Degree Requirements for Hispanic Studies
General Requirements for the Major or Minor
General university degree requirements stipulate that 1) at least four units of the major or three units of the minor be taken in residence at Puget Sound; 2) students earn at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken for the major or the minor; and 3) all courses taken for a major or minor must be taken for graded credit. Any exceptions to these stipulations are indicated in the major and minor degree requirements listed below.
Requirements for the Major in Spanish Language, Culture, and Literature (BA)
Nine units, a senior paper, and a senior portfolio (see Notes below).
- Nine units in Spanish /LTS at the 202 level or above to include::
- Three units in SPAN at the 300 level or above
- One 400-level course
- Two of the 300/400-level courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus, one during the senior year. See section on Transfer of Units (above) for more details.
- One LTS course may count toward the LCL major.
Requirements for the Major in Hispanic International Studies (BA)
Nine units, a senior paper, and a senior portfolio (see Notes below).
- Six units in Spanish at the 202 level or above to include:
- Two units in SPAN at the 300 level or above.
- One 400-level course
- Three units from the following: (be aware some of these courses have prerequisites) BUS 370, 435, 472, 475; ECON 268, 271; IPE 205, 331; PG 321, 328, 330-336, 339; SOAN 315, 318, 340, 350. Alternative courses in these disciplines may be accepted with prior approval from Hispanic Studies department.
- Two of the 300/400-level courses must be taken at the Tacoma campus, one during senior year. See section on Transfer of Units (above) for more details.
- One LTS course may count toward the HISP major.
Requirements for the Major in Latina/o Studies (BA)
Nine units, a senior experiential project and a senior portfolio (see Notes below)
- Three units in Spanish at the 202 level or above to include:
- Two units in SPAN at the 300 level or above.
- Three units in LTS to include:
- LTS 200
- Three units from the following: AFAM 320, 401; CONN 335; ECON 240; HIST 152, 153, 367,376, 378, 380, HON 214; PHIL 312, 389; PG 304, 306, 311, 345, 346, SOAN 215, 303, 350; STS 330, 366
- A capstone experience: a research project or an internship relevant to LTS content. Capstone experience must be pre-approved by the LTS Director.
- Two of the 300/400-level courses in SPAN/LTS must be taken at the Tacoma campus, one during the senior year. See section on Transfer of Units (above) for more details.
Requirements for the Minor in Spanish
Completion of a minimum of five units in Spanish at the 201 level or above. One unit must be at the 300 or 400 level, taught in Spanish and taken at the Tacoma campus.
Notes for the major and minor
- Students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or above in all courses taken for a major or minor in the Department of Hispanic Studies.
- The senior paper is a graduation requirement for Language, Culture and Literature (LCL) and Hispanic International Studies (HISP) majors. It will emerge from a 400-level course, an equivalent course taken abroad, or another 301+ course with department permission. More information about the senior paper is available from the department or the academic advisor.
- All majors are required to compile a portfolio of their work, submitted to the department by April 1 of their senior year. When students declare their major, they should seek a faculty advisor in the department who will advise them on the creation of their portfolio. The portfolio serves to assess the student's progress in the curriculum and to synthesize the student's total experience as a major.
Study Abroad Coursework
Majors and minors in Hispanic Studies receive credit for coursework earned while studying in departmentally approved study abroad programs only. A list of approved programs is available below. To ensure that credit earned abroad will transfer, students are encouraged to consult with a department advisor to discuss their plans for foreign study. The following are the approved programs in the Department of Hispanic Studies. No University credit in Spanish will be awarded for coursework carried out in programs other than the following:
- IFSA/Butler Buenos Aires (Argentina)
- CIEE Valparaíso (Chile)
- IES Quito (Ecuador)
- IFSA/Butler Havana (Cuba)
- UPS/PLU Oaxaca (Mexico)
- ILACA Granada (Spain)
- USAC Summer in Bilbao (Spain)
Placement
Normally, first year students in their first semester who have completed a minimum of three years of Spanish courses in high-school are qualified to enroll in Spanish 201 Spanish 3. First year students in their first semester who have completed less than three years of high-school Spanish courses should consider enrolling in Spanish 102 (Spanish 2) Students with no prior experience with Spanish should enroll in Spanish 101 (Spanish 1). Experiential learning abroad, living in a Spanish-speaking household in the U.S. or abroad, attending a Spanish immersion school program, and other such experiences generally allow first year students to enroll in post-intermediate or advanced courses. Please consult with a department advisor at the fall Academic Fair, via email, or in person during their office hours for personal assistance with placement. All transfer students, especially those who have not taken Spanish for one or more years prior to transferring to Puget Sound, can also be evaluated on an individual basis. Consult department advisors to determine adequate course placement.
Transfer of units
Coursework completed at other accredited institutions may be accepted toward major or minor requirements subject to the following conditions:
- All Hispanic Studies majors (LCL, HISP & LTS) must take a minimum of four courses taught in the Hispanic Studies department at the Tacoma campus.
- In addition to meeting the first requirement, Hispanic International Studies majors must take at least 2 of the required units in Business, Economics, and Politics & Government at the Tacoma campus.
- All minors must take a minimum of three units at the Tacoma campus, including the required 300/400-level course.