Mar 29, 2024  
Undergraduate Record 2012-2013 
    
Undergraduate Record 2012-2013 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese Languages and Literatures


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Spanish


Prerequisites for Majoring in Spanish


In order to declare a major in Spanish, a student must have completed SPAN 3010 Grammar Review or the equivalent, with a grade of C or better. A C- is insufficient. Students must complete SPAN 3010 at the University of Virginia or through a study abroad program recommended, not merely approved, by the department (see below for distinction). 

Students who have scored a 4 on the Spanish Language AP exam will proceed directly to SPAN 3010.  Students who have scored 5 on the Spanish Language AP exam may not take SPAN 3010 for credit.  They must proceed to any course for which SPAN 3010 is a prerequisite.

Native speakers of Spanish must consult the Director of the Undergraduate Program before taking any Spanish courses in order to determine how best to proceed.

Requirements for the Major in Spanish


The Spanish major consists of thirty credits completed above SPAN 3010 with a grade of C or better. Courses in which a student receives a C- or less will not count toward the major. As in the case of any major in the College of Arts and Sciences only courses taken for a grade will count for the major.

When declaring the Spanish major, all students are required to choose one of the three concentrations described below (the General Concentration, the Literature and Culture Concentration, and the Linguistics and Philology Concentration) to give structure to their Spanish studies.

Students are expected to take courses in the sequence indicated below for each concentration. Students are reminded that they may not count the same Spanish course twice for the fulfillment of the Spanish major. For example: If a student takes SPAN 4700, Spanish Culture and Civilization to fulfill the major requirement for one Culture and Civilization course, they may not also count that same course as one of the “Four courses at the 4000 level.” The Spanish major is 10 different courses (30 credits). Spanish majors may not take a survey course (3400s) during their fourth year, unless: 1) they are on the Linguistics and Philology track; or 2) they began upper level Spanish study late enough that it would have been impossible to have taken the survey course any earlier.

Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the Spanish Literature AP exam may not take SPAN 3300 for credit, and may proceed to any course for which either SPAN 3010 or SPAN 3300 is a pre-requisite. Students who are placed out of SPAN 3300 must still earn 30 credits of upper-division Spanish to complete the major, substituting another literature course for SPAN 3300. Students who place out of SPAN 3010 and/or 3300 must provide the department with proof of placement (e.g. copy of AP scores).

All students who place themselves incorrectly may lose credit for the courses in which they enroll without departmental permission. Only one conversation course may be counted toward the major. Native speakers of Spanish may not enroll in conversation courses.    

It is expected, but not required, that all Spanish majors will complete at least a summer of study-abroad. All are highly encouraged to study abroad for a semester or a year. The department distinguishes between “recommended” study-abroad programs and “approved” study-abroad programs.

The recommended programs are UVA in Valencia, UVA in Peru, and UVA in Costa Rica. Consult the Director of the Undergraduate Programs for an up-to-date list of approved programs. Students who wish to study in a program that does not appear on this list must go through the petition process administered by the International Studies Office and provide a compelling academic reason for studying in a non-approved program. Students who study in a recommended program may count up to 15 credits per semester of study abroad or 24 credits per year of study abroad toward their Spanish major. Students who study in an approved program in Spain or Latin America may count up to 9 credits for a semester of study abroad or 15 credits for a year of study abroad toward their Spanish major. Two non-consecutive semesters of study abroad will be treated as a continuous year abroad for the purpose of transferring credit toward the major or minor, as will any combination of a semester abroad with a summer term.

General Spanish Major


One prerequisite and 10 additional courses.

Four courses at the 4000-level.


At least two of these must be in literature.

SPAN 4040 may count as a literature or as a language course.

3300 must be taken at the University of Virginia or through a recommended study abroad program.

Taking one survey course is a prerequisite for taking any 4000-level course in literature and culture.  Ideally a major will take both survey courses before advancing to the 4000-level courses in literature and culture. At least one survey must be taken at the University of Virginia or through a recommended study abroad program. Please note that Spanish majors may not take literature survey courses during their fourth year.

