Spanish, Teaching Certification EC-12

Admission and Retention Requirements for Spanish Certification

For admission to and retention in Teacher Education in the field of Spanish, students must achieve and sustain a 2.75 GPA in all Spanish coursework. To qualify to take the Spanish (All Level) TExES examination (LOTE-613), students must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have at least a 2.5 GPA on all college coursework (lower and upper level).
  2. Have a 2.75 GPA on all Spanish coursework (lower and upper level).
  3. Have completed one Spanish TExES Review Workshop. This workshop must be taken in the semester prior to the term the student takes the TExES.
  4. Provide official permit with approval of Spanish certification coordinator or designee.

Students returning to the University to complete certification must see the Spanish certification coordinator to receive a deficiency plan. All criteria outlined in the plan must be met before the student will be permitted to take the Spanish TExES.

For further information on required professional development courses, the Professional Development TExES (PPR-160), and other Teacher Certification requirements, please see the College of Education and Human Development section of this catalog. Students should also consult the Certification Office of the College of Education and Human Development for complete and current information about Teacher Certification requirements.

Students seeking Teacher Certification in Spanish must take a minimum of 36 semester hours in Spanish, at least 30 of which must be at the upper-division level.

Degree Requirements

Requirements Credit Hours
Core Curriculum Program 42
University Seminar (when applicable) or Electives 0-2
Major Requirements 36
Teacher Education Core Requirements 27
University Electives 9
Foreign Language Requirements 6
Total Credit Hours 120-122

Program Requirements

Full-time, First-year Students
USSE 1201University Seminar2
Core Curriculum Program
University Core Curriculum42
Students must take the following:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Child Growth and Development
Requirements
Base Language
Select two of the following:6
Intermediate Spanish I
Intermediate Spanish II
Spanish for Heritage Speakers I
Spanish for Heritage Speakers II
Grammar, Writing & Oral Communication
SPAN 3302Spanish Composition3
SPAN 3312Spanish Grammar3
SPAN 3303Spanish Conversation3
Linguistics
SPAN 3311Spanish Phonetics3
SPAN 3317Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics3
SPAN 4327Methods in Foreign Language Instruction3
Culture & Civilization
Select one of the following:3
Civilizations of the Spanish-Speaking World
Spanish Literature
Select one of the following:3
Introduction to Spanish Literature
Topics in Spanish
Latin American Literature
Select one of the following:3
Introduction to Latin American Literature
Topics in Spanish
Spanish Elective
Any Spanish 3000 or 4000 level course not taken before3
Teacher Education Core Requirements
EDUC 2211Foundations of Education2
SPED 3310Individual Differences in Schools and Communities3
READ 3353Content Area Reading for Secondary Students3
or READ 3352 Content Area Reading for Elementary Students
EDUC 3211Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching2
BIEM 3357Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language3
EDUC 4305Seminar I3
IDET 4210Design and Development of Technology-Integrated Learning Environments2
EDUC 4694Clinical Teaching6
EDUC 4395Seminar II3
Pass both the TExES examination (LOTE-613 [Languages Other Than English]) and the PPR-160 (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities Test) in order to receive the Teacher Certification
University Electives
Select 9 hours of electives9
Foreign Language Requirement
See the College of Liberal Arts for the college language requirement.6
Total Hours122

