Spanish

What Is Spanish ?

Students of Spanish study the language, culture and literature of Spain, Latin America and the Spanish-speaking United States. Spanish majors develop linguistic skills and enrich themselves through the study of a variety of cultures.

Success Factors

Students in Spanish usually possess strong verbal skills, some facility with languages and a desire to travel and interact with other cultures.

Career Possibilities

Students with a BA in Spanish often seek teaching careers, either in secondary education or in colleges and universities following completion of graduate studies in the field. Spanish is also a strong liberal arts major that allows students to develop critical thinking, reading and writing skills in addition to knowledge of a foreign language and culture. Our increasingly multilingual society makes this combination of skills highly valued in a wide range of positions in the public and private sectors.

Career possibilities include:

• teacher
• interpreter
• translator
• researcher
• international law
• social services

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site. 

Major Details

The major in Spanish requires 55 credits and includes courses in culture, literature and language. It can normally be completed in four years, but students with no prior experience with language may require slightly more time. The goal of the program is to help our students attain mastery of oral and written Spanish and to familiarize them with the cultures and literatures of the Spanish-speaking world.

McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) offers flexible degree requirements that allow for and highly encourage multiple areas of study. Free electives allow for enough credits for students to pursue a minor, certificate program or even complete a second major. Some of the most common pairings are listed below.

• Anthropology
• Business programs
• History
• Political science
• Social work
• Women's studies

Study abroad is highly recommended! Contact department and/or International Programs for opportunities.

Minor Details

Students working toward an undergraduate degree at UC can earn a minor in Spanish, while nondegree students (e.g., graduate students, nonmatriculated students) can earn an equivalent certificate (not to be confused with the business certificate).

To graduate with a minor in Spanish, students must satisfy the following requirements:

A total of at least 30 credit hours in Spanish:

A. Complete or place out of the basic language sequence:

• SPAN 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 (Extended Basic Spanish), 18 credits

or

• SPAN 101, 102, 103 (Basic Spanish), 15 credits

B. Basic Courses I. Complete or place out of the intermediate language sequence:

• SPAN 251, 252, 253 (Composition and Conversation), 9 credits

C. Basic Courses II. All Spanish minors must take the following required courses first (9 credits):

• SPAN 300 (Grammar and Composition), 3 credits
• SPAN 301 (Speaking in Spanish about Hispanic Culture), 3 credits
• SPAN 302 (Reading Spanish Texts), 3 credits

D. Core Courses (6 credits):

• SPAN 454 (Grammar and Stylistics), pre-req: SPAN 302, 3 credits

From the following list, students must choose a minimum of one course. Courses taken above the minimum number will count toward the elective requirements.

• SPAN 310 (Las Tres Culturas), 3 credits
• SPAN 311 (Latin America Today), 3 credits
• SPAN 312 (Spain Today), 3 credits
• SPAN 313 (Hispanic Culture in the US), 3 credits
• A film course - either SPAN 314 (Hispanic World in Film) or SPAN 315 (Latin American Film), 3 credits

E. Electives (15 credits):

Students may take any 15-SPAN courses at the 300/400 level (including 251-252-253 for those starting at the 200 level and earning a B or higher). At least one of them must be a literature course. Students may also take 500-level Spanish Service Learning courses when available.

Credits required for the minor can also be obtained through study abroad or transfer.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

College Core Requirements

*Needed to fulfill A&S college requirements.

General Requirements
To graduate with a major in Spanish, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• A total of at least 55 credit hours in Spanish.
• Prerequisite Courses (9 credits): Students must either take Spanish Composition & Conversation 251-252-253 or place out of them before beginning the major in Spanish. Students may count 253 toward the total number of 55 hours of credit for the major.
• Basic Courses (9 credits): All students must take SPAN 300-301-302 first.
• SPAN 454 (Grammar and Stylistics), 3 credits (pre-req: 302)
• Core Courses (9 credits): From the following list, students must choose a minimum of three courses. Courses taken above the minimum number will count toward the elective requirements.
  • SPAN 310 (Las Tres Culturas), 3 credits
  • SPAN 311 (Latin America Today), 3 credits
  • SPAN 312 (Spain Today), 3 credits
  • SPAN 313 (Hispanic Culture in the US), 3 credits
  • A film course - either SPAN 314 (Hispanic World in Film) or SPAN 315 (Latin American Film), 3 credits
• Electives (33 credits): Any eleven 15-SPAN courses at the 300 or 400 level (including 253 or 290 for those who start at the 200 level). Students may also take 500-level Spanish Service Learning courses when available.
• SPAN 481 (Spanish Capstone), 1 credit

During the last three quarters before graduation, students may add the one-credit Capstone Project to any course numbered above 302, including study tours. To get capstone credit, you must fill out the Capstone Project registration form and secure the signature of both the course instructor and the director of undergraduate studies in the first week of the quarter.

Credits for the major can be obtained through study abroad or transfer, up to a limit of 27 of the required 55 credits.

Special Opportunities

Students in McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

The Department of Romance Languages offers students the possibility of interacting with excellent faculty in small, seminar-style courses. We do all we can to help students study abroad; in particular, we transfer credits from most study-abroad programs.

Study Abroad
The Department of Romance Languages strongly encourages students to study abroad. We sponsor a number of programs of varying durations in different countries -- from Mexico and Spain to France, Italy and Brazil. Learn more about Study Abroad.

Admission Requirements

Admission criteria for this program vary based on the relative strength of test scores, class rank and GPA. Please see the Freshman Class Profile for this major in the Quick Facts sidebar on this page for the range of academic credentials typically accepted into this program. Test scores in the lower range may be acceptable with higher class rank and/or GPA. Freshmen applying to this program should also have completed the following state of Ohio articulation requirements with no more than two units missing:

• English (4 units)*
• College-preparatory mathematics (3 units)*
• Science (2 units)
• Social science (2 units)
• Foreign language (2 units)*
• Additional college-prep subjects (3 units)

*McMicken College of Arts & Sciences does not allow units missing from these areas.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

University transfer scholarships are available to those who meet specific requirements and ANY admitted A&S transfer student might qualify for an A&S transfer scholarship. Deadlines and eligibility criteria are online via the previous links.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree student in one of UC’s other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English composition or its equivalent, and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

A&S students must meet the college residency requirement of 45.0 hours which begins immediately upon matriculation in the college and consists of courses taught within A&S.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from McMicken College of Arts & Sciences, students must:

• Earn at least 180 credits. This can include transfer credit, AP credit and free electives, but does not include preparatory coursework. Students who have met all other degree requirements must continue earning credit until the total number of their earned hours comes to at least 180.
• Attain a 2.0 grade point average for all courses taken at the University of Cincinnati.
• Be in good academic standing, that is, not on either academic probation or disciplinary probation or suspension.
• Complete the residency requirement by earning at least 45 credits after matriculating into the college. These minimum 45 credits must be taught within McMicken College of Arts & Sciences (15), and also must be completed after gaining admission to the college.
• Complete all of the requirements of at least one major (see major requirements above).
• Complete the College Core Requirements.
• Submit an application for graduation to the registrar's office by their posted deadline.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to McMicken College of Arts & Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in French West, 2nd Floor). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd Floor, University Pavilion).