The sequence of undergraduate programs of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese is designed to lead from the acquisition of competence in written and spoken Spanish or Portuguese, through an acquaintance with the structure and history of one or both of these languages and a critical understanding of the development and achievements of their literatures in the Old World and in the New, to training in advanced study and independent research. The department’s policy is to maintain a balanced strength between language and literature and between Peninsular and Latin American facets of a unified field.
THE MAJOR
The Department of Spanish & Portuguese offers five options for the major. Listed below are the prerequisites for each of the different majors, the requirements for the majors, and a note about the related courses outside of the major that are necessary in order to complete all of the requirements to graduate. If you are undecided about which major option to choose, please meet with the head major advisor to discuss which might be best for you. The options are:
- OPTION A, SPANISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE (SPANISH REQUIRED)
- OPTION B, LUSO-BRAZILIAN LANGUAGE & LITERATURE (PORTUGUESE REQUIRED w/ SPANISH OPTIONAL)
- OPTION C, PLAN 1, IBERIAN LANGUAGE & LITERATURE (SPANISH and either CATALAN or PORTUGUESE)
- OPTION C, PLAN 2, LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURES (SPANISH and PORTUGUESE)
- OPTION D, HISPANIC LANGUAGES AND BILINGUAL ISSUES (SPANISH REQUIRED)
All courses within the major must be taken for a letter grade. A major GPA of 2.0 must be maintained within the major.
PREREQUISITES FOR THE MAJOR OPTION A, C, & D
The prerequisites for all options except Option B are the same. All students must have completed Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4 (or their equivalents), and 25.
OPTION B: The prerequisites for Option B (Luso-Brazilian) are Portuguese 11 and 12 or Portuguese 101A/B and 102 (or their equivalents). Students transferring from other institutions with advanced standing and intending to major in Luso-Brazilian literature must present evidence (by examination or otherwise) that their preparation includes the equivalent of Portuguese 12 or 102.
OPTION A: SPANISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
This traditional option covers Peninsular and Latin American literature and linguistics. This is the most flexible option and is recommended for future high school Spanish teachers and future graduate students in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 10 upper-division courses totaling at least 30 units in the department, including:
- Two advanced grammar and composition courses: Spanish 102A and 135W (6 units)
- Two courses in Spanish literature (6 units)
- one before 1700 (Medieval or Golden Age)
- one after 1700 (Modern)
- Two courses in Spanish-American literature (6 units)
- One course in Spanish linguistics (3 units)
- Three upper-division elective courses in Spanish. (9 units)
- Two related courses taken outside of the department.
OPTION B: LUSO-BRAZILIAN LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
This option is for students interested in a major in the Portuguese language and literature and generally does not include Spanish as part of the major. REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 10 upper-division courses totaling at least 30 units in the department, including:
- Portuguese 103, advanced grammar & composition (3 units)
- Two courses in Brazilian Literature Portuguese 104, Introduction to Brazilian literature one other course in Brazilian literature (6 units)
- Two courses in Portuguese literature Portuguese 107A or B, Survey of Portuguese literature one other course in Portuguese literature (6 units)
- One course in Portuguese theoretical approaches to literature (3 units)
- Four upper-division electives from offerings of the department, two of which may be in a related field of Spanish or Spanish-American literature, linguistics, or culture (12 units)
- Two related courses taken outside of the department.
OPTION C, PLAN 1: IBERIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
For students who want to focus on the Iberian Peninsula. This major requires coursework in either Portuguese or Catalan, in addition to Spanish. REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 10 upper-division courses totaling at least 30 units in the department, including:
- Two advanced grammar and composition courses: Spanish 102A and 135W (6 units)
- One language course, either Catalan 101 (3 units), (Catalan for advanced students), OR Portuguese 101A (3 units) and 101B (2 units), (Portuguese for Advanced Students)
- Two courses in Iberian literature: one course from the literature of Spain, and one other course from the literature of Portugal or Catalonia
- Five other upper-division courses in Spanish, Portuguese, or Catalan language, literature, linguistics, or culture, from the offerings of the department.
- Two related courses taken outside of the department.
OPTION C, PLAN 2: LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURES
For students who want to focus on Latin America. This major requires coursework in Portuguese in addition to Spanish. This is a good option for students who are interested in pursuing international careers in Latin America. REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 10 upper-division courses totaling at least 30 units in the department, including:
- Two advanced grammar and composition courses: Spanish 102A and 135W (6 units)
- One language course, Portuguese 101A (3 units) and 101B (Portuguese for Advanced Students) (2 units)
- One course from the literature of Spanish America (3 units)
- One course from the literature of Brazil (3 units)
- Five other upper-division courses on Spanish/Portuguese language or linguistics, or in Brazilian or Spanish-American literature or culture, from the offerings of the department (15 units)
- Two related courses taken outside of the department.
OPTION D: HISPANIC LANGUAGES AND BILINGUAL ISSUES
For students who wish to focus on linguistics and issues of bilingualism. REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 9 upper-division courses and 1 upper- or lower-division course, totaling at least 30 units, with 21 units within the department, including:
- Two advanced grammar and composition courses: Spanish 102A and 135W (6 units)
- Three courses in Spanish linguistics (9 units)
- Spanish 100, Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (a prerequisite for the other two courses)
- one course in Spanish syntax or Spanish/English contrastive analysis
- one course in Spanish linguistics, dealing with language variation
- Two courses in literature/culture (6 units)
- one course in Latin American literature
- one course in Latin American or Peninsular literature/culture
- Three courses taken outside the department. These courses must be approved by the departmental major adviser prior to enrollment.
- one upper division course dealing with bilingualism issues
- one upper division course in U.S. hispanic literature/culture
- one course, upper or lower division, specifically related to the major. (This course may be taken on a P/NP basis.)
HONORS PROGRAM
Students are eligible to do honors work within the Department of Spanish & Portuguese if they have completed at least two semesters of work at Berkeley with an overall grade-point average of 3.3 and a grade-point average of at least 3.6 in those courses taken within the major. Students must complete two honors courses, H195A (1.5 units) and H195B (1.5 units), in two successive semesters, and will write a thesis under the supervision of an appropriate departmental faculty member over the course of two successive semesters. A letter grade, reflecting progress, will be given after the first semester. H195A/B will not count toward the required upper-division work in the major. Department. Procedures: Before the semester in which you intend to begin the honors program, please speak with the staff Undergraduate Advisor to verify eligibility for honors work and to discuss the process (spanua@berkeley.edu or 510.642.4084).
DECLARING THE MAJOR
You can receive pre-major advising at any time, from the staff Undergraduate Advisor (5317 Dwinelle). Declare the major when you have completed Spanish 25, which you must take for a letter grade.
Single Major: To declare a single major in Spanish & Portuguese, either make an appointment with the Undergraduate Advisor, at spanua@berkeley.edu or drop in to see her between 9-12 and 1-4, M-F.
Double Major: To declare a double major, get a double major packet from the College of Letters & Science, download it. Make appointments with both major advisors (Undergraduate Advisor at spanua@berkeley.edu, and the other advisor). You’ll need to prepare a four-year plan and get signatures from both departments.
