Students in the Department of Romance Languages can major or minor French, Italian, Spanish, or Romance languages—a program that combines advanced study in two Romance languages (now including Portuguese). You can also double major in multiple languages or combine a Romance language major with another major or minor.
French Major Requirements
Enjoying small class sizes and ample opportunity for study abroad, our undergraduate majors pursue the BA in French or in Romance languages, combining French with Italian or Spanish.
To satisfy the requirements for a French major, students must earn 48 credits, passed with grades of C minus (C-) or better, beyond the second-year sequence. Internship credits, always taken Pass/No Pass, DO NOT apply toward major or minor requirements.
Culture et Language
- FR 301 La France contemporaine
- FR 302 Le Monde francophone contemporain (may be used toward electives if student has already taken FR 303)
Writing
Choose one:
- FR 416 Advanced Writing
- FR 425 French-English Translation (may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement)
Surveys
Take any three:
- FR 312 Francophone (NB: Students who have taken FR 303 will NOT receive credit for FR 312.)
- FR 317 Medieval and Renaissance
- FR 318 Baroque and Enlightenment
- FR 319 19th-21st Centuries
Expertise (12 credits)
Courses may be in French literature, film or translation (330 or above), must be taken in residence on the Eugene campus, and must include:
- One course numbered 330 or above
- Two courses at the 400 level (can include RL 407 IF coursework is completed in the target language)
Electives (12 credits)
Courses may be in French literature, linguistics, film, grammar, culture, etc., and must:
- Be upper division and taught in French (exception: may include FR 150)
- Address the culture(s) of the French-speaking world
Italian Major Requirements
To satisfy the requirements for an Italian major, students must earn 48 credits, passed with grades of C minus (C-) or better, beyond the second-year sequence. Internship credits, always taken Pass/No Pass, DO NOT apply toward major or minor requirements.
Students have two options for organizing their study of the Italian language: concentrations in Italian Studies or Language and Culture.
Italian Major: Italian Studies
In this concentration, students can choose courses taught in English for up to half of their major credits: 24 out of 48. Many Italian-focused courses that students take in other departments qualify for this concentration (Cinema Studies; Art History; Music; History; Architecture; Humanities etc.). Italian Studies allows students to pursue interdisciplinary training while being exposed to different aspects of Italian society and culture: politics, music, art, media, art, etc. Students planning to go to Italy on Study Abroad programs taught in English (e.g. Siena, Rome, Pavia, etc.) should consider this concentration, as many of the courses taken there will be applicable. This concentration is especially useful for – but not limited to – professional areas such as food industry, arts and design, media, memory and museum centers, and journalism.
Italian Major: Language and Culture
In this concentration, students do most of their coursework in Italian: 40 credits out of 48, and will work closely with Italian faculty in the Department of Romance Languages. They will take classes in Italian literature, cinema, and cultural history, and will develop high-level skills in critical thinking and in the Italian language through written and oral expression. Students who are interested in an immersive Italian language experience during their major should choose this concentration. It also fits students interested in the semester study abroad programs where all the courses are taught in Italian (e.g. Pavia). This concentration is especially useful for – but not limited to – professional areas such as education, publishing, translation, and interpreting.
Cultura e lingua
12 credits of 300-level Italian language:
- ITAL 301, 303, 305, 306, 320, 307 (x2 for a total of 4 credits), or
- 300-level language courses taken abroad
Lit and Cinema
Italian Studies
8 credits of 300-level ITAL 317-399 (excluding 320):
- 317, 318, 319, 341, etc., or
- Equivalent course taken abroad
Literature and Culture
12 credits of 300-level ITAL literature or cinema courses 317-399 (excluding 320):
- 317, 318, 319, 341, 399, etc., or
- Equivalent course taken abroad
Expertise
Italian Studies
16 credits of Italian Studies IN RESIDENCE on the Eugene campus, in RL or other UO departments:
- At least one course (4 credits) taught in Italian
- Two courses (8 credits) must be at the 400 level; can include RL 407 (IF coursework is completed in target language)
Literature and Culture
12 credits of Italian L and C expertise courses IN RESIDENCE on the Eugene campus in RL department:
- Two courses must be at the 400-level or RL 407 (IF coursework is completed in the target language).
- Maximum of ONE course taught in English may be applied toward this requirement.
Electives
Italian Studies
12 credits of elective courses in literature, linguistics, film, grammar, culture, art history, history, political science, food studies, classics, geography, etc.:
- Courses must address the culture(s) of the Italian-speaking world.
- Courses may be taken in other UO departments or abroad.
- Maximum of 2 lower-division courses may be used.