Note that only one conversation course will count for the major.

Major in Literature and Culture


One prerequisite and 10 additional courses.

Six 4000-level Literature and Culture courses.


At least three of these must be in literature.

3300 must be taken at the University of Virginia or through a recommended study abroad program. SPAN 4040 may count as a literature course.

Taking one survey course is a prerequisite for taking any 4000-level course in literature and culture. At least one survey must be taken at the University of Virginia or through a recommended study abroad program. Ideally a major will take both survey courses before advancing to the 4000 level courses in literature and culture. Please note that Spanish majors may not take literature survey courses during their fouth year.

Major in Spanish Linguistics and Philology


One prerequisite and 10 additional courses.

Study Abroad


All students wishing to earn SPAN credit for work done abroad must have this credit approved by the Spanish program. Students wishing to study in Spain for major credit must enroll in a program recommended or approved by the department.

The department distinguishes between recommended study-abroad programs and approved programs. The recommended programs are UVA in Valencia, UVA in Peru, and UVA in Costa Rica. Consult the Director of Undergraduate Programs for an up-to-date list of approved programs. Students who wish to study in a program that does not appear on this list must go through the petition process run by the International Studies Office, and provide a compelling academic reason for studying in a non-approved program.

For information about how to count study-abroad credit toward the major in Spanish, please consult the sections on the major above.

Business Spanish Minor


One prerequisite and 6 additional courses (18 credits).

Prerequisite:   SPAN 3010 – Grammar Review Credits: 3 (Must be completed before declaring the major).

1. 3300-Texts and Interpretation (Charlottesville & Valencia)
2. 3040-Business Spanish (Charlottesville & Valencia)
3. 4040-Translation from Spanish to English (Charlottesville & Valencia)
4. 4050-Business Practices in the Spanish Speaking World (Valencia)
5. One of the following:
     a. 4710-Latin American Culture & Civilization (Charlottesville & Valencia)
     b. 4700-Spanish Culture & Civilization (Charlottesville & Valencia)
6. One of the following:
    a. 4705-Spanish Mass Media (Valencia)
    b. 4713-Spanish Economy (Valencia)

Additional Information

For more information, contact Fernando Operé, Professor of Spanish, 115 Wilson Hall, P.O. Box 400777, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4777; (434) 924-7159; www.virginia.edu/span-ital-port.

Independent Study


Independent study with a faculty advisor is available to advanced students who wish to pursue specific areas in depth that are not included in the regular curriculum. All of these courses are taught in Spanish. For an independent study course to count for the Spanish major it must be taken for a grade.

Distinguished Majors Program


Spanish majors of exceptional ability and dedication are encouraged to enroll in the Distinguished Major Program.  Like other Spanish majors, the DMPs are required to take ten courses (30 credits) at the 3000-level or above. However, three of these courses must be 4000-level seminars or, with the approval of the DMP Coordinator, 5000-level courses.

In the fall semester of their 4th year, DMP’s enroll in the DMP Colloquium (a 3-credit credit/no credit course), meeting regularly with the Coordinator to discuss research strategies and set intermediate goals. In the second semester of their 4th year, DMPs meet regularly with a faculty adviser to receive guidance on advanced research techniques, critical thinking skills, and effective writing strategies. DMPs receive 3 additional credits upon the successful completion of a thesis. At the end of this year they present their research results to faculty, graduate students, and invited guests. A departmental committee determines different levels of distinction (Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction), based on the quality of the student’s thesis, the student’s overall work in the major field of study, and the student’s overall college record (minimum GPA of 3.4).

Language Requirement


SPAN 1010 and 1020 are courses reserved exclusively for students who present no entrance credits in the language. Students who enter with two or more entrance credits and who wish to continue in Spanish will be placed according to scores obtained on the College Entrance Examination Board SAT II tests, the AP Exam, or the UVa Spanish placement exam. The sequence of courses, depending on the level at which the student begins, is as follows: SPAN 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020; or SPAN 1060, 2010, 2020; or SPAN 2010, 2020; or SPAN 2020. The sequence must be followed to complete the language requirement. Students who place themselves incorrectly will not receive credit for the courses in which they enroll without permission.

