Department of Spanish & Portuguese

Study Abroad

STUDY ABROAD GUIDELINES

All majors and minors in Spanish are strongly encouraged to participate in Tulane’s Study Abroad Programs.

Basic language courses (SPAN 1010-2030) can also be taken abroad. The student must seek transfer approval prior to going abroad from the Spanish language coordinator ( Reveal Email Address). If they do not seek approval, language courses may not be transferred. *Contact the Center for Global Education for more information: https://cge.tulane.edu/

Advanced programs: Prior to their participation, majors and minors in Spanish and joint Spanish/Portuguese majors should ideally complete the Department’s course in Spanish grammar and composition (SPAN 3040, 3050, 3060, or 3080). Portuguese coordinate majors and minors, and joint majors going to Brazil, must complete PORT 2030, although the ideal study abroad candidate will have fulfilled the three major/minor requirements at the 3000 level. There are very few advanced programs that accept students who have only completed SPAN 2040.

In the Department of Spanish and Portuguese students may receive credit for a MAXIMUM of 4 courses TOTAL in our Department. These 4 transfer courses include both language (SPAN 1010-2030) and/or advanced courses (2040 and above) in Spanish and Portuguese. This applies to all students, including those who participate in more than one study abroad program during their undergraduate career at Tulane.

Please keep in mind the following general guidelines:

GOING ABROAD

  • Students are responsible for meeting with their advisors in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese prior to going abroad in order to discuss the substitution of possible courses. If students do NOT receive their advisor’s transfer pre-approval, they might not be able to receive credit for courses taken abroad for their minor or major in Spanish and/or Portuguese.
  • Courses from abroad that apply to the curriculum in Spanish and Portuguese must resemble courses taught in the Department, which are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog
  • As a general rule, the Department recognizes courses in Spanish or Latin American, literature, theater, poetry, film, Spanish linguistics, and other aspects of culture that involve the Spanish language. The Department DOES NOT approve credit for courses in other disciplines, such as business, biology, or economics, even if these classes are taught in Spanish or Portuguese. Students may count ONE COURSE taken abroad in the target language (Spanish or Portuguese) on a cultural topic not directly covered by our department (eg. art, music, dance, philosophy, history). If students wish to receive credit for any additional courses abroad beyond those comparable to our offerings, they must do so from the appropriate Department at Tulane. Students are responsible for choosing courses that match the curriculum in Spanish and Portuguese and having those courses approved by their Spanish advisor.
  • Students may not receive credit for courses taken abroad if they took a similar course at Tulane. For example, if students take a course abroad called “Spanish Grammar and Composition,” they may not apply it toward SPAN 3040 if that course was already taken prior to participating in study abroad.
  • Some advanced study abroad programs may require that students enroll in Spanish or Portuguese language courses while abroad. Courses of this kind will NOT transfer as major or minor credit, even if they are required by the program abroad. However, if a student is beginning her study with a course in the basic language sequence (SPAN 1010 – 2030; PORT 1120 - 2030), these language courses may count toward the MAXIMUM of 4 courses TOTAL that can be taken abroad, and may be transferred at their appropriate level. They will not count, however, toward a student’s major or minor in Spanish or Portuguese.

MAJORS

  • SPAN 4060 is required for Spanish majors. If no equivalent course (a comprehensive survey of pre-20th century readings in Spanish, covering both literature from Spain and from Latin America) is offered in the abroad program, then it must be taken on campus.
  • All majors in Spanish and Portuguese must take two out of three 6000-level courses on campus. One of those is Senior Seminar SPAN 6850, which may NOT be substituted with a course from abroad. Therefore, double majors will need to take both of their 6000-level courses at Tulane.

RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS

  • Students should have already received approval of course equivalencies from their department advisor before the start of the term abroad. Advisors may also request additional materials to finalize the course substitution process (eg. syllabi, reading assignment lists, etc.) for the courses taken abroad. Please remember to keep these documents.
  • Upon return, students should wait until the courses taken abroad appear on their transcript. They will appear with a 5000-level code. If your coursework abroad does not appear in your transcript, contact the Office of Study Abroad. Your major or minor advisor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese cannot help you get your courses and grades transferred from the study abroad program.
  • Once the abroad coursework appears on the transcript, the student email/bring to his/her department advisor the course equivalency form, accessible at the Center for Global Education's Transferring Credit webpage. The advisor will sign the form, which should then be turned in to the Office of Study Abroad. We will also keep a copy on file in the department.
  • Please also review the guidelines and information at the Office of Study Abroad: https://cge.tulane.edu/
  • ENJOY YOUR STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE!

Revised August 2025