Minor in Spanish and Portuguese
Program Learning Outcomes for the Minor in Spanish and Portuguese
Upon completing the minor in Spanish and Portuguese, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an advanced level of communicative proficiency when writing, speaking, listening to, reading and translating Spanish or Portuguese, including a high degree of ability in interacting with native Spanish or Portuguese speakers and text.
- Demonstrate analytical competence and independent and critical thinking skills by analyzing and responding to Spanish or Portuguese communications, including: identifying and evaluating arguments, ideas, and evidence, constructing critical responses to Spanish or Portuguese texts, and pursuing independent study or research in some facet of Spanish or Portuguese language or culture.
Requirements for the Minor in Spanish and Portuguese
Students pursuing the minor in Spanish and Portuguese must complete:
- A minimum of 6 courses (18 credit hours) to satisfy minor requirements.
- A minimum of 6 courses (18 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this minor. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the minor’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the Program Director. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the minor's Official Certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Minor in Spanish and Portuguese | 18 | |
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select 4 courses from SPAN or PORT course offerings at the 300-level (or above) 1 | 12 | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 2 elective courses from departmental (SPAN or PORT) course offerings at the 400-level | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Any 300-level course from SPAN or PORT course offerings can be replaced by a 400-level course from SPAN or PORT course offerings. |
Policies for the Minor in Spanish and Portuguese
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the minor in Spanish and Portuguese should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, i.) students may declare their intent to pursue a minor only after they have first declared a major, and ii.) students may not major and minor in the same subject.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the minor in Spanish and Portuguese should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the minor.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Distribution courses from the Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures are broad in theme and scope and provide students with a substantial inquiry into literature, art, media, history, thought, and/or politics, including specific national traditions, linguistic contexts, and historical periods. Such courses involve a broad and often interdisciplinary spectrum of knowledge, providing students with the tools for thinking critically about the formation of modern culture, its colonial past, and its national and linguistic traditions from antiquity to the present.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/spanish-portuguese-studies/.
Opportunities for the Minor in Spanish and Portuguese
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/spanish-portuguese-studies/.