Columbia SPPO

Major in Hispanic Studies

Eleven courses required (minimum 33 points):

  • SPAN 3300, "Advanced Language through Content." Under exceptional circumstances (for instance, a student who has earned a 5 in Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish or a native speaker who has completed high school in a Spanish-speaking country), a student may begin the program with SPAN 3330, after approval by the DUS, and later substitute an additional 3000- or 4000-level elective for SPAN 3300 to meet the point and course requirements for the major.
  • SPAN 3330, “Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Cultures”
  • SPAN 3349, “Hispanic Cultures I: Islamic Spain through the Colonial Period”
  • SPAN 3350, “Hispanic Cultures II: Enlightenment to the Present”
  • Six elective courses, three of which may be taken outside the department, provided they address Hispanic topics (see stipulations below). Approved courses taken abroad may be counted in either category (inside or outside the department). Up to 4 courses taken abroad may be counted toward the major.
  • SPAN 3991, 3992 or 3993, the Senior Seminar in Hispanic Studies

See descriptions of current undergraduate courses and the list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the major and the concentration.

A minimum of three electives must be chosen from the Department’s 3000- or 4000-level offerings. Up to three electives may be taken outside the Department, provided they address Hispanic topics. Coursework completed in other departments requires the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). Students should therefore not wait until their senior year to find out whether courses they have taken will apply to the major; rather, they should seek advice from the DUS regarding coursework from the very beginning of their program.

All students should seek chronological and geographic breadth in their coursework, taking advantage of the Department’s diverse offerings on both Latin American and Iberian topics and on all periods. Such breadth is absolutely essential for those planning future graduate work in Hispanic Studies. Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the field should consult especially closely with the DUS to plan their program.

Majors are also encouraged to study Portuguese and/or Catalan. Two courses in Portuguese or Catalan may be counted for the major in Hispanic Studies, but they must be intensive courses: PORT W1120, W1220 and W1320 and/or CATL W1120 and W1220.

Here are copies of the Columbia College Major and Concentration Declaration Form and of the School of General Studies Major and Concentration Declaration Form that you can print and take to your meeting with the DUS for signing.

For more information, contact the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies.