Description
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers courses in Arabic, German, Japanese, the Romance Language group (French, Spanish), and the Slavic group (Czech, Russian). Whenever possible, the courses are conducted in the language that is studied. The aim of instruction is reading, writing, aural and oral proficiency, and an understanding of the life, literature, and culture of the country. Lectures and films in the language studied are offered during the school year for the benefit of the students in the department. Language laboratories supplement class work.
Placement
Incoming students who wish to enroll in French, Spanish, and German are required to take a placement examination. The examination results will be used in combination with advising to determine appropriate placement in the sequence of courses offered within the department’s curriculum. Exams are administered in the language laboratory (304 Burnett Hall). Students who wish to begin study of a new language other than those previously studied should enroll in the 101 level and do not need to take a placement exam.
Education Abroad
Students may receive full credit at the University of Nebraska for education abroad programs in many countries such as Costa Rica, France, Germany, Spain, Russia, Japan, and the Czech Republic. See http://educationabroad.unl.edu for a guide to these programs.
Program Assessment. Across programs, majors and minors in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures acquire a range of intercultural, communicative, intellectual, and practical skills that can enrich their lives and prepare them for productive and meaningful experiences and careers. In order to maintain the effectiveness of its programs, the Department regularly assesses learning outcomes. As part of this assessment, the Department measures the level of achievement of ACE 10 learning outcomes. In addition, majors in the Department are evaluated according to internationally recognized standards set forth by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and other specific institutional measures that follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Assessment of majors can also include a portfolio, an exit interview, exit surveys, and other forms of testing. Results of participation in this assessment activity will in no way affect a student’s GPA or graduation.
College Admission
The entrance requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), including any of the majors or minors offered through the college, are the same as the UNL General Admission Requirements. In addition to these requirements, the College of Arts and Sciences strongly recommends a third and fourth year of one foreign language in high school. Four years of high school coursework in the same language will fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences’ language requirement. It will also allow students to continue language study at a more advanced level at UNL and provide more opportunity to study abroad.
ACADEMIC AND CAREER Advising
Academic and Career Advising Center
The Academic and Career Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall is the undergraduate hub for CAS students in all majors. Centrally located and easily accessed, students encounter friendly, knowledgeable people who are eager to help. Students visit the Advising Center in 107 Oldfather Hall to:
- Choose or change their major, minor, or degree program.
- Check in on policies, procedures, and deadlines.
- Get a college approval signature from the Dean's representative, Sr. Director of Advising and Student Success.
While the assigned academic advisor should be the student's primary contact, there are daily walk-ins from 12-3 where a general academic advisor can answer a quick question. In addition, the CAS Career Coaches are located here. They help students explore majors and minors, gain experience, and develop a plan for life after graduation. Not sure where to go or who to ask? The Advising Center team can help.
Assigned Academic Advisors
Academic advisors are critical resources dedicated to students' academic, personal, and professional success. Every CAS student is assigned an academic advisor based on their primary major. Since most CAS students have more than just a single major, it is important to get to know the advisor for any minors or additional majors. Academic advisors work closely with the faculty to provide the best overall support and the discipline-specific expertise.
Assigned advisors are listed in MyRED and their offices may be located in or near the department of the major for which they advise or in the Academic and Career Advising Center. Students who have declared a pre-health or pre-law area of interest will also work with advisors in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center (Explore Center) in 127 Love South, who are specially trained to guide students preparing to enter a professional school.
For complete and current information on advisors for majors, minors, or pre-professional areas, contact the Arts and Sciences Academic and Career Advising Center, 107 Oldfather Hall, 402-472-4190, http://cas.unl.edu/advising.
Career Coaching
The College believes that Academics + Experience = Opportunities and encourages students to complement their academic preparation with real-world experience, including internships, research, education abroad, service, and leadership. Arts and sciences students have access to a powerful network of faculty, staff, and advisors dedicated to providing information and support for their goals of meaningful employment or advanced education. Arts and sciences graduates have unlimited career possibilities and carry with them important career competencies—communication, critical thinking, creativity, context, and collaboration. They have the skills and adaptability that employers universally value. Graduates are not only prepared to effectively contribute professionally in the real world, but they have a solid foundation to excel in an increasingly global, technological, and interdisciplinary world.
Students should contact the career coaches in the Arts and Sciences Academic and Career Advising Center in 107 Oldfather, or their assigned advisor, for more information. The CAS career coaches help students explore career options, identify ways to build experience, and prepare to apply for internships, jobs, or graduate school, including help with resumes, applications, and interviewing.
