Baccalaureate Degrees

Language & Cultural Studies

The Language and Cultural Studies programs, including the Spanish Studies program, prepare the students to communicate in a major world language spoken on several continents. Our Spanish teaching degree helps meet the increasingly critical need for foreign language teachers in Kentucky. We offer certificate programs primarily for non-language majors with concentration on basic conversation skills and cultural understanding.

The department helps students to fulfill General Education requirements in Elements 1C, and 3B. Our courses, whether in language, literature, culture, or humanities, strive to foster an atmosphere in which students can experience the joy of learning and intellectual fulfillment while developing deeper understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Certain courses are inappropriate for students with native or near native fluency in a particular language. Native speakers of a foreign language (i.e., a language other than English) are welcome to take our courses at an appropriate skill level. However, such students cannot be given credit for introductory courses (100/200 level), in their native language either by enrolling in the course or by taking an exam for credit Exceptions to this restriction, such as heritage speakers who need to take a lower-level course to correct language deficiencies, must be approved by the relevant foreign language faculty in consultation with the chair. Other exceptions may apply, at the discretion of the coordinator and foreign language faculty in conjunction with the chair.

Students who transfer credits must earn no fewer than 15 upper-division hours in the major and 9 upper-division hours in the minor at EKU, the exact minimum to be determined by the department chair in consultation with the faculty in the major area.

Eastern Kentucky University students are required to obtain the department chair’s written prior approval of any course work they plan to transfer back to EKU for application to the major or minor.

A grade of “C” or higher is required in each course to be applied toward the major and minor.

Students in teaching programs must attain a minimum 2.75 GPA in their teaching major to be recommended for student teaching.

Spanish majors must attain a minimum 2.75 GPA in the major and must also pass a departmental proficiency exam which covers spoken and written language, culture, and literature. Teaching majors must pass the proficiency exam to be recommended for student teaching. Students will ordinarily take the exam no later than in the first semester of their senior year.

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Program Requirements

CIP Code: 16.0905

Major

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
University Graduation Requirements
General Education		36
Foundations of Learning
GSD 101	Foundations of Learning	3
Upper division courses (42 hrs. distributed throughout Major/Supporting/Gen Ed/Free Electives categories)
Major Requirements
Core Courses 1
SPA 300	Advanced Conversation	3
SPA 301 & SPA 360	Reading and Culture and Grammar in Contexts	6
SPA 380	Civilizations of Spain	3
or SPA 381	Civilizations of Latin America
SPA 405	Hispanic Literature Culture	3
or SPA 406	Hispanic Literature Culture
or SPA 407	Hispanic Literature and Culture
SPA 492	Senior Capstone Seminar	3
Choose from 12 hours of additional electives		12
Exit Requirements
SPA 492	Senior Capstone Seminar
Free Electives
Choose from 53 hours of free electives		53
Total Hours		122

¹

A student may major in Spanish by completing a minimum of 30 hours in courses numbered 200 and above; 24 of these hours must be at the 300 level or above.

A grade of “C” or higher is required in each course for credit toward the major. Students must attain a 2.75 GPA in their major.