Spanish, Bachelor of Arts
College: College of Liberal Arts
Department: Languages and Literature
Student Type: Traditional Undergraduate
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Campus: Both Lisle Campus and Mesa Campus
The faculty members who teach in the Spanish program firmly believes that, for the person who possesses the ability to communicate in another language and who shows sensitivity toward and understanding of other cultures, the world will have fewer boundaries. The development of language skills and cultural understanding and sensitivity will stimulate students’ intellectual and personal growth and broaden their perspective, thus enabling them to become responsible citizens and leaders in the world community.
The faculty subscribes to the proficiency guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and uses them as a basis for instruction.
Courses in Spanish are designed to enable students to:
- Initiate and progressively develop skills in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural understanding;
- Recognize the close relationship between language and culture, enabling them to become culturally sensitive to non-English speaking peoples and societies;
- Be able to use specialized terminology from a variety of professional fields, including health care, business and finance, translation and interpretation, and law and law enforcement; and
- Broaden their career opportunities and marketability in an increasingly globalized and interdependent world.
Requirements – Bachelor of Arts in Spanish
A Spanish major must complete at least 36 semester credit hours from among Spanish courses numbered 2201 or above, all with a grade of "C" or better. The 36 semester credit hours (typically 12 classes) must include all of the following courses or equivalents:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 2201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| SPAN 2202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| SPAN 2211 | Intermediate Grammar and Composition | 3 |
| SPAN 2212 | Intermediate Oral Communications 1 | 3 |
| SPAN 2221 | Introduction to Hispanic Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 2230 | Spanish Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| SPAN 3231 | Latin American Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| SPAN 3310 | Advanced Hispanic Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 4311 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| SPAN 4312 | Advanced Oral Communications | 3 |
| Two additional elective classes at or above the 3000 level 2 | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Heritage speakers—students who grew up in a Spanish-speaking home—should not take SPAN 2212 Intermediate Oral Communications but seek departmental advice and approval for an alternative course above SPAN 2212 Intermediate Oral Communications.
- 2
In order to satisfy the 36-semester-credit-hour graduation requirement, Spanish majors must also take two additional elective classes at or above the 3000 level, which will typically be taken as part of their study abroad experience and/or an internship.
Spanish majors are required to participate in a study abroad experience in a Spanish-speaking country, but in some extraordinary circumstances, a waiver of this requirement may be requested from the chair of the Department of Languages and Literature. In place of studying abroad, students who are granted a waiver may be required to participate in an internship (earning a minimum of 3 semester credit hours) with a service agency, educational institution or company where Spanish is used extensively.
Spanish majors must demonstrate Intermediate-High level proficiency or higher in spoken Spanish according to the 2012 ACTFL proficiency guidelines. It is highly recommended that students take the oral proficiency exam immediately after the study abroad experience, but they should at a minimum arrange to take the oral proficiency exam during the semester prior to the semester in which they plan to graduate. This ACTFL oral proficiency exam is administered online for a modest fee. After taking the test, students receive a nationally-recognized certificate of their oral Spanish proficiency from ACTFL. For information on the ACTFL online test, contact Dr. Zubair Amir at (630) 829-6256 or zamir@ben.edu. The ACTFL oral proficiency interview may be repeated for an additional fee until the required level of proficiency is demonstrated.
Students are encouraged to combine the Spanish major with a major or minor in another discipline such as international business and economics, psychology, criminology, political science, pre-law, health sciences, or social work.
External Credit Information
For information on external credit awards for language courses visit the External Credit section of the catalog.
Students in the Languages Programs (Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish) will achieve the following student learning outcomes (SLO):
Student Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate proficiency in all four skills of the target language at the intermediate level as defined by ACTFL (low, mid, high). The appropriate intermediate level will vary depending on the language studied and whether the student is a major or a minor in the language.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 3. Communication Skills; 6. Global Awareness and Cultural Competence
Student Learning Outcome 2: Recognize key aspects of target culture.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills, and 6. Global Awareness and Cultural Competence
Student Learning Outcome 3: Demonstrate knowledge of the target civilization, including its geography, history, art, literature, diversity (e.g. linguistic, ethnic, religious), and current political issues and their international ramifications
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills, 3. Analytical Skills; 6. Global Awareness and Cultural Competence
Student Learning Outcome 4: Display cultural competence in both formal and informal contexts in target culture(s).
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 3. Communication Skills, 6. Global Awareness and Cultural Competence; 9. Personal Development