BA and Minor in Spanish
Undergraduate Program in Spanish
Introduction
The Spanish Program at Howard University is housed in the Department of World Languages and Cultures. Students can take Spanish language courses as well as courses on literature, culture, film and music.
Students interested in choosing a major or minor in Spanish should contact the program coordinator.
Why Study Spanish?
The second most spoken language in the world, Spanish plays an important role in politics, commerce and cultural exchange. According to the Pew Research Center, over 37 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish as their first language, and it is projected that the Latino population will reach almost 130 million by 2060, likely making it the largest Spanish speaking country in the world. By adding a Spanish Major or Minor to a major in the fields of business, health sciences, education, and communication, you will be competitive for job opportunities in the U.S. and abroad.
Coordinator of Spanish Program
Dr. Mercedes Tibbits
mtibbits@howard.edu
Locke Hall, 332
Course Requirements
Capstone Experience
“Capstone Experience” for DWLC Spanish Majors
Approved: Fall 2007
TO QUALIFY FOR GRADUATION, SPANISH MAJORS MUST COMPLETE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. Comprehensive Examination
FORMAT
- A set of 10 questions on each area [Afro-Hispanic, Latin-America, Peninsular] will be given to students by 15 September / 15 January of the semester when they plan to take the exam. Up to the end of October / February, students are welcome to consult with faculty members regarding the questions. The exam will include 3-4 of those questions in each area, which students will answer in essay form, in Spanish.
- A composition in Spanish on a subject indicated to the students the day of the exam.
- An oral interview of about ten minutes in Spanish on general and academic issues to be conducted by a panel of two or more professors.
2. Capstone Community Project
By 10 November / 30 March of their graduation semester, and with the supervision of a tenured faculty member, student will have performed a minimum of 80 hours of volunteer work for an organization which serves the Hispanic community. Students will have written a 5-10 page report on their work, in Spanish. At the end of their graduation semester, students who select this option will make a 10 minute presentation to the DWLC on their experience.
3. Capstone Essay
By 30 October / 15 March of their graduation semester, students will complete a 15-20 page research essay. Students will work with the supervision of two full-time professors, one of which must be a tenured professor. The essay must include sources other than textbooks, and it must follow the MLA format. At the end of their graduation semester, students who select this option will make a 10 minute presentation to the DWLC on their research.
* Students must inform the Spanish Coordinator of their choice as soon as they have made a decision, but no later than the end of the semester before they plan to graduate.
** Please check “Timetable” for deadlines. Students who do not meet the deadlines will not be allowed to graduate.
*** Spanish Coordinator: Dr. Mercedes Tibbits [Locke #332] mtibbits@howard.edu
Major
SPANISH MAJOR
TOTAL HOURS: 37 credit hours
Required: 31 credit hours
Electives: 6 credit hours
Required
SPAN 040 Grammar Structures (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 050 Oral Communication 1 (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 052 Reading and Writing (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 060 Social Discourses (3) [Fall]*
SPAN 080 Diversity and Unification in Spain (3) [Fall]
SPAN 081 Contemporary Spain (3) [Spring]
SPAN 083 Formation of Hispanic America (3) [Fall]
SPAN 084 Contemporary Hispanic America (3) [Spring]
SPAN 085 Hispano-Africana Cultural Production (3) {hybrid} [Fall]
SPAN 161 [086] Migrations and Identities [Spring]
SPAN 199 Capstone Seminar (1) [Fall]
Electives
SPAN 051 Oral Communication 2 (3) [Fall & Spring]*
SPAN 064 Spanish for the News Media (3) [Fall]
SPAN 065 Simultaneous Interpretation (3) [Fall]*
SPAN 066 Simultaneous Interpretation 2 (3) [Spring]*
SPAN 077 Advanced Composition (3) [Spring]
SPAN 078 Business Spanish (3) [Spring]
SPAN 177 Introduction to Spanish-English Translation (3) [Fall]*
SPAN 178 Advanced Spanish-English Translation (3) [Spring]*
SPAN 194 Spain and Hispanic America through Film (3) [Fall]
The semester when courses are offered, especially those with an asterisk (*) might change due to scheduling needs.
NOTE: Other Spanish courses are listed in the Catalogue. They are rarely offered, but can be used as electives if taken in an approved study abroad program or at another accredited institution. Consult the Spanish Coordinator for more information.