Literature and Culture
12 credits of elective courses in Italian literature, linguistics, film, grammar, culture, art history, music, etc.:
- Courses can include ITAL 150, 152, 252, 341 and RL 151.
- Maximum of 2 lower-division courses may be used.
NOTE: 40 of the 48 credits for the Language and Culture Concentration must be courses taught in Italian. Students may apply a maximum of 2 classes (8 credits) taught in English to this major concentration.
Spanish Major Requirements
Proficiency in Spanish and knowledge of the cultures where Spanish is used can enhance study and career opportunities in a number of fields — in particular, education, business and social services. Students with a second major in another discipline (e.g., art history, business administration, economics, family and human services, history, international studies, journalism, music, political science, human physiology, etc.) find positions in communications media, government or foreign service, local and international business and law, libraries, social service organizations, medical fields, as well as travel and tourist-related agencies, among others.
Students have two options for organizing their study of the Spanish language and its associated cultures: concentrations in Literature and Culture or Language and Society. In general, the courses in one concentration can serve as electives in the other. In either case, the major requires 48 credits of upper-division, graded course work, passed with a C- or higher. Internship credits, normally taken Pass/No Pass, do not satisfy major requirements.
Spanish Major: Literature and Culture
The concentration in Literature and Culture offers humanities-focused classes that expose students to the depth and breadth of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. This course of study engages students through the study of literature, film, visual arts, and other media from a variety of historical periods, and allows them to develop high-level skills in critical thinking and written and oral expression in Spanish.
Spanish Major: Language and Society
The Language and Society concentration exposes students to the historical and social contexts of cultures in which Spanish is an important vehicle of communication. Classes teach students to look at language through an interdisciplinary lens, using methodologies from both the social sciences and humanities. Knowledge of the linguistic structure of the language and its historical and social varieties will give students insights into the social characteristics of communities where Spanish is used.
Lengua y cultura (8 credits)
- Literature and Culture: Choose any two from 301, 303, 305, 308
- Language and Society: 308 required, plus any one from 301, 303, 305
Advanced Writing (4 credits)
Choose one (students cannot receive credit for both):
- 311 Advanced Writing (for L2 students)
- 312 Spanish in the Media (for heritage students)
Surveys (12 credits)
- Literature and Culture: Choose any three from 341, 342, 343, 344, 350, 351, 353
- Language and Society: 320, 322, 324
Expertise (12 credits)
Courses must be taught by RL faculty, with 8 credits at the 400 level.
- Literature and Culture: Courses in literature, film, or translation in Spanish from 348, 407, 410 Escritura creativa, 425, 436-490
- Language and Society: Courses in Spanish linguistics or translation from 348, 420, 424, 425, 428, 448
RL 407 or LAS 407 may be used for this requirement if coursework is done in Spanish, with advisor approval.
Electives (12 credits)
Choose upper-division courses (literature, film, linguistics), taught in Spanish, that address the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
One lower-division course from SPAN 150, 238, 248 may count towards this requirement.
Romance Languages Major Requirements
To earn an undergraduate major (BA) in Romance languages, choose a primary and a secondary language and literature to be satisfied by courses taken in the French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, or Romance languages programs. Participation in overseas study in one or more of our romance-speaking countries, in global internships and participatory learning experiences (PLEs) is also encouraged.
Forty-eight graded credits in two Romance languages (passed with grades of C- or better) are required beyond the second-year language sequence. Romance languages majors must complete a minimum of 12 credits in literature, film, translation, or linguistics courses IN RESIDENCE on the Eugene campus. At least 8 credits of these 12 must be in courses numbered 407 or higher.
First Romance Language (32 credits)
Language courses (12 credits)
- FR: 301, 302, 303, 307*, 320, 416, 425
- IT: 301, 303, 305, 307*, 320
- SP: 301, 303, 305, 307*, 308, 311(L2) or 312(SHL)**, 320
*2 credits, can be taken twice**students may earn credit for either 311 or 312, but not both
Survey courses (12 credits)
Choose three from:
- FR: 312, 317, 318, 319
- IT: 317, 318, 319
- SP Lit andCult: 341, 342, 343, 344
- SP Lang andSoc: 320, 322, 324
Electives (8 credits)
Choose two additional courses numbered above the survey level. Courses may include literature, film, linguistics, or translation courses.
Please be attentive to course prerequisites.
Second Romance Language (16 credits)
Language courses (8 credits)
- FR: 301, 302, 303, 307*, 320, 416, 425
- IT: 301, 303, 305, 307*, 320
- SP: 301, 303, 305, 307*, 308, 311(L2) or 312(SHL)**, 320
Electives (8 credits)
Choose two literature, film, linguistics, or translation courses.