Cultural Diversity Requirement
Spanish 241, 244, 270, 340, 341, 344, 346, 352, 374, and 375 fulfill the cultural diversity requirement.
Placement in Spanish Courses
Students who have taken Spanish previously and who want to take Spanish courses at Davidson must take a placement test before the beginning of the academic year. Please consult the new student registration material sent by the Registrar, or contact the Language Coordinator, Professor Rosalba Scott.
No student who has studied Spanish in junior or senior year of high school should expect to take Spanish 101 for credit without the express permission of the department. Placement will be based on online exam score and high school experience.
Major Requirements
Ten courses above Spanish 201 or 203, including at least one Spanish 401-410 Seminar on Special Topics, Spanish 490, and a minimum of one course from each of the following areas:
Area I: Literature and Culture of Spain prior to 1700 (320, 321, 322, 329, 354);
Area II: Literature and Culture of Spain since 1700 (330, 331, 339, 350);
Area III: Hispanic Cultures (342, 344, 347, 352, 353, 361, 369, 374, 394);
Area IV: Literature and Culture of Latin America Prior to 1900 (340, 349);
Area V: Literature and Culture of Latin America Since 1900 (341, 343, 346, 375).
At least five of the courses toward the major should be taken at Davidson; courses taken on the Cadiz program count as courses in residence. The course sequences in Cadiz, depending on each student’s language level, are: 203-272, 260-394, 393-394.
With specific approval of the department chair, a maximum of three transferred courses for one semester or five transferred courses for the academic year may be applied to the Spanish major or minor.
Students electing to write a Senior Thesis may do so as a SPA 429 independent study with a faculty member of the department. The independent study will be counted as an elective. SPA 429 does not take the place of the Spanish 401-410 Seminar on Special Topics/or SPA490.
Study in a Spanish-speaking country is strongly recommended. The department may also recommend Advanced Spanish Grammar 302 or 303, depending on the student’s Language proficiency. Also recommended is at least a minimum knowledge of a second foreign language.
Courses to be counted toward the major may not be taken pass/fail.
Minor Requirements
Six courses conducted in Spanish above Spanish 201 or 203. Two courses may be at the 200-level. At least four courses must be at the 300-level or above. Two of the four 300 level or above courses should be taken in residence at Davidson. The department may also require Advanced Spanish Grammar 302 or 303 as one of the four upper-level courses, depending on the student’s language proficiency. Courses to be counted toward the minor may not be taken pass/fail.
Honors Requirements
Twelve courses are needed for departmental honors. In addition to the major requirements, SPA 498 and 499 (a two-semester senior honors thesis) are required. An oral examination is administered at the completion of the thesis and covers the thesis, its period, and/or the genre of its subject. See description of the courses and consult departmental guidelines.
Rationale for Course Numbering
Spanish 100-level courses and SPA 201 are language courses that satisfy the three semester foreign language requirement at Davidson College. SPA 260 and SPA 270 are prerequisite courses focused in conversation, composition, grammar, and the introduction to Hispanic literatures and cultures. The 300-level courses are designed for majors and minors, as well as for juniors and seniors with the desire to further their knowledge in Hispanic language, literatures, or cultures. The 400-level seminars on Special topics are open to Junior and Senior students; SPA 490 is a capstone experience open only to Senior Majors; SPA 498 and 499 are Honors Thesis Independent Research under the direction of a faculty member.
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