The major in Spanish requires 15 courses taught in Spanish (with exceptions noted below). Each student, in consultation with an adviser, designs a program built around a concentration and representing a coherent pattern of study. Students may choose to concentrate on the literatures and cultures of Latin America, the literatures and cultures of Spain, or an appropriate combination of both. Many students fulfill some of the requirements for the major through courses taken abroad.
Prerequisite (one of the following must be met):
- Spanish 199;
- AP score of 5; or
- placement by the online Spanish Language Placement Exam
Major Course Requirements (15):
- 201-0 or 202-0 (heritage speakers of Spanish must take an appropiate substitute course)
- 203-0 (heritage speakers of Spanish may take 207 as a substitute)
- 204-0
- 220
- 3 courses chosen from 250, 251, 260, 261
- 6 300-level courses in the department that form an area of concentration including at least 1course that deals with a period earlier than 1800
- 2 elective courses at the 200 or 300 level taken in the department, in another department at Northwestern, or in study abroad programs, on condition that these courses be related to the historical, literary, and/or cultural existence of Hispanic countries (courses taken outside the department must be preapproved by an adviser).
Note:
- A 300-level COMP LIT course that includes an important component of Latin American and/or Spanish literature and is taught by a member of the Department of Spanish & Portuguese may be substituted for a 300-level course requirement (adviser approval is required to ensure nonduplication of courses).
- A study abroad course taught in Spanish on any topic related to the historical and/or cultural existence of a Hispanic country may be substituted for 201-1, 201-2, or 301, if the course for which it is substituted has not already been taken.
Requirements for major in Spanish checklist
Students may elect to fulfill the requirements of a major or minor as described in any catalog operative during their NU career. A student who entered in Fall 2005 may ask to fulfill the old major or minor requirements. However, the new requirements for the major and minor are significantly improved, offering students greater flexibility to design a program that fits their interests. The department therefore strongly recommends that students who have not yet declared a major/minor or who are in the initial stages of the program follow the new requirements. Students who have already taken courses toward the major or minor program can easily adopt the new requirements; all courses taken toward the old major and minor count toward the new programs. If you have any questions or would like to take advantage of the new requirements, contact a faculty adviser.
The Teaching of Spanish
Weinberg College students pursuing a major in Spanish who also wish to be certified for secondary teaching must be admitted to the Secondary Teaching Program in the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) and complete all requirements as outlined in the SESP section of this catalog. Students are urged to contact the Office of Student Affairs in SESP as early as possible in their academic careers.
