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 Program

Masters

Spanish (MA)
Spanish Language Pedagogy (MA)
World Language (MA)

Majors

Spanish (BA)
Spanish Teaching (BA)

Minors

Spanish
Spanish Teaching

Our Program
Majors
Minors
Courses
Heritage Learners
Experience
Faculty

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, 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

SPAN4550 Histories and Cultures of Spain (3)
SPAN4560 Latin American Culture and Society (3)

Literature Courses

Complete the following

SPAN4620 Introduction to Spanish Literature (3)
SPAN4630 Survey of Spanish American Literature (3)

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 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

SPAN4550 Histories and Cultures of Spain (3)
SPAN4560 Latin American Culture and Society (3)

LITERATURE COURSES

Complete the following

SPAN4620 Introduction to Spanish Literature (3)
SPAN4630 Survey of Spanish American Literature (3)

Complete the following

SPAN5242 Spanish Pronunciation and Phonetics (3)
WLC5410 L2 Methodology (3)
Earned at least 3 credits from SPAN3070 - 4999

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 REQUIREMENTS Spanish 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 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

SPAN4550 Histories and Cultures of Spain (3)
SPAN4560 Latin American Culture and Society (3)

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, 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 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

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

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.

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

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 4550Histories and Cultures of Spain

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.

Who are Heritage Language Learners or Speakers (HLS)?

We adopt the widely accepted and inclusive definition provided by Fishman (2001): an individual who has a personal or familial connection to a non-majority language. Although many heritage learners are to some degree bilingual (Valdés 2000), we understand that the level of language proficiency varies widely.

Is there a language placement test for HLSs?

The WLC department offers an integrated program for all language students (traditional sequence learners, students with immersive experience, heritage learners, international, etc.). If you identify as a Heritage language speaker of Spanish and would like to enroll in Spanish classes, we recommend…

LANGUAGE: If you would like to enroll in a language course to improve your skills or proficiency, please email spanheritage@utah.edu. We offer a customized HLL placement process for language courses so that you can start in the appropriate course, from 1010 to 3060. The test is free! We welcome all levels of Spanish HLS!
CONTENT: If you have already passed a 3rd year language course, 3060 or equivalent, you can take upper division content courses (SPAN 3070+). These are literature, culture, and linguistics courses taught entirely in Spanish.

Please email spanheritage@utah.edu with any questions and/or to start your placement process.

Sources:

Fishman, J. (2001). 300-Plus Years of Heritage Language Education in the United States. In J. K. Peyton, D. A. Ranard, & S. McGinnis (Eds.), Heritage Languages in America: Preserving a National Resource (pp. 81-97). McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems.

Valdés, G. (2000). Introduction. In N. Anderson (Ed.), Spanish for Native Speakers, Volume I. American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Professional Development Series Handbook for Teachers K-16 (pp. 1-20). New York: Harcourt College.

Español

¿Quiénes son los hablantes de lengua de herencia de español (HLS)?

Adoptamos la definición inclusiva de Fishman (2001): alguien que tiene una conexión personal o familiar con una lengua minoritaria. Aunque muchos hablantes de herencia son bilingües (Valdés 2000), sabemos que su nivel de competencia comunicativa varía mucho.

¿Hay una prueba de nivel para los HLS que quieren tomar cursos de español?

El departamento de WLC ofrece un programa integrado para todos los estudiantes de español (aprendices tradicionales, misioneros, de herencia, internacionales, etc.). Si te identificas como HLS y quieres tomar cursos de español, tienes las siguientes opciones:

Si eres bilingüe o tienes un nivel de español académico avanzado, puedes tomar cursos de contenido de nivel superior (SPAN 3070+). Ofrecemos cursos de literatura, cultura, y lingüística que se enseñan completamente en español.
Si quieres tomar cursos de lengua para mejorar tus habilidades (gramática, escritura, etc.), o competencia comunicativa, por favor escribe a spanheritage@utah.edu. Ofrecemos pruebas de nivel personalizadas para los cursos de lengua para que los HLS empiecen en el curso apropiado, de 1010 a 3060. La prueba es gratis. ¡Todos los niveles de HLS son bienvenidos aquí!

Fuentes:

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.

Intensive Spanish Language and Culture in Oviedo, Spain

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:abethards@sa.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.