The major in Foreign Languages has four concentrations—French and Francophone Studies, German, Japanese, and Spanish—and leads to either the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.
Minors are offered in French, German, Spanish, and Japanese. Courses in Arabic, Chinese,
Hebrew, Italian, Kurdish, Latin, Portuguese, and Russian are available.
For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS tab above.
Interdisciplinary minors coordinated through the Department of World Languages, Literatures,
and Cultures include Classical Studies, Early Modern European Studies, Latin American
Studies, Linguistic Studies, and Portuguese Studies.
Students in Spanish can study abroad in Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, or Spain in a variety
of arrangements for a semester or a full year. Living with a host family allows immersion
in the culture and improvement in communication skills.
Students wishing to teach in elementary and secondary schools need to seek licensure
in a foreign language. This requires the equivalent of a major in that language (Spanish,
French, or German); FL4500 Introduction to Teaching a Foreign Language; and a minor
in Education.
Graduate students may pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T).
Professional Licensure Disclosure
The Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) College of Education’s teacher licensure preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and are eligible for accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Spanish with teacher licensure program at MTSU is designed to meet the licensure requirements set by the Tennessee Department of Education. Students should be aware that licensure requirements vary from state to state and are subject to change. MTSU has not made a determination whether a specific program will meet all of the requirements of another US state or territory. MTSU recommends that students who plan to seek licensure outside the state of Tennessee contact the appropriate licensing agency and discuss their plans with their advisor. To obtain current information about each state’s and territory’s licensure requirements and any additional regulations, students should consult the US Department of Education’s website for state contacts at https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html.
Graduates of MTSU teacher education programs certified to teach in Tennessee are eligible for certification reciprocity in many states. Reciprocity is not an automatic or complete transfer of certification, thus individuals should consult the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) site at https://www.tn.gov/education/licensing.html and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) site at https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Interstate as well as the US Department of Education state contacts site for information about any additional state requirements.
Spanish
SPAN 1010 - Elementary Spanish I
3 credit hours
A foundation course in reading, writing, speaking Spanish with an emphasis on conversation.
SPAN 1015 - Spanish for Concrete and Construction Management
3 credit hours
Introduces basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar with specific emphasis on facilitating communication, improving productivity, and promoting safety in the concrete and construction work environment. Cannot be used as prerequisite for SPAN 1020. Open only to majors and minors in Concrete Industry Management and Construction Management Technology.
SPAN 1020 - Elementary Spanish II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 1010 or advanced placement. A continuation of materials introduced in SPAN 1010.
SPAN 1035 - Introduction to Medical Spanish
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Two years of high school language or equivalent recommended. An online introduction to the linguistic and cultural skills needed to work with Spanish-speaking patients in a healthcare setting.
SPAN 1040 - Intensive Elementary Spanish
6 credit hours
A foundation course in reading, writing, speaking, and aural comprehension. SPAN 1040 counts as combined credit for SPAN 1010 and SPAN 1020.
SPAN 2010 - Intermediate Spanish I
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 1020, SPAN 1040, or advanced placement. A review of Spanish grammar with reading and oral exercises designed to improve the ability to understand the written and spoken language.
SPAN 2020 - Intermediate Spanish II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2010 or advanced placement. A continuation of SPAN 2010.
SPAN 2105 - Introduction to Latin American Studies
3 credit hours
(Same as PS 2105, SOC 2105, ART 2105, ANTH 2105, GEOG 2105.) A multidisciplinary, team-taught introduction to Latin America. Covers the cultures and societies of the region: pre-history, history, geography, politics, art, languages, and literatures. Required course for all Latin American Studies minors. Does not count for Spanish major or minor.
SPAN 3000 - Group Conversational Spanish
1 credit hour
Conducted entirely in Spanish by a native speaker and designed to improve students' ability to converse fluently. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 hours credit for the major; does not count for the minor. Pass/Fail.
SPAN 3010 - Advanced Spanish
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 or equivalent. Advanced-level practice in language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, including review of Spanish grammar. Native Spanish speakers should consult with instructors before enrolling.
SPAN 3015 - Contemporary Cuba
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Taught in Cuba. Explores Cuban life and culture through history, education, health, economics, politics, art, society, music, and language. Credit may not be applied toward the major or minor in Spanish but may be counted toward the minor in Latin American Studies.
SPAN 3020 - Advanced Spanish
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 or equivalent. Advanced-level practice in language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, including review of Spanish grammar. Native Spanish speakers should consult with instructors before enrolling.
SPAN 3030 - Business Spanish
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3010 or SPAN 3020 or equivalent. Native speakers should consult with instructor. The linguistic and cultural skills necessary to conduct business in a Spanish-speaking setting.
SPAN 3035 - Spanish for Medical Professions
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: SPAN 3010 and SPAN 3020 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. The linguistic and cultural skills to work with Spanish-speaking patients in a healthcare setting.
SPAN 3040 - Intensive Conversational Spanish
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: SPAN 3010 or SPAN 3020. Intensive conversation practice in simulated and real-life situations.
SPAN 3050 - Introduction to Hispanic Studies
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 or permission of instructor. Introduction to specialized study in three areas of Hispanic studies: language, culture, and literature.
SPAN 3060 - Introduction to Hispanic Culture
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 or permission of instructor. Peninsular Spanish culture focusing on the geography, history, social institutions, values, and beliefs.
SPAN 3070 - Introduction to Latin American Civilizations and Cultures
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3010 or permission of instructor. Historical and cultural overview of Latin America from its early pre-Columbian origins to this region's dynamic realities in the twenty-first century.
