Spanish Major

The Spanish program studies the language, linguistics, literature, culture, and civilization of Spain, Spanish America, and the Spanish-speaking areas of the U.S. As part of the Spanish program, students at all levels may study abroad in Spain, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries. Please see a faculty member in Spanish for more information about opportunities to include study abroad as part of your major.

Admission and Grade Requirements:

To be admitted to major status in Spanish, students must have an overall GPA of C+ (2.3). The cumulative GPA in all Spanish courses applied to the CU Denver Spanish major must be a 2.5. The minimum grade that can be credited toward any course (SPAN or otherwise) applied to the major is C- (1.7) No course taken on a pass/fail basis may be credited toward a major in Spanish. Upon declaring a major in Spanish, each student will be assigned to a faculty advisor, with whom the student should consult at least once per semester thereafter. The student may be called upon to meet with the full-time faculty in Spanish jointly, as well, for assessment and advising. It is especially important that Spanish Language majors have their transcripts reviewed by a departmental advisor before enrolling in their final 30 credit hours at UC Denver. Failure to do so may result in a delay of graduation. Students presenting four years of high school Spanish (Level IV) for admission must see a Spanish advisor before enrolling in courses for the major. Students with Advanced Placement credits from high school should see a Spanish advisor about course equivalencies.

Requirements for the Spanish Major:

Students majoring in Spanish for the BA degree must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of upper division courses (courses numbered 3000 or higher) in Spanish, at least 12 of which must be at the 4000 level. Up to six elective hours may come from courses in related fields outside the curriculum in Spanish.

Students may choose from three different Spanish major tracks:

The Language, Literature and Culture (LLC) Track A focuses on the linguistic and cultural elements of Spanish as a world language. Students take courses in language skills, linguistics, literature, language for the professions, culture and have elective options in related fields. This is the recommended track for those whose primary interest is the Spanish language and its associated cultures, double majors, future teachers or those considering graduate work in Spanish.

The International Language and Culture for the Professions (ILCP) Track B combines Spanish courses with Business and professional courses for students seeking to gain skills in both of these areas of study. This option offers exciting career possibilities, both in government and private industry, at home and abroad. Students who follow this course of study could also qualify as teachers of general business subjects in bilingual as well as traditional school systems. Interested students should contact their Spanish Advisor in the Department of Modern Languages to declare the major. This should be done as early as possible in the student’s academic career but no later than the second semester of the sophomore year. To graduate, students must meet all CU Denver campus requirements for graduation and should consult with their CLAS (College of Liberal Arts & Sciences) advisor for details about this.

The Spanish Major with Secondary Foreign Teacher Licensure- Track C allows student to complete both a Spanish major and the necessary Education courses to be licensed in teaching Spanish at the secondary level upon graduation. This is for students who seek to begin a teaching career immediately upon graduation. This licensure program requires admission to the competitive UCTE program in the School of Education and Human Development. The major tracks are outlined on the following pages. Students with questions should consult a major advisor in Spanish.

Outcomes Assessment:

During their final semester, graduating seniors must participate in an Oral Proficiency Interview and a Written Outcomes Assessment with their major advisor. The written assessment may be fulfilled by submitting a previously written paper in Spanish to your advisor. Students must contact a departmental advisor to schedule their language proficiency test.

Residency Requirement:

A minimum of 18 semester hours of course work leading to a UC Denver major in Spanish must be taken from UC Denver Spanish faculty located at the downtown Denver campus. Courses taken at other institutions while a student is enrolled at UC Denver may be applied to the major only with departmental approval before enrollment in those courses.

Additional Details for the Spanish Major Requirements

2024-2025 Academic Catalog