Romance Languages Major, B.A.–Hispanic Literatures and Cultures
Gosia Lee, Undergraduate Advisor for Hispanic Literatures and Cultures major and Hispanic Studies minor
Elizabeth Bruno, Study Abroad
Ellen Welch, Chair
Amy Chambless, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Spanish, the world’s third largest language and second in terms of native speakers, is spoken by nearly 500 million people across the globe. The over 50 million Hispanics in the United States have become the fastest-growing social and political segment in North America. Because of its prominence, learning to communicate in Spanish can be essential for those entering the global economic market and numerous professions.
Spanish studies at UNC–Chapel Hill thrives on innovative literary, linguistic, and theoretical approaches to the Spanish-speaking world, and includes the study of indigenous, Afro-descendant, Asian, and other cultures. Students obtain well-grounded and comprehensive critical knowledge of the literatures, languages, and cultures of Spain and the Americas, often through collaborative research with a faculty member. Qualifying students have the opportunity to pursue an honor’s thesis with one of our faculty members.
Department Programs
Majors
- Romance Languages Major, B.A.–French and Francophone Studies
- Romance Languages Major, B.A.–Italian
- Romance Languages Major, B.A.–Portuguese
- Romance Languages Major, B.A.–Hispanic Literatures and Cultures
- Romance Languages Major, B.A.–Hispanic Linguistics
Minors
- French Minor
- Italian Minor
- Portuguese Minor
- Hispanic Studies Minor
- Spanish Minor for the Professions
- Translation and Interpreting Minor
Graduate Programs
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire competence in the practice and analysis of Romance languages together with a critical knowledge of the written, oral, and visual traditions of their origin and diaspora. Our faculty promotes interdisciplinary connections and incorporates the study of literature, culture, theory, and history across the curriculum. Through coursework that emphasizes language acquisition, rhetoric, composition, and written and oral expression, our majors receive sustained personalized training in critical thinking and close reading. Upon completion of the program in Romance languages, students should be able to:
- Participate in conversations on concrete, social, academic, and professional topics
- Speak in detail about experiences and events in a variety of time frames and moods
- Represent points of view in discussions, both oral and written
- Deliver well-organized presentations on concrete, academic and professional topics
- Write on a wide variety of general interest, professional, and academic topics
- Follow narrative, informational, and descriptive speech on concrete, academic and professional topics
- Understand and discuss texts representing a variety of topics and genres
Requirements
In addition to the program requirements, students must
- attain a final cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
- complete a minimum of 45 academic credit hours earned from UNC–Chapel Hill courses
- take at least half of their major course requirements (courses and credit hours) at UNC–Chapel Hill
- earn a minimum of 18 hours of C or better in the major core requirements (some majors require 21 hours).
For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| SPAN 301 | Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis H | 3 |
| or SPAN 302 | Literary and Cultural Analysis for Heritage Learners | |
| Two cultural diversity courses chosen from: | 6 | |
| Trans-Atlantic Cultural Topics | ||
| Iberian Cultural Topics | ||
| Latin@ American Cultural Topics | ||
| Two literature courses: | 6 | |
| Studies in Spanish Literature | ||
| Studies in Latin American Literature | ||
| Three specialized courses chosen from: | 9 | |
| Hispanic Film | ||
| Introduction to Translation | ||
| Mesoamerica through Its Native Literatures | ||
| Spanish of the United States | ||
| Aesthetics of Violence in Latina/o American Fiction | ||
| Studies in Spanish Drama | ||
| Studies in Spanish and Spanish American Poetry | ||
| Studies in Spanish Prose | ||
| Medieval Spanish Literature | ||
| Spanish Renaissance | ||
| Contemporary Spanish American Prose Fiction | ||
| Literature and Politics in Central America | ||
| Eroticism in Contemporary Latin American Literature | ||
| Narratives of the Mexican Revolution | ||
| Outside Cuba: Diasporic Literature and Culture | ||
| Creative Writing in Spanish | ||
| Research for Advanced Students | ||
| Undergraduate Seminar in Language and Linguistics | ||
| Undergraduate Seminar in Literature and Culture | ||
| Languages of Spain I | ||
| Languages of Spain II | ||
| Colonial and 19th-Century Spanish American Literature | ||
| Modernist and Contemporary Spanish American Literature | ||
| Cervantes and the Quijote | ||
| Women in Hispanic Literature | ||
| Literary and Cultural History of the Spanish Language | ||
| Indigenous Literatures and Cultures of the Américas | ||
| The Spanish Comedia of the Golden Age | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Note: SPAN 401, SPAN 402, SPAN 404, SPAN 405, and SPAN 601 do not count toward the major.
