Foreign Language, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in Spanish

worldstudies/languages

In today’s world, language learning is more important than ever. The ability to navigate across diverse language, ethnic, racial and cultural​ ​borders allows connection with others, helping create a more inclusive and mutually respectful society. Additionally, employers the world over value the communication skills, cultural competence and practical experiences language students acquire through course work, internships, service learning and study abroad. Proficiency in a second language offers special practical benefits: VCU graduates with language skills are among the more qualified candidates for jobs in international businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. They also qualify for jobs as language teachers in schools, where they often serve as role models, mentors and leaders.

VCU’s B.A. in Foreign Language curriculum allows students to focus on either one or two languages, including the option to combine their major with other disciplines as they work with advisers to plan for their future careers. VCU course work leads majors to explore cultural traditions and historical developments in various parts of the world, and to pursue applied vocabulary and practices that they can use in real-world situations locally, nationally, globally and virtually. Special effort is made to develop intercultural communication competence. 

Becoming a language major is one of the best decisions a student can make! Most will find a seamless transition to VCU from high school or community college programs. Placement testing and the transfer of Advanced Placement, IB and other college-level courses from high school or from a community college can shorten time to degree completion and make it easier for students to pursue dual or double majors and build on minors or certificate programs from across VCU.

Student learning outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:

Foreign language program core outcomes

• Demonstrate oral and aural communication skills in context
• Demonstrate written communication skills
• Demonstrate critical and analytical reading skills
• Demonstrate literary and cultural competency​

Spanish concentration-specific outcomes

• Demonstrate proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in Spanish
• Demonstrate historical, literary and cultural competency in the Spanish-speaking world

Experiential learning and study abroad

Each student completing a degree program within the School of World Studies is required to complete a World ePass as part of their experiential learning requirement; students are also encouraged to participate in a study abroad program. For more information on the ePass portfolio and study abroad opportunities, students may visit the overview page for the School of World Studies.

Special requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language, students must complete at least 39 credits within the major, 33 credits of which must be upper-level (300-level or above), with a minimum major GPA of 2.25.

All foreign language majors, students transferring credits from study abroad and transfer students who major in a foreign language must include in their target-language course work a minimum of 12 VCU credits. Both credit and distribution requirements (minimum of 11 courses in target language) for the concentration must be satisfied.

Foreign language majors who plan on becoming language teachers in the K-12 school system are required to complete a total of 30 credits of upper level (300- and 400-level) course work in one target language to meet certification requirements.

Degree requirements for Foreign Language, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in Spanish

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

SPAN electives

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
SPAN 101	Beginning Spanish I	3
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I	Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course (select quantitative foundations)		3-4
General education course		3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15-16
Spring semester
SPAN 102	Beginning Spanish II	3
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II	Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
General education course		3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Sophomore year
Fall semester
SPAN 201	Intermediate Spanish I	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
HUMS 202	Choices in a Consumer Society	1
SPAN 202	Intermediate Spanish II	3
WRLD 302	Communicating Across Cultures	3
Experiential fine arts (course offered by the School of the Arts)		1-3
Open electives		5-7
	Term Hours:	15
Junior year
Fall semester
SPAN 300	Communication and Composition	3
SPAN 305 or SPAN 307 or SPAN 311	Oral Communication or Spanish Conversation and Film or Spanish Through the Media	3
Open electives		9
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
On-campus or study abroad semester
SPAN 301	Self and Society: Effective Writing	3
SPAN 320 or SPAN 321	Civilization of Spain I or Latin American Civilization I	3
SPAN 330 or SPAN 331	Survey of Spanish Literature or Survey of Latin American Literature	3
300-level SPAN elective		3
Open electives		3
	Term Hours:	15
Summer semester
Study abroad (recommended):
Upper-level SPAN courses that meet concentration, elective or experiential learning requirements		0-6
(Note that credits completed during study abroad will decrease open electives needed in subsequent semesters.)
	Term Hours:	0-6
Senior year
Fall semester
300-level SPAN elective		3
400-level SPAN electives		6
Open electives		6
World ePass site creation
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
FRLG 493	World Languages Internship (or SPAN elective at 400 level or above)	3
WRLD 490	Seminar in World Cultures and Languages (capstone)	3
WRLD 495	World ePass Portfolio	0
Open electives		9
	Term Hours:	15
	Total Hours:	120-127

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Accelerated B.A. and M.S.

The accelerated B.A. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.A. in Foreign Language with a concentration in Spanish and M.S. in Business with a concentration in marketing management in a minimum of five years by completing up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to three credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.A. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 147 credits rather than the 150 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.

In their senior year students would also take up to nine credit hours of graduate-level foundations courses, which are prerequisites for the graduate program.

Students holding these degrees will be very competitive due to the combined knowledge and skills in language, culture and business and will be well prepared for success in an increasingly global marketplace.

Entrance to the accelerated program

Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.

Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours including WRLD 302 and 21 credits earned at the 300-level in SPAN; an overall GPA of 3.25; and a GPA of 3.0 in the major course work. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may submit GRE scores to receive further consideration. Students who are interested in the accelerated program should consult with the faculty adviser to the M.S. in Business with a concentration in marketing management program before they have completed 90 credits. Successful applicants would enter the program in the fall semester of their senior year.

Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate School of World Studies adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.

Admission to the graduate program

Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin. Three reference letters (at least one from a School of World Studies faculty member) must accompany the application.

Degree requirements

The Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits will apply toward open elective credits for the undergraduate degree. Three of these credits, MKTG 672, are shared with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Nine credits are foundation courses for the graduate program and apply to the undergraduate degree only.

The graduate business courses that may be taken as an undergraduate once a student is admitted to the program — and how they apply — are shown in the table below.

Recommended course sequence/plan of study

What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.