Five-year Teacher Education Program


Students wishing to enroll in the five-year B.A./M.T. Teacher Education Program should contact Professor Ruth Ferree in the Curry School of Education or Professor David T. Gies, the program advisor in Spanish. The five-year program leads toward teaching certification and has special requirements, including a mandatory study abroad and diagnostic and evaluative proficiency exams in Spanish.

Major in Latin-American Studies


For major and minor requirements see the section on Latin American Studies.

Additional Information


For more information, contact the Department of Spanish, 115 Wilson Hall, P.O. Box 400777, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4777; (434) 924-7159; www.virginia.edu/span-ital-port.

Transfer Credit


With approval from the Department, a student who transfers to UVA from another college or university may apply up to 12 credit hours for the major requirements and up to 6 credit hours for the minor requirements.

Italian


Prerequisites for Majoring in Italian Studies


There are no pre-requisites for the Italian Studies major.  Students may declare the major and begin to take courses to fulfill it before they have completed the ITAL 2020 language requirement.  These initial courses will likely be those taught in English on Italian topics (Group B and C).  Before beginning the major’s core language courses (Group A), students must complete ITAL 2020 or the equivalent, with a grade of C or better. Native speakers of Italian must consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before taking any Italian courses in order to determine how best to proceed.

Requirements for Major in Italian Studies


The Italian studies major consists of 30 credits completed at the 2000, 3000 or 4000-level with a grade of C or better. Courses in which a student receives a C- or less will not count toward the major. The combination of 10 courses is constituted as follows:

Group A: Core Italian Language Courses


All courses required; ITAL 2020 or equivalent required before enrolling in Group A Core Language Courses; 3010 and 3020 may be taken in any order; 3030 requires previous or concurrent enrollment in either 3010 or 3020.

Group B: Italian Literary, Film, and Cultural Studies


Required: 5 courses, divided between ITAL (taught in Italian, min. 2, max. 5) and ITTR (taught in English, min. 0, max. 3); enrollment in ITAL courses requires previous or concurrent enrollment in ITAL 3010 or ITAL 3020.

Courses taught in Italian include:

Group C: Italian Studies in Wider Context


Required: 2 courses taken in disciplines/depts. outside ITAL and ITTR, provided course has strong Italian component. These courses will enhance understanding of cultural and historical achievements in Italian. Departments offering these types of classes include: Architectural History, Art History, Classics, Drama, History, Linguistics, Music, and Politics.  Most courses offered at UVa in Siena and UVa in Florence also apply. Students are encouraged to seek out courses that have a strong Italian component and present them for approval, if they are not listed below.

Requirements for Minor in Italian Studies


The Italian Studies minor consists of 18 credits, exclusive of ITAL 1010-2020. As with the Italian Studies major, students may declare the minor and take courses toward fulfilling it, before they have completed ITAL 2020. These courses will likely be those taught in English on Italian topics (Group B and C). Before beginning the major’s core language courses (Group A), students must complete ITAL 2020 or the equivalent, with a grade of C or better. The combination of 6 courses is constituted as follows:

Group A: Core Italian Language Courses


All courses required; ITAL 2020 or equivalent required before enrolling in Group A Core Language Courses; 3010 and 3020 may be taken in any order; 3030 requires previous or concurrent enrollment in either 3010 or 3020.

Group B: Italian Literary, Film, and Cultural Studies


Required: min. 1, max. 3 courses taught in Italian (ITAL); min. 0, max. 2 courses taught in English (ITTR); see course lists above in Italian Studies Major.   Enrollment in ITAL courses requires previous or concurrent enrollment in ITAL 3010 or ITAL 3020.

Group C: Italian Studies in Wider Context


Required:  min. 0, max. 2 courses taken in other disciplines/depts. outside ITAL and ITTR; see course list above in Italian Studies Major.

