Undergraduate Program in Spanish

Faculty

Alicia de Colombi-Monguio, Research Professor (PhD - Stanford Univeristy) Golden Age Spanish literature, Medieval and Renaissance, Spanish American Colonial and Spanish poetry, Renaissance poetics, humanism

Hernan Diaz, Assistant Professor (PhD - New York University) Comparative study of North and South American literature (website)

Sefa Dorronsoro, Lecturer (MS - University of the Basque Country, Spain) Teaching of foreign languages, English and Spanish; acquiring 1st and 2nd languages by children and adults; culture and civilization of Spain

Ilka Kressner, Assistant Professor (PhD - University of Virginia) 20th century and contemporary Spanish American Literature, inter-arts relation (text, photography, film, music), literary theory

Elizabeth Lansing, Visiting Assistant Professor (PhD - University at Albany) Linguistics, second language acquisition, dialectology

Joana Sabadell-Nieto, Associate Professor (PhD - University of Pennsylvania) Contemporary Spanish literature (poetry, narrative, film), feminism and gender studies

Lotfi Sayahi, Associate Professor (PhD - Universidad Complutense, Madrid) Bilingualism, sociolinguistics, second language acquisition (website)

Aída Torres-Horwitt, Lecturer (PhD - University at Albany) Golden Age Spanish literature, Latin American (particularly Puerto Rican) literature and culture

Maurice Westmoreland, Associate Professor (PhD - University of Illinois) Historical linguistics, romance linguistics, morphology (website)

Affiliated Faculty

Lee S. Bickmore, Associate Professor, Linguistics Program, Anthropology Department (PhD - UCLA) Phonology, tone, stress, historical linguistics (website)

George Aaron Broadwell, Professor, Linguistics Program, Anthropology Department (PhD - UCLA) Syntax, historical linguistics (website)

Bibliographer

Jesús Alonso-Regalado, Senior Assistant Librarian

Spanish BA

Click here for * Advisement Policies for Spanish Majors & Minors *

The BA in Hispanic Studies offers three possible concentrations depending on the interest and future goals of the students.

• Literature Concentration
• Language Concentration
• Secondary Education Concentration

Career

Occupational areas in which Spanish majors have been employed are teaching, public relations, state and federal service, foreign service of the U.S., the airlines, travel agencies, and in businesses dealing with Spanish-speaking countries.

Degree Requirements for the Major in Spanish

General Program General B.A.
A student wishing to major in Spanish may choose one of three sequences offered by the program. All students must take a minimum of 36 credits in Spanish courses above the 104L level, including A Spn 205 or A Spn 206, A Spn 207, A Spn 223L, A Spn 301 or 301Z, A Spn 312L and A Spn 316. Students must also take additional courses in Spanish, unless otherwise indicated, according to the requirements of their sequence, as follows.

Examples of the order in which students might take classes toward achieving their major are available at the Undergraduate Advisement Services website and are listed alphabetically by major (see www.albany.edu/advisement/spc06/maps.html).

Literature Concentration*

A minimum of 18 credits to include the following: (1) 1 literature course at the 300 level; (2) 2 literature courses at the 400 level; (3) 2 language courses above A Spn 301Z; (4) one civilization course.

Language Concentration*

A minimum of 18 credits to include the following: (1) 1 literature course above A Spn 316; (2) A Spn 401 or 402; (3) 2 language or linguistics courses at the 400 level; (4) 2 additional courses as advised. A Lin 220M may be counted as one of these courses.

Secondary Education Concentration*

A minimum of 18 credits to include the following: A Spn 401 (formerly 305) and 403 and (1) 1 literature course at the 300 level; (2) 1 literature course at the 400 level; (3) 1 civilization course; (4) 1 additional course as advised. Does not award teacher certification.

Course Categories for Spanish

Major Concentrations
Language courses include A Spn 302, 401 (formerly 305), 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 410Z.
Civilization courses include A Spn 314, 315, 317, 318, 322, 453, 454.
Literature courses include A Spn 319, 320, 325, 326, 333, 344, 410Z, 414, 418, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 481, 482.

Degree Requirements for the Minor in Spanish

Minor requirements include a minimum of 18 graduation credits from course work with an A SPN prefix above A SPN 100, including A SPN 205 or 206 (or an additional 3 credit Spanish course above the 101 level), and 301 or 301Z.

Honors Program in Spanish

The honors program in Spanish is designed to promote opportunities for advanced work to highly motivated, mature undergraduate majors and prepare them to do independent work.

Students may apply for admission to the Honors Program after the beginning of the second semester of their sophomore year. To gain admission to the program students must have formally declared a major in Spanish and have completed at least 12 credits toward their major. In addition, they must have an overall GPA of at least 3.25, and 3.50 in their major, both of which must be maintained in order to graduate with honors.

Students must complete a minimum of 40 credits, including a 4 credit Honors Thesis (A Spn 499), as well as 36 credits normally required for the major. Specific requirements are as follows:
Spanish core: (18 credits) A Spn 205 or 206, 207, 223L, 301 or 301Z, 312, and 316.
Students who choose the Literature, Sequence are required to take at least three Literature courses at the 400 or 500 level, and they must write a thesis on a topic, dealing with literature.

Students who choose the Language and, Civilization Sequence must take at least one, civilization course at the 400 level, and, they must also write a thesis on a topic, dealing with Hispanic culture.

Students who choose the Linguistics, Sequence must take at least one 400-level, linguistics course in addition to A Spn 402, and they must write a thesis on a topic, dealing with linguistics.

Students who choose the Secondary, Education Sequence will be required to take, both A Spn 403 and 404, and they must either, write a thesis or they must complete a, research project dealing with education.

Combined B.A./M.A. Program

The combined B.A./M.A. program in Spanish provides an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to fulfill integrated requirements of undergraduate and master's degree programs from the beginning of their junior year. A carefully designed program can permit a student to earn the B.A. and M.A. degrees within nine semesters.

The combined program requires a minimum of 138 credits, of which at least 30 must be graduate credits. In qualifying for the B.A., students must meet all University and college requirements, including the requirements of the undergraduate major described previously, the minor requirement, the minimum 90 credit liberal arts and sciences requirement, general education requirements and residency requirements. In qualifying for the M.A., students must meet all University and college requirements as outlined in the Graduate Bulletin, including completion of a minimum of 30 graduate credits and any other conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, professional experience and residency requirements. Up to 12 graduate credits may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.A. programs.

Students are considered as undergraduates until completion of 120 graduation credits and satisfactory completion of all B.A. requirements. Upon meeting B.A. requirements, students are automatically considered as graduate students.

Students may apply for admission to the combined degree program in Spanish at the beginning of their junior year or after the successful completion of 56 credits, but no later than the accumulation of 100 credits. Students entering the University with advanced standing in Spanish may be admitted after satisfying the core requirements (A Spn 205 or 206, 207, 223L, 301 (or 301Z), 312, and 316). A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration.

Courses in Spanish

For a complete listing and descriptions of Spanish undergraduate courses offered at the University at Albany, please visit the online Undergraduate Bulletin at: www.albany.edu/undergraduate_bulletin/a_spn.html.

Courses being currently offered in the program may be found on this website under Classes and Schedules (www.albany.edu/llc/coursesandschedules.htm).

How to Apply

For information on admissions and how to apply to the University at Albany, visit the Admissions website at www.albany.edu/main/index_admissions.html.