Coordinator, Elizabeth Aguilar
aguilar9@uic.edu

Nancy Velez
Basic Language Secretary
1722 University Hall
312-996-5218

SBLP Course Policies

Policies for all 100-level courses are listed at www.uic.edu/depts/sfip/spanishprog
Please click here to see the course policies.

SBLP Current syllabi

Syllabi for all 100-level courses are listed at www.uic.edu/depts/sfip/spanishprog
Please click here to see the current syllabi.

MORE SPANISH?

After passing Spanish 104, you may take 200-level Spanish courses. Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Kim Potowski [kimpotow@uic.edu] for more information.

Frequently asked questions! Answers below…

Placement in a Spanish course

Placement in the SBLP is based on previous study of Spanish (see p. 2). You are only required to take a placement exam if you have taken two to four years of high school Spanish.

NOTE:  You may not take 101, 102, 103, or 104 if you are bilingual (native or heritage speaker). That is, if you learned Spanish in a "natural", non-academic environment (at home, during residence abroad, etc.), you must take the Spanish for heritage speakers placement test.  The majority of students in the heritage program were born and raised in Chicago by parents who immigrated from Spanish-speaking countries. Others learned Spanish from their grandparents or during periods of living in Latin America. The heritage track allows you to complete the LAS foreign language requirement in 2 or 3 semesters, instead of the required 4 semesters in the Spanish Basic Language Program.

You should take Part I of the heritage Spanish exam in the Student Services Building. When you have your results from Part I, call the Spanish Basic Language Program office (312) 996-5218 to schedule Part II in 1722 UH. After the first week of the semester, we cannot guarantee that you will have your results in time to register for that semester. You will have to wait until the following semester to register for a course. If you are a heritage speaker, you are urged to take the placement test as soon as possible so that you have a chance to register in the proper course.

As a heritage speaker you cannot receive credit for courses in the Spanish Basic Language sequence (Span 110, 101, 102, 103, 104). All instructors are required to assess their students' linguistic background and to advise heritage speakers to take the heritage placement exam or to meet with program director Professor Kim Potowski  . For any questions, contact Professor Potowski, Director of the Spanish for Bilinguals program, at kimpotow@uic.edu. These placement guidelines are available at:

http://www.uic.edu/depts/sfip/undergraduate/spbilingual/placement.html

If you do take the Spanish placement test at the Office of Testing Services (see below), you must enroll in the course indicated in the test results. Please bring your test scores in person to 1722 University Hall. According to University policy students will not receive credit for taking courses below the level at which they place. Our departmental placement guidelines are as follows: 

Non-native Speakers

¹ If you have NEVER taken Spanish before, nor lived in a Spanish-speaking country, or with a Spanish-speaking family, you should sign up for Spanish 101.  Students who have had one year or less of high school Spanish are not required to take a placement exam. You should register for Spanish 101 as well.  

² College credit in Spanish: If you have college credit in Spanish you are not required to take the placement test

³ SPAN 110 placement exam results: If you have taken the placement exam prior to Summer 2009 and you placed into SPAN 110, you must register for SPAN 102.

Note. Two quarters of college Spanish at another institution are considered equivalent to one semester. Three quarters, however, are considered equivalent to two semesters.

⁴ Two to four years of high school Spanish:  If you have had 2 to 4 years of high school Spanish you must take the placement test. Placement tests are administered by the Office of Testing Services (http://pep.testing.uic.edu/).  You must enroll in the course indicated by your test results. According to University policy students will NOT receive credit for taking courses below the level at which they place.

Registration Information:

1. No over-enrollments under any circumstances are allowed. No instructor, professor, secretary, or department head can change this rule, which is based on fire codes and room sizes.
2. It is your responsibility (the student’s) to enroll and to attend the correct section. No one else can register you.
3. Your name should be officially listed on the course roster by the end of the add/drop period, Friday of the second week of classes (consult the Timetable for the specific date). It is also your responsibility to drop a course if you stop attending class. No one else can drop you from the class. You are NOT automatically dropped if you stop attending. 
4. No student may enroll in more than one SBLP course during the same semester.
5. If you have questions about placement once you attend the first day of class, please talk to your instructor immediately and explain your concerns. 
6. Auditing of this course is not allowed. 
7. In order to receive an incomplete for this course you must have completed 70% of the course. Only medical reasons or very serious circumstances will be considered.