The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures

Division of the Humanities | The University of Chicago

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Program Requirements for BA in a Single Language

Undergraduate students who elect to major in the French, Italian, or Spanish program must meet with the appropriate Romance Languages and Literatures (RL&L) undergraduate adviser before the end of spring quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the major and complete the necessary paperwork. Students choose courses in consultation with the RL&L undergraduate adviser.

Students must submit to the department office an approval form for the major program signed by their RL&L undergraduate adviser by the end of spring quarter of their third year. Students must then submit a copy of the signed approval form to the their College adviser.

The programs in French, Italian, and Spanish languages and literatures consist of ten courses beyond FREN, ITAL, or SPAN 20300. The introductory sequence in the history of the literature is required (three courses from among FREN 21703, 21803, 21903, or 22003; ITAL 21703, 21803, 21903; or SPAN 21703, 21803, 21903, or 22003). Students are also required to take the following courses, which stress different approaches to language and literature and focus on a limited number of representative works: FREN 20400 (or 20500) and 21500; ITAL 20400; or SPAN 20400, 20402, 20601, 20602, or 21100, and 21500. In addition to these requirements, students must take five courses in the literature or culture of specialization (six for Italian). These courses are aimed at developing a broad knowledge of the field and, through the close study of major works, a proficiency in the critical techniques appropriate to their interpretation.

Grading

Students majoring in RL&L must receive quality grades in all required courses. Non-majors may take RL&L courses on a pass/fail basis with consent of instructor. However, all language courses must be taken for a quality grade.

Honors 

To qualify for honors, students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and an average GPA of 3.5 or higher in the major. They must also submit a completed BA paper to their adviser by sixth week of the quarter and sustain an oral defense by seventh week. At least three members of the department’s faculty must judge the paper and defense deserving of honors.

The BA paper typically is a research paper with a minimum of twenty pages and a bibliography written in the language of specialization. By the beginning of their fourth year, students may be asked to submit a writing sample in the language of their major. If the department deems language proficiency inadequate, there may be additional requirements to ensure that the BA paper can be successfully written in the language of study.

Students should select a faculty supervisor for the paper early in autumn quarter of their fourth year. During winter quarter they may register for FREN, ITAL, or SPAN 29900 with the faculty member chosen to direct the writing of the BA paper. This course does not count as one of the literature or culture courses required for the major; it must be taken for a quality grade.

Students must seek permission from their BA paper adviser to use a single paper or project to meet both the major requirements of RL&L and those of another department or program. A significant and logical section of the BA paper must be written in the appropriate Romance language in consultation with the student’s BA paper adviser. Students must also obtain the approval of both program chairs on a form available from the College adviser. The form must be completed and returned to the College adviser by the end of autumn quarter of the student’s year of graduation.

Summary of Requirements

 

French

Italian

Spanish