SPAN 3075 - Introduction to Mexican Cultures
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3020 or permission of instructor. Introduces various aspects of Mexican cultures, including pre-Colombian cultures, indigenous cultures, arts, literature, music, cinema, folklore, and regional artesanias (crafts). Additional focus on the process of the formation of a national identity and on contemporary political, economic, and cultural issues. Course conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 3080 - Introduction to Hispanic Literature
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3020 or permission of instructor. Acquaints students with a basic knowledge of literary criticism and theory through the study of representative works from both Spanish and Spanish-American literature.
SPAN 3085 - Daughters of the Diaspora: Black Women's Narrative in Hispanic Caribbean Literature
3 credit hours
Prerequisites: SPAN 3010 and SPAN 3020 or instructor permission. Explores literature written by Latin American women of African ancestry, with emphasis on the Caribbean and Latin America.
SPAN 3090 - Spanish and Power
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3010 or SPAN 3020 or permission of instructor. Explores the Spanish language as an instrument of political, economic, and social power over the past 2000 years, with emphasis on the modern period and current events.
SPAN 3120 - Spanish Phonetics and Pronunciation
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 or equivalent or instructor permission. A practical introduction to phonetic principles involved in achieving native-sounding Spanish pronunciation, including sounds, stress, intonation, and smooth speech styles. Native Spanish speakers or students with native-like Spanish pronunciation may not take this course for credit without instructor permission.
SPAN 3130 - Grammar and Composition
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3010, SPAN 3020, or permission of instructor. Review of major concepts of Spanish grammar and intensive practice of writing in Spanish.
SPAN 3140 - Introductory Spanish-English Translation
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: FL 3100, SPAN 3010, and SPAN 3020. Introduces Spanish translation through practical application of Spanish to English translation skills using audiovisual, literary, legal, information technology, localization, commercial, business, medical, scientific, and technical texts, among others.
SPAN 3200 - Spanish for the Tourism Industry
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3010 or SPAN 3020 or permission of instructor. Develops the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge needed to work in the Spanish-speaking tourism industry.
SPAN 3990 - Study Abroad
3 to 12 credit hours
Prerequisites: One to two years of language study depending on the program or approval of the instructor. Students will spend at least four weeks in a Spanish-speaking country studying Spanish language, literature, and culture. Students may earn credits in study abroad programs approved by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.
SPAN 4000 - Senior Workshop
1 credit hour
Prerequisite: One 4000-level SPAN course or permission of instructor. Explores career options for world language majors in the Spanish concentration and focuses on professional development. Should be taken during the last semester of study.
SPAN 4010 - History of the Spanish Language
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Traces the historical development of Spanish from Latin. Students also become familiar with the characteristics of Old Spanish.
SPAN 4015 - Advanced Spanish Grammar
3 credit hours
Prerequisite:SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. An in-depth study of problematic grammar structures.
SPAN 4020 - Spanish Literature I
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Spanish literature from its beginnings to 1700; emphasis on literary history, styles, and themes. Prose fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and drama included.
SPAN 4030 - Spanish Literature II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Spanish literature from the eighteenth century to the present.
SPAN 4040 - Latin American Literature I
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Latin American literature from pre-Columbian times through Romanticism. Prose fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and drama included.
SPAN 4045 - Topics in Hispanic Cinema
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. A cultural study of the peoples and societies of Latin America and Spain through film.
SPAN 4050 - Latin American Literature II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Major works of Latin American literature from the late nineteenth century to the present.
SPAN 4055 - Cervantes' Don Quixote
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Don Quixote in the social, historical, and cultural context of Spanish Renaissance literature.
SPAN 4060 - Special Topics in Hispanic Studies
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Topics selected from specialized fields of language, culture, or literature.
SPAN 4065 - Studies in Hispanic Popular Culture
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Context, critical analysis, and perspectives on contemporary culture studies and practices. Offers preparation for a better understanding of popular culture in Hispanic countries.
SPAN 4070 - Special Topics in Spanish Literature or Culture
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Topics selected from specialized areas of peninsular Spanish literature or culture.
SPAN 4080 - Theory and Practice of Spanish Drama
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Drama theory and participation in a theatrical production.
SPAN 4090 - Special Topics in Latin American Literature or Culture
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: SPAN 3080 or permission of instructor. Topics selected from specialized areas of Latin American literature or culture.
SPAN 4140 - Advanced Spanish-English Translation
3 credit hours
Offers extensive practice of both direct and inverse English-Spanish translation skills using a variety of advanced text types, including legal, administrative, digital, economic, financial, scientific, literary, and constrained translations, as well as an introduction to sight translation for interpreting.
SPAN 4150 - Special Topics in Spanish/English Translation and Interpreting
3 credit hours
Practical course in specialized Spanish/English translation or interpreting at the advanced level. Taught primarily in Spanish. Specific topic will be announced upon scheduling.
SPAN 4900 - Directed Readings in Spanish Literature and Culture
1 to 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: 15 hours of Spanish or permission of instructor. Individualized intensive reading in primary and secondary sources relating to a specific topic in Spanish literature or culture.
SPAN 4910 - Directed Readings in Latin American Literature and Culture
1 to 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: 15 hours of Spanish or permission of instructor. Individualized intensive reading in primary and secondary sources relating to a specific topic in Latin American literature or culture.
SPAN 4920 - Spanish for Reading Knowledge
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Graduate Studies or permission of the instructor. For graduate students seeking proficiency in reading Spanish for research purposes. Open to undergraduates seeking to prepare for graduate study. Will not count toward a major or minor in Spanish or the undergraduate foreign language requirement.
