Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions

Level I

SPAN 101 to 102. Elementary Spanish (3 each; F, S) 
Three hours per week. SPAN 101 is a prerequisite for SPAN 102. Qualified students may enter SPAN 102 directly on the basis of a placement test. These courses initiate a student’s development of the four basic language skills – speaking, listening, reading, and writing – through daily in-class activities, frequent assignments completed at home, and regular visits to the Language Lab. In addition, the student is introduced to the world’s Hispanic peoples and their cultures through texts, video excerpts, and World Wide Web sites. These courses are designed for those with little or no prior knowledge of Spanish. Students who have completed one year of high school Spanish or its equivalent must take a placement test through the Office of Academic Development to confirm appropriate registration for this course.

SPAN 201 to 202. Intermediate Spanish (3 each)
Three hours per week. Prerequisite: SPAN 102; SPAN 201 is a prerequisite for SPAN 202. A student may enter SPAN 201 or 202 directly on the basis of a placement test. These courses continue the student’s development of the four basic language skills – speaking, listening, reading, and writing ¬– and augment their knowledge of the world’s Hispanic peoples and their cultures. Building on the foundation of previous Spanish study or direct experience with the language, these courses are designed for those who have already achieved an elementary mastery.

Level II

SPAN 301. Spanish Conversation (3)
Three hours per week. This course is required of Spanish majors and minors. Native speakers of Spanish must have the consent of the instructor before registering for this course. This course is designed primarily to improve the student’s speaking proficiency through debate, playacting, and analysis of literary selections and films.

SPAN 302. Spanish Composition (3)
Three hours per week. This course is required of Spanish majors and minors. Native speakers of Spanish must have the consent of the instructor before registering for this course. This course concerns itself primarily with developing the student’s Spanish writing skills. Students learn and practice a wide range of composition strategies, creating and revising formal assignments as well as maintaining a journal of in-class and daily exercises.

Level III

SPAN 330. Hispanic Civilization (3)
Three hours per week. This course is required of Spanish majors. This course provides an introduction to the pre-Roman through contemporary histories and cultures of the peoples who have inhabited the lands that today from Spain and Spanish America. The course is designed for those with an advanced intermediate or advanced level of proficiency in spoken and written Spanish.

SPAN 350. Special Topics on Spain and Latin America (3)
Three hours per week. May be repeated for credit when the content has significantly changed. Possible topics are on a survey of Spanish and Spanish-American writers, periods, genres, or film.

SPAN 412. Spanish and Latin American traditions (3)
This course provides the necessary context and critical analysis of traditional and contemporary popular culture of Spain and Latin America, including popular festivals, religious rites and ceremonies, traditional and popular music, and television programs.

SPAN 420. Spanish Essay (3)
Survey of non-fictional creative writings from Spain and Latin America, which may include Spanish articles and essays from the United States. Usually focuses on the analysis of different ways in which Spaniards and Latin Americans deal with philosophical issues, political problems, and cultural identity.

SPAN 321. Contemporary Hispanic Issues (3)
Three hours per week. May be repeated once for credit when the content has significantly changed. This course is required of Spanish majors and of those minors who are native speakers of Spanish and have been denied entry into SPAN 301 and/or SPAN 302. This course considers Spanish and/or Latin American contemporary issues; e.g., revolution, poverty, liberation theology, gender, and dictatorship; through a reading of varied texts and viewing of films. The course is designed for those with an advanced intermediate or advanced level of proficiency in spoken and written Spanish.

SPAN 430 Spanish Literature (3)
Three hours per week. May be repeated once for credit when the content has significantly changed. Representative Spanish poets, novelists, and dramatists since the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. Likely to be included are such authors as Juan Manuel, Santa Teresa, Cervantes, Larra, Pardo Bazán, Ortega y Gasset, Machado, Valle Inclán, García Lorca, Machado, Cela, and Juan Goytisolo.

SPAN 431. Latin American Literature (3)
Survey of fictional narratives from Spain and Latin America (short story, and novel) with emphasis on major authors such as Sor Juana, Sarmiento, Quiroga, Arlt, Rulfo, Borges, Cortázar, Walsh, Sábato, Onetti, Benedetti, Galeano, Monterroso, García Márquez, Carpentier, Vargas Llosa, Fuentes, Bolaño, Poniatowska, Anaya, Cisneros, Dorfman, Allende, Mastretta, and Volpi.

SPAN 440. Spanish and/or Latin American Film (3)
Using a selection of recognized films, this course seeks to expand the view on Spain and Latin America through an emotional approach and a critical analysis of Spanish and Latin American societies, the construction of genders, and the political components in cinema.

SPAN 445. US Latino Culture and literature (3)
Critical analysis of Latino and Hispanic literature, visual arts, cinema, popular culture, and social movements of the communities living in the United States, with special emphasis on the contemporary period.

SPAN 450. Special Topics on Spain and Latin America (3)
Three hours per week. May be repeated for credit when the content has significantly changed. Possible topics are on a single author, a survey of Spanish and Spanish-American writers, periods, genres, themes, or film.