Study Abroad


The Italian faculty at UVa strongly encourage all Italian Studies majors and minors to spend a term of study in Italy.  For most students it is the best way to accelerate language acquisition and significantly deepen academic and cultural experience.  The Italian program distinguishes between “recommended” and “approved” study abroad programs.  The following two programs are recommended by Italian faculty: UVA in Siena and UVA in Florence. Both offer summer and semester-length study terms.

Consult UVa’s International Study Abroad Office for an up-to-date list of approved programs. Students who wish to study in a program that is not recommended or on the approved programs list must go through the petition process run by the International Studies Office, and provide a compelling academic reason for studying in a non-approved program.

Even when a study abroad program has been approved, students seeking to satisfy Italian Studies major or minor requirements must have the specific courses approved by the Italian major/minor advisor.  Students who study in a recommended program may count up to 15 credits per semester of study abroad, or 24 credits per year of study abroad toward their Italian Studies major. Students who study at an approved program in Italy may count up to 12 credits per semester of study abroad or 18 credits for a year of study abroad toward their Italian Studies major.

All students wishing to earn ITAL or ITTR credit for work done abroad must have this credit approved by the Italian Studies program.  Students are advised to seek more detailed information on study abroad credit transfer on the Italian program web site.

Independent Study


Based on faculty availability, independent study with a faculty advisor is available to advanced students of Italian who wish to pursue specific areas in depth that are not included in the regular curriculum. Usually these courses are taught in Italian. For an independent study course to count for the Italian Studies major it must be taken for a grade.

Distinguished Major Program in Italian


Italian Studies majors of exceptional ability and dedication are encouraged to enroll in the Distinguished Major Program.  Like other Italian majors, the DMPs are required to take ten courses (30 credits) as indicated above. Students also complete 6 additional credits, which include the completion of a thesis written in Italian in the fourth year.

In the fall semester of their 4th year, Distinguished Majors enroll in the DMP Colloquium (a 3-credit credit/no credit course), meeting regularly with the DMP Coordinator to discuss research strategies and set intermediate goals. In the second semester of their 4th year, DMPs enroll in DMP Thesis (3 credits) and meet regularly with the faculty advisor supervising their thesis. At the end of this year DMPs present their research results to faculty, graduate students, and invited guests.

The finished thesis will be evaluated by the faculty sponsor in tandem with at least one other member of the Italian program faculty.  The level of distinction (Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction) is based on the quality of the student’s thesis, the student’s overall work in the major, and the student’s overall college record (minimum GPA of 3.4).

Distinctions and Awards


The Italian program recognizes outstanding students of Italian in a variety of ways. Each spring, the program hosts its Garden Reception and Awards Ceremony, to celebrate and honor our students of Italian at both undergraduate and graduate levels. At this April gathering we award the Lola Pelliccia Undergraduate Prizes, and the Lola Pelliccia Graduate Prize. In alternating years, we also present one or more of our fourth-year students with the Marie M. Giuliano Prize, for demonstrated academic excellence in Italian language study and contribution to the growth and nurturing of Italian at the University.

Additional Information


For more information, contact Adrienne Ward, Associate Professor of Italian, 115 Wilson Hall, P.O. Box 400777, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4777; (434) 924-7159; www.virginia.edu/span-ital-port.

Portuguese


The Portuguese program functions primarily as a service to other programs, including Spanish, Latin American Studies, the Latin American program in the department of Government and Foreign Affairs, Anthropology, and others. Students interested in beginning Portuguese at the University should have considerable prior experience with Spanish or French. Students interested in the minor are strongly encouraged to spend a semester studying abroad in Brazil or in Portugal.

Requirements for Minor in Portuguese


The Portuguese minor consists of eighteen credits beyond PORT 212.

Additional Information


For more information, contact the department, 115 Wilson Hall, P.O. Box 400777, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4777; (434) 924-7159; www.virginia.edu/span-ital-port.

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