Spanish, Major - Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts (Code 320-201)

University Requirements

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
Credit Requirements
Minimum total for graduation 1120
Upper division credits (courses numbered 300 and higher)39
Liberal Education Core36
Academic Concentrations
Grade Point Requirements 2
Total2.00 average
Resident2.00 average
Major2.00 average
Minor2.00 average
Certificate2.00 average
University Residency Requirements
Minimum total30
Senior year23
Major, Standard, upper division in residence12
Major, Comprehensive, upper division in residence21
Certificate25 percent of credits
Procedures Required for Graduation
Obtain admission to the degree program and/or the College offering it.
Apply for graduation on CampS.
1

Certain programs exceed this minimum.

2

See special requirements in each College.

Applicability of Credits Toward Graduation

Junior College or Two-Year College Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in a junior college or two-year college will be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire.

Extension Credits. Credits earned in credit outreach courses offered by UW-Eau Claire are treated as resident credits. Credits earned in extension courses offered by other units of the University of Wisconsin System are treated as transfer credits. All other (non-UW) extension and correspondence credits are normally limited to one-fourth of the total required for graduation from any curriculum.

WTCS Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in college parallel programs at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Nicolet Area Technical College, or Chippewa Valley Technical College may be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire. A set number of general education courses will be accepted from other technical schools. Occupational and technical courses may also be considered for transfer if the quality and content of the course work from the technical college is judged to be comparable to course work at UW-Eau Claire. Refer to the Transfer Credit Wizard or contact the UW-Eau Claire Admissions Office for information about the current transfer policy.

USAFI Credit. UW-Eau Claire will accept up to 32 semester credits for work done through the United States Armed Forces Institute, under the provision for non-UW correspondence credit (see Extension Credits above).

Activity Credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184 courses) Students may count toward graduation no more than one credit of KINS 110-184 courses. Students may count toward graduation no more than four credits earned in any single activity course and no more than 12 credits resulting from any combination of activity courses (excluding KINS 110-184 courses). 

Other Restricted Credits. For other University restrictions, see the following: Cooperative Education; Credit by Examination; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Registration; Transfer of Credits. College or departmental restrictions may also be placed on Independent Study (399-499 courses), Directed Study (395-495), and other types of credits.

APPLICABILITY OF CREDITS TOWARD GRADUATIONCredit Restrictions
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Total degree creditmaximum 12
Major, Standardmaximum 1 course
Major, Comprehensivemaximum 2 courses
Minormaximum 1 course
Credit by Examination
Total degree creditmaximum ¼ of total
Major or minormaximum ½ of total
Two-Year College Credits
Total degree creditmaximum 72 credits
Activity credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184)
Total KINS 100-184maximum 1 credit
Total Band, chorus, dramamaximum 12 credits
Single course band, chorus, dramamaximum 4 credits
Extension credits
UW-Systemno maximum
Other extension/correspondencemaximum ¼ of total
USAFI
USAFImaximum 32 credits

Liberal Education Core

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire measures learning outcomes to ensure that its graduates have achieved a liberal education and prepared themselves to contribute to a complex society. Upon graduation, each undergraduate will have met the five learning goals of our liberal education core and the 12 learning outcomes they comprise. 

LIBERAL EDUCATION CORE REQUIREMENTSa minimum of 36 credits
Knowledge Goal
Knowledge Outcome 1 (K1): Natural SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 2 (K2): Social SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 3 (K3): HumanitiesTwo (2) learning experiences
Knowledge Outcome 4 (K4): Fine ArtsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Goal
Skills Outcome 1 (S1): Written and Oral CommunicationTwo (2) learning experiences
Skills Outcome 2 (S2): MathematicsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Outcome 3 (S3): CreativityOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Goal
Responsibility Outcome 1 (R1): Equity, Diversity, and InclusivityTwo (2) learning experiences
Responsibility Outcome 2 (R2): Global PerspectivesOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Outcome 3 (R3): Civic and Environmental IssuesOne (1) learning experience
Integration Goal
Integration Outcome 1 (I1): IntegrationTwo (2) learning experiences
Service-Learning Goal
Service-Learning30 hours

College Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree (B.A./B.S.)

University Graduation Requirements. All candidates for degrees must fulfill the requirements for credits, curriculum, GPA, and University residency as specified in the section of this catalog titled University Graduation Requirements.

