Hispanic Studies offers courses on literature, intellectual history and the civilizations of Spain and Hispanic America, as well as in the Spanish language. The Department and its Honours, Majors, and Minors programs are committed to expanding the liberal arts background of students by helping to develop the skills of communication and critical reasoning, and by providing insight into the culture of other regional, linguistic and national groups.
Program Information
(Students may consult the eCalendar for complete information on program requirements as well as the class schedule for availabilities.)
Subject to approval by the Department, courses offered with LLCU course codes may count toward fulfilling program requirements.
- Minor Concentration in Hispanic Studies
- Major Concentration in Hispanic Studies
- Joint Honours in Hispanic Studies
- Honors Program in Hispanic Studies
Minor Concentration in Hispanic Studies
Major Concentration in Hispanic Studies
Joint Honours in Hispanic Studies
Additional Information
Spanish Language Courses
Hispanic Studies offers two Spanish language courses: Spanish Beginners and Spanish Intermediate. Spanish Beginners covers both Beginners and Low Intermediate Spanish while Spanish Intermediate covers High Intermediate and Advanced Spanish.
A. Registration
Please note that there is no waitlist for HISP-210 and HISP-220; they are only available for HISP 218 and HISP 219. If the classes are full, advisors in Hispanic Studies will not be able to help you get into the course. You should continue checking Minerva to see whether a spot becomes available. If that is not the case and you need the course as part of your degree requirements, you should discuss your academic situation with the advisor of your program of study. He/she will help you find a solution. Advisors in Hispanic Studies have no authority over the degree requirements of the programs of study of other departments.
B. Placement Tests
Placement Tests will be administered during the first week of class in the language class the student is registered in. If you miss the placement test, you will not be able to remain in the course.
Students with no prior or little knowledge of Spanish should register in Spanish Beginners [HISP-210 or HISP-218]. Students with prior knowledge of Spanish at the intermediate level should register in Spanish Intermediate [HISP-220 or HISP-219]. Should you be unsure as to your level, please contact the lucia.chamanadjian [at] mcgill.ca (Language Program Director).
According to the results of the placement test, instructors might recommend a change in level. We do not guarantee, however, that places will be available in the suggested course/level.
Policy Concerning Registration in Spanish Language Courses
Please note that there is no waitlist for HISP-210 and HISP-220; they are only available for HISP 218 and HISP 219. If the classes are full, advisors in Hispanic Studies will not be able to help you get into the course. You should continue checking Minerva to see whether a spot becomes available. If that is not the case and you need the course as part of your degree requirements, you should discuss your academic situation with the advisor of your program of study. He/she will help you find a solution. Advisors in Hispanic Studies have no authority over the degree requirements of the programs of study of other departments.
C. Frequency
Spanish Beginners and Spanish Intermediate can be taken as a regular, two-semester year long course or as an intensive, one-semester course. Both are worth 6 credits. The codes used to identify these courses are:
HISP210: Spanish Beginners (year-long course which begins in September and ends in April, 6 credits)
HISP218: Spanish Beginners Intensive (only one semester, Fall or Winter, 6 credits)
HISP220: Spanish Intermediate (year-long course which begins in September and ends in April, 6 credits)
HISP220: Spanish Intermediate Intensive (only one semester, Fall or Winter, 6 credits)
HISP210 and HISP220: Multiple sections of these courses are offered every academic year. Classes are given three times a week, namely on Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays. Classes are of a 50 minute duration. Students are not allowed to take either class for only one semester. Nor are they allowed to change course sections in the Winter term. When registering for these courses in September, students must make sure that in the Winter semester they can continue in the section they started in the Fall semester.
HISP218: Usually, two sections of HISP218 are offered in the Fall term and one section in the Winter term. Classes last 50 minutes, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they last 1 hour and 20 minutes. Please notice that the afternoon section of HISP218 is offered every day for an 1 hour and 20 minutes, except for Fridays when there is no class.
HISP219: One section of HISP219 is offered every term. These courses usually meet every day of the week. Classes last 50 minutes, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they last 1 hour and 20 minutes.
D. Content
HISP210 and HISP218 are beginner courses (6 credits) designed for students who have never studied Spanish or do not have the prerequisite knowledge for the intermediate level course. The course is designed to enable students to learn the basic grammatical structures of written and oral Spanish (morphology and syntax), and to acquire basic vocabulary for use in daily life, travel purposes and discussions about Hispanic cultures and countries. Classes are conducted in Spanish.
HISP220 and HISP219 are intermediate courses (6 credits) that provide students who already possess a knowledge of basic grammatical structures with more advanced training in the uses of the Spanish language. The primary emphasis is on effective oral and written expression, so as to allow students who have completed this course to communicate their ideas and opinions with clarity in a variety of academic and social settings. The readings, which range from literature to newspaper articles on varied topics, are designed to familiarize the students with the language and to provide examples of authentic contemporary usage. Classes are conducted in Spanish.
Note: Prerequisites HISP210 or HISP218, otherwise Departmental consent is required (for more information see section called Placement Test).
Students who complete Spanish Intermediate and wish to continue studying Spanish must register in literature classes since no further language courses are allowed after completing HISP220 or HISP219. These courses partly cover what is taught in Advanced Spanish courses and upon completion of HISP220 or HISP219 students have the necessary language knowledge to take a literature class.
For more information about language courses offered by Hispanic Studies please contact our lucia.chamanadjian [at] mcgill.ca (Language Advisor).
Hispanic Studies Audit Sheets
Audit Sheet - MINOR IN HISPANIC STUDIES
Audit Sheet - MAJOR IN HISPANIC STUDIES
Program Advisors
Undergraduate Program Advisor
Professor José R. Jouve-Martin
680 Sherbrooke West, Room 379
Montréal, QC H3A 2M7
jose.jouve [at] mcgill.ca
Office hours: by appointment
Director of Language Programs/Language Advisor
Ms. Lucia Chamanadjian
680 Sherbrooke West, Room 373
Montréal, QC H3A 2M7
lucia.chamanadjian [at] mcgill.ca
Office hours: by appointment
Languages Study Away
Ms. Alejandra Barriales Bouche
680 Sherbrooke West, Room 375
Montréal, QC H3A 2M7
alejandra.barrialesbouche [at] mcgill.ca
Liaison librarian
lonnie.weatherby [at] mcgill.ca (Lonnie Weatherby)
Liaison Librarian for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Humanities and Social Sciences Library
McLennan-Redpath Library Complex
Student associations
There are two student associations related to the Program of Latin American Studies at McGill:
SLASA is a student-driven organization based in Montreal, Canada. They serve as a social and professional network for the Spanish and Latin American students at McGill University where they have been active since 1989. Throughout the year, they organize many events and activities to celebrate and share our culture as well as to promote the academic success of Spanish-speaking McGill students and integrate our members into the greater Montreal community. They also do social work throughout the academic year and summer to help the Latino community in Montreal and in other Latin American countries like Mexico.
You can learn more about SLASA and their activities in
CLASHSA, the Caribbean and Latin American Studies & Hispanic Studies Association represents the students enrolled in major, minor, honours, and joint-honours undergraduate degrees in the Latin American and Caribbean Studies & Hispanic Studies Programs at McGill University. Throughout the year, they organize different events and activities to promote exchanges among students of the Programs, opportunities related to Latin America and the Caribbean, and networking among students and professors.
You can learn more about CLASHSA and their activities in
CLASHSA is also responsible for the edition of VOCES an interdisciplinary undergraduate journal showcasing undergraduate work related to Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Hispanic Studies at McGill University.
You can read the latest editions of VOCES at VOCES