ACE Requirements
Students must complete one course for each of the ACE Student Learning Outcomes below. Certified course choices are published in the degree audit, or visit the ACE website for the most current list of certified courses.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACE Student Learning Outcomes | ||
ACE 1 : Write texts, in various forms, with an identified purpose, that respond to specific audience needs, integrate research or existing knowledge, and use applicable documentation and appropriate conventions of format and structure. | ||
ACE 2: Demonstrate competence in communication skills. | ||
ACE 3: Use mathematical, computational, statistical, logical, or other formal reasoning to solve problems, draw inferences, justify conclusions, and determine reasonableness. | ||
ACE 4: Use scientific methods and knowledge to pose questions, frame hypotheses, interpret data, and evaluate whether conclusions about the natural and physical world are reasonable. | ||
ACE 5: Use knowledge, historical perspectives, analysis, interpretation, critical evaluation, and the standards of evidence appropriate to the humanities to address problems and issues. | ||
ACE 6: Use knowledge, theories, and research perspectives such as statistical methods or observational accounts appropriate to the social sciences to understand and evaluate social systems or human behaviors. | ||
ACE 7: Use knowledge, theories, or methods appropriate to the arts to understand their context and significance. | ||
ACE 8: Use knowledge, theories, and analysis to explain ethical principles and their importance in society. | ||
ACE 9: Exhibit global awareness or knowledge of human diversity through analysis of an issue. | ||
ACE 10: Generate a creative or scholarly product that requires broad knowledge, appropriate technical proficiency, information collection, synthesis, interpretation, presentation, and reflection. | ||
College Degree Requirements
College Distribution Requirements – BA and BS
The College of Arts and Sciences distribution requirements are common to both the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees and are designed to ensure a range of courses. By engaging in study in several different areas within the College, students develop the ability to learn in a variety of ways and apply their knowledge from a variety of perspectives. All requirements are in addition to University ACE requirements, and no course can be used to fulfill both an ACE outcome and a College Distribution Requirement.
- A student may not use a single course to satisfy more than one College Distribution Requirement, with the exception of CDR Diversity. Courses used to meet CDR Diversity may also meet CDR Writing, CDR Humanities, or CDR Social Science.
- Independent study or reading courses and internships cannot be used to satisfy distribution requirements.
- Courses from interdisciplinary programs will be applied in the same area as courses from the home/cross-listed department.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Distribution Requirements | ||
| CDR: Written Communication | 3 | |
| Select from courses approved for ACE outcome 1. | ||
| CDR: Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences with Lab | 4 | |
| Select from biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, geology, meteorology, mathematics, physics, and statistics. Must include one lab in the natural or physical sciences. Lab courses may be selected from biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, geology, meteorology, and physics. | ||
| Some courses from geography and anthropology may also be used to satisfy the lab requirement above. 1 | ||
| CDR: Humanities | 3 | |
| Select from classics, English, history, modern languages and literatures, philosophy, and religious studies. 2 | ||
| CDR: Social Science | 3 | |
| Select from anthropology, communication studies, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology. 3 | ||
| CDR: Human Diversity in U.S. Communities | 0-3 | |
| Select from a set of approved courses as listed in the degree audit. | ||
| CDR: Language | 0-16 | |
| Fulfilled by the completion of the 6-credit-hour second-year sequence in a single foreign language in one of the following departments: Classics and religious studies or modern languages and literatures. Instruction is currently available in Arabic, Chinese, Czech, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. | ||
| A student who has completed the fourth-year level of one foreign language in high school is exempt from the languages requirement, but encouraged to continue on in their language study. | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 13-32 | |
| 1 | See Degree Audit or a College of Arts and Sciences advisor for approved geography and anthropology courses that apply as natural science. |
| 2 | Language courses numbered 220 and below do not fulfill the CDR Humanities. |
| 3 | See Degree Audit or College of Arts and Sciences advisor for list of natural/physical science courses in anthropology, geography, and psychology that do not apply as social science. |
Language Requirement
UNL and the College of Arts and Sciences place great value on academic exposure and proficiency in a second language. The UNL entrance requirement of two years of the same foreign language or the College’s language distribution requirement (CDR: Language) will rarely be waived and only with relevant documentation. See the main College of Arts and Sciences page for more details.