Minor
SPANISH MINOR
TOTAL HOURS: 18 credit hours
Required: 12 credit hours
Electives: 6 credit hours
REQUIRED
These Three Courses and One of These Three
SPAN 040 Grammar Structures (3) SPAN 060 Social Discourses (3) / or /
SPAN 050 Oral Communication 1 (3) SPAN 078 Business Spanish (3) / or /
SPAN 052 Reading and Writing (3) SPAN 064 Spanish for the News Media (3)
PLUS TWO ELECTIVES ABOVE SPAN 050 (from the list for majors, above)
[080, 081, 083, and 084 are especially geared towards Spanish majors]
Spanish Coordinator: Dr. Mercedes Tibbits, Locke#332, mtibbits@howard.edu
Study Abroad
Students are highly encouraged to engage in study abroad in the Spanish-speaking world. You should consult the program coordinator, Dr. Mercedes Tibbits, to see which program best fits your interests.
2022-2023 SPANISH LANGUAGE INFORMATION
COURSES for SPANISH MAJORS and MINORS
INVITING ALL STUDENTS TO BECOME MAJORS OR MINORS IN SPANISH
DOUBLE MAJORS ARE WELCOME!
The Spanish Program at Howard University welcomes students from all disciplines to learn about the Peoples and Cultures of the Spanish speaking world with an emphasis on the contributions of African descendants. Students improve their Spanish language skills in a variety of courses to prepare them for careers and lives across the globe.
SPANISH MAJORS
(Fall 2023)
TOTAL HOURS: 36 credit hours Required: 30 credit hours
Electives: 6 credit hours
Required
SPAN 040 Grammar Structures (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 050 Oral Communication I (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 051 Oral Communication II (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 052 Reading and Writing (3) [Fall & Spring]
SPAN 060 *Analysis of Afro-Hispanic Literature
SPAN 080 or 081 [see courses below]
SPAN 083 or 084 [see courses below]
SPAN 085 *Afrolatinidad Experiences: Cultures, Race, Nations (3) [Fall]
SPAN 086 *Migrations and Identities (3) (**) [Spring]
[SPAN 192 Experiential Learning (3) To be decided]
SPAN 080 Diversity and Unification in Spain (3) [Fall]
SPAN 081 Contemporary Spain (3) [Spring]
SPAN 083 Formation of Hispanic America (3) [Fall]
SPAN 084 Contemporary Hispanic America (3) [Spring]
Electives
SPAN 064 Spanish for the News Media (3)
SPAN 065 Simultaneous Interpretation (3)
SPAN 066 Simultaneous Interpretation II (3)
SPAN 067 Introduction to Spanish-English Translation (3)
SPAN 068 Advanced Spanish-English Translation (3)
SPAN 075 *Contemporary Afro-Cuban Cultural Expression (3)
SPAN 077 Advanced Composition (3)
SPAN 078 Business Spanish (3)
SPAN 079 Spain & Latin America through Film (3)
SPAN 089 *Afro-Hispanic Peoples and Cultures (3)
(*) These five courses are the “Afro-Hispanic cluster”
(**) Continuation of 085, Afrolatinidad Experiences: Cultures, Race, Nations
Spanish Advisors: Dr. Clement Akassi Locke #330 cakassi@howard.edu
Dr. Monica Styles Locke #354 monica.styles@howard.edu
Dr. Mercedes Tibbits Locke #332 mtibbits@howard.edu
Dr. Mesi Walton Locke #366 mesi.e.walton@howard.edu
SPANISH MINOR
(Fall 2023)
TOTAL HOURS: 18 credit hours Required: 9 credit hours
Electives: 9 credit hours
Required Electives:
SPAN 040 Grammar Structures (3) - 6 credit hours from the Afro-Hispanic cluster:
SPAN 050 Oral Communication I (3) SPAN 060, SPAN 075, SPAN 085, SPAN 086, SPAN 089
SPAN 052 Reading and Writing (3) - 3 credit hours from any course above SPAN 052
For more information contact the Spanish Coordinator, Dr. Mercedes Tibbits, Locke Hall 332, mtibbits@howard.edu
SPANISH MAJOR / MINOR COURSES AND PREREQUISITES
SPAN 040: Grammar Structures. A core course in the major-minor sequence which includes a thorough review of and practice with major elements of Spanish syntax and grammar. Credits: 3. Prerequisite: SPAN 004.
SPAN 050: Oral Communication I. A course designed to develop speaking and listening skills through a variety of instructional strategies. Credits: 3. Prerequisite: SPAN 004.
SPAN 051: Oral Communication II. A continuation of SPAN 050. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 052: Reading and Writing. Designed to develop the specific skills of reading and writing in Spanish. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 055: Advanced Oral Expression. An advanced level course to develop aural/oral fluency in Spanish. using written discourses on a variety of cultural, social, and professional themes, issues, topics. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050 and SPAN 051.
