Major & Minor

The Barnard major in Spanish and Latin American Cultures consists of eleven courses (minimum 33 credits). The required introductory courses are SPAN W3300 (Advanced Language through Content), W3349 (Hispanic Cultures I), and 3350 (Hispanic Cultures II). W3300 must be taken after completion of the language requirement and before W3349 and W3350, which can be taken simultaneously or in inverse order. Except by approval of the Major Advisor, all three introductory courses are prerequisites for upper-level courses. In choosing their sections, Barnard students should keep in mind that some Columbia classes at these levels are taught by PhD candidates. Other sections at both Barnard and Columbia are taught by full-time Lecturers/Associates and tenured or tenure-track faculty.

Beyond the introductory courses, the major requires seven upper-level elective courses--to be chosen from the Barnard Department of Spanish and Latin American Cultures or Columbia Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures' 3000- or 4000-level offerings--and a Senior Seminar intended to be taken in the Fall of the senior year (in cases of unavoidable conflict, and by approval of the Major Advisor, students may enroll in the Spring section offered at Columbia). The seminar may be taken either at Barnard (BC or W3990) or at Columbia (W3991, 3992, or 3993). It is an advanced, research-oriented course on a broad topic, in the context of which Barnard students are required to write a paper in Spanish of at least 20 pages. Since this paper counts as the Barnard Senior Research Project, students who take the seminar at Columbia must be sure they fulfill the 20-page requirement, regardless of what their particular professor requires of other students. These students must hand in the final version of their paper to the Barnard Major Advisor in addition to their Columbia professor.

Up to three of the above-mentioned electives may be taken outside the Departments (and in English), provided they address Hispanic topics. Courses at or beyond the intermediate level in Portuguese and Catalan may count as outside electives. Up to four courses from Study Abroad may apply toward the major, some of which may count toward the introductory courses, provided they are at the same level and substantially address the same topics/skills.  In combination, extradepartmental and study abroad courses should not exceed five in total; a minimum of six courses must be taken in the Barnard/Columbia Spanish departments.  Approval of specific courses is at the discretion of the Major Advisor (in consultation with the Study Abroad Advisor/Language Program Director for those at the 3300 level), taking into consideration the balance in the student's full program of study. Students should consult periodically with the Major Advisor to make sure they are making adequate progress toward the completion of all requirements.

All students should seek chronological and geographic breadth in their coursework, enrolling in diverse classes on Latin American, Iberian, and language/linguistics topics--this is especially essential for those considering future graduate work in Hispanic Studies. Such students should consult especially closely with the Major Advisor to plan their program.

The Barnard minor in Spanish and Latin American Cultures consists of six courses (minimum 18 credits). The required introductory courses are SPAN W3300 (Advanced Language through Content); and W3349 (Hispanic Cultures I) and 3350 (Hispanic Cultures II). W3300 must be taken after completion of the language requirement and should come before W3349 and W3350. Except by approval of the Minor Advisor, all three introductory courses are prerequisites for upper-level courses. In choosing their sections, Barnard students should keep in mind that some Columbia classes at these levels are taught by PhD candidates. Other sections at both Barnard and Columbia are taught by full-time Lecturers/Associates and tenured or tenure-track faculty.

Beyond the introductory courses, the minor requires three upper-level electives (W3349 and W3350 do not count as such). These may be chosen from the Barnard Department of Spanish and Latin American Cultures' or Columbia Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures' 3000- or 4000-level offerings. A maximum of three courses taken outside the Departments (from study abroad, other departments at Barnard/Columbia, or other institutions) may apply toward the minor. Such courses will be approved by the Minor Advisor and the Study Abroad Advisor/Language Program Director (the latter of whom officially signs the approval), on the basis of their level, quality, and perceived relevance to the minor program of study. Courses in English do not count toward the minor.

Although Barnard allows students to sign up for minors through the end of their senior year, the Department encourages students to sign up as early in their career as possible, and to consult regularly with the Minor Advisor to ensure they are making adequate progress toward the completion of all requirements.