Associate of Arts - Specialization in Spanish
Tacoma Community College
Key Information
Campus location
Tacoma, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 10,573 / per year *
Application deadline
15 Nov 2024
Earliest start date
01 Apr 2024
* 2022-2023 estimated tuition cost
Introduction
The Associate in Arts (DTA) degree with Specialization in Spanish provides the required preparation for successful transfer into a bachelor's degree program in Spanish at the Junior level. The Associate in Arts degree is an Agreement (DTA) degree.
The following course set fulfills the requirement of the Specialization in Spanish for the Associate of Arts (DTA) Degree. This specialization enables students to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish, and to analyze, examine and explore oral and written communication using a variety of topics through authentic materials, in all major time frames.
The Specialization in Spanish prepares students for successful transfer at the junior level in Spanish or related fields at Washington State 4-year universities. This specialization is appropriate for students who are interested in developing multilingual communication skills and in applying these in any career field or professional setting.
Curriculum
Specilaization Courses (5-30 credits)
- Completion of SPAN& 223 is required.
- Students need to complete the courses in the sequence leading up to and including SPAN& 223 in accordance with their previous language experience.
- Students without previous language experience need to start the sequence at the SPAN& 121 level.
- Students with significant background from secondary education, study abroad, heritage speakers, etc. should consult with the appropriate advisor from the World Language Department in order to be evaluated and placed in the appropriate level.
Spanish Language and Culture Foundation Course Sequence (5-30 credits)
- SPAN& 121 Spanish I 5
- SPAN& 122 Spanish II 5
- SPAN& 123 Spanish III 5
- SPAN& 221 Spanish IV 5
- SPAN& 222 Spanish V 5
- SPAN& 223 Spanish VI 5
Remaining Degree Requirements (60-85 credits)
- ENGL& 101 Composition I 5
- English Composition/Speaking Skills
- Select 5 additional credits from the Communication section of the Approved Distribution Course List. ENGL 103 is recommended.
- Quantitative Reasoning Skills: Select 5 credits from the Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning section of the Approved Distribution Course List. 5
- Humanities: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Humanities Distribution requirement. Up to 10 credits of SPAN courses may be applied toward this requirement, but only 5 of those credits may be from SPAN& 121, 122, or 123. 5-10
- Social Sciences: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Social Sciences Distribution requirement. 15
- Natural Sciences: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Natural Sciences Distribution requirement 15
- Physical Education: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Physical Education Distribution requirement. 3
- Distribution Electives: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Distribution Electives requirement. Specialization courses may fulfill some or all of these requirements. 0-12
- Other College-Level Electives: Fulfill the Associate of Arts (DTA) Other College-Level Electives requirement. Specialization courses may fulfill some of these requirements. 10-15
Career Opportunities
There are two major career paths for foreign language majors: the world language specialist, and other professions which are greatly enhanced by knowledge of a foreign language.
The world language specialist
For the world language specialist, thorough training in a foreign language is indispensable. He or she translates, interprets, or teaches in one or more foreign languages. Knowledge of the literature, culture, and history of the country or minority community in which the language is used gives the specialist awareness that goes considerably beyond basic communication. A few of the industries that require language specialists are:
- Educational institutions
- Diplomatic and government service
- Travel industry
- International Business
Foreign languages + other professions
In many other professions, knowledge of one or more foreign languages greatly enhances employability. Many employers actively seek potential employees with second language skills. Examples include:
- Social services
- Health and medical services
- Business and trade
- The travel industry
- The legal profession
- Law enforcement