Frequently Asked Questions

• 为什么要学西班牙语?
   
• I’ve never taken 西班牙语 before, would I have enough time to major if I start with elementary 西班牙语 during my freshman year?
   
• What level of proficiency do I need to be able to study abroad?
   
• Is it difficult to complete a double major with 西班牙语 as one of the two fields?
   
• What do I need to do to graduate with Honors in 西班牙语?
   
• I know the senior essay is optional but I would like to write one. How do I best prepare for it?

为什么要学西班牙语?

• SPANISH can no longer be considered a foreign language in the U.S. In fact, it is spoken by an estimated 45 million in this country. By 2050, we will have the second largest 西班牙语-speaking population in the world, after Mexico. There are more 西班牙语 speakers in this country than there are speakers of Chinese, 法国, 夏威夷, and the Native American languages combined.
   
• Some 450 million people in the world speak SPANISH in twenty-one nations and several allied territories. It is the third most widely spoken language, after Mandarin and English. Global internet usage statistics also show 西班牙语 as the third most commonly used language on the Internet.
   
• SPANISH is the language of notable writers such as Miguel de Cervantes, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Isabel Allende and Jorge Luis Borges; artists such as Pablo Picasso, 弗里达•卡罗, and Eduardo Chillida; film makers like Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro Iñárritu; musical figures such as Pablo Casals, 古斯塔夫。杜达梅尔, 葛洛利亚·埃斯特芬, 西莉亚克鲁兹, 还有恩里克·伊格莱西亚斯. There is also Pope Francis!
   
• Studying SPANISH will significantly enhance your 教育al and professional opportunities. There is a crucial demand for 西班牙语 speakers in all fields, 包括医学, 法律, 业务, 艺术, 政府, 教育, and social research among many others…

I’ve never taken 西班牙语 before, would I have enough time to major if I start with elementary 西班牙语 during my freshman year?

While it is challenging, it is possible to complete a major even if you’d never had 西班牙语 before coming to BMC. You should plan on going abroad during your junior year; and during at least one semester, you may need to take as many as three 西班牙语 courses. Another possibility would be to take a summer course, chosen in consultation with a 西班牙语 adviser, at an accredited institution. 

What level of proficiency do I need to be able to study abroad?

Most study abroad programs require you to have the equivalent of four semesters of 西班牙语 (or Intermediate-level proficiency) as a prerequisite. Students who begin 西班牙语 during the freshmen year generally achieve this level by the end of their sophomore year. Other students do so even sooner.

Is it difficult to complete a double major with 西班牙语 as one of the two fields? 

No. Many of our students double major with disciplines such as Math, 物理, 历史, Growth and Structure of Cities, Economics and other languages. The fact that we do not require a senior thesis or essay makes it easier for students to complete two majors.

What do I need to do to graduate with Honors in 西班牙语?

In order to receive Honors in 西班牙语, you have to have a GPA of 3.主修专业. 除了, you are required to write a senior essay, with the approval of the Department, during the spring semester of your senior year. 

I know the senior essay is optional but I would like to write one. How do I best prepare for it?

In order to write the senior essay, you need to submit a proposal during the fall semester of your senior year. Once the proposal is approved by the Department, you will be assigned a director. 除了 to their content, most of our advanced courses have a strong writing component that should prepare you adequately to write the senior essay.