HISP - Hispanic Studies Major
Download as PDF
Program Requirements
Hispanic Studies Requirements
Plan A majors in Hispanic studies are required to have a total of 12.5 courses beyond HISP 102.
Plan B majors whose primary concentration is in Hispanic studies are required to take 7.5 credits beyond HISP 102.
Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is in Hispanic studies are required to take a total of five courses in Hispanic studies beyond HISP 102.
Plan A majors:
Core courses:
All Plan A majors are required to have a total of 12.5 courses beyond HISP 102. The required courses (totaling 9.5 credits) are to be distributed in the following manner: two courses at the 26X-level; HISP 270; HISP 280; HISP 290 (0.5); one course from another department/program related to the Hispanic world or any course in LACS; three courses at the 300 level; and HISP 401.
The rest of the credits within the major are earned through elective courses. No more than three courses taken abroad can be counted towards the major. One 300-level course taken abroad is counted for the major. All other required courses within the major must be taken with faculty at Trinity’s Hartford campus. Electives could include 201, 202, 214, 215, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 229, 240 245, or extra 26X-level courses, certain approved courses taken abroad, or extra 300-level courses. Teaching assistant credits may not count towards the major or minor.
Spanish majors are expected to study in one of the official Study Away sites or in any other program approved by the Hispanic studies section in Spain or Latin America (see the Office of Study Away website). All students wishing to receive credit toward the major for courses taken abroad, must have taken at least one thematically appropriate (Iberian or Latin American) civilization and culture course (HISP 26X) before their departure. Careful planning in coordination with the student’s adviser and, if applicable, the department’s faculty sponsors of the sites is therefore essential. Students who spend a year abroad in one of the official Study Away sites or in any other program approved by the Hispanic studies section in Spain and/or Latin America may petition to have more than 3 courses count towards the major.
Students who are unable to study abroad must take an extra 300-level course to substitute for HISP 290.
Required courses for the Plan A major
ˆ Three electives beyond HISP 102
ˆ One related field course in another department/program or any LACS course
ˆ Two culture courses (HISP 261, 262, 263 or 264)
ˆ HISP 270. Introduction to Cultural Analysis
ˆ HISP 280. Hispanic Hartford
ˆ HISP 290. Studying in the Hispanic World Colloquium (0.5 credits)
ˆ Three HISP 300 level (upper-level seminars in Spanish)
ˆ HISP 401 (senior seminar)
ˆ Study abroad
Plan B major (students who combine two of the languages taught in the department of language and culture studies and the classical studies department):
Plan B majors whose primary concentration is in Hispanic studies have to take 7.5 credits beyond HISP 102): two courses at the 26X level, HISP 270, HISP 280, HISP 290 (0.5), two courses at the 300 level, and HISP 401. In this final exercise, if possible, the student will engage in in-depth study of a theme that integrates material from the primary and secondary fields of linguistic and cultural competence. The remaining five credits for the major will be taken in the student’s secondary area of linguistic and cultural competence. Students who do not study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country must take an extra 300-level course to substitute for HISP 290.
Majors whose primary competence is Spanish are expected to study study in one of the official Study Away sites or in any other program approved by the Hispanic studies section in Spain or Latin America (see the Office of Study Away website). All students wishing to receive credit toward the major for courses taken abroad must have taken at least one thematically appropriate (Iberian or Latin American) civilization and culture course (HISP 26X) before
their departure. Careful planning in coordination with the student’s adviser and, if applicable, the department’s faculty sponsors of the sites is therefore essential. Students who are unable to study abroad must take an extra 300-level course to substitute for HISP 290.
Requirements for the Plan B major with primary competence in Hispanic studies
ˆ Two culture courses (HISP 261, 262, 263, or 264)
ˆ HISP 270. Introduction to Cultural Analysis
ˆ HISP 280. Hispanic Hartford
ˆ HISP 290. Studying in the Hispanic World Colloquium (0.5 credits)
ˆ Two HISP 300-level courses (upper-level seminars in Spanish)
ˆ HISP 401 (Senior Seminar)
Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is in Hispanic studies are required to take a total of five courses in Hispanic studies beyond HISP 102. Of these, the following must be taken with faculty at Trinity’s Hartford campus: two courses in civilization and culture (26X) and two 300-level courses. In certain cases, students may request that one upper-level course taken at an approved study-away program count toward the required number of 300-level courses. Certain prerequisites for 300-level courses may be waived for Plan B majors with secondary competency in Hispanic studies at instructor’s discretion.
