Spanish

The Department of Humanities offers a B.A. in Spanish. Spanish majors study the language, customs, traditions, and literature of Spain and Spanish America. In addition to the classroom experience, students are strongly encouraged to travel and study in a Spanish-speaking country through programs approved by the students' academic adviser.

In Spanish as in all Humanities offerings, our faculty's teaching, its curriculum, scholarly expertise, careful advising, willingness to take on extra tutorial work for the benefit of individual students, and its offering of special extracurricular events are all first and foremost informed and driven by the Catholic and Salesian traditions.

In addition, we believe studies in the Humanities--hence, foreign language study--stands at the heart of every liberal arts institution, and that central to our mission is the teaching of certain skills, among them critical thinking, problem-solving, team-working, and communication skills, which if acquired will produce graduates who are ethical, self-disciplined, and highly capable of negotiating the 21st Century workplace. The shrinking world and a high-powered global economy oblige all institutions of high learning to graduate young people who will be bright and sensitive citizens of the global community; DeSales University, having in the last two years made the major transition from a college to a university, is particular cognizant of this responsibility.

Indeed, because of the close links between Hispanic culture and the Catholic faith, and because of the profound impact of Hispanic culture worldwide, in particular its impact on contemporary American life, we believe the Spanish major, on its own merits or taken as a dual major, provides a particularly appropriate site for the training of just this sort of graduate. We believe the Spanish major addressed energetically can help equip the graduate for work in a significant variety of fields, including nursing and the health professions, media, criminal justice and law enforcement, teaching, public policy and government, international business, social work, and library science. Through his or her work in Spanish, the student develops a heightened appreciation for cultural difference, becomes sensitive to linguistic and non-verbal cultural codes, develops an appropriate sense of protocol and decorum that effects communication and increases mutual understanding.

Within the university setting itself, we believe the Spanish major enhances the intellectual profile of the University by its presence in the core curriculum. In particular, we have tried to look for every possible double major or major/minor option for students across the disciplines who have shown a particular interest in and aptitude for language study, e.g. Spanish/marketing, Spanish/history, Spanish/communication. Moreover, in recent years Spanish majors (and minors) have been particularly active in student ministry programs, activity that has extended as far as ministry programs in Mexico. The Spanish major offers an important extramural presence through high profile internships and in study abroad programs.

Following a learner-centered approach whose aim is language acquisition and proficiency, our courses are taught in Spanish. Such an approach not only involves communicating expectations and assessing student performance, but also enables our students to learn Spanish rather than about Spanish.

From the novice level to the advanced levels of language acquisition and proficiency, our student is introduced to the basic political, social, economic, religious, and cultural aspects that constitute the historical identity of the Hispanic civilization.

• What Can I Do With This Major?

A Spanish Major must take the following Courses

• SP 217 - Culture and Civilization of Spain
• SP 218 - Culture and Civilization of Spanish-America
• SP 221 - Advanced Conversation
• SP 222 - Advanced Composition 
• SP 453 - Seminar in Spanish Studies

Plus Four of the Following

• SP 234 - Introduction to Linguistics
• SP 300-301 - Summer Study Abroad
• SP 330 - Issues in Contemporary Spanish America
• SP 331 - Spanish for Business and for Careers
• SP 370 - Survey of Spanish-American Literature
• SP 371 - Survey of Spanish Literature
• SP 400-401 - Semester Study Abroad
• SP 441 - Topics in Literature of the Spanish-Speaking World  
  

A minor in Spanish consists of any six of the following courses:
 
SP 217, SP 218, SP 221, SP 222, SP 250, SP 300-301, SP 330, SP 331, SP 370, SP 371, SP 400-401, SP 441.
 
K-12 Teaching certification is available. Please see the Education Department for more information or view the STEP Graduation Requirement Form and Matrix.