THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

 

FACULTY SENATE

 

  Senate Document Number    7610S

 

  Date of Senate Approval      05/06/10

 

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

 

APC Document 57:                                                          Add new course, SPAN 345, Spanish for Business

                                                                                                Add new course, SPAN 498, Senior Seminar in Spanish

 

Effective Date:  Fall 2010

 

1.        Add:             On page 264, new course, SPAN 345:                       

 

345         Spanish for Business (3)

An introduction to commercial organizations and businesses in Spanish-speaking countries and communities. Topics include business correspondence, terminology and techniques in commercial transactions. Prerequisites: SPAN 300, 310. Every other year.

 

Impact Statement: 

This addition to the curriculum will have minimal impact on the resources of the Department of Foreign Languages.   This course has been offered three times at the 373-level and once at the 473-level. It will be offered every other year, so it won't compete with specifically required courses for majors and minors.

 

Rationale: 

Adding this course enhances the current offerings to include a course specifically designed to develop cross-cultural communicative competence in the context of business and related fields. The addition of this course will increase and diversify the options that Spanish majors and minors have for their elective courses. Students that major, double major or minor in disciplines related to business will benefit from a content-based course conducted in the Spanish language.  This course has been offered three times at the 373-level and once at the 473-level. Each time, student response has been highly favorable.

 

 

 

2.        Add:             On page 265, new course, SPAN 498:

 

                                498         Senior Seminar in Spanish (3)

A seminar consisting of a research project, written paper and oral presentation in Spanish on languages, literatures and cultures in the context of the Spanish-speaking world. Prerequisite: SPAN 300, 440, and senior standing. Fall and Spring.

 

 

Impact Statement:

SPAN 498 will now be the course used to demonstrate major competency. Currently, students can use any course at the 400-level to demonstrate competency. Adding SPAN 498 increases the number of specifically required courses for the major; however, there will be no net change in the number of required hours since there will be a 3-hour reduction in the number of required electives at the 400-level. The addition of this course does not impact staffing needs, but will limit the number of electives that can be offered.

 

Rationale:

Creating a specific senior seminar course (capstone) provides students with a formal environment for research, increases consistency with other UNCA departments, and encourages interdisciplinarity. Students often choose topics that allow them to combine their expertise in Spanish with other disciplines. This provides an opportunity to work with faculty outside of the Spanish program. We have been very pleased with the success of the model for SPAN 498 (SPAN 473), which we have consistently offered for the past two years.