The Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures and Linguistics major offers the opportunity to gain proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese, two of the most important languages spoken in the United States, the Western Hemisphere and the world. The department offers courses of study in language, culture, linguistics, and literature, as well as a series of courses in languages for the professions, which focus on medical, legal, business and other professional contexts.
By studying the literary and linguistic heritage of Spanish and Portuguese, students gain critical reading and writing skills that help them acquire and refine their abilities to speak, understand, read and write one of both of these languages.
The Spanish specialization focuses on the language and culture of Spain and Spanish-America, while the Portuguese specialization stresses the language and culture of Brazil, with complementary study of Portugal and Lusophone Africa. The combined specialization recognizes the increasingly prominent roles that Brazil, Spain and Latin America all play in international affairs, especially as they relate to Florida. Spanish- and Portuguese-speakers constitute the fastest growing immigrant populations in Florida. Studying both languages and cultures provide a competitive edge for those seeking careers in business, industry, tourism, health care, agricultural affairs, government, and education.
B.A. in Spanish
The major requires 33 credits, beginning with foundational work in Spanish and then moves on to introductory coursework in culture, literature and linguistics. Pre-foundational coursework required to prepare the student for SPN 2240 or SPN 2340 depends on the student’s background in Spanish and an appropriate placement score.
Students must earn minimum grades of C for coursework to count toward the major.
Additionally, there are separate courses designed students who speak Spanish as a heritage language (i.e., who grew up hearing or using Spanish at home).
Required Coursework
- SPN 2240 and SPN 3300 (non-bilingual track) or SPN 2340 and SPN 3350 (bilingual track)
- SPN 3700
- At least one SPW 3000-level course, 3 credits
- An additional 21 credits of Spanish courses at the 3000/4000 levels
- At least 12 of the 21 credits must be at the 4000 level (four courses total)
- Students who transfer credits toward the Spanish major must take at least four 4000-level courses in Spanish at UF
- No more than 3 credits of SPN 4905 may count toward the major
Recommended Coursework
Students who have studied six semesters of Spanish or who have equivalent fluency may enroll in one-credit Spanish discussion sections that accompany selected Latin American studies courses in anthropology, art, business, philosophy, religion, sociology, etc. A maximum of three such courses may be credited toward the Spanish major and minor. Refer to the course description for SPN 3224.
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- SPN 3301 is the prerequisite for SPN 4420
- SPN 3700 is the prerequisite for 4000-level SPN linguistics courses
- SPN 4780 is the prerequisite for SPN 4840
- The prerequisite for 4000-level SPW courses is one SPW 3000-level course.
Concentrations
After completing the introductory courses (SPN 3700 and SPW 3xxx), students may choose to complete their remaining upper division coursework in Hispanic Literatures or Hispanic Linguistics, or a combination of the two. Courses in the literature concentration (indicated with the prefix SPW) focus on the reading, contextualization and critical analysis of literary texts from across the Spanish-speaking world and including a wide range of periods and genres. Courses in the linguistics concentration (indicated with the prefix SPN) focus on the scientific study of the Spanish language and its structures, such as morphology, phonetics, phonology and syntax; as well as more applied linguistic areas such as psycholinguistics, bilingualism, and language acquisition.
Overseas Study
Students pursuing a major or a minor in Spanish are strongly encouraged to spend a summer, a semester, or an academic year in a Spanish-speaking country. UF programs are encouraged because they allow for easy transfer of UF credits and courses or course equivalencies. Most financial aid applies in this case as well. Interested students should contact the undergraduate coordinator and the UF International Center, 170 Hub.
Placement
Students with no previous study or experience in Spanish will need to complete the beginning language sequence (SPN 1130-SPN 1131) and the intermediate language sequence (SPN 2200-SPN 2201) to prepare for SPN 2240.
Students with prior study or knowledge of Spanish who wish to enroll in a Spanish course can present dual enrollment, AP, IB, or AICE scores, or can take the WebCAPE online placement test.
Any student who has lived in a Spanish-speaking country for more than a year or who has significant Spanish-speaking experience at home or in a community must consult the coordinator of the bilingual program before enrolling in any SPN language, literature, or culture course. Heritage speakers not planning to take Spanish who wish to show proficiency should consult the Department for information on how to fulfill their foreign language proficiency requirement.
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Research
Students who wish to complete a senior thesis for honors should consult Spanish faculty at least two semesters in advance of graduation.