Spanish (Major)
The Spanish program offers a major and supplementary major, as well as various forms of specialization in conjunction with other fields of study, such as international economics/Spanish and the Romance Languages Major.
Program in Iberian and Latin American Studies
All majors in Spanish are required to take core courses consisting of ROSP 30310 (Introduction to Hispanic Literature and Cultures) and 3 courses in advanced literature and culture (numbered 30710 and above). AP credit may not be applied toward the major.
Interdisciplinary Minors
Spanish majors are encouraged to pursue allied courses offered through other interdisciplinary minors. Spanish courses offer a particularly appropriate complement to the Latino Studies and European Studies programs. Majors may also apply one senior-level ROPO course in Luso-Brazilian culture and literature toward their elective credits.
The major in Spanish requires 10 courses that total at least 30 credits beginning at 20202 or above, including the required core courses described above, two 40000-level courses, and the Senior Seminar. Equivalent literature and culture courses from international study abroad programs or other universities may be substituted with departmental approval. Fifty percent of the credits for the major must be taken in residence at Notre Dame. AP credit may not be applied toward the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ROSP 30310 | Introduction to Hispanic Literature and Cultures | 3 |
| Three Core Advanced Literature and Culture Courses (ROSP 30170 or Higher) | 9 | |
| 6 Credits in ROSP 20202 or Higher | 6 | |
| Approved Advanced Elective (1 course) | 3 | |
| 2 Courses in ROSP 40000 or Higher | 6 | |
| ROSP 53000 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Students are allowed to take one related course in English outside of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures (for example, Colonial Latin American History, taken in the History Department) or one course in Spanish outside of the discipline of literature and culture (for example, a theology course taken in Spanish in a study abroad program), with the approval of the DUS or Associate DUS in Spanish.
Senior Thesis
We encourage all majors to write a thesis. During your senior year, you will register in the FALL for the Senior Seminar (ROSP 53000), conducted in the target language, and during this time you will choose your thesis topic and begin to develop the thesis. In the spring semester, you will register for the independent study course designated as senior thesis in order to complete your thesis under the direction of your supervising professor. The senior thesis is completed in addition to the 10 courses totaling at least 30 credits for the major.
What is the senior thesis?
The senior thesis is a written capstone project that typically involves a significant research component, but the emphasis is still on original thought. Regardless of the nature of the project, the senior thesis might best be viewed as an extended essay. In formulating, researching, and writing the thesis, students majoring in Spanish will work one-on-one with a thesis director.
Your thesis will be a written document of approximately 40 pages in length. The thesis may be written in English or Spanish. Students planning to write a senior or honors thesis for their Spanish major must:
- Communicate their interest in writing a senior thesis by October 15th of the student’s senior year
- Complete at least an outline and a bibliography for the project during the fall semester while taking the Senior Seminar; for many students the paper required for completion of the Senior Seminar will form part of the final thesis
- The second semester of the senior year must be devoted to completing the writing or the project work, and a full draft of the thesis or project must be submitted to the advisor by March 15th
- The final, complete version of the thesis or project must be submitted by April 12th. Students should submit one copy to their faculty thesis advisor and one electronic and one hard copy to the department.
The Honors Track in Spanish
The honors track major consists of the general requirements for the major (10 courses that total at least 30 credits) plus an 11th course which may be completed in one of two ways. First, after taking the Senior Seminar (ROSP 53000) the student may take a semester-long Honors Thesis tutorial (ROSP 58000) in the spring as the 11th course, completing an honors thesis under faculty direction. Or, second, the student may take an 11th course at the graduate level, in which they must complete a substantial research paper and receive a grade of A– or higher to graduate with honors.
To be eligible for the honors track, students must be full majors with a minimum GPA of 3.7 in Spanish and have taken at least seven courses toward the major. Interested students should contact the DUS or Associate DUS in Spanish by October 15th of their senior year.
The Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Spanish
The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures offers its majors in Spanish the opportunity to participate in its graduate program through a combination B.A./M.A. degree in Spanish. This accelerated program requires students to take 30 credit hours 20202 and above during the normal four-year undergraduate period, followed by a total of 30 credit hours of graduate courses taken during the fourth and fifth years of residence. Six credit hours can be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. During their senior year, participants in this program take two graduate courses, applying to the Graduate School for admission during the spring semester. During their fifth year, B.A./M.A. students are eligible for a teaching fellowship, which includes a tuition waiver and a generous teaching stipend. Students should have a strong academic record and should have made substantial progress toward their Spanish major by the second semester of their junior year. It is imperative that students interested in this program contact the director of Graduate Studies and/or the graduate coordinator in Spanish at the beginning of their junior year.