Spanish Literature, Culture and Translation - B.A. Download to print

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature, Culture and Translation explore the rich diversity of Spanish cultures, develop written and oral skills in the Spanish language and increase their understanding of the cultures and history of Spain and Latin America through the analysis of literary and nonliterary texts. Additionally, students are introduced to basic skills and theory of translating short texts from Spanish to English.

In the age of globalization, proficiency in the Spanish language and awareness of aspects of Hispanic cultures are valuable assets, both internationally and domestically, in many majors and careers, including international relations, international business, journalism and mass communication, health care, government, education, justice studies, law, service industries and travel and tourism. Students majoring in Spanish are encouraged to add a second major, minor or certificate related to one of these career areas. Graduates with linguistic and cultural proficiency in Spanish may be prepared to work abroad in Spain, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Domestically, more than 50 million Hispanics or Latinos, 16% of the total U.S. population, reside in the U.S( U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Data).

General Admissions for Freshman Students: Admission Requirements at the Kent Campus: The freshman admission policy at the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon the following: cumulative grade point average, ACT and/or SAT scores, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends.

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago. For more information on admissions, visit the admissions website for new freshmen.
 

For more information about admission criteria for transfer, transitioning and former students, please visit the admissions website.

Minimum 120 total credit hours and 42 upper-division credit hours. Minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA and 2.000 major GPA.

All Spanish Literature, Culture and Translation majors must take the American Council on the the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview, ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test and the Spanish Outcomes Assessment Test, prior to being cleared for graduation. Information about the exams can be found on the ACTFL Website and the Language Testing International (LTI) website, the exclusive licensee of ACTFL. B.A. in Spanish Literature, Culture and Translation candidates should consult with their designated Spanish faculty advisor for more information on arranging to take the proficiency exams.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Perform tasks at Intermediate High and Advanced Low levels of proficiency as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. Proficiency, in ACTFL terms, is understood to describe a range of qualities rather than an absolute norm and will vary according to task type, language function, topic, skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing), and so forth.
2. Contribute to most informal and some formal conversations with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion. They will for the most part be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
3. Vary the register (formality level) of their speech.
4. Talk about personal interests, topics of general interest, literature and culture, and so forth in the target language
5. Listen to extended discourse on a variety of topics and understand main ideas and most details.
6. Read texts written for native speakers and not edited or adapted for students. They will read a wide variety of text types such as poems, plays, novels, magazine articles, newspaper articles, brochures, pamphlets, menus, letters written for native speakers of Spanish.
7. Compose routine social correspondence, take notes, write cohesive summaries and resumes, as well as narratives and descriptions of a factual nature in the target language. Additionally, they will be able to complete course-related writing tasks such as essays and term papers in the target language. They will be able to defend a thesis statement and make stylistic decisions based on the needs of specific audiences and on specific writing purposes.
8. Demonstrate a historical knowledge of Spanish history and culture and understand the diverse nature of culture throughout the ages.
9. Discuss cultural differences, distinguishing between fact, opinion and stereotypes.
10. Learn to recognize and esteem diversity as they gain the skills necessary for sensitive, effective interpersonal and intercultural interaction.
11. Learn to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups and to esteem diversity as they gain the skills necessary for sensitive, effective interpersonal and intercultural communication. Additionally, in learning to recognize and accept cultural differences, graduates will be able to maintain an ongoing assessment of their own cultural values and behaviors. A successful program will instill in our students a lifetime commitment and desire to continue learning about languages, literatures, and cultures different from their own.