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2025-2026 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Spanish Minor

Requirements for a Minor in Spanish

Students minoring in Spanish are required to complete a minimum of 21 credits in this subject, including:

Core Curriculum:

Other Required Courses:

All students are urged to declare the minor at the beginning of their sophomore year and to take courses beyond the minimum number, particularly those in civilization and culture and literature.

Students should also seriously contemplate taking advantage of the various summer, semester, and year-long study abroad opportunities, which will advance credits in their Spanish minor.

Credits for SPA 101, SPA 102, SPA 150, or SPA 201, will not be counted toward the major or minor. SPA 202 counts an elective toward the minor only if the student has not placed into the 300-level.

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Minor in Spanish

To complete the program in four years, work toward the minor should begin in a student's first year. The suggested distribution of courses follows.

Year One

Semester One:

Semester Two:

One of the following:

Year Two

Semester One:

One of the following:

Semester Two:

  • One 300- or 400-level elective (3 credits)

Year Three

Semester One:

One from the following:

Semester Two:

One from the following:

Year Four

Semester One:

  • One 300- or 400-level elective course (3 credits)

Requirements for a Spanish Secondary Education Minor

Students choosing Spanish as a teachable minor must complete 21 credits including: two civilization and culture courses, SPA 314, and SPA 335. In addition, students with a Spanish Secondary Education minor must study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country for a minimum of one semester (12 to 15 credits in Spanish at the 300-level) in a departmentally approved program. Courses taken during the study abroad semester may fulfill some courses required for the minor. The semester abroad should take place after students have completed SPA 301. Students who cannot meet this requirement will need to complete an alternative plan approved by the Spanish section's study abroad committee. Students interested in pursuing a teaching degree in Spanish are urged to meet with a Spanish advisor as early as possible in their program.

It is a requirement of the Michigan Department of Education and Grand Valley's College of Education and Community Innovation that teacher candidates achieve the Advanced-Low level on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish before student teaching. Information sessions on the OPI and other requirements for certification are provided regularly, but students should work closely with their advisor in Spanish. Students planning to teach Spanish are strongly encouraged to fulfill the study abroad requirement before attempting the OPI.

Credits for SPA 101, SPA 102, SPA 150, SPA 201, SPA 202, SPA 203, or SPA 204 will not be counted toward the major or minor.

Requirements for a Spanish Elementary Education Minor

Students choosing Spanish as a teachable minor for elementary education certification (in conjunction with the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teachers major) must complete 27 credits including:

Select two of the following three courses:

AND complete the following:

A student who wishes to complete the Spanish elementary education minor must also complete the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teachers (PCKET) major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the elementary education major in the College of Education and Community Innovation. Due to the complex and extensive nature of the combined programs, minors in Spanish elementary education should consult regularly with both PCKET and Spanish advisors. It is a requirement of the Michigan Department of Education and Grand Valley's College of Education and Community Innovation that teacher candidates achieve the advanced low level on the oral proficiency interview (OPI) in Spanish before student teaching. Students interested in teaching in immersion or dual language programs should plan to develop advanced high oral proficiency. Information sessions on the OPI and other requirements for certification are provided regularly, but students should work closely with an advisor in Spanish. Students are urged to meet with a Spanish advisor as early as possible in their program and strongly encouraged to study abroad for at least one semester. Credits for SPA 101, SPA 102, SPA 150, SPA 201, SPA 202, SPA 203, or SPA 204 will not be counted toward the major or minor.


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