College Graduation Requirements: Grade Point Averages. All candidates for degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences must earn minimum resident and total GPAs of 2.00 in the major, the minor, and the certificate. The resident and total GPAs for the major are computed using all attempted credits applicable to the major including those offered by departments other than the major department. The resident and total GPAs for the minor and the certificate are computed similarly.

Major-Minor and Major-Certificate Requirements. A standard major (a minimum of 36 credits) must be supplemented by a minor (a minimum of 24 credits) or by a certificate (12 to 18 credits) to meet graduation requirements for completing a first and second degree program. No minor or certificate is required with a Comprehensive Major (60 or more credits) or with two majors of 36 or more credits each.

Certain degree programs, which include Comprehensive Majors, may require more than the minimum of 120 credits for graduation.

Acceptable academic program combinations are determined at the college level. A major and a minor or a major and certificate or two majors (if available) may not be elected in the same department or program, except in the approved combinations listed here.

College Credits. Earn at least 90 credits in courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in the College of Arts and Sciences (B.A.)

Fulfillment of all University Graduation Requirements (which includes the Liberal Education Core); all College-level degree requirements (major and minor/certificate emphases, GPAs, earning at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences course work); foreign language competency at the 102 level.  Foreign language competency may be met in one of two ways:  (1) Achieve a score on the foreign language placement test that qualifies the student to enter the 201-level course in a foreign language.  (2) Earn a grade of at least C (not C-) or a mark of S in a 102-level foreign language course (or AIS 112 or AIS 122 / LANG 122 or CSD 103).

Bachelor of Science Degree in the College of Arts and Sciences (B.S.)

Fulfillment of all University Graduation Requirements (which includes the Liberal Education Core); all College-level degree requirements (major and minor/certificate emphases, GPAs, earning at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences course work); mathematics competency at the MATH 111, MATH 112 or MATH 113 level.  Mathematics competency can be met in one of three ways:  (1) Achieve a score on the mathematics placement test that qualifies the student to enter MATH 114.  (2) Earn a grade of at least C (not C-) or a mark of S in MATH 111, MATH 112, or MATH 113.  (3) Achieve a satisfactory score on the MATH 112 competency test.  This test may be attempted no more than two times.

Major Requirements

Liberal Arts (Code 320-201)

Information for all Spanish Majors and Minors

All Spanish majors and minors in any of the emphases offered must complete an appropriate period of language immersion in residence in a country in which the language is spoken, or participate in an alternative language immersion experience that must be approved by the Spanish section. The minimum time period for meeting the residence/immersion requirement is six weeks; however, the Spanish section recommends that students spend at least one semester abroad.  

Students who pursue Spanish and Latin American and Latinx Studies liberal arts program combinations will need to earn at least 48 unique credits between any major-minor or major-certificate program combinations and 54 unique credits between any major-major program combinations for purposes of meeting graduation requirements for first and second degree programs.

All Spanish, Liberal Arts Majors will take a minimum of 36 credits beyond SPAN 102, or 28 credits beyond SPAN 202, including:
Core Courses:
SPAN 301Conversation and Composition I3
SPAN 302Conversation and Composition II3
SPAN 325Phonetics and Pronunciation3
SPAN 352Latin American Civilization3
or SPAN 354 Latin American Civilization: Regional Focus
SPAN 405Advanced Conversation3
In addition to the requirements above, this major requires:
One survey course:
SPAN 360Survey of Hispanic Linguistics3
SPAN 363Survey of Spanish Peninsular Literature3
SPAN/LAS 367Survey of Latin American Literature3
Two interest courses:
SPAN 340Spanish for Business3
SPAN 355Spanish Civilization to 19003
SPAN 356Contemporary Spain3
SPAN 410Advanced Grammar3
SPAN/LAS 418Spanish Sociolinguistics in Latin America/USA3
SPAN 420Spanish for Health Professions3
One advanced course from the following list:
SPAN 385Spanish Literature from Unamuno to Garcia Lorca3
SPAN 386Contemporary Spanish Literature3
SPAN 409The Craft of Translation3
SPAN/LAS 475Topics in Latin American Literature3
SPAN/LAS 476The Novel in Latin America I: 1850-19503
SPAN/LAS 477The Novel in Latin America II: 1950-Present3
SPAN/LAS 478Latin American Modernismo3
SPAN/LAS 480Latin American Literature and Film3
SPAN/WGSS 482Women in Latin American Literature3
SPAN 491Special Topics (when offered as a 3-credit advanced course)1-3
SPAN 492Seminar in Hispanic Linguistics Research3
One upper-division Spanish elective course (300 level or higher) from one to three credits
In addition, the student must take one course (minimum 3 credits) from the following list:
ARTH/AIS 335Ancient Art and Architecture of Mexico and Central America3
ARTH/AIS 337Art of Tawantinsuyo3
AIS/ANTH 161Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
CSD 311Language Development and Disorders: Related Disciplines3
ECON/LAS 356Economic Development of Latin America3
ENGL 321Topics in the Structure of English3
ENGL 397Writing Center Theory & Practice3
FLG 378Second Language Acquisition Theory3
GEOG/LAS 321Geography of Latin America3
HIST/LAS 172Latin American History: Colonial to the Present3
HIST/LAS 309Latin America Through Independence3
HIST/LAS 311Latin America Since Independence3
LAS 150Introduction to Latin American and Latinx Studies3
LAS 222Introduction to U.S. Latino History and Culture3
LAS 314Music and Dance of Latin America3
LAS 324Latinx Health and Migration to the U.S.3
MATH 107Mathematics in Latin American Cultures4
NRSG 389Cross Cultural Health3
PHIL 322Philosophy of Language3
POLS/LAS 319Politics of Latin America3
RELS/AIS 330Indigenous Religions of the Americas3
WGSS 422Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Advanced Travel Seminar (when offiered as Women in Nicaragua)1-6

