Advising for First-Year Students

Mug and books

Follow these tips to make the most of your first year in the Spanish department at Swarthmore!

  1. To ensure a smooth progression in your Spanish studies, it’s important not to delay your coursework. Early planning helps avoid scheduling conflicts with your major requirements and provides a strong foundation for future study.
  2. Spanish classes help you structure your daily study routine, build meaningful relationships with classmates, and offer support from the department faculty for course selection.
  3. Proficiency in Spanish opens doors to full immersion study-abroad programs in Spain and Latin America. 
  4. First-year students will receive instructions on how and when to complete the Spanish Placement Exam. The online test will generate a placement recommendation, which you should follow unless an oral interview is necessary.
  5. Students with AP/IB credits can receive a maximum of one credit toward their general graduation requirements upon successful completion of a Spanish course in the department.
  6. Please read Spanish Curriculum Overview to get a better understanding on how our courses are organized. All our Spanish language courses are taught by a dedicated instructor and are worth 1 credit.
  7. Important Language Course Registration Advice:
    1. SPAN 001 Elementary Spanish and SPAN 02B Spanish for Advanced Beginners are offered only in the fall semester. Consider registering this Fall to avoid waiting a full year!
    2. Although SPAN 003 Intermediate Spanish and SPAN 004 Advanced Spanish are offered every semester, it is recommended to register in the fall to progress to one of our writing courses in subsequent semesters.
  8. The Spanish Department offers exciting Writing Courses (SPAN 014: Spanish Composition and Conversation, SPAN 022: Introducción a la literatura española, SPAN 023: Introducción a la literatura latinoamericana) that help you improve your Spanish while fulfilling an important graduation requirement.

  9. If you are not ready to take a course in Spanish, consider enrolling in one of our exciting courses taught in English, such as SPAN 015: Introduction to Latinx Literature and Culture or SPAN 025: Reading Borges: Labyrinths and Forking Paths.

  10. If you have any concerns about your placement or specific courses, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Spanish professors—they are here to support you! For more information about a course, feel free to contact the course instructor directly.

  11. ¡Bienvenidas y bienvenidos a Swarthmore! Follow the Spanish Department on Instagram!