At a time when worldwide globalization includes the demographically and culturally significant Hispanization of Texas, along with other areas of the United States, the study of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture is important to achieving an understanding of the world in which we live. Through teaching, research and service, the faculty of the Department of Hispanic Studies contribute in their work through the undergraduate curriculum to the process of globalization by fostering University and professional levels of bilingualism and biculturalism. With 450 million world-wide speakers, Spanish is not only the second language of Texas and the United States, but also an official language of the United Nations and of the European Union. Furthermore, as a linguistic presence on the internet, Spanish is second only to English. Texas is a bilingual/bicultural state in which Spanish is useful and often necessary in everyday life. In the diverse society in which we live, much personal and professional satisfaction can be gained by being bilingual and bicultural. Texas A&M University's curriculum in Spanish and courses in Hispanic Studies can help a student work towards achieving such a goal.

The Department of Hispanic Studies offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate courses. The Department recognizes the integral relationship between teaching and research, and all members of the faculty are active scholars and dedicated teachers. With major emphases in literature and language/culture, the Department offers a variety of courses in Spanish language, linguistics and culture. An undergraduate major in Spanish can show future employers and/or graduate schools that a student has achieved a certain level of linguistic ability and understanding of Hispanic cultures. The undergraduate major is designed to help students grow in their oral and written language skills as they learn more about Hispanic cultures through literature and cultural studies. This kind of study is valuable for those who plan to go into international careers or for those who plan to work with Hispanic populations in the United States. A Spanish major is useful in careers such as banking, advertising, marketing, journalism, health services, government, social welfare and public administration, and it is an excellent preparation for professional school.

The Department insists on a high level of language competence as the basis for other intellectual growth in the discipline. In addition to classes at the College Station campus, the Department sponsors summer study abroad programs for credit in Mexico and Spain. Semester and full-years study abroad programs, reciprocal exchanges or internships are available and encouraged. In general, the careful combination of the skills and knowledge from a Spanish major with other curricula can greatly enhance students' preparation for business, industry, government or the professions. Teaching certification is available to Spanish majors through the College of Education and Human Development.

After meeting the University admission requirement in foreign language, students will be required to complete, by course work or placement test, all 100- and 200-level courses in sequence before taking any upper-division (300- or 400-level) course. Once a student has received credit for a higher level language course in the lower division sequence, the student is no longer eligible to receive credit for prerequisite courses.

The Hispanic Studies faculty recommends that Spanish language students, especially heritage speakers of Spanish and Advanced Placement (AP) students, take a healthy mixture of course work related, on the one hand, to achieving University-level linguistic competence in the language; and course work related to the Hispanic or Latino cultural experience on the other. To this end students select from courses on language, grammar and culture in spoken and written Spanish and electives which broaden the Hispanic/Latino knowledge base taught in English. A prudent and timely selection of courses can allow the student to apply course work taken in the pursuit of bilingual/biculturalism to satisfy some requirements on the student's degree plan. Many of the suggested courses will apply in the Core Curriculum, for example, in areas such as Humanities and Social Sciences. Discussions with a departmental advisor can help students to focus the best possible fit of course work with their interests and degree plan.

A certificate program in Spanish is available for students in Biomedical Science Programs. The program is administered jointly by the Department of Hispanic Studies and the College of Veterinary Medicine. In order to earn the certificate, students will be required to take (1) 6 credit hours of course work in Spanish at the 200-level, (2) 9 credit hours of course work in culture and areas studies courses, and (3) 3 credit hours in advanced Spanish course work. Students are required to study abroad and/or carry out international internships in conjunction with work toward the certificate.

Spanish: 33* credits. The following courses are required:

Other Departmental Requirements. Spanish majors are required to complete 18 hours in supporting courses in such areas as linguistics, history, philosophy, English, political science, geography and U.S. cultures (women and/or minority groups). These courses are to be chosen from a list of recommended courses in consultation with the departmental advisor.

Minor Field of Study. Spanish majors must select a minor field of study from departments or divisions within or outside of the College of Liberal Arts or in a particular area of interest (as in the case of interdisciplinary minors or career opportunity minors). The minor will consist of a minimum of 15 hours of course work; 9 hours must be in advanced (300- or 400-level) courses. A minor in a language offered by the department consists of 18 hours of course work beyond the 100-level. Interdisciplinary minors such as women's studies, classical studies, religious studies, comparative cultural studies and business have specific requirements; students should consult the Undergraduate Student Services Office in the College of Liberal Arts for details. A second major may substitute for the minor. A grade of C or higher is required for a course to be counted in the minor field. A minor must be declared before the student has completed 75 credit hours.

College and University Requirements. Other courses may qualify for the following categories. Students should consult the approved list of courses available in the Undergraduate Student Services Office in the College of Liberal Arts. The following lists incorporate University Core Curriculum requirements. No course can be counted in more than one category.

Required Foreign Language Placement Test. Incoming students who intend to enroll for the first time in a Spanish course at Texas A&M University, who have previous knowledge, however acquired, of the language in which they plan to enroll, and who have no college credit in the language, must take a placement test to determine the appropriate course for their level of ability. The foreign language placement test also serves as a basis for credit by examination.

The foreign language placement test will be administered during freshman conferences along with other credit by exam tests. The test will also be offered during Fall and Spring semesters.

Students who take the Advanced Placement (AP) test or other acceptable tests which grant college-level credit in their foreign language of choice do not have to take the required foreign language placement test. In this case, the AP and Achievement test results may be used for placement.

International students whose native language is not English are exempted from satisfying the University foreign language requirement. These students are not allowed to register in those courses in their native language (101, 102) which are used to fulfill that requirement.