Spanish Honours

Offered by: Faculty of Arts
Convenor: Dr Daniel Martin

Administration: School of Language Studies

Admission requirements

For the degree with Honours in Spanish the program extends over four years and consists of:

(a) ten Spanish courses to the value of at least 60 units
(b) completion of BA pass degree requirements
(c) a Fourth-Year honours program as described below.

Candidates for honours are expected to maintain at least a Credit average in their Spanish courses, with results for three advanced courses normally at Distinction level or better.

Exceptions to (a) above:

(i) Students entering core language courses at the Intermediate Spanish I SPAN3001 level may take up to two later-year courses outside of the Spanish discipline. Students will need the approval of the Spanish Convener.

(ii) Students entering core language courses at the Advanced Spanish I SPAN3003 level may take up to three later-year courses outside of the Spanish discipline. Students will need the approval of the Spanish Convener.

(iii) Students who have completed an undergraduate pass degree at ANU or another Australian university which includes a normal (7 courses) major in Spanish, and also an exchange with a Spanish-speaking university. In such cases, students should have studied (in Spanish) the equivalent of 3 normal later-year ANU subjects that counted towards other majors in their degree.

(iv) Students who have completed an undergraduate degree at a Spanish-speaking university and/or who have substantial experience teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

The Fourth-Year Honours Program

The Honours program consists of:

(a) two coursework components, each worth 20%;

(b) thesis of 12,000-15,000 words, written in Spanish unless a compelling case can be made for an exemption, worth 50%; and

Coursework
The coursework components can include courses in other discipline areas or Honours programs approved as suitable within the student's overall program, especially Research Methods courses. Where students' coursework is not specifically designed as an Honours course, students will need to do extra work (eg. longer essays).

Where a student's active command of Spanish is seen as needing improvement, practical studies aimed at increasing proficiency may be prescribed as part of the Honours Year.

Combined Honours

The Spanish component in the program of a student who wishes to do combined honours in this discipline and another discipline is normally the following:

(a) a minimum of 48 units (preferably from later-year courses) counting towards Spanish Studies;

(b) half the normal coursework of Spanish IV;

Component (c) above could be replaced by a combined 15,000-word thesis written in Spanish but using substantial bibliographic material from the other area of the combined Honours program. In such cases the thesis would also fulfill the thesis requirement of the other area combined with Spanish. A thesis written in English, or another language, using substantial source materials in Spanish could also be a possibility, depending on the area with which Spanish is combined.

Courses Offered in 2009

Fourth Year
SPAN4005F Spanish IV Honours (full time)
SPAN4005P Spanish IV Honours (part time)

Further Information

Prospective fourth-year students should discuss their plans with the Convenor well in advance.

Students are strongly encouraged to consider taking part of their Spanish studies (for credit) at a Spanish-speaking university, and should again consult the Convener well in advance. Overseas study, however, is not a requirement.

An offer for admission to Honours is conditional on the ability of the applicant to secure confirmation of a thesis supervisor before the commencement of the semester.

Go to the List of Undergraduate Courses offered by Faculty of Arts.

The information published on the Study at ANU 2009 website applies to the 2009 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2008 website.