Scientific Base - BS Only
The bachelor of science degree requires students to complete 60 hours in mathematical, physical, and natural sciences. Approved courses for scientific base credit come from the following College of Arts and Sciences disciplines: actuarial science, anthropology (selected courses), astronomy, biochemistry (excluding BIOC 101), biological sciences (excluding BIOS 100 or BIOS 203), chemistry (excluding CHEM 101), computer science (excluding CSCE 10), geography (selected courses), geology, life sciences, mathematics (excluding courses below MATH 104), meteorology, microbiology (excluding MBIO 101), and physics.
See your Degree Audit or your assigned academic advisor for a complete list, including individual classes that fall outside of the disciplines listed above. Up to 12 hours of scientific and technical courses offered by other colleges may be accepted toward this requirement with approval of the College of Arts and Sciences. See your assigned academic advisor to start the approval process.
Minimum Hours Required for Graduation
A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit is required for graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is required.
Grade Rules
Restrictions on C- and D Grades
The College will accept no more than 15 semester hours of C- and D grades from other domestic institutions except for UNO and UNK. All courses taken at UNO and UNK impact the UNL transcript. No transfer of C- and D grades can be applied toward requirements in a major or a minor. No UNL C- and D grades can be applied toward requirements in a major or a minor. International coursework (including education abroad) with a final grade equivalent to a C- or lower will not be validated by College of Arts and Sciences departments to be degree applicable.
Pass/No Pass Privilege
The College of Arts and Sciences adheres to the University regulations for the Pass/No Pass (P/N) privilege with the following additional regulations:
- Pass/No Pass hours can count toward fulfillment of University ACE requirements and college distribution requirements up to the 24-hour maximum.
- Most arts and sciences departments and programs do not allow courses graded Pass/No Pass to apply to the major or minor. Students should refer to the department’s or program’s section of the catalog for clarification. By college rule, departments can allow up to 6 hours of Pass/No Pass in the major or minor.
- Departments may specify that certain courses of theirs can be taken only on a P/N basis.
- The college will permit no more than a total of 24 semester hours of P/N grades to be applied toward degree requirements. This total includes all Pass grades earned at UNL and other U.S. schools. NOTE: This 24-hour limit is more restrictive than the University regulation.
Grading Appeals
A student who feels that he/she has been unfairly graded must ordinarily take the following sequential steps in a timely manner, usually by initiating the appeal in the semester following the awarding of the grade:
- Talk with the instructor concerned. Most problems are resolved at this point.
- Talk to the instructor’s department chairperson.
- Take the case to the Grading Appeal Committee of the department concerned. The Committee should be contacted through the department chairperson.
- Take the case to the College Grading Appeals Committee by contacting the Dean’s Office, 1223 Oldfather Hall.
Course Level Requirements
Courses Numbered at the 300 or 400 Level
Thirty (30) of the 120 semester hours of credit must be in courses numbered at the 300 or 400 level. Of those 30 hours, 15 hours (1/2) must be completed in residence at UNL.
Residency Requirement
Students must complete at least 30 of the 120 total hours for their degree at UNL. Students must complete at least 1/2 of their major coursework, including 6 hours at the 300 or 400 level in their major and 15 of the 30 hours required at the 300 or 400 level, in residence. Credit earned during education abroad may be used toward the residency requirement only if students register through UNL.
Catalog to Use
Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year in which they are first admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at UNL. In consultation with advisors, a student may choose to follow a subsequent catalog for any academic year in which they are admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at UNL in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year. Beginning in 1990-1991, the catalog which a student follows for degree requirements may not be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of Spanish will be able to:
- Produce advanced Spanish grammar/communication .
- Produce advanced Spanish stylistics appropriate to the context.
- Discuss complex literary and cultural expressions at a sophisticated level, producing, demonstrating, and defending definable arguments and critical thinking.
- Locate and make productive use of secondary sources, to frame an argument by means of an effective structure through proper research methodology.
