Course Schedule

PORT 305A – Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

Cross Listed

Accelerated beginning Portuguese for speakers of Spanish. Taught by communicative approach and contrastive analysis.

PORT 325A – Intermediate Grammar and Conversation

For intermediate students to enhance their linguistic abilities, to develop control of oral communication at a more advanced level, and to prepare for the transition from language learning to studies in literature, culture and linguistics.

PORT 363 – #Black Lives Matter Across The Americas: Race & Racism in Latin America

Cross Listed

How are race and racism perceived and experienced in countries in Latin America particularly such as Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia where a mixed-race ideology and the myth of racial equality have traditionally been at the core of national identity? This class critically analyzes notions of race and anti-racist activism to examine the ideologies and circumstances of the political structure, race-targeted public policies, and black activism in contemporary Latin America.

SPAN 102 – Second Semester Spanish

Oral approach.

SPAN 201 – Third Semester Spanish

Continuation of Spanish 101 and 102 or by placement exam. As the first semester of the second year Spanish, this course focuses on a short review of the materials studied in the first year courses. It expands on those points with a more in-depth study of the Spanish language and culture. Content-based approach integrates grammar and culture in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course further develops grammatical accuracy in the use of the simple tenses: present, future, and conditional and of particular importance is the perfection of the use of the past tense: preterit and imperfect. Compound tenses such as the present perfect, past perfect are also developed in this course. Students gain the ability during this course to deal with more complex and abstract situations in the foreign language. Language use encouraged by way of communicative activities rather than a sequence of linguistics units. Audio, video, and computer materials incorporated.

PORT 102 – 2nd Semester Portuguese

Communicative approach, emphasis on all language skills.

PORT 280 – Brazilian Identity: Class, Race, and Citizenship

Cross Listed · Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies · Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

This course takes representations and experiences of citizenship in modern Brazil as the springboard for the study of cross-cultural membership in society. How are understandings and experiences of citizenship bound up with the definition and institutionalization of race/ethnicity, class, and gender? This broad question will be examined in specific areas in Brazil such as public health, urban and rural development, environment, education, law, politics, and pop culture. The course covers theoretical readings and case studies from different geographical areas. Instructional materials are interdisciplinary, drawing mainly on the fields of History, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and Geography.

PORT 305A – Introduction to Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

Cross Listed

Accelerated beginning Portuguese for speakers of Spanish. Taught by communicative approach and contrastive analysis.

PORT 325A – Intermediate Portuguese

For intermediate students to enhance their linguistic abilities, to develop control of oral communication at a more advanced level, and to prepare for the transition from language learning to studies in literature, culture and linguistics.

PORT 350 – Brazilian Voices in Literature and Culture

The course is designed to introduce major themes, styles, and genres in Brazilian literature. Through readings, visual art, and music, students will gain a deeper understanding of the various experiences and perspectives that shape Brazil. Students will explore the various discourses that negotiate the definitions of Brazilian identity within different historical contexts.

PORT 403 – Contemporary Luso-Brazilian and Lusophone African Literatures: an Introduction

Through an interdisciplinary approach, the students will be in contact with the contemporary literature produced in Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa.

PORT 503 – Contemporary Luso-Brazilian and Lusophone African Literatures: an Introduction

Through an interdisciplinary approach, the students will be in contact with the contemporary literature produced in Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa. Graduate-level requirements include a final paper.

SPAN 101 – First Semester Spanish

Oral approach. For the student with no previous experience in Spanish. Contact department for additional information.

SPAN 102 – Second Semester Spanish

Oral approach.

SPAN 103 – Oral Skills for Heritage Learners of Spanish

For students who have receptive skills in Spanish, but who encounter difficulty in speaking. It focuses on developing fluent conversation and listening skills in a positive and culturally rich environment. It also covers basic grammar structures problematic to students. For the Heritage Speaker of Spanish, Contact Department.

SPAN 125 – Elementary Medical Spanish for the Health Professions

Elementary Medical Spanish (Spanish 125) is designed to introduce the many facets of the Spanish language and cultures for students in going into the healthcare professions. This course is designed to help students start developing the skills necessary to communicate efficiently with Spanish-speaking patients and clients in a medical context. It is a fast-paced, step-by-step course for students with no or very little previous knowledge of Spanish. This course aims to provide the base for all four core language skills - speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In addition, students will start developing situational and cross-cultural competence for communication in Spanish in healthcare settings.

SPAN 150B1 – Latino/a/x Stories

Gen Ed: Diversity Emphasis · Gen Ed: Tier 1 Individuals & Societies/150 · Gen Ed: Building Connections

This course introduces students to the Latina/o/x experience in the United States through exploring its expressive culture. Students will analyze a variety of texts including short stories, poems, novels, films, and songs in order to explore a wide range of themes, from race relations to migrant identities to gender norms, in a variety of contexts including family, education, politics, and popular culture.

