BA in Spanish

Units required for Major: 42
Total units required for BA: 120

Program Description

A working knowledge of Spanish will enable students to communicate with one of America's rapidly growing minority groups, as well as to benefit extensively from travel to foreign countries. Most coursework lends itself to a practical acquisition of the necessary language skills for effective communication.

Coursework at the upper division and graduate level is equally distributed among four areas: linguistics, culture, Peninsular literature, and Hispanic American literature. Students with career plans in teaching, bilingual programs, translation and diplomatic services, as well as careers in public service requiring knowledge of Spanish, will find a balanced curriculum available at Sacramento State. The programs in Spanish also serve those students who plan on continuing their studies at the doctorate level by providing a thorough academic background in the language.

Students interested in Bilingual/Crosscultural programs should also contact the College of Education (916) 278-6840 for more details.

Many students find that the acquisition of skills in Spanish is a valuable adjunct to their career goals in other areas such as business administration, public administration, international relations, etc.

Minimum Grade Requirement

All Spanish majors must earn a grade of "C" or better in all courses counted toward the major. SPAN 42 and SPAN 142 may be taken by challenge exam for Credit/No Credit only provided that student enrolls in course.

Required Lower Division Courses

It is assumed that Spanish majors will have completed the equivalent of college level elementary and intermediate Spanish in high school, at a community college, or by completing SPAN 2B1 at Sacramento State, prior to beginning upper-division courses. 

Study Abroad Programs

Students having a 2.75 GPA average overall are eligible to apply for admission to the CSU International Programs in a Spanish-speaking country such as Chile, Mexico, or Spain for their junior or senior years or during graduate studies. Spanish skills must be sufficiently developed to permit satisfactory performance in a Spanish-language university; planning from the beginning of the freshman year is advisable. Programs are also available for beginning students in Spain and Mexico. For details, contact International Programs and Global Engagement and consult a member of the Spanish faculty about developing your language skills.

Program Requirements

Required Lower Division Courses (3 Units)
SPAN 47Introduction to Composition and Grammar Review 13
Required Upper Division Courses (36 Units)
SPAN 100Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Literature3
SPAN 102Spanish Phonetics3
SPAN 103Advanced Spanish Grammar3
SPAN 106Advanced Spanish Composition3
SPAN 110Survey of Spanish Literature to 18003
SPAN 111Survey of Spanish Literature from 1800 to the Present3
SPAN 113Latin American Literature, Beginnings to Modernism3
SPAN 114Latin American Literature, Modernism to Present3
SPAN 142Advanced Spanish Conversation3
SPAN 151Civilization and Culture of Hispanic America3
SPAN 152Civilization and Culture of Spain3
SPAN 153Civilization and Culture of Mexico3
Electives (3 Units)
Select one of the following3
Conversation In Spanish
Magical Realism
Spanish For Professionals
Topics in Spanish Literature
Contemporary Mexican Literature
The Short Story in Latin America
Total Units42

General Education Requirements1

Area A: Basic Subjects (9 Units)
A1 - Oral Communication3
A2 - Written Communication3
A3 - Critical Thinking3
Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units)
B1 - Physical Science3
B2 - Life Forms3
B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5)1
B4 - Math Concepts3
B5 - Additional Course (Any B to reach 12 units) - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area C: Arts and Humanities (12 Units)
C1 - Arts3
C2 - Humanities3
C1/C2 - Area C Course3
C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units)
Area D Course3
Area D Course3
Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units)
Area E Course3
Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units)
Area F Course3
Total Units49

Graduation Requirements1

Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (9 Units)
American Institutions: U.S. History3
American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government3
Writing Intensive (WI)3
Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (12 Units)
English Composition II3
Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE)3
Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 26