Completion of SPAN 261 or SPAN 267 is considered a prerequisite for the Hispanic literatures and cultures major.
Students majoring in Hispanic literatures and cultures may wish to complement the major with the Spanish minor in translation and interpreting.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans can be used as a guide to identify the courses required to complete the major and other requirements needed for degree completion within the expected eight semesters. The actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Students should meet with their academic advisor to create a degree plan that is specific and unique to their interests. The sample plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UNC–Chapel Hill in the fall term. Some courses may not be offered every term.
Sample Plan One
This plan assumes a placement of SPAN 105 on the Foreign Language placement test. Student placement (and plans) may vary. Although it is possible to complete the Hispanic literatures and cultures major if a student begins with SPAN 101 , summer school, study abroad, or doubling up on courses in the final year may be necessary in order to complete it in a timely manner.
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 105 | Spanish for High Beginners | 4 |
| SPAN 203 | Intermediate Spanish I H | 3 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| SPAN 204 | Intermediate Spanish II H | 3 |
| SPAN 261 or SPAN 267 | Advanced Spanish in Context H or Advanced Spanish in Context for Heritage Learners | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| SPAN 301 or SPAN 302 | Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis H or Literary and Cultural Analysis for Heritage Learners | 3 |
| SPAN 3-- | Cultural diversity course #1 (SPAN 338, 340, 344) | 3 |
| SPAN 371 | Studies in Spanish Literature | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #1 | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| SPAN 3-- | Cultural diversity course #2 (SPAN 338, 340, 344) | 3 |
| SPAN 373 | Studies in Latin American Literature | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #2 | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #3 | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Sample Plan Two
This plan assumes a placement of SPAN 203 on the Foreign Language placement test. Student placement (and plans) may vary.
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 203 | Intermediate Spanish I H | 3 |
| SPAN 204 | Intermediate Spanish II H | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| SPAN 261 or SPAN 267 | Advanced Spanish in Context H or Advanced Spanish in Context for Heritage Learners | 3 |
| SPAN 301 or SPAN 302 | Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis H or Literary and Cultural Analysis for Heritage Learners | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| SPAN 3-- | Cultural diversity course #1 (SPAN 338, 340, 344) | 3 |
| SPAN 371 | Studies in Spanish Literature | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #1 | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| SPAN 373 | Studies in Latin American Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 3-- | Cultural diversity course #2 (SPAN 338, 340, 344) | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #2 | 3 |
| SPAN --- | Specialized course #3 | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Special Opportunities in Romance Studies
Undergraduate Research
The Department of Romance Studies offers a gateway for research in the humanities, including the various fields that make up Romance studies. Research activities include the honors thesis, summer research fellowships, or engaging in mentoring projects with professors which lead to opportunities to present papers at conferences or for publication in the University's undergraduate research journal.
Annual Research Opportunities:
- Office for Undergraduate Research
- Celebration of Undergraduate Research
- UNC JOURney
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Burch Fellowship
Honors
The departmental honors program is open to any qualified major with a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher and 3.5 or higher in their major courses. Eligible honors candidates will formulate a topic and select an appropriate faculty member to supervise the writing of an honors thesis. Specific coursework for the major with honors consists of enrollment in the honors thesis courses in the language of the major emphasis.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FREN 691H & FREN 692H | Honors Thesis in French and Honors Thesis in French | 6 |
| ITAL 691H & ITAL 692H | Honors Thesis and Honors Thesis in Italian | 6 |
| PORT 691H & PORT 692H | Honors Thesis and Honors Thesis in Portuguese | 6 |
| SPAN 691H & SPAN 692H | Honors Thesis and Honors Thesis in Spanish | 6 |
691H is taken in the fall semester of the senior year and 692H is taken in the spring semester. FREN 390, ITAL 398, PORT 398, SPAN 397 and SPAN 398 may be substituted for the 691H research course if the subject of the seminar is central to the research project chosen. In the 692H course, the thesis will be completed and the student examined by the supervisor and two additional readers, to be agreed upon by the student and supervisor. The director of honors, in consultation with the examiners, will recommend that the student who has defended the thesis graduate with honors, highest honors, or with course credit. FREN 390, FREN 691H, ITAL 398, PORT 398, SPAN 397 and SPAN 398 may count toward the eight courses for the major, but FREN 692H, ITAL 692H, PORT 692H, and SPAN 692H may not. Students who intend to graduate in December should adjust the scheduling of these courses in order to allow for completion of the honors project in December. Students meeting the required grade point averages should contact the undergraduate advisor for their language. For detailed information on the B.A. with honors, visit the department's Web site.
