The University of British Columbia

Romance Studies

The Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies offers a program of study in Romance Studies that leads to the Bachelor of Arts.

Major in Romance Studies

A Major in Romance Studies requires the completion of 42 credits, at least 30 of which must be at the 300- or 400-level. Students must have completed at least one of FREN 202, ITAL 202, SPAN 202, or PORT 202, or demonstrated a proficiency level of A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in one of the Romance languages by the completion of this program. Students are encouraged to consult with the FHIS Student Programs Coordinator as early in their degree program as possible for guidance in planning a course of study that will best prepare them to achieve their academic and professional goals within the field.

Requirements

Language Credits: 6

• 6 credits of 200-level in FREN, ITAL, SPAN, or PORT. Students with no prior background in any of these Romance languages are encouraged to take lower-level courses towards this requirement. If students already have a proficiency level of A2 on CEFR in one Romance language, students may be exempt from this requirement. Please contact FHIS Student Programs Coordinator for further inquiry.

RMST 200-level or Language Option Credits: 6

• 6 credits of RMST 201, 202, 260, 280 or FREN, ITAL, SPAN, PORT, CTLN or LATN at any level.¹

¹These 6 credits cannot be exempt even though students already have a proficiency level of A2 on CEFR in one Romance language. For example, if a student has a A2 level in French, this student can choose to take upper level courses in French OR can also take lower level courses in one or several other Romance languages.

RMST 300-level Required Credits: 9

• RMST 300, RMST 301, and RMST 302

RMST 300-level or higher Elective Credits: 21

21 credits total chosen from at least two of the following clusters:²

Cluster R – Romance Studies:

• RMST 303 (3) Short Fiction in Romance Literatures
• RMST 304 (3) Afterlife of the Text: Rewritings and Adaptations
• RMST 305 (3) Introduction to Romance Language Cinema
• RMST 400 (3) Romance Linguistics
• RMST 402 (3) Visions of Nature and the Environment in the Romance World
• RMST 419 (3) Studies in Romance Languages and Literature
• RMST 495 (3) Research Intensive Seminar in Romance Studies

Cluster A – French:

• RMST 321 (3) French Literature from the Middle Ages to the Revolution
• RMST 322 (3) French Literatures since the Revolution
• RMST 324 (3) Quebecois Literature and Culture
• RMST 325 (3) French Cultural Identities

Cluster B – Italian:

• RMST 341 (3) Shifting Identities in Medieval and Early Modern Italy
• RMST 342 (3) Italy since the Industrial Revolution
• RMST 343 (3) Masterpieces of the Novella in Italian Literature
• RMST 345 (3) Italian Fascism in Interdisciplinary Perspective
• RMST 355 (3) Italian Cinema: Neorealism
• RMST 452 (3) Italian Cinema in its Cultural Background
• RMST 453 (3) Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy
• RMST 454 (3) Topics in the Italian Literature and Culture of the Middle Ages
• RMST 455 (3) Topics in the Italian Literature and Culture of the Renaissance
• RMST 459 (3) Topics in Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature and Culture

Cluster C – Portuguese:

• RMST 361 (3) Studies in Portuguese and Brazilian Literature or PORT 392 (3) Studies in Portuguese and Brazilian Literature (in English)
• RMST 460 (3) Studies in Portuguese and Brazilian Culture or PORT 405 (3) Studies in Portuguese and Brazilian Culture

Cluster D – Spanish:

• RMST 372 (3) Hopscotch: Topics in Hispanic Literature or SPAN 312 (3) Hopscotch: Topics in Hispanic Literature (in English)
• RMST 373 (3) Masterpieces in Hispanic Literature

²Elective course requirements can also be fulfilled by language, literature, and culture classes taught in the target language (French, Italian, Spanish or other approved Romance languages) when students meet the necessary proficiency requirements in that language. Please contact FHIS Student Programs Coordinator for further inquiry.

