utah.edu, call them at 801-581-5849, or visit in person at Union 159.
Faculty-Led Programs
U of U faculty lead students on short-term programs centered on specific coursework, which is commonly integrated into your major or minor requirements. When participating on a faculty-led program you have the benefit of taking U of U courses abroad that combine in-country experiential learning with classwork.
Exchanges
The U partners with universities around the world to offer you the opportunity to complete coursework in an immersive university environment alongside local students. Coursework can be quite flexible with students oftentimes completing major, minor, and general education requirements. Additionally, the cost of an exchange program is the same as paying U of U resident tuition, which makes exchanges one of our most affordable options!
Affiliate Programs
The U partners with external organizations (Affiliates) to expand where you can go and what you can study on a learning abroad program. Affiliates offer programs at study centers, local institutions, or a combination of both in the host country. Programs are commonly structured around a particular theme or topic, such as "Language, Culture, and Society". Program options can also include internships, service learning & community engagement opportunities.
- Spanish focused affiliate programs: click here
Spanish Club
Interested in learning Spanish outside of the classroom? Come join the Spanish Club today! Follow us on social media for more announcements!
getinvolvef.utah.edu/organization/thespanishclub
Email:annafoulks@utah.edu | Phone: 801-581-7561
Bridge Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program
Students who participated in the Bridge Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program, which includes taking the AP Spanish Exam and one or more 3000-level Spanish courses in high school, can go to our Spanish Bridge program webpage here to see how they can complete the Spanish major or minor at the University of Utah.
Faculty
Tenure-Line Faculty
Talía Dajes, PhD
Assistant Professor
Isabel Dulfano, PhD
Professor
Alejandro Quin, PhD
Associate Professor
Fernando Rubio, PhD
Professor
Tanya Flores, PhD
Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics
Gema Guevara, PhD
Associate Professor
Jacqueline Sheean, PhD
Assistant Professor
Career-Line Faculty
Instructors
Tami Morris, MA
Associate Instructor
Juan Carlos Fernandez
Associate Instructor
Peter Tanner
Associate Instructor
Brooke Walrath
Associate Instructor
Bridge Program