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Undergraduate Course Descriptions

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Catalan Language Courses:

Spanish 197A – Catalan I

This course is conceived to enable students to acquire the basic notions of the Catalan language through task-based daily communicative situations. The teacher will provide the necessary tools to guarantee an autonomous learning process focused on the student’s individuality. The course’s practical nature will promote both the apprentice’s participation and interaction in order to facilitate communication in different socio-cultural contexts. This course will develop the student’s capacity in order to achieve a progressive mastery of the four main skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Spanish 197B – Catalan II

This course is conceived to enable students to acquire the elementary notions of the Catalan language (intermediate level) through task-based daily communicative situations. The course’s practical nature will promote both the apprentice’s participation and interaction in order to facilitate communication in different socio-cultural contexts. This course will develop the student’s capacity focused on the student’s individuality in order to achieve a progressive mastery of the four main skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking through real life situations and the creation of a personal project.

Portuguese Language Courses:

Portuguese 110 – Elementary Portuguese I

First in a sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Spanish on a variety of general-interest topics. For students who have studied little or no Portuguese.

Portuguese 120 - Elementary Portuguese II

Second of a sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Portuguese on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Portuguese 110

Portuguese 126 - Elementary Intensive Portuguese

Intensive course covering contents of Portuguese 110 and 120 in one semester. For students with little or no Portuguese. Not recommended for slow language learners.

Portuguese 230 - Intermediate Portuguese I

Third course in the sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Portuguese on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Portuguese 120 or 126.

Portuguese 240 - Intermediate Portuguese II

Fourth in the sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Portuguese on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Portuguese 230.

Portuguese 246 - Intermediate Intensive Portuguese

Intensive course covering contents of Portuguese 230 and 240 in one semester. Not recommended for slow language learners. Prerequisite: Portuguese 120 or 126.

Portuguese 496A - Intensive Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

Intensive course covering contents of Portuguese 110 to 240 in one semester. Greater focus in this course on development of reading and writing skills within area of academic/literary discourse. Prerequisite: Intermediate level of Spanish proficiency.

Spanish Language Courses:

Spanish 110 – Elementary Spanish I

First in a sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Spanish on a variety of general-interest topics. For students who have studied little or no Spanish.

Spanish 120 - Elementary Spanish II

Second of a sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Spanish on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Spanish 110

Spanish 126 - Elementary Intensive Spanish

Intensive course covering contents of Spanish 110 and 120 in one semester. For students with little or no Spanish. Not recommended for slow language learners.

Spanish 230 - Intermediate Spanish I

Third course in the sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Spanish on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Spanish 120 or 126.

Spanish 240 - Intermediate Spanish II

Fourth in the sequence of four courses providing students with skills necessary to communicate in Spanish on a variety of general-interest topics. Prerequisite: Spanish 230.

Spanish 246 - Intermediate Intensive

Intensive course covering contents of Spanish 230 and 240 in one semester. Greater focus in this course on development of reading and writing skills within area of academic/literary discourse. Not recommended for slow language learners. Prerequisite: SPANISH 120 or 126.

Intermediate Courses in Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan:

Spanish 301 - Conversational Spanish

Discussion, guided conversation in Spanish on specific topics. Emphasis on further development of listening and speaking skills. Prerequisite: "C" average at intermediate college-level Spanish or consent of instructor.

Spanish 311 - Advanced Grammar

Spanish 311 is an advanced course in Spanish grammar and writing for students minoring or majoring in Spanish. Spanish 311 is designed to give the student a thorough review of some of the major grammatical properties of the Spanish language. This course is designed to help students develop their writing proficiency, while providing them with tools to think critically about how to write in Spanish.

Spanish 312 - Oral and Written Expression

This course introduces basic techniques and stylistics to enable students to write in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 311.

Spanish 313 - Spanish Composition II/Jr. Writing

This course introduces the elements of effective college-level composition, in Spanish and in English. Prerequisite: Spanish 311.

Spanish 319 - Introduction to Literary Analysis

The basic tools of textual analysis.  Development of the ability to discuss literature in a critical manner through the study of its three most representative genres: narrative, poetry, and drama.  An introduction to the technical terminology needed to articulate textual responses.

Portuguese 320 - Introduction to Portuguese Literature

Introduction to the literature of Portugal from the Middle Ages to 1700. The main literary currents and techniques of the period and their relation to history and culture. Selections from representative poetry, drama, and narrative. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisite: PORTUG 240 or consent of instructor. (Gen.Ed. AL)

Spanish 320 - Literary Currents - Spain I

Introduction to the literature of Spain from the Middle Ages to 1700. Emphasis on literary currents and their relation to history and culture of the period. Representative poetry, narrative, drama. Prerequisite: Spanish 311 or consent of instructor. Taught in Spanish (Gen.Ed. AL).

Spanish 321 - Literary Currents - Spain II

Introduction to Spanish literature from 1700 to the present; emphasis on literary currents and their relation to culture and history of the period. Representative drama, poetry, and narrative. Prerequisite: Spanish 311 or consent of instructor. Taught in Spanish (Gen.Ed. AL).

Spanish 322 - Spanish American Literature I

Introduction to the literature of Spanish America from the beginnings to the end of the Romantic period. Emphasis on literary currents and their relation to history and culture of the period. Representative poetry, narrative, drama. The class is taught in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 311 or consent of instructor.

Spanish 323 - Introduction to Spanish American Literature II

Introduction to the literature of Spanish America from the end of the Romantic period to the present. Emphasis on literary currents and their relation to history and culture of the period. Representative poetry, narrative, drama. The class is taught in Spanish. Prerequisite: Spanish 311 or consent of instructor.

Spanish 354 - Spanish for Native Speakers I

This course reviews Spanish grammar with an emphasis on the particular necessities of native Spanish speakers who have not studied the language extensively in an academic setting.  Particular attention is given to writing and reading.  Open only to native speakers of Spanish.

Spanish 367 - Hispanic Children Literature

This course is designed to familiarize the student with the range of material available on children's literature in Spain, Latin American and US Latinos. It covers material from traditional literature to contemporary including folk tales, poetry and fiction.

Spanish 378 - Spanish Phonetics

Spanish 378 is designed to provide students with a linguistic perspective of the sound system of Spanish, as well as basic phonological concepts such as phonemes and allophones. The main goals of the course are to improve students’ pronunciation and prepare them to become future teachers. We also explore the basic differences in the pronunciation of Spanish dialects from different regions of the Spanish-speaking world.

Spanish 397J – Catalan Culture

This course is an overview of the Catalan Culture with a a focus on six central aspects: literature, cinema, art, music, gastronomy and traditions. Through this course you will be able to discover a rich, unique and very interesting culture that includes important characters such as: Mercè Rodoreda, Quim Monzó, Salvador Dalí, Picasso, Isabel Coixet, Cesc Gay... This course will be a good chance not only to enjoy some excellent novels, films and other works, but also to widen our perception and knowledge on Peninsular cultures.

Spanish 397K - Women of Southern Europe through Literature and Film

The strong influence of the Catholic Church, the peculiar political and economic development of the Italian and Spanish bourgeoisies, the superimposition of a political unity on culturally and linguistically diverse regions, and the decades of dictatorship under Mussolini, Primo de Rivera and Franco, are just a few of the common experiences that Spain and Italy share. In both these Mediterranean lands, the history of the feminist movements --and of women—share many characteristics, at the same time they also have their own specificity. By concentrating on key works by women writers and film directors, this course will study the peculiarity and the specificity of Italian and Spanish feminisms and their relation to the literary and cinematographic realms. Taught in English/Spanish/Italian Crosslisted ITAL 398

Spanish 397 - Latin American Cinema

The course is designed to introduce students to the cinematic productions of some of the most important Latin American directors from the sixties to the present. We will focus mainly on how these directors have portrayed Latin America. What can we learn from these directors’ depictions of Latin American reality and society? Through their films, we will critically analyze historical, political, social and cultural developments that have shaped Latin America and are fundamental to its understanding. Some of the topics that we will examine during the course of the semester are: racial, social, and gender construction; nation formation; national identity; revolution; emigration/immigration; repression; utopia; resistance; political violence; slavery and freedom; homosexuality; exile; machismo; political and social inquiry; urban violence, etc. Students will be expected to develop analytic filmic skills through an exploration of the connections between the technical composition of the films and the social, political, and cultural context underlying the film narrative.

Spanish 397 - Spanish Film: From Buñuel to Almodóvar

Analysis of several films by some of the most important Spanish directors from the sixties to the early XXI Century, in the context of Spanish history, society, culture and politics. Special attention will be given to films by Buñuel, Saura and Almodóvar. The following topics will be analyzed: representation of gender; history; filmic narrative; role of religion; sexual and sociopolitical repression; violence and transgression; and other topics. Course may be used for Certificate in Film Studies.

Advanced Courses in Spanish and Portuguese:

Spanish 415 - Culture and Civilization of Spain: From Dictatorship to Democracy

In this class we will examine the historical, political, social and cultural development of Spain from the Second Republic to the present. Through the study of several films we will tackle topics such as the role of women, censorship, immigration and terrorism, among others. The course is taught in Spanish.