ˆ One elective
ˆ Two culture courses (HISP 261, 262, 263 or 264)
ˆ Two HISP 300 level courses (upper level seminars in Spanish)
Capstone/senior project:
The Writing Intensive Part II requirement for students in either the Plan A or Plan B Hispanic studies major is fulfilled by HISP 401. Senior Seminar.
Plan A Majors: HISP 401. Senior Seminar. In this final exercise, students will engage theoretical and critical readings around a common theme related to the Spanish-speaking world and require an analytical research paper on a specific topic related to the common theme.
The Plan B major (primary concentration is in Hispanic studies)—HISP 401. In this final exercise, if possible, the student will engage in an in-depth study of a theme that integrates material from the primary and secondary fields of linguistic and cultural competence.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Study Away: Plan A Majors are expected to study in in one of the official Study Away sites or in any other program approved by the Hispanic studies section in Spain or Latin America.
Students who are unable to study abroad must take an extra 300-level course to substitute for HISP 290.
Plan B Majors whose primary competence is Spanish are encouraged to participate in a study away program approved by the Office of Study Abroad.
Honors: To qualify for honors in Hispanic studies majors must attain a cumulative average of A- or better in all courses counting toward the major and achieve an A- or better in the HISP 401.
Language and Culture Studies Requirements
Plan A major: Under this plan, students major in a single foreign language (French, German studies, Hispanic studies, Italian studies, or Russian). Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors. Credit acquired through the Language Across the Curriculum program may be applied to the cognate requirements. Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.
Plan B major: Under this plan, students may combine any two of the languages taught in the department of language and culture studies and the classical studies department. A minimum of seven courses in a primary language and five in a secondary language is required, as well as two courses in a cognate field or fields. A paper integrating the three fields of study—primary language field, secondary language field, and some aspect of the cognate field(s)—must be completed in one of the primary language upper-level courses. Except under exceptional circumstances this project will be undertaken in the primary language section’s 401 Senior Seminar, which must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.
Course work completed for the major under Plans A or B, or the minor, must receive C- or better, and students must demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the appropriate language(s). First-year students planning to take a language course (other than 101) must take the placement test, administered during first-year orientation.
Upper-level courses are conducted in the foreign language unless otherwise indicated.
Permission to major under Plan A or B or to opt for the language and culture studies minor must be obtained from the department chair.
Any student wishing to enroll for credit in a lower-level language sequence after having been granted credit for a course in the same language at a higher level must first obtain the written permission of the department chair.
All language skill courses may require extra lab or drill sessions at the discretion of the instructor.
Core courses: Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors.
Capstone/senior project: Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Study away: Majors and other students are urged to spend at least one semester abroad, or to enroll in a summer study-away program or a recognized summer language institute in North America. Special attention is called to the Trinity College programs in Berlin, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vienna. The departmental contacts for these programs are, respectively, Professors Evelein, Del Puppo, Shen, Izumi, and Evelein. Brochures describing each of these programs in detail are available both through the department and the Office of Study Away.
Honors: Departmental honors are awarded to seniors who have maintained an A- average in all courses to be counted toward their major (including cognate courses). A minimum grade of A- is furthermore required in the senior exercise (401).
Language Across the Curriculum: In addition to majoring in a language through Plan A or Plan B, or choosing a minor, there is also the opportunity to apply language skills to a wide array of courses across the entire college curriculum through the Language Across the Curriculum Program.
This option is generally open to all students who have completed the intermediate level (fourth semester, or equivalent) in any foreign language currently taught at Trinity and who are enrolled in any course outside the department in which the instructor, in collaboration with a member of the language and culture studies faculty, approves a supplementary reading list in the foreign language. For example, those studying European history, the economy of Latin America, or Freud could do supplementary readings in French, Spanish, or German; those studying art history or modern theater might do further readings in Italian or Russian respectively. There are many other possibilities. Upon satisfactory completion of the assigned work, students will be awarded an extra half credit in the course in question. For further information, see any member of the department.
Courses designated with the LACS department prefix are conducted in English.