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Spanish (B.A.)

Program Overview

The Spanish Major encompasses a wide variety of courses to study the language itself, as well as the history, literature, culture, and civilization of the Spanish-speaking peoples. Introductory level courses focus on grammar, phonetics, conversation, composition and culture and are taught with an emphasis on oral proficiency. Intermediate and advanced courses are taught in Spanish.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Spanish program can:

  1. Describe the significance of historical and cultural trends for the geographical areas in which the target language is spoken.
  2. Recognize important literary periods and genres.
  3. Write thesis driven essays that engage in cultural and literary analysis and critical interpretation in the target language.
  4. Communicate in spoken form in the target language at an advanced level according to ACTFL standards.
  5.  Communicate in written form in the target language at an intermediate advanced level according to ACTFL standards.
  6. Gain and awareness of options for employment in a foreign language related field.

  7. Articulate how faith connects to the discipline and the students' area of specialization. 

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

SPAN 101Fundamentals of Spanish I

3
SPAN 102Fundamentals of Spanish II

3
SPAN 206Spanish Conversation and Composition

3
LANG 493Modern Languages Seminar

3

Three credits from the following:

SPAN 201Intermediate Spanish

3
SPAN 203Spanish for Healthcare Professionals

3
SPAN 203 is intended for students with a second major in the health care field.

Six credits from the following:

SPAN 301Topics in Latin American Literature

3
SPAN 302Culture and Identity in Latin America

3
SPAN 305Latin American Plays of Protest

3
SPAN 306Contemporary Mexico

3

Six credits from the following:

SPAN 311Topics in Spanish Pennsular Literature

3
SPAN 312Topics in Spanish Peninsular Culture

3
SPAN 314The Counter Reformation and the Spanish Baroque

3

Three credits from the following:

SPAN 316Business Spanish

3
SPAN 331Trans-Atlantic Literature

3

Fifteen credits of the following:

Approved Spanish courses at the:

  • Universidad de Granada, Spain
  • Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso
  • Universidad de Adolfo Ibanez, Vina del Mar, Chile.

Students must complete at least one Latin American or Spanish peninsular literature class (3 hours) while abroad. Additional courses should be selected from among a variety of humanities courses which may include grammar, literature, history, art history, or political science to attain a total of 15 credits of Spanish classes. Students should confirm with the Department of Modern Languages that the courses that they select are approved for the Spanish major.

 

QuEST Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement 0
QuEST requirements Credits
First Year Seminar 3
Oral Communication 3
Created and Called for Community (W) 3
Mathematical Sciences 3 or 4
Laboratory Science 3 or 4
Science, Technology & the World 3
Two of the following (6 credits total):
   Social Science
   European History
   United States History 		6
Literature (SPAN 301, SPAN 311 or SPAN 331) met/major
Philosophy and Religion 3
Arts 3
First Semester of Language (SPAN 101) met/major
Second Semester of Language (SPAN 102) met/major
Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural (SPAN 201) met/major
Non-Western Studies (SPAN 302 or SPAN 305) met/major
Bible 3
Christian Beliefs 3
Wellness course 1
Ethics, World Views or Pluralism 3
QuEST requirements 40-42
Major requirements 45
Free electives 38-36
Total credits 123

The writing requirement for this major is distributed among courses within the major.