Spanish 417 - Culture and Civilization of the Spanish America

The historical development of Spanish American culture and civilization through its different manifestations. Historical periods and topics covered depend on the instructor and/or semester. Prerequisite: Spanish 320 or 321 or 322 or 323, or consent of instructor. This course is taught in Spanish. (Gen.Ed. AL, G)

Spanish 465 - Business Spanish

This course presents major trends and developments in the Spanish-speaking world. Analysis of economic, legal, and international business issues. Utilization of Spanish terminology in commercial correspondence and business.

Spanish 470 - General View of Hispanic Linguistics

This course is an introduction to basic aspects of Hispanic linguistics, where Students learn about the different components of language. The course starts with the introduction of concepts that help students understand the nature of language, such as prescriptive and descriptive grammar, grammaticality judgments, linguistic prejudice, and the nature and goals of linguistic inquiry. Six different areas of Hispanic linguistics are presented in the course: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, history of the Spanish language, and sociolinguistics. The general goal of the course is to present a broad view of the nature of human language using Spanish as an example.

Spanish 471 - Linguistic Varieties and Pluralism

This course intends to offer the students an introduction to regional and social varieties of Spanish in Spain, Latin America and the U.S., and an overview of situations of language contact and multilingualism affecting Spanish in those areas.

Spanish 473 - Contrastive Analysis Spanish / English

This course provides a contrastive description and analysis of the phonological, morphological and syntactic structures of Spanish and English. Spanish 470 is a pre-requisite for this course.

LLC 475 - The History of Romance Languages

This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to the history of the languages derived from Latin (mainly Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese) and of the people who speak them, as well as of their cultures.   After an introduction to the origin of Homo Sapiens and human language, we will review the historical events that lead to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, its culture and language.  Then we will analyze the fragmentation of the linguistic and political unity held through Latin and the Roman empire, at the birth of national languages, cultures and literatures during the Middle Ages.  Also, the phonetic and syntactic similarities and differences between Romance languages will be studied and explained.  The last topic will deal with the present situation of Romance languages within and outside of the European Community, their cultural and political reality and their future.

Spanish 497 – Latin American Women Writers: Gender and Culture

This course will focus on a selection of literary works by Latin American women writers of the 20th century, including those within the canon (Gabriela Mistral and Dulce María Loynaz), and those that have created an “alternative” canon or “contra-canon” (Marvel Moreno). Emphasis will be given to the relationship between women’s writing, their socio-cultural context and the thematic of gender. We will also study critical feminist texts in/from Latin America, such as those by Castellanos, Traba, Olivares, Guerra, Calvo and Torres among others. Intensive participation is expected from students: there will be oral presentations, paper reactions, a midterm exam, and a research paper on topics in accord with the instructor. Prerequisite: Span 311, 320 (or 321), 323, 417 or consent of instructor. This course is taught in Spanish.

Spanish 497 – Modern Spanish American Poetry

A survey of Spanish American Poetry from Modernism (19th Century) to the Avant-garde (20th Century). This period, considered the ‘Golden Age’ of Hispanic American literature, begins with the works of Rubén Darío and is consolidated by the historic Avant-garde, reaching international importance and influence. We will explore the concepts of Modernity and Literary modernization, the theory of two Avant-gardes and the changes in the function of the intellectual. In addition to Darío, we will study poems by Martí, Huidobro, Neruda, Vallejo, Mistral and Borges among others, and several “Manifiestos” and “Proclamas”. Emphasis will be given to the close reading of poems. Intensive participation is expected from students: there will be oral presentations, paper reactions, a midterm exam, and a research paper on topics in accord with the instructor. Prerequisite: Span 311, 320 (or 321), 323, 417, or consent from the instructor. This course is taught in Spanish.

Spanish 497 – Caribbean Art and Literature

Interdisciplinary course with a comparative approach. This course will explore the Caribbean reality and the discourses that represent it through the study of several works in different artistic languages. We will study the works of writers and painters from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Venezuela (such as García Márquez, Carpentier, Botero, Reverón, Núñez, Ferré, among others); as well as the representation of the Caribbean on different maps. The main objective of the course is to explore thematic analogies of the Caribbean imaginary (i.e. landscape, violence, eroticism and others) in different media. Intensive participation is expected from students: there will be oral presentations, paper reactions, a midterm exam, and a research paper on topics in accord with the instructor. Prerequisite: Spanish 311, 320 (or 321), 323, 417, or consent from the instructor. This course is taught in Spanish.