Academic Catalog and Handbooks

2024-2025 Edition

Hispanic Studies Minor

The Department of Hispanic Studies also provides the Global Language Proficiency general education requirement for all CSB/SJU students. In order to fulfill this goal, all students will:

  1. Demonstrate a minimum proficiency level of Intermediate-Low, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, in at least two of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Such a proficiency level means that students will have a functional command of the target language which allows them to communicate limited basic needs and ideas, and negotiate simple situations.
  2. Be exposed to a variety of cultural contexts in which the target language is spoken, and have a functional command of the basic rules of social interaction in that language.

Most students fulfill the Global Language Proficiency requirement through successful completion of HISP 211 or HISP 230. Many students seek to further develop their Spanish proficiency and integrate it to their major field of study by continuing on to complete the HISP major or minor. The HISP minor is a great option, including for students who enter CSB/SJU with a language placement of HISP 111 or 112.

Assessment

The Department of Hispanic Studies conducts regular assessment of student learning in language skills as well as in the literary, linguistic and cultural components of the major. Methods of assessment include: listening and reading tests according to proficiency guidelines for intermediate language courses, a senior capstone project written in the target language and presented in a public forum.