Course Sequencing 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallHours
ENGL 1301 Writing and Rhetoric I 3
USSE 1201 University Seminar 2
SPAN 1311 Spanish I 3
MATH 1332
Contemporary Mathematics
or Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking
3
EDUC 1354 Child Growth and Development 3
University Core Curriculum 3
 Hours17
Spring
ENGL 1302
Writing and Rhetoric II
or Foundation of Communication
3
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
SPAN 1312 Spanish II 3
 Hours15
Second Year
Fall
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
SPAN 2311
Intermediate Spanish I
or Spanish for Heritage Speakers I
3
EDUC 2211 Foundations of Education 2
Elective 3
 Hours17
Spring
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
University Core Curriculum 3
SPAN 2312
Intermediate Spanish II
or Spanish for Heritage Speakers II
3
 Hours12
Third Year
Fall
SPAN 3303 Spanish Conversation 3
SPAN 3325 Introduction to Latin American Literature 3
SPAN 4390 Topics in Spanish 3
READ 3353
Content Area Reading for Secondary Students
or Content Area Reading for Elementary Students
3
SPED 3310 Individual Differences in Schools and Communities 3
 Hours15
Spring
SPAN 3315 Civilizations of the Spanish-Speaking World 3
SPAN 4327 Methods in Foreign Language Instruction 3
SPAN 4390 Topics in Spanish 3
EDUC 3211 Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching 2
 Hours11
Fourth Year
Fall
SPAN 3312 Spanish Grammar 3
SPAN 3317 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics 3
SPAN 3320 Introduction to Spanish Literature 3
IDET 4210 Design and Development of Technology-Integrated Learning Environments 2
EDUC 4305 Seminar I 3
BIEM 3357 Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language 3
Elective 3
 Hours20
Spring
SPAN 3302 Spanish Composition 3
SPAN 3311 Spanish Phonetics 3
EDUC 4694 Clinical Teaching 6
EDUC 4395 Seminar II 3
 Hours15
 Total Hours122