SPAN 160C1 – The Arts and Politics in Latin America

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Traditions and Cultures/160 · Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Artist

This course deals with the relationship between politics and cultural expressions in Latin America. These cultural expressions studied are literature, muralism, music, paintings, documentaries, escrache and cinema. How do these expressions relate to what was, and it's still happening in Latin American society? How do people in power shape systems? How do artists criticize or support governments? How do their art reflect their context?

Students will investigate and analyze how governments collaborate shaping the system, and explore how changes such as dictatorships, revolutions, conquests, etc., affect a society, and discuss how art helps us have a better understanding of our history and our role as global citizens.

SPAN 160C1 – The Arts and Politics in Latin America

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Traditions and Cultures/160 · Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Artist · Honors Course

This course deals with the relationship between politics and cultural expressions in Latin America. These cultural expressions studied are literature, muralism, music, paintings, documentaries, escrache and cinema. How do these expressions relate to what was, and it's still happening in Latin American society? How do people in power shape systems? How do artists criticize or support governments? How do their art reflect their context?

Students will investigate and analyze how governments collaborate shaping the system, and explore how changes such as dictatorships, revolutions, conquests, etc., affect a society, and discuss how art helps us have a better understanding of our history and our role as global citizens.

SPAN 160D1 – Issues in Latin American Society and Popular Culture

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Traditions and Cultures/160 · Gen Ed: Building Connections

This course is an introduction to fundamental concepts, practices, and approaches to the study of popular culture and politics in Latin America. We will explore diverse themes such as African slavery, religion, political violence, political power, the role of women in history and politics, the youth in political conflicts, nationalism, U.S.-Latin America relations, peasant insurgency, and human rights. Students will also develop an awareness of the social and historical contexts in which these manifestations developed throughout the construct of what we now call "new nations" in Latin America. The course will concentrate on case studies from six different countries: Mexico, Cuba, Peru/Ecuador/Bolivia, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. An important component to the course will be the examination of how Latin America and its culture is portrayed in the United States.

SPAN 160D1 – Issues in Latin American Society and Popular Culture

Gen Ed: Tier 1 Traditions and Cultures/160 · Gen Ed: Building Connections · Honors Course

This course is an introduction to fundamental concepts, practices, and approaches to the study of popular culture and politics in Latin America. We will explore diverse themes such as African slavery, religion, political violence, political power, the role of women in history and politics, the youth in political conflicts, nationalism, U.S.-Latin America relations, peasant insurgency, and human rights. Students will also develop an awareness of the social and historical contexts in which these manifestations developed throughout the construct of what we now call "new nations" in Latin America. The course will concentrate on case studies from six different countries: Mexico, Cuba, Peru/Ecuador/Bolivia, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. An important component to the course will be the examination of how Latin America and its culture is portrayed in the United States.

SPAN 201 – Third Semester Spanish

Continuation of Spanish 101 and 102 or by placement exam. As the first semester of the second year Spanish, this course focuses on a short review of the materials studied in the first year courses. It expands on those points with a more in-depth study of the Spanish language and culture. Content-based approach integrates grammar and culture in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course further develops grammatical accuracy in the use of the simple tenses: present, future, and conditional and of particular importance is the perfection of the use of the past tense: preterit and imperfect. Compound tenses such as the present perfect, past perfect are also developed in this course. Students gain the ability during this course to deal with more complex and abstract situations in the foreign language. Language use encouraged by way of communicative activities rather than a sequence of linguistics units. Audio, video, and computer materials incorporated.

SPAN 202 – Fourth Semester Spanish

Continuation of Spanish 101, 102, and 201 or by placement exam. As the second semester of the second year Spanish, this course is designed to provide insight into the literature and culture of the Spanish speaking countries. Themes are developed by content-based cultural activities, which provide awareness in the Hispanic culture, and encourage students to formulate opinions on a variety of contemporary issues through authentic readings, discussions and writing. This course reviews the grammatical concepts in a more sophisticated way and analyses more complex syntactic structures considered within a functional whole such as the subjunctive moods, etc. The teaching approach integrates grammar and culture in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Classroom activities stress communication across the four skills with a strong aural, oral and written component. Audio, video, and computer materials incorporated.

SPAN 203 – Writing and Oral Skills for the Heritage Learner of Spanish

Designed for students who learned Spanish in a home or community environment. Focuses mainly on written and oral development but reading and listening skills are also practiced in a dynamic cultural context. Grammar and spelling issues problematic to students are also covered. This course fulfills the University's foreign language requirement.

SPAN 205 – Intensive Spanish

205 is the equivalent of 101 and 102. Recommended for highly motivated students and/or those with experience in another Romance language.

SPAN 206 – Intensive Spanish

Recommended for highly motivated students and/or those with experience in another Romance language.

SPAN 210 – Latin America on Film

Gen Ed: Diversity Emphasis · Gen Ed: Tier 2 Humanities · Gen Ed: Building Connections

Throughout its history, Latin America has witnessed a conflict of social, cultural and political differences. The challenges of defining Latin America have been arduous and at times difficult. Each academic discipline has taken a narrow prospective view of what is Latin America. Therefore, this class Introduces students to the concept and origins of popular culture and to social theories used to analyze its impact on self, culture in modern consumer societies and national and regional images of identity. Students will focus on understanding the history, politics, cultural, and social reality changes in Latin America.

