Romance Languages Major Requirements

(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)

The Department offers a Romance Languages major in two different configurations: a dual-language option, where the student specializes in two Romance languages, and a three-language option, where the student specializes in three Romance languages. Students interested in pursuing a Romance Languages major should get in touch with the Directors of Undergraduate Studies for each language. Students majoring in Romance Languages will be assigned an advisor for each relevant language, including a primary advisor in their main field of specialization. Six of the twelve courses must be taken at JHU.

All major requirements must be completed with a grade of C- or better and may not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Required of All Romance Languages Majors

AS.211.400Topics in Romance Literatures3
Completion of a dual language or triple language option36-42
Total Credits39-45

Dual Language Options

Students must complete the requirements listed below for two languages (French, Italian, or Spanish). They must also take the 3-credit, capstone course AS.211.400 Topics in Romance Literatures

French

AS.210.301Advanced French for Writing 3
AS.210.302Advanced French for Speaking3
AS.212.333Introduction à la littérature française I3
or AS.212.334 Introduction à la littérature française II
Three French courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx (POS-Tag MLL-FREN) or AS.212.3xx-4xx series, at least one of which must be at the 400 level9
Total Credits18

Spanish

AS.210.311Advanced Spanish I 3
AS.210.312Advanced Spanish II3
AS.215.231Introduction to Literature in Spanish 3
Three Spanish courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx (POS-Tag MLL-SPAN) or 215.3xx-4xx series. One course may be an independent study with DUS permission.9
Total Credits18

Italian

AS.210.351Advanced Italian I 3
AS.210.352Advanced Italian II 3
AS.214.362Italian Journeys: Medieval and Early Modern3
or AS.214.363 Italian Journeys: An Other Story
Three Italian courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx (POS-Tag MLL-ITAL) or 214.3xx-4xx series. One course may be an independent study with DUS permission.9
Total Credits18

Sample Program of Study (Dual Languages - Spanish and Italian)

First Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
AS.210.1114AS.210.1124
AS.210.1514AS.210.1524
 8 8
Second Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
AS.210.2113AS.210.2123
AS.210.2513AS.210.2523
 6 6
Third Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
AS.210.3113AS.210.3123
AS.210.3513AS.210.3523
AS.215.2313One course from the AS.211.3xx-4xx series with MLL-SPAN POS tag or from the 215.3xx=4xx series3
AS.214.362 or 3633One course from the AS.211.3xx-4xx series with MLL- ITAL POS tag or from the 214.3xx-4xx series3
 12 12
Fourth Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
Two courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx series with MLL-SPAN POS tag or from the 215.3xx-4xx series6One course from the AS.211.3xx-4xx series with MLL- ITAL POS tag or from the 214.3xx-4xx series3
One course from the AS.211.3xx-4xx series with MLL- ITAL POS tag or from the 214.3xx-4xx series3AS.211.4003
 9 6
Total Credits 67

Three Language Options

Students must complete the requirements of two languages (French, Italian, or Spanish) as described in the Languages 1 and 2 section and also complete the requirements of an additional language (French, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish) as described in the Language 3 section. Students must also take the capstone course, AS.211.400 Topics in Romance Literatures

Languages  1 and 2

French
AS.210.301Advanced French for Writing 3
AS.210.302Advanced French for Speaking 3
AS.212.333Introduction à la littérature française I3
or AS.212.334 Introduction à la littérature française II
Two French courses from the AS.212.3xx-4xx series, at least one of which must be at the 400 level6
Total Credits15
Spanish
AS.210.311Advanced Spanish I 3
AS.210.312Advanced Spanish II 3
AS.215.231Introduction to Literature in Spanish 3
Two Spanish courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx (POS-Tag MLL) or AS.215.3xx-4xx series6
Total Credits15
Italian
AS.210.351Advanced Italian I 3
AS.210.352Advanced Italian II 3
AS.214.362Italian Journeys: Medieval and Early Modern3
or AS.214.363 Italian Journeys: An Other Story
Two Italian courses from the AS.211.3xx-4xx (POS-Tag MLL-ITAL) or AS.214.3xx-4xx series)6
Total Credits15

Language 3

The student must satisfy their third language requirement as described below:

French
AS.210.301Advanced French for Writing 3
AS.210.302Advanced French for Speaking 3
AS.212.333Introduction à la littérature française I3
or AS.212.334 Introduction à la littérature française II
One French course from the AS.212.3xx-4xx series3
Total Credits12
Spanish
AS.210.311Advanced Spanish I 3
AS.210.312Advanced Spanish II 3
AS.215.231Introduction to Literature in Spanish 3
One Spanish course from the AS.215.3xx-4xx series 3
Total Credits12
Italian
AS.210.351Advanced Italian I 3
AS.210.352Advanced Italian II 3
AS.214.362Italian Journeys: Medieval and Early Modern3
or AS.214.363 Italian Journeys: An Other Story
One Italian course from the AS.214.3xx-4xx series 3
Total Credits12
Portuguese
AS.210.391Advanced Portuguese I 3
AS.210.392Advanced Portuguese II 3
AS.211.394Brazilian Culture & Civilization 3
One Portuguese course from the AS.210.3xx or AS.211.3xx series 13
Total Credits12
1

In addition, the Portuguese program has started to offer courses numbered AS.217.xxx that might apply here. At this time, however, courses that fulfill this requirement are still determined individually by the DUS.  

Honors in the Romance Languages Major

Dual-language option:

Verification of a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA and a 3.7 GPA in your major requirements is required at the time of graduation. Honors are conferred upon successful completion of the 3-credit Senior Thesis in Romance Languages.  

Prepared under faculty mentorship during the Fall or Spring of the final year of study, the 3-credit Senior Thesis in Romance Languages (AS.211.4xx) compares literary and cultural materials embedded in two or more Romance traditions. Students wishing to complete the Senior Thesis should notify the advisor(s) the semester prior to registering.  Honors courses for the separate MLL language majors do not count as the honors requirement for this major or towards the course requirements within the major.  For example, AS.212.430 does not count towards this major or honors in the major.  Students pursuing honors in this major should be careful to register for the correct course.  

Three-language option:

No Honors track is available. Majors wishing to pursue Honors in Romance Languages should pursue the dual-language option leading to the preparation of the Senior Thesis in Romance Languages.