Courses

SPAN 1100  Introduction to Service Learning  
1 Semester Credit Hour  
This is a one-credit course in which students in Spanish 1311 or 1312 may enroll and participate. This service learning course aims to promote collaborative learning between college students learning Spanish and people in the community. Available upon application. Repeatable up to 2 hours.
SPAN 1311  Spanish I  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
Introduction to listening, speaking, reading and writing skills within a Spanish cultural framework. For students without previous knowledge of the language. (Language laboratory required. One hour per week.) *A lab fee is required for these courses.
SPAN 1312  Spanish II  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
Continued practice in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills within a Spanish cultural framework. (Language laboratory required. One hour per week.) A lab fee is required for these courses.
SPAN 2311  Intermediate Spanish I  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A course designed for students at the beginning intermediate level to further the acquisition of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, and their application in a variety of professional environments within a Spanish cultural framework. Counts towards the Foreign Language requirement in Spanish. Next course in sequence: SPAN 2312 or 2315.
TCCNS: SPAN 2311  
SPAN 2312  Intermediate Spanish II  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A course designed for students at the intermediate level to further the acquisition of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, and their application in a variety of professional environments within a Spanish cultural framework. Counts towards the Foreign Language requirement in Spanish. Next course in sequence: Any SPAN 3000 or 4000 level course. Recommended courses: SPAN 3302, SPAN 3303, SPAN 3312 and/or SPAN 3315.
TCCNS: SPAN 2312  
SPAN 2313  Spanish for Heritage Speakers I  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
An introductory course designed for bilingual students who wish to enhance their linguistic skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing). This course will focus on the cultural and historical aspects related to the heritage Spanish speaker.
TCCNS: SPAN 2313  
SPAN 2315  Spanish for Heritage Speakers II  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course is designed to guide Spanish heritage language learners, as well as advanced learners of Spanish, in the development of their oral proficiency, written communication, and grammatical accuracy while exploring different cultural aspects from the Spanish-speaking world. It is highly recommended for students who have taken SPAN 2313 and/or who are transitioning into upper-division Spanish courses.
SPAN 2316  Spanish for the Professions  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
The course stresses Spanish for the professions to enhance communication skills and cultural knowledge that will help to serve the South Texas Spanish-speaking population as well as to conduct interactions with Spanish speakers and/or businesses throughout the United States and the world.
Prerequisite: SPAN 2312.
SPAN 2317  Introduction to the Cultures of the Spanish Speaking Peoples  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A survey course designed for students with an interest in the variety of cultures of the Spanish-Speaking Peoples. We will learn about the complex histories that shaped the Spanish-Speaking World(s) and explore and critically analyze different cultural artifacts, such as architecture, literature, painting, sculpture and film. Conducted in English, unless otherwise specified. This course may be used to satisfy the university core curriculum in Language, Philosophy, and Culture.
SPAN 3302  Spanish Composition  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A course designed to develop analytical perspectives in literary criticism and to strengthen reading and writing skills in Spanish through intensive reading of Spanish, Spanish American, and Chicano fiction.
SPAN 3303  Spanish Conversation  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A course designed to strengthen the student's oral proficiency in the language through selected readings, videos and oral presentations.
SPAN 3311  Spanish Phonetics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A course designed to study the production and discrimination of the Spanish sound system with a general overview of the geographical and social distribution of phonemic and allophonic variants.
SPAN 3312  Spanish Grammar  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
The course will serve to expand vocabulary, further develop writing skills; understand, apply, and use Spanish grammatical structures, and communicate more accurately in written and oral Spanish within a Hispanic cultural context.
SPAN 3313  Introduction to Translation  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course is an introduction to the theory, methods and practice of English to Spanish and Spanish to English translation of general texts from different fields. Challenges related to culture and language, as well as professional ethics will be examined.
SPAN 3315  Civilizations of the Spanish-Speaking World  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course has been designed to provide a general overview of the historical, sociocultural and political experience of peoples from the Spanish-Speaking world, both from Spain and Spanish America.
SPAN 3317  Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course introduces the study of language, the main subfields of Hispanic linguistics, and their application to other sciences. 
SPAN 3320  Introduction to Spanish Literature  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A critical approach to the study of Spanish literature from the Middle Ages through the present. Representative works of Spanish literature are studied within their larger European context. It is highly recommended that students take any of the following before taking this course: SPAN 2313, 2315, 3302, 3303 have advanced proficiency or faculty permit. Conducted in Spanish, unless otherwise stated.
SPAN 3325  Introduction to Latin American Literature  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A critical approach to the study of Latin American literature from the Pre-Columbian Period through the present. Selected readings in all literary genres, major themes, writers, and literary movements will be studied with a wide Latin American context. It is highly recommended that students take any of the following before taking this course: SPAN 2313, 2315, 3302, 3303, have advanced proficiency or faculty permit. Conducted in Spanish, unless otherwise stated.
SPAN 4100  Service Learning  
1 Semester Credit Hour  
This is a one-credit course designed specifically for students who are preparing themselves to serve the community using their Spanish language skills. Students in this course will familiarize themselves with the methodology of a particular field (heritage language teaching, translation, interpreting, etc) to be able to interact and serve Spanish-speaking individuals in the community. Available upon application. Repeatable up to 3 hours.
SPAN 4322  Medical, Scientific and Technical Translation  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
An advanced course in translation concentrating on medical, scientific and technical translation. The course is designed to extend student's knowledge of translation theory and consolidate their skills in specialized translation.
SPAN 4327  Methods in Foreign Language Instruction  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course is designed to study the current methods in foreign languages, their application in maximizing language proficiency, and the role of the students' culture and language during the learning process.
SPAN 4390  Topics in Spanish  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
Study of specialized topics in language or literature. These courses may also be designed to develop terminology and overall Spanish proficiency regarding specific professions: Business, Medical, Criminal Justice, Sociology, etc. May be repeated when topics vary.
SPAN 4396  Directed Individual Study  
1-3 Semester Credit Hours (1-3 Lecture Hours)  
See College description.
SPAN 4398  Applied Experience  
3 Semester Credit Hours  
A practical work experience related to the Spanish area and related careers. It is intended to provide an opportunity for a student to gain first-hand experience in an unfamiliar field. Consequently, Applied Experience credit may not be granted for a student's regular work assignment or for previous work experience. Registration is by application. The application must include a clearly written description of the duties and responsibilities involved in the Applied Experience project, and be signed by the student, the on-site supervisor, and the faculty supervisor. Completed applications must be received in the Dean's Office by the last class day of the semester preceding intended registration. This course is graded "credit" or "no credit." No more than three semester hours of Applied Experience credit may be counted toward the baccalaureate degree. Undergraduate Applied Experience course will include no less than one hundred hours and no more than 150 hours of work experience per semester.
SPAN 4421  Business, Commercial, and Legal Translation  
4 Semester Credit Hours (4 Lecture Hours)  
An advanced course in translation concentrating on business, commercial and legal texts. The course is designed to extend student's knowledge of translation theory and consolidate their skills in specialized translation.