Out-of-Class Language Experience
The department offers credit-bearing internship opportunities through ROML 293 and service-learning opportunities through ROML 194. Both courses satisfy the experiential education (EE) General Education requirement. While ROML 293 is a stand-alone course, ROML 194 is always connected to a specific course.
Students may enrich their cultural and language experience by applying to the Spanish House, a section of Craige North residence hall. Equipped with a lounge and a kitchen, the house has space for eight male and 16 female students. Students make an effort to speak only Spanish while in residence.
Students also find opportunities to speak Spanish and meet native Spanish speakers in an informal weekly tertulia (gathering). Additional activities involving Spanish include publishing and editorial involvement in the student journals Mezcla and Aguas del pozo; attending lectures, receptions, and films organized by the department and student organizations such as CHispA (Carolina Hispanic Association); and serving the community through a variety of volunteer opportunities.
For further opportunities to speak French, students are encouraged to participate in the weekly meeting of the Table Française and become members of the French club, les Francophiles. Departmental lectures and film series are also offered.
Students interested in Italian language and culture may attend film series, guest lectures, and a series of other extracurricular events including games and conversation hours. They may also wish to join the undergraduate Italian Club.
Students who wish to practice Portuguese can meet weekly for the bate-papo (chat). Students of Portuguese also engage in editorial work and publish in the student journal Revistinha.
Study Abroad
The Study Abroad Office sponsors many year-long, semester-long, and summer programs appropriate for students of the Romance languages and has special arrangements with the Department of Romance Studies for the UNC in Montpellier, UNC in Seville, and Florence programs. Students from UNC–Chapel Hill and from other institutions may earn up to 30 semester hours of undergraduate credit in these programs, which are open to qualified undergraduates regardless of academic major. While, in general, students may satisfy up to 50 percent of major or minor coursework abroad, courses that are taught by Romance studies faculty may count differently. For example, students completing the Spanish minor for the professions in health and business may complete all or most of the minor in faculty-led programs abroad.
Students who participate in Study Abroad during the semester have the opportunity to work as course correspondents for a course in Romance studies. Course correspondents report back to the class they serve throughout the semester via online tools and may receive one hour of credit for their informative work.
General inquiries concerning any of these programs should be addressed to the Study Abroad Office, CB# 3130, FedEx Global Education Center, (919) 962-7002.
Students may also contact the Study Abroad Advisors in Romance Studies to learn more about how to integrate those programs into their major or minor programs.
Advisors:
French: Dorothea Heitsch
dheitsch@unc.edu
Italian: Amy Chambless
achamble@email.unc.edu
Portuguese: Richard Vernon
rmvernon@email.unc.edu
Spanish: Liz Bruno
ebruno@email.unc.edu
Undergraduate Awards
French
Students have the opportunity to be inducted into Pi Delta Phi, the national French honor society. Those with outstanding records in French are recommended as candidates for the Jacques Hardré Award, which is given to the best graduating senior in French; it includes a cash award.
Italian
Students are nominated for membership in Gamma Kappa Alpha, the Italian honor society, by undergraduate instructors. The society recognizes “outstanding scholastic performance in the fields of Italian language and literature” and encourages students “to acquire a greater interest in, and a deeper understanding of, Italian culture.” The Kimberly Kyser Award for Excellence in Italian is awarded to the most outstanding student in Italian and includes a cash prize.
Portuguese
Each year the department awards the Camões Prize to the outstanding student in Portuguese during that year. The prize carries a monetary award made possible by a donation from the Gulbenkian Foundation.
Spanish
Students have the opportunity to be inducted into Sigma Delta Pi, the national Spanish honor society. Those with outstanding performance in the Hispanic literatures and cultures or the Hispanic linguistics majors are eligible for several prizes including the Chancellor’s Award, given to the top graduating senior, the Stoudemire Awards, and the Larry D. King Fellowship.
