Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Spanish major, a student will have demonstrated the ability to:

execute cultural and literary analyses, including close readings and setting works in their historical context;
read, write, speak and understand Spanish at, minimally, a high-intermediate level;
execute a sustained, original research project;
choose and define a pertinent topic from the major field;
develop a method appropriate to the research topic;
independently investigate that topic with the support of an advisor;
articulate a hypothesis and develop it through evidence and argument;
develop and use an appropriate critical bibliography;
write a coherent document that is substantially longer than a traditional term paper or project, and follows a style appropriate to the field;
orally present, discuss, and defend the work done.

The primary assessment tool for learning in the major at Reed and the level of student achievement in the major area is the senior thesis; the junior qualifying examination, which assesses a student's readiness for thesis, provides a second assessment tool. For more information on the thesis, see Thesis, and for more information on the Junior Qualifying Exam, see Spanish Major.