The Modern Languages Department offers capable and highly motivated students two options to pursue a Major in Spanish with Departmental Honors. The Departmental Honors program offers these students an opportunity either a) to work with a department faculty member in an academically challenging research project or b) to pursue a more demanding Spanish language and service learning program by participating in an International Internship Program in a Spanish-speaking country.
Application to Departmental Honors Program in Spanish: To be accepted to either program, students must have a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade point average and major grade point average of at least 3.75 in their previous Spanish courses at SU. Interested students should apply to the Spanish Honors Coordinator in spring quarter of the junior year or fall quarter of the senior year. Upon acceptance, a change of major degree or specialization form will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Completion of the major: Option (a): Research project and honors thesis. During the senior year, departmental honors students who opt for the research/thesis will complete the departmental honors sequence
Departmental Honors Directed Readings (5 credits) and
Departmental Honors Thesis (5 credits). The focus of this option will be a substantial thesis written under the direction of a department faculty member. The thesis will be subject to approval by the department faculty and will be presented orally in a setting to be determined by the thesis supervisor. Students who commit to this option must complete both courses with grades of A or A-.
Option (b): Service learning program. The departmental service option will require students to complete an Internship that is at least 8 weeks long. This internship has to be approved by the Spanish Honors Coordinator. Students will give an oral presentation, in Spanish, describing their work and experience abroad, as well as an internship report written in Spanish.
In both options, students are required to pass the DELE, (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera-Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language) at the High-intermediate level B-2 offered by Instituto Cervantes.