Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
I am working on my Spanish major/minor and I’m not sure which classes I should take next semester. Whom should 
I ask?
Answer:
Please see your Advisor in the Spanish Division. You can find their name on your STAR report. They will be able to help you organize and plan your courses to complete the major or minor.
Question:
I am working on my Spanish major/minor and I heard that I have to complete a study abroad program in order to graduate.
Answer:
Spanish majors and minors in the College of Letters and Science are not required to complete a study abroad program. It is recommended and strongly encouraged by the Spanish Division that you study in a Spanish-speaking country, but it is not a requirement.
Spanish majors and minors who are in the School of Education and who plan to teach Spanish, must complete a study abroad immersion program of FOUR weeks or more in a Spanish-speaking country. The Study Abroad Program must be approved by the Spanish Division. The immersion requirement is a DPI (Department of Public Instruction) mandate for all teachers of Spanish before they may begin their student teaching in the field.
*The Spanish program recommends a full semester abroad
Question:
How can I find out about Study Abroad Programs?
Answer:
You may speak to your Advisor in the Spanish Division, the Coordinator of the Spanish Division, and the Office of International Education on first floor Dempsey. All three of them will have helpful information for you as you plan this important part of your Spanish studies.
Ojo: The office of International Education now has a study abroad worksheet to help you prepare for this important experience.
Question:
I’m an Education major and I completed my Study Abroad program a year ago. Why does it still say that I have to 
complete a Study Abroad program in order to begin my student teaching?
Answer:
In order to receive official recognition for your study abroad immersion experience, you must go to the main office of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Radford Hall 315,and fill out the appropriate paperwork, which will then be forwarded for signatures and sent to the School of Education for you.
Question:
What if I want to go on a Study Abroad Program that is not a UWO program? How do I get credit for the courses I take?
Answer:
Once you have completed all of the necessary steps included on the Study Abroad worksheet provided by the Office of International Education: You make an appointment to meet with the Spanish Coordinator, take your most recent STAR report and all of the information you have collected from the study abroad program that you are interested in. You will need course descriptions and syllabi in some cases. You and the Coordinator will then work out course equivalencies (if possible), fill out a Transfer Credit Prior Approval form, which the DFLL will then submit to Dempsey for you. Upon completion, your courses will transfer in as their UWO equivalents.
Question:
According to the Placement Test I took, I should be in Spanish 300, 312 or for Heritage Speakers, Spanish 310, but the class seems way too hard for me. What should I do?
Answer:
The Placement Test is not always a perfect measure of some students’ knowledge of Spanish. Consult with your 
instructor and your advisor to find a more appropriate course level for you.
Question:
*Under the old major/minor requirements: Why are some people required to complete just 40 credits for the major or 25 credits for the minor and I have to complete 42 credits for the major or 27 credits for the minor?
Answer:
When students come into UWO and place into a 300-level course, and, if they get a B or better in the first 300-level course they take, they are eligible to receive a maximum of 16 retro credits. Our 110-204 series is composed of 18 credits, therefore, the placement students will receive 2 credits less than students who begin at the 100 or 200-level. For that reason, their credit requirements are 2 credits less for the major or the minor. All other students must complete 42 or 27 credits.
Question:
Answer:
Question:
Answer:
This is the best next step for you in your preparation toward the major or the minor.
Question:
What is this new verb test I have heard about that students are taking in 300-level Spanish classes?
Answer:
In order to address the need for Spanish majors and minors to control fully one of the fundamental aspects of language learning—verb conjugation—and to provide the division with a useful tool for assessing their knowledge of that fundamental aspect, we are implementing a test of high frequency verbs, both irregular and regular.
This test is given in five advanced-level core courses: Spanish 312 (Advanced Grammar I), Spanish 313 (Advanced Grammar II), Spanish 301 (Advanced Composition and Conversation I), Spanish 304 (Advanced Composition and Conversation II), and Spanish for Heritage Speakers.
Students are given a list of 100 verbs on the first day of classes. They are then tested on 10 randomly selected verbs at the beginning of the semester, again at mid-term, and a third and final time at the end of the term. A score of 90% and above on the third test will have no impact on students’ grades, ranging down to a score of less than 70%, which will reduce the students' course grade to an F. In that case, the students may retake the class or go on to other Spanish classes, accepting the F and the fact that the course will not count toward the major or minor.
For more details see the Spanish Division webpage or your instructor, advisor, or the coordinator.
Question:
I am ready to start taking my three required literature classes for the major. Which would be the best one for me to 
start with?
Answer:
Question:
Answer:
This literature course limit is noted in the current edition of Bulletin
Question:
Spanish classes. Now my STAR report says I still need 208. I know that I don’t have to go back and take it now… How do I get 208 waived?Two literature courses in one semester is the maximum recommended. If you take your major in Spanish seriously, you will dedicate the time and energy necessary for its completion to the best of your abilities.
Answer:
Question:
Answer:
The Praxis II exam for Spanish must be taken seriously.
It is best to take the exam immediately following your study abroad immersion program and after taking advanced level courses in Spanish. If possible, it should be taken at the moment in which you feel your strongest in Spanish.
We recommend that you begin to think about and prepare yourself for this exam from the very beginning of your studies, in your advanced level grammar courses, culture and civilization courses, and literature courses.
Question:
hang out with other Spanish majors and minors?Answer:
Yes!
**Spanish Club!
**¡SOL!
(Student Organization of Latinos)
**Spanish Conversation Hour!
OJO:
Don’t forget, when in doubt,
please consult your Advisor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Spanish Division!
We are there to answer your questions and help you plan your major or minor!