Honours in Romance Studies

Admission

Students wishing to enter the Honours program must apply directly to the FHIS Student Programs Coordinator. Applicants must have:

• at least third-year standing, or be entering Year 3,
• a B+ average in their overall degree program,
• completed RMST 300, 301, and 302
• completed one of FREN 202, ITAL 202, SPAN 202, or PORT 202, or demonstrated a proficiency level of A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in at least one of these languages.

Students must have completed at least one of FREN 302, ITAL 302, SPAN 302, or demonstrated a proficiency level of B1 on the CEFR for Languages in one of the Romance languages by the completion of this program. Students must complete a total of 60 credits and 48 credits of which must be at 300-level or above.

Requirements

Language Credits: 12¹

• 6 credits of 200-level in FREN, ITAL, SPAN, or PORT. Students with no prior background in any of these Romance languages are encouraged to take lower-level courses towards this requirement. If students already have a proficiency level of A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in one of these Romance languages, students may be exempt from this requirement. Please contact FHIS Student Programs Coordinator for further inquiry.
• 6 credits in any of these Romance languages, chosen from the following¹:
  • FREN 301 (3) Intermediate French I
  • FREN 302 (3) Intermediate French II
  • ITAL 301 (3) Intermediate Italian I
  • ITAL 302 (3) Intermediate Italian II
  • SPAN 301 (3) Intermediate Spanish I
  • SPAN 302 (3) Intermediate Spanish II
  • PORT 301 (3) Advanced Portuguese

  ¹If students already have 300-level proficiency in one Romance language, they are to take 6 credits of another Romance language or other literature/culture courses at the upper-level. Please contact FHIS Student Programs Coordinator for further inquiry.

  RMST 200-level or Language Option Credits: 6

  • 6 credits of RMST 201, 202, 260, 280 or FREN, ITAL, SPAN, PORT, CTLN or LATN at any level.²

  ²These 6 credits cannot be exempt even though students already have a proficiency level of A2 on CEFR in one language. For example, if a student has a A2 level in French, this student can choose to take upper level courses in French OR can also take lower level courses in one or several other Romance languages.

  RMST 300-level Required Credits: 9

  • RMST 300, RMST 301, and RMST 302

  RMST 499 Honours Essay: 3

  • 3 credits of RMST 499

  RMST 300-level or higher Elective Credits: 30

  30 credits chosen from at least two of the following clusters:

  Same as for Major.

  Minor in Romance Studies

  A Minor in Romance Studies requires the completion of 30 credits, at least 18 of which must be at the 300- or 400-level. Students must have completed at least one of FREN 102, ITAL 102, SPAN 102, or PORT 102, or demonstrated a proficiency level of A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in one of the Romance languages by the completion of this program. Students are encouraged to consult with the FHIS Student Programs Coordinator as early in their degree program as possible for guidance in planning a course of study that will best prepare them to achieve their academic and professional goals within the field.

  Requirements

  Language Credits: 6

  • 6 credits of 100-level or above in FREN, ITAL, SPAN, PORT or CTLN. Students with no prior background in any of these Romance languages are encouraged to take lower-level courses towards this requirement. If students already have a proficiency level of A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in one Romance language, students may be exempt from this requirement. Please contact FHIS Student Programs Coordinator for further inquiry.

  RMST 200-level or Language Option Credits: 6

  • 6 credits of RMST 201, 202, 260, 280 or FREN, ITAL, SPAN, PORT, CTLN or LATN at any level.¹

  ¹These 6 credits cannot be exempt even though students already have a proficiency level of A1 on CEFR in one language. For example, if a student completed Grade 11 Core French or FREN 102, this student can choose to take more courses in French OR can also take lower level courses in one or several other Romance languages.

  RMST 300-level Required Credits: 9

  • RMST 300, RMST 301, and RMST 302

  RMST 300-level or higher Elective Credits: 9

  9 credits chosen from at least two of the following clusters:

  Same as Major

  Page last updated: April 1, 2022