The department offers a varied curriculum to provide not only basic language instruction in Spanish, but also the more advanced competencies needed by language specialists and students hoping to take advantage of an international study experience. For the undergraduate Spanish major, the department has two degree programs: the BSEd and the BA program with a major in Spanish.
Students majoring in Spanish will acquire proficiency in all phases of the language and enter more deeply into the history, culture, and literature of Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish majors generally find employment in government work, librarianship, journalism and public relations, foreign trade, airlines, tourism, business, criminology, and teaching. Students choosing careers as secondary school teachers will find the close supervision and advanced methodology offered by the department a distinct asset.
Placement
Students with previous Spanish study in high school will be placed into the appropriate course levels by means of a written departmental exam, administered before the beginning of the semester. In addition, students judged to be native or heritage speakers (either through the written placement exam or by classroom instructors), will have their speaking proficiency assessed by an oral proficiency tester in the Department of Foreign Languages who is currently certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Students who receive an advisory oral proficiency rating of Advanced Low level on the oral proficiency scale developed by ACTFL will not be permitted to enroll in SPAN 101 , SPAN 102 , SPAN 201 , or SPAN 220 . Students who receive an advisory oral proficiency rating of Advanced-Mid level or higher will not be permitted to enroll in SPAN 101 , SPAN 102 , SPAN 201 , SPAN 220 , SPAN 350 , or SPAN 450 . Students who are rated in the advanced range are encouraged to seek course credit for their oral proficiency levels by applying through the American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation Service in conjunction with Language Testing International (LTI) (see next section). In the case of Spanish majors and minors who place out of the courses listed as a result of having the advanced-level oral proficiency and choose NOT to pursue ACE credits, SPAN 201 will be waived (no credits granted), and students will need to seek other Spanish classes in place of the required SPAN 220 and SPAN 350 courses.
No student will be permitted to register for or take a D/F repeat in SPAN 101 , SPAN 102 , or SPAN 201 when credit has already been received for a higher-numbered course. No student will be permitted to register for or take a D/F repeat in SPAN 220 when credit has already been received for SPAN 350 and/or SPAN 450 .
Course Credit for Oral Proficiency Levels
Incoming students may receive course credit for their oral proficiency levels in Spanish through the American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation Service and Language Testing International (LTI), the assessment agency for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Students who have taken an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) through LTI, received a proficiency rating by LTI, and received credit recommendation by ACE may receive the following course credits in Spanish at IUP:
| ACTFL Oral Proficiency Ratings (rated by LTI) |
ACE Credit Recommendations |
IUP Spanish Course Equivalencies |
| Intermediate-Mid |
4 Lower Division credits |
Either SPAN 102 or SPAN 201 , depending on placement on departmental written exam |
| Intermediate-High/Advanced Low |
8 Lower Division credits |
SPAN 201 and SPAN 220 |
| Advanced-Mid |
10 Lower Division credits |
SPAN 201 and SPAN 220 and SPAN 350 |
| Advanced-High/Superior |
10 Lower Division credits and 3 Upper Division credits |
SPAN 201 and SPAN 220 and SPAN 350 and SPAN 450 |
To begin the process, students must contact LTI by e-mail (testing@languagetesting.com) to request an ACE College Credit Recommendation by OPI Examination information package and application. There is a fee for the OPI and an ACE application fee.
Study Abroad
Study Abroad: The university has established study-abroad centers in Spain, Mexico, France, and Costa Rica. The program in Valladolid, Spain, is a second-semester-only program, whereas the ones in Mexico and Costa Rica are summer programs. All majors are required to participate in study abroad; nonmajors are also accepted into these programs. The 18 credits in Spain, 7 credits in Mexico, 6 credits in France, or 4 credits in Costa Rica are applicable, all or in part, to a major, minor, or certificate in Spanish and French (as applicable). Students interested in more information should contact the department.