Mujer del Sombrero Aamarillo, (1962) by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Frequently Asked Questions

Undergraduate Advisors in the Spanish department can advise you only about the major and minor in Spanish. Advising about all other matters should be directed to the University Advising Center SSW 1551, 594-6668, http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/advising

1. What are the requirements for being able to declare Spanish as a major (minor)?

Fill out a Declaration of Major (Minor) form and bring it to the Spanish department (A.L. 134). Because Spanish is an Impacted major, the student must meet the following criteria (bring a unofficial or official transcript with the Declaration of Major form):

a. Complete with a grade of C or higher: Spanish 202 and 212 (or 282). These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC). These courses are automatically waived for native speakers of Spanish who have a high school diploma or equivalent from a country whose language of instruction is Spanish. These courses are also waived if the student has International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement credit for Spanish 202 and 212, or Advanced Placement credit for Spanish 405A and 405B.

b. Have a cumulative SDSU GPA of 2.50 or higher.

2. Should I begin at SPAN 101?

Span 101 is for students with little or no background in Spanish and for students who have taken the equivalent of this course 5 years ago or more.

3. How does high school Spanish affect where I begin?

The number of courses taken during high school will determine the starting course at SDSU. Two years of high school Spanish is equivalent to the first semester of Spanish at SDSU. Three years of high school Spanish is equivalent of the first two semesters of Spanish at SDSU. Four years of high school Spanish is equivalent to the first three semesters of Spanish.

4. I took and passed AP Spanish. How does it affect where I begin?

Passing the AP exam clears your language requirement. A score of 3 on the AP exam gives you credit for SPAN 201 and 211. A score of 4 or 5 gives you credit for SPAN 202 and 212. Please see the General Catalog, p. 412.

5. I grew up in a household where Span was spoken regularly. How does that affect which Spanish classes I take?

Take the Proficiency Exam offered at the Test Office. http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/testofc/testing.html