Major Requirements
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites to Required Courses | ||
| Intensive Conversation and Intensive Writing | ||
or SPAN 220 | Intensive Spanish for the Professions | |
| Depending on placement and permission, students who begin Spanish courses at the 300 level are not required to take SPAN 203 and 204 or SPAN 220. | ||
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SPAN 303 | Advanced Reading and Conversation | 3-6 |
| or SPAN 304 | Advanced Writing and Conversation | |
| or SPAN 300A | Advanced Writing and Reading for Comprehension. Special Course for Heritage Speakers of Spanish | |
| SPAN 305 | The Analysis of Communication in Spanish | 3 |
| or SPAN 306 | Speaking Proficiency and Textual Analysis | |
| SPAN 317 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| SPAN 321 | Cultures of Spain | 3 |
| or SPAN 331 | War and Human Rights in Latin America | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 12-15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 12-15 | |
Specific Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Spanish or Spanish Studies Courses | ||
| Select two SPAN courses at the 300 level above SPAN 306. | 6 | |
| Select two SPAN courses at the 400 level. | 6 | |
| Select an additional course in a related area at the 300 or 400 level. Specific choices include: 1 | 3 | |
SPAN course above SPAN 306. | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of Native Latin America | ||
| The Ancient Maya | ||
| Mexican-American History | ||
| Colonial Mexico | ||
| Modern Mexico | ||
| Revolutions in Twentieth-Century Latin America | ||
| Latin America and Global Relations | ||
| Digital History | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Latin America | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy of Language | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Digital Media Production | ||
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 15 | |
| 1 | Special Topics and other 300- or 400-level courses when related to Spanish language, literature, and culture may be used by approval of the advisor. |
Minor Requirement
A minor is required and may be taken in any area.
Additional Major Requirements
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A grade of C or above is required for all courses in the major and minor.
Pass/No Pass
No course taken Pass/No Pass will be counted toward the major or minor.
Requirements for Minor Offered by Department
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select 12 hours of SPAN courses at the 300 or 400 level. 1 2 | 12 | |
| Credit Hours Subtotal: | 12 | |
| 1 | Only one of SPAN 303, SPAN 304, or SPAN 300A may be applied to the minor. |
| 2 | Only one of SPAN 305 or SPAN 306 may be applied to the minor. |
Grade Rules
C- and D Grades
A grade of C or above is required for all courses in the major and minor.
Pass/No Pass
No course taken Pass/No Pass will be counted toward the major or minor.
Description: Emphasis on development of comprehension of written and spoken Spanish; reading of simple texts dealing primarily with the Spanish-speaking world and with cultural and historical background of Spanish civilization; oral and aural drill supplemented by practice in pronunciation laboratory.
Description: Rapid course in the essentials of grammar followed by reading of varied types of literary and technical publications.
Description: Intensive and extensive reading of moderately difficult Spanish texts; thorough review of minimum essentials of Spanish grammar; conversational practice supplemented by drill in pronunciation laboratory.
Description: Focuses on the development of oral proficiency so that students may be able to express and discuss their ideas and experiences in clear, direct Spanish. Grammatical constructions and new vocabulary are presented and practiced mainly in conversation.
Description: Focuses on the achievement of communicative proficiency so that students learn to express their own ideas and experiences in a coherent manner. Special emphasis on thematic content, organizational skills, and self-editing.
Description: Intensive intermediate reading, writing and conversation.Emphasis on communication and professional interactions and on the language of professional communities, such as business, journalism and mass communication, health and medicine, law and government. Particular emphasis on cultural knowledge to increase chances of professional work related to the Hispanic community.
Description: Masterpieces of Spanish-American literature in translation. Selected texts to be announced in the schedule and course description booklet.
Description: Masterpieces of Spanish-American literature in translation. Selected texts to be announced in the schedule and course description booklet.
Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of the following: SPAN 300, SPAN 300A, SPAN 300B or SPAN 303/304.
Description: Introduction to literary texts and to the practice of reading and conversation for comprehension, interpretation and communication. Students write and present short summaries of texts selected from Spanish and Spanish-American Literary works.
Description: Analysis of oral, written and visual genres. Evaluation of contexts, regularities, conventions and forms. Acquisition of critical skills in the identification of basic ideological and formalistic issues within the genres being studied.
Description: Improvement of spoken Spanish and development of ability to understand and analyze a variety of written genres. Speaking in the context of a variety of academic, professional and interpersonal scenarios. Acquisition of analytical skills and refinement of grammar for academic reading and writing.
Prerequisites: SPAN 317 or equivalent
Description: Description of the Spanish sound system: articulatory and acoustic phonetics, variation, oral practice.
See instructor if you believe an equivalent course(s) may count for prerequisite.
Description: Cultural and linguistic adaptation (Spanish-English) of cultural artifacts such as movies, comics, songs, poetry, narrative prose, essays, etc. Particular emphasis will be put on developing literacy on software and digital tools.
Description: Language, literature, and civilization.
Prerequisites: Permission
Description: Special research project or reading program under the direction of a staff member in the department.
Prerequisites: Permission
Prerequisites: SPAN 317 or equivalent
Description: Comparative study of the structure of complex sentences in Spanish and English: Translation and composition.
Prerequisites: SPAN 317 or equivalent
Description: Theoretical and practical aspects of Spanish grammar.
