Programme name: Spanish
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (2 subjects/teaching profession)
Standard period of study: 6 semesters
Starting semester: Winter semester
Language requirements (proof): Knowledge of Spanish (see column on right)

Admission to the winter semester 2010/11:

• 1st semester: open admission (enrolment without previous application)
  
• 2nd to 6th semester: open admission (enrolment without previous application)
  
• International applicants: open admission (application to the University)

Subject description
Topic/Contents/Ojectives
The Bachelor Programme in Spanish aims to make graduates capable of independent scientific work. They should be able to differentiatingly and correctly apply linguistical means of expression in Spanish orally and in writing. They acquire extensive and sound knowledge of the spanish language, the literature as well as the economic, political, social, cultural and historical facts of the Spanish speaking countries and can describe and apply these with the help of scientific methods. Graduates should acquire fundamental knowledge of the acquisition and teaching of Spanish as a foreign language.
In all programmes, the Department of Romance Studies emphasizes that all students acquire key qualifications and competencies in communication, research and information processing as well as intercultural management.

The subject in Göttingen, subject areas, research foci
For many years already, Spanish has been the school subject with the highest growth rate in Lower Saxony schools.

In the German speaking region, Göttingen is one of the few universities at which Romance subjects can be studied in full breadth for a teaching profession as well as for a non-teaching profession. Wtihin Lower Saxony, Göttingen is even the only university at which the scarce subject of Spanish can be studied for a teaching profession.

Subject areas and research foci
The subject areas of the bachelor Spanish are language practice, ibero-romance literature, ibero-romance linguistics and ibero-romance country studies as well as Spanish specialised didactics.

Language practice
In the area of language practice, different modules give in-depth training in the four skills of hearing, reading, speaking and writing. These train and develop the oral and written reception and production competencies on the basis of the Common European Framework for Languages (from Level B1 in the Bachelor/Basis Module B1up to Level C1+ in the Master /In-depth Module V1). In the Advanced Module II, translation tenchiques are also conveyed and different aspects of german and spanish grammar are comparatively analysed. All language practice courses include country studies (history, culture, politics, etc.) of Spain as well as Latin America.

Linguistics
The learning objectives of linguistics lie in the scientific as well as in the obvious applied area. The courses convey knowledge of linguistic research in Spanish in the areas of structure and grammar, context, and history. The objective is to make the students capable of indpendant work with modern linguistical methods. The capability of independant analysis of language structures are conveyed with future occupational fields in mind. Aside from the basic connection to didactical questions, the communications sector (Internet, text optimization, intercultural communication) plays a large role.

Literature
In literature, students will become familiar with the literature and culutre of Latin America nad Spain beginning with the Middle Ages. An emphasis lies on the 19th and 20th century. A broad definition of literature also includes film. Certain epochs and works will be covered in-depth. Students also learn the methods of text analysis and different theories of literary studies. Research areas of ibero-romanc literary sicence are the novel and film of Cono Sur (Argentina, Chile) in the 19th and 20th century, transatlantic literature correlations as well as gender studies as relates to hispanistic gender studies.

Country studies
Country studies emphasizes the history of Spain and or spanisch America. Basic knowledge of history is deepened based on concrete examples. At the same time, students learn to critically assess historical research and occupy themselves with a basic topic of Spain's historiography and/or Spanish America. Finally, students acquire basic knowledge of business, politics, society and culture of modern day Spain (optionally Spanish America). The Department for Romance Studies and the Department for Middle Ages and Early Modern History cooperate closely.


Language requirements to be fulfilled during studies
Knowledge of Latin is required for the subject Spanish and can be verified by the small Latin language examination (Kleines Latinum).or by successfully completing a Latin basic language course in the optional section.

Programme structure
The programme is composed of modules in the areas of language practice, linguistics, literature and country studies as well as of a module in the area of specialised didactics. The modules are composed of individual courses, each worth a certain number of credits. These credits represent the work required in each course and are given independantly of the grade.

Subject combinations
Spanish can be combined with all subjects that are for a teaching profession.
Recommendations strongly depend upon the economically fluctuating hiring conditions of each German state.

Occupational fields
The main targeted working market of Spanish graduates is the school. This market will remain stabil in the forseeable future, with the usual double demographic fluctuations (teachers, pupils) with regard to the languages offered.