The flexibility to choose from a variety of courses after those required in the core provides interested students with the opportunity to focus on Spanish for the professions, or Spanish linguistics if they so desire.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be expected to meet the following learning outcomes:

  • Engage in interpersonal communication on a variety of topics of a personal, public, and professional nature.
  • Understand and interpret written and spoken language and visual images on a variety of topics of a personal, public, and professional nature.
  • Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics of a personal, public, and professional nature.
  • Demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of practices, products and perspectives related to the target culture(s) in spoken, written, and visual forms.
  • Connect and integrate their language study with other disciplines and communities for academic and social purposes.
  • Use critical and creative thinking to evaluate and address issues in local and global contexts.

Sample Degree Plan

Spanish, Major - Liberal Arts, B.A.

The following is a sample degree plan, based on the 2023-2024 catalog. It is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year.

To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Liberal Education (LE) Core.  LE Core course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as LE-K1, LE-S2, LE-R3, and LE-I1 to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of their liberal education course work.  Please click here for a description of the Liberal Education Core outcomes and requirements.  Note that the LE Core may be completed through both course and non-course experiences.

Students in this major have the option to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.  The degrees are distinguished by foreign language competency for the B.A. and a higher level of mathematics competency for the B.S. 

FIRST YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SPAN 201Intermediate Spanish I (LE-S1 through placement; LE-R2)4
WRIT 114Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (LE-S1)5
OR
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (LE-S1)
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1L) Natural Sciences with Lab4
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities3
TOTAL16
SECOND SEMESTER
SPAN 202Intermediate Spanish II4
LE Option: Skills 2 (LE-S2) Mathematics a4
Intro to US Latino History & Culture (LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities, LE Option: Responsibility 1 (LE-R1, DDIV) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity with Design for Diversity) b3
LE Option: Knowledge 2 (LE-K2) Social Sciences3
TOTAL14
SECOND YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SPAN 301Conversation and Composition I3
LE Option: Knowledge 2 (LE-K2) Social Sciences3
LAS Requirement - see course suggestions c3
LE Option: Knowledge 4 (LE-K4) Fine Arts d3
LE Option: Skills 3 (LE-S3) Creativity3
TOTAL15
SECOND SEMESTER
SPAN 302Conversation and Composition II3
SPAN 354Latin American Civilization: Regional Focus3
SPAN 405Advanced Conversation3
POLS 319Politics of Latin America3
Integrative Learning for study abroad experience e
TOTAL12
THIRD YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SPAN 325Phonetics and Pronunciation3
LE Option: Responsibility 3 (LE-R3) Civic and Environmental Issues3
SPAN 363Survey of Spanish Peninsular Literature3
OR
Survey of Latin American Literature
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1) Natural Sciences3
Cert, Minor or Elective courses6
TOTAL18
SECOND SEMESTER
SPAN 356Contemporary Spain3
OR
Survey of Hispanic Linguistics
LE Option: Responsibility 1 (LE-R1) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity3
LE Option: Integration (LE-I1) (LAS/GEOG 321)3
Cert, Minor or Elective courses f6
TOTAL15
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SPAN 340Spanish for Business3
Cert, Minor or Elective course3
Cert, Minor or Elective course3
Electives f6
TOTAL15
SECOND SEMESTER
400-level SPAN course required for major3
SPAN Elective3
Electives9
TOTAL15

Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits

a

Suggested LAS Elective:  MATH 107 Mathematics in Latin American Cultures (offered in Spring).

b

LAS 222 is suggested as it fulfills K3, R1 and DD. 

c

In addition, the student must take one course from the following list: ARTH 335/AIS 335, ARTH 337/AIS 337, AIS 161/ANTH 161, CSD 311, ECON 356/LAS 356, ENGL 321, ENGL 397, GEOG 321/LAS 321, HIST 309/LAS 309, HIST 311/LAS 311, LAS 150, LAS 222, LAS 314, MATH 107, NRSG 389, PHIL 322, POLS 319/LAS 319, RELS 330/AIS 330, or WGSS 422 (when offered as Women in Nicaragua).

d

Suggested Fine Arts electives: ARTH 335/AIS 335 or ARTH 337/AIS 337.

e

Study abroad experience can count for IL experience if student chooses to do so. Students must opt in prior to study abroad. LE designation cannot be applied retroactively.

f

Electives need to be carefully selected to ensure that a student’s degree comprises at least 39 credits of upper division courses (300-400 level). While students are encouraged to take additional courses in Spanish, electives can be selected from any discipline as long as the student meets the course prerequisites.

Note:  All students must complete the 30-hour Service-Learning Requirement via a non-credit or credit option (see University Graduation Requirements).

 

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Students who pursue Spanish and Latin American Studies liberal arts program combinations will need to earn at least 48 unique credits between any major-minor or major-certificate program combinations and 54 unique credits between any major-major program combinations for purposes of meeting graduation requirements for first and second degree programs. 
The flexibility in the Spanish Major to choose from a variety of courses after those required in the core provides interested students with the opportunity to focus on Spanish for the professions, or Spanish linguistics if they so desire.
All Spanish majors and minors in any of the emphases offered must complete an appropriate period of language immersion in residence in a country in which the language is spoken, or participate in an alternative language immersion experience that must be approved by the Spanish section. The minimum time period for meeting the residence/immersion requirement is six weeks; however, the Spanish section recommends that students spend at least one semester abroad.   

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs) 
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study Abroad, Intercultural Immersion, Internship, and/or  Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.
For language-specific study abroad opportunities, see above and also faculty advisor, ARCC advisor, and the Center for International Education.

Liberal Education (LE) Core Guidance

Liberal Education Core (LE Core) 

The LE Core comprises 17 learning experiences across 11 learning outcomes. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in courses approved for the LE Core. 

  • K1 – Natural Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K2 – Social Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K3 – Humanities; two experiences. 

  • K4 – Fine Arts; one experience. 

  • S1 – Written and Oral Communication; two experiences (one experience must satisfy the University writing requirement). 

  • S2 – Mathematics; one experience (must satisfy the University math competency requirement). 

  • S3 – Creativity; one experience (can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • R1 – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity; two experiences (one experience must meet the UW System Design for Diversity (DD) requirement). 

  • R2 – Global Perspectives; one experience. 

  • R3 – Civic and Environmental Issues; one experience. 

  • I1 – Integration; two experiences (one experience can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • SL—Service Learning; 30 hours 

Additional LE Core Information 

  • Most LE Core learning experiences are course based, and many courses meet more than one learning outcome (e.g., K3 and R2 or K1 and R3). 

  • Some learning experiences can also be met outside of a traditional course (e.g., undergraduate research (S3), study abroad (I1)). 

  • S1 – An English placement score that fulfills the University writing requirement fulfills one S1 experience. 

  • S1 – A foreign Language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 102 level satisfies one S1 experience. 

  • S1, R2 – A foreign language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 202 level satisfies one experience in S1 and the R2 experience. 

  • S2 – A math placement score that qualifies the student to enter Math 111, 112, 113 or 114 fulfills the S2 experience. 

  • S3 – Completion of two credits from any approved music ensemble fulfills the S3 experience. 

  • I1 – Any semester long study abroad program can fulfill one I1 experience.