Program Description
The School of Social Sciences and International Studies offers a major and a minor in Spanish.
The major in Spanish entails a profound study of the language, history, culture, literature and film of the Spanish-speaking world. All elementary through advanced-level classes are designed to progressively develop students’ oral and written proficiency and cultural confidence and are conducted exclusively in the target language. Thematically cohesive courses in composition and conversation equip students with advanced communication skills that can be used effectively in academic, social and professional contexts. Study abroad is encouraged and many students fulfill requirements for the Spanish major in two-week to one-year long individual exchanges, teacher-led courses abroad and consortium sites. Spanish faculty lead short-term Ambassador study abroad programs to Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Popular summer-semester, and year-long destinations offered through USAC, KEI Study Abroad and ISA include Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, and Spain.
The Spanish major is particularly useful for students wishing to enter globally oriented careers in business, education, international development, government, law and law enforcement, communications, medical professions, translation, interpretation, travel industry, health professions, and social work. Students have the opportunity to learn Spanish tailored to their chosen careers, including medicine/nursing, law enforcement, social work, and business.
Those students who qualify for Departmental Honors may prepare an in-depth project focusing on an area of expertise, including projects involving service to the Dayton area Spanish-speaking community. Students may also register for an internship program in the local social service organizations and businesses working with the Latino community. Extracurricular opportunities that may lead to career placement include work as tutors, Supplemental Instruction leaders, peer instructors, and Spanish Club officers.
Teacher Preparation Program
Students who wish to teach Spanish in Ohio public schools earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. A sequence of education courses and school placements are required during the bachelor’s degree.
Majors are encouraged early on to contact faculty for a mock Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and a Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) required of teaching candidates prior to the completion of their undergraduate degree.
Candidates must meet with a College of Health, Education, and Human Services Licensure Advisor early in the bachelor’s degree program to learn how to apply for school placements, deadlines, admission details, and other important information.
Undergraduate Language Requirement, College of Liberal Arts
Spanish majors will have met their language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts by completing requirements for the major.
Placement
Students with no Spanish background will begin with SPN 1010; those who have studied Spanish previously or who are heritage speakers will take a placement test to determine the best course for their skill level. Native or near-native Spanish speakers are encouraged to take a proficiency test in oral and written Spanish to verify placement. Details about the placement test and proficiency test for prior learning assessment are available on the Modern Languages website.
Prior Learning Assessment
The School of Social Sciences and International Studies believes that students having learned Spanish in high school, through living abroad, or by any other means have the right to earn prior learning credit in Spanish. Those students who place into Spanish classes between the 1010 and 2020 levels, and attain a grade of C or better may earn “Pass” credits for sequenced courses below that level. Students who have placed into a 3000- or 4000-level course may earn “Pass” credits for 1010 through 2020. By the ninth week of the semester, students desiring prior learning assessment should request and complete their PLA form at the School of Social Sciences and International Studies.
Native and near-native speakers of Spanish may take the Spanish language proficiency test in Conversation and Writing, and receive Prior Learning Assessment “Pass” credits for SPN 3110 and/or SPN 3210.
If transferring applicable credit in fulfillment of departmental requirements, a minimum of 4 upper-level courses must be taken at Wright State University.
See the Modern Languages website for details, including fees.
Only courses with a grade of P (Pass/No Credit courses), or a grade of C or better (ABCDF courses) may be applied to the major.
Admission Requirements
- 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Grade of “C” or higher in ENG 1110 or 1140
OR
- Grade of “C” or higher in two other Wright State Core courses taught by the College
Requirements for admission to either the undergraduate or the Multi-Age Education Licensure program include a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or higher, C or better grades in all undergraduate content and education pre-requisite courses, and standardized testing.
Program Learning Outcomes
1. Linguistic Proficiency
- Speaking: Students will be able to handle a variety of communicative tasks. They can participate in most informal and some formal conversations on topics related to self, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences. They can also speak about some topics related to shopping, travel and lodging. Students will demonstrate the ability to speak in the present, past and future tenses.
- Writing: Students at this level are able to meet a number of practical writing needs. They can write short, simple communications, compositions, and requests for information in loosely connected texts about personal preferences, daily routines, common events, and other personal topics. Students will demonstrate the ability to write in the present, past and future tenses.
- Listening and Reading: Students are able to understand everyday speech, in a variety of personal and social contexts. Also, they are able to understand conventional narrative and descriptive texts, such as expanded descriptions of persons, places, and things and narrations about past, present, and future events. Comprehension derives not only from situational and subject-matter knowledge but also from knowledge of the language itself.
2. Intercultural Competence
Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of other cultures and their products. By the time they graduate from our program, they will be able to:
- Recognize and describe the historical, social, and political forces that shape society in the target culture;
- Analyze and critique the products of the target culture (film, literature, art, popular culture, media, etc) within their context, including conducting basic research tasks, and;
- Compare and contrast the cultures and communities of the language they are studying with their own.
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