SPAN 060: Analysis of Afro-Hispanic Literature. Students will engage critically with representative texts (narrative, poetry, performance, visual culture) concerning Afro-Hispanic experiences and perspectives. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 064: Spanish for the News Media. Intended for students interested in the news media. Includes writing news articles and preparing and interpreting broadcasting programs for radio and television. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 065: Simultaneous Interpretation I. Introduces students to the basic techniques of escort, consecutive, and particularly simultaneous interpretation. Credits: 3 Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 066: Simultaneous Interpretation II. Focuses on more advanced techniques of simultaneous and consecutive interpretation. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050 and SPAN 065.
SPAN 067: Introduction to Spanish-English Translation. Introduces students to the profession of translation and develops their ability to translate from Spanish into English, expanding their vocabulary in Spanish. Credits: 3. Prerequisites SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 068: Advanced Spanish-English Translation. Continuation of SPAN 067. Credits: 3. Prerequisites SPAN 040, SPAN 050, SPAN 052, and SPAN 067.
SPAN 075: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Cultural Expression. This course explores cinematic, artistic, and literary representations of Afrocubanía (defined as Afro-Cuban identity and cultural consciousness) by Afro-Cuban writers, filmmakers, and visual artists since the 1960s. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050 and SPAN 052.
SPAN 077: Advanced Composition. Course in advanced prose writing stressing control of syntactic structures and stylistic devices. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050 and SPAN 052.
SPAN 078: Business Spanish. Prepares students to engage with the business world in Spanish. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.
SPAN 079: Spain and Hispanic America Through Film. A study of Spanish-speaking countries through film, from cultural, sociological and technical points of view. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, and SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 080: Diversity and Unification in Spain. Social, political, and cultural topics in Spain from 1492 to 1700. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 081: Contemporary Spain. Social, political and cultural topics in Spain from 1700 to present. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 083: Formation of Hispanic America. Social, political, and cultural topics in Hispanic America from 1492 to 1900. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 084: Contemporary Hispanic America. Independence, modernization and globalization in Hispanic America from 1900 to the present. Credits: 3. Prerequisites SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 085: Afrolatinidad Experiences. Cultures, Race and Nations. This course explores the cultures, the representation of race and construction of national identities of Hispanic Africans and Afro-Latinx through art, film, literature, music, religion, etc. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 086: Migrations and Identities. Through films and other materials, this course shows how politics of migrations and discourses on identities are driven by the derogatory colonial representation of Afro-Latinx and Hispanic Africans. Credits: 3. Prerequisites SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
SPAN 089: Afro-Hispanic Peoples and Cultures. A course on the literary and other cultural contributions of African descendants in the Spanish-speaking world seen through the lenses of history, politics and society. Credits: 3. Prerequisites: SPAN 040, SPAN 050, and SPAN 052.
[SPAN 192: Experiential Learning. Prerequisites: SPAN 040 and SPAN 050.]
“The Spanish Program is housed in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (DWLC). Students can take Spanish language courses as well as courses on Afro-Hispanic, Latin-American, and Spanish literature, culture, film and music that can lead to a major or a minor in Spanish.
All over the world, more than 450 million people speak Spanish, making it the second most spoken language. It is spoken in Spain, Latin-America, Equatorial Guinea, Western Sahara, Philippines, and some other areas of the world, and it is important to the African Diaspora in these and other countries, including the USA. Learning the language will allow students to experience the rich cultures and histories of these nations/groups.
In the United States, more than 43 million people speak Spanish as a first language (about 13 percent of the population) and that number continues to grow. Additionally, the United States is home to nearly 12 million bilingual Spanish speakers. This makes it the second-largest Spanish speaking country in the world (after Mexico).
Learning Spanish and studying the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries allows students to make connections with other communities within the African Diaspora as well as to be more competitive in the global market. Students who take courses in the Spanish Program at Howard University have the opportunity to explore their personal and professional interests within the context of another language and culture.
The Spanish Program’s mission and activities are integrated with the mission of the University. Foreign language education and cultural competency provide an increased awareness of the diversity that exists in our country and in the global community and, as a result, students learn how to communicate and form connections with individuals and populations from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. To develop cultural competency, one must first develop a nuanced understanding of how language is used in other nations and how societies are shaped by a variety of different cultural, historical, and social factors. Having acquired and developed a foreign language proficiency, students are good representatives of the University’s mission to develop compassionate graduates who can provide effective leadership to the nation and to the world. Faculty in the Spanish Program, through their teaching, research, and service demonstrate their commitment to developing distinguished, globally aware graduates.