Note to Majors in Spanish who have an interest in applying to the Five-Year Teacher Education Program offered by the Graduate School of Education (GSE)

  • The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers its majors a comprehensive education that includes literary and cultural analysis, methodological practices, research in linguistics, and translation/interpreting practices. Our majors must fulfill a total of 36 credit hours in Spanish and must also complete two Spanish language lab practicums for a total of 38 credits.

  • Majors in Spanish who opt to apply to the Five-Year Teacher Education Program at the GSE MUST be aware that the STATE OF NEW JERSEY requires a very specific rating in language proficiency (i.e., Advanced Low or higher on the standard Oral Proficiency Iinterview [OPI]) in order to receive a Standard Teaching Certificate from the State; this rating exceeds the requirements for the major in Spanish.

  • Majors in Spanish must complete at least the computerized version of the OPI (OPIc) as a capstone requirement for certification of the major. The Department, however, DOES NOT require a specific rating. If Spanish majors opt for the standard OPI, the Department will accept that rating in place of the OPIc.

  • In addition to all requirements for degree completion, Spanish majors intending to apply to the GSE’s Five-Year Program are strongly encouraged to pursue the following upper-level curriculum:
    • 01:940:313, 01:940:363, and 01:940:366;
    • a Summer Study Abroad Program in Salamanca, Peru, or Argentina; or Semester/Year Study Abroad in Valencia or other Spanish-speaking area;
    • several additional upper-level (300-400) courses in Spanish, of which none should be taught in English.
  • The Department recommends that, before applying to the Five-Year Program, students visit the following website to familiarize themselves with the OPI and the level of performance assessed by the testing agency, ACTFL: https://www.languagetesting.com/.

  • Since the State of New Jersey requires the Advanced Low rating for foreign language instructors, it is strongly urged that students who intend to apply to the Five-year Program take the OPI or OPIc prior to applying in order to obtain a base level.

  • Instructors for 01:940:499 are available for consultation, but it is the sole responsibility of the students to prepare themselves for successful compliance with the OPI requirement as mandated by the State of New Jersey through the GSE.