Description: Development of spoken Spanish alongside analysis of grammar points known to be challenging for native speakers of English to acquire. Graduate level includes a review of pedagogical theory, research and methodology pertaining to classroom instruction of Spanish as a second language.
Description: Reading and study of nineteenth-century Spanish literature: drama, essay, novel, poetry, and short story. Such authors as Larra, Zorrilla, Duque de Rivas, Espronceda, Tamayo y Baus, Echegaray, Bécquer, Pérez Galdós, Clarín, and Valera.
Description: Masterpieces of the Spanish-American short story from its origins. Works of the twentieth century by authors such as Horacio Quiroga, Jorge Luis Borges, Maria Luisa Bombal, Juan Rulfo, Julio Cortazar, Rosario Castellanos, and Luisa Valenzuela.
Description: Examination of a variety of feminist Latin American texts including poetry, fiction, history, philosophy and political manifestos from a cultural and literary studies perspective. Consideration of pop culture and visual artists.
Prerequisites: Senior standing
Description: Theory and practice of translation in professional settings. Introduction to linguistic and cultural challenges of Spanish/English, English/Spanish translation.
Description: Shift from printed to digital texts and its implications for the humanities. Definitions of digital research, various theoretical and methodological approaches, and the consequences for the academy, publishers, classrooms, and libraries. Analysis of representative electronic projects related to Hispanic literature and culture. Design of a digital humanities research projects.
Description: Approximation to the linguistic and social diversity of Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. Examination of issues of linguistic contact, bilingualism, language ideologies, linguistic maintenance/shift, and linguistic policies from a sociolinguistic perspective.
Description: Introduction to the theoretical framework and classroom methodology for the teaching of Spanish to bilingual students who acquired the language at home. Exploration of differences between bilingual, monolingual, and second language acquisition of Spanish.
Description: Language, literature, and civilization.
Prerequisites: Permission.
PLEASE NOTE
This document represents a sample 4-year plan for degree completion with this major. Actual course selection and sequence may vary and should be discussed individually with your college or department academic advisor. Advisors also can help you plan other experiences to enrich your undergraduate education such as internships, education abroad, undergraduate research, learning communities, and service learning and community-based learning.
Spanish (B.A.)
Critical Milestones
- You must declare a required minor by this term.
- A minimum 2.00 GPA required for graduation.
- ***Total Credits Applying Toward 120 Total Hours***
- Complete 30 hours in residence at UNL
4. Complete 30 hours at the 300 or 400 level.
Career Information
The following represents a sample of the internships, jobs and graduate school programs that current students and recent graduates have reported.
Transferable Skills
- Analyze and interpret difficult texts
- Communicate clearly using different forms of writing to and for a variety of different audiences
- Gain global perspective and high levels of intercultural awareness
- Listen actively and facilitate individual and group communication
- Develop a strong awareness of self and others
- Compose convincing arguments and present logical information
- Contextualize political, social, and historical events
- Defend and discuss complex issues from multiple angles
- Examine problems from multiple perspectives
- Express ideas creatively
- More...
Jobs of Recent Graduates
- English Teacher, Covent Garden English School - Cordoba, Argentina
- ESL Language Teacher, Ministero de Educacion - Valencia
- Bilingual Receptionist, Catholic Social Services - Lincoln NE
- Account Executive, Empire, Inc. - Chicago IL
- Bridge Design Engineer I, South Dakota Dept. of Transportation - Pierre SD
- Auxiliar de Conversacion, Ministerio de Educacion - Almonte
- Event Manager, Events Etc. - Denver CO
- Sales Representative, Sandhills Publishing - Lincoln NE
- Account Manager, Omaha Marketing Solutions - Omaha NE
- Secondary Spanish Education Teacher, - Houston TX
Internships
- Office of International Affairs Intern, UNL International Affairs Office - Lincoln NE
- Nonprofit Executive Intern, El Centro de las Americas - Lincoln NE
- AmeriCorps Member, Lincoln Parks and Recreation - Lincoln NE
- Spring Intern, Nebraskans for Civic Reform - Lincoln NE
- Language Assistant Intern, Behlen Manufacturing - Columbus NE
- Correspondant, USA Today College - McLean VA
- IT and Technical Services Internship, Baer's Automotive Sales - Lincoln NE
- Peer Mentor Intern, UNL International Affairs Office - Lincoln NE
- Anatomy/Physiology Internship, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Lincoln NE
- First Husker Peer Mentor, First-Year Experience & Transition Programs - Lincoln NE
- More...