SPAN 210 – Latin America on Film

Gen Ed: Diversity Emphasis · Gen Ed: Tier 2 Humanities · Gen Ed: Building Connections · Honors Course

Throughout its history, Latin America has witnessed a conflict of social, cultural and political differences. The challenges of defining Latin America have been arduous and at times difficult. Each academic discipline has taken a narrow prospective view of what is Latin America. Therefore, this class Introduces students to the concept and origins of popular culture and to social theories used to analyze its impact on self, culture in modern consumer societies and national and regional images of identity. Students will focus on understanding the history, politics, cultural, and social reality changes in Latin America.

SPAN 225 – Intermediate Medical Spanish for the Health Professions

This course is designed for healthcare professionals and students who have completed Spanish 125. It offers students the opportunity to expand the necessary vocabulary, medical terminology, as well as pertinent grammatical structures to improve the communication with Spanish-speaking patients. There will also be a focus on different cultural perspectives on health and health care for Spanish-speaking patients in the US and in the Spanish speaking countries. The course will provide students with skills that will help them in a variety of work settings such as hospitals, emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and clinics when dealing with Spanish-speaking patients and personnel in the United States.

SPAN 251 – Intermediate Spanish

Combines all forms of language skills (speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension) with intermediate grammar.

SPAN 251 – Intermediate Spanish

Honors Course

Combines all forms of language skills (speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension) with intermediate grammar.

SPAN 253 – Intermediate Spanish I for Heritage Learners

For students who understand and speak Spanish fluently. Focuses on differences between formal and informal uses of Spanish and develops both in the areas of writing, reading, speaking, listening, grammar and vocabulary in a dynamic cultural context centered on Hispanics in the U.S.

SPAN 280 – Brazilian Identity: Class, Race, and Citizenship

Cross Listed · Gen Ed: Tier 2 Individuals and Societies · Gen Ed: Exploring Perspectives, Social Scientist

This course takes representations and experiences of citizenship in modern Brazil as the springboard for the study of cross-cultural membership in society. How are understandings and experiences of citizenship bound up with the definition and institutionalization of race/ethnicity, class, and gender? This broad question will be examined in specific areas in Brazil such as public health, urban and rural development, environment, education, law, politics, and pop culture. The course covers theoretical readings and case studies from different geographical areas. Instructional materials are interdisciplinary, drawing mainly on the fields of History, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and Geography.

SPAN 323 – Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Learners II

A continuation of SPAN 253. Focuses on expanding the learners' oral and written academic proficiency and promotes their critical thinking skills in a dynamic cultural context centered on Latin America. Reviews advanced grammar and spelling issues to strengthen students' writing.

SPAN 325 – Intermediate Grammar and Writing

Essential points of grammar, with emphasis on syntax and development of writing skills.

SPAN 325 – Intermediate Grammar and Writing

Honors Course

Essential points of grammar, with emphasis on syntax and development of writing skills.

SPAN 330 – Intermediate Conversation

Cross Listed

SPAN 330 – Intermediate Conversation

Cross Listed · Honors Course

SPAN 333 – Advanced Spanish for Heritage Learners

Develops oral and written Spanish for academic and professional contexts. Emphasizes different genres of writing, focusing on rhetorical strategies for persuasive and argumentative writing and culminates in a research paper. Grammar and spelling are covered based on student needs.

SPAN 340 – The Sounds of Spanish

In-depth study of articulatory phonetics with emphasis on both theory and practical applications for non-native speakers of Spanish. (Taught in Spanish).

SPAN 341 – Translation and Interpretation: Social Justice and Practice

Cross Listed

Professional, social justice, sociolinguistic, and cognitive aspects of Translation and Interpretation. Includes language policy and social justice goals to providing language services for limited and non-English speaking populations, role of translators and interpreters, simultaneous and consecutive interpretation, role of norms in legal translation, meaning of translation, health care interpretation and translation, business and technical translation, observation of professional settings, translation and interpretation practice. This course is a prerequisite for the following courses: MAS 306, MAS 308, MAS 309, MAS 311, MAS 408, MAS 409.

SPAN 343 – The Sounds of Spanish for Heritage Speakers

Introduces learners to Spanish phonology and phonetics. Students learn about the differences between spoken and written language as the basis to advance their Spanish proficiency. It also focuses on exposing students to the different varieties of the Spanish-speaking world.

SPAN 350 – Readings in the Literary Genres

Cross Listed

SPAN 352 – Reading Politics and Culture in the Hispanic World

Introduction to major theories, readings and analyses of culture in Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula,and Latinos in the U.S.

SPAN 360 – Introduction to the Linguistic Analysis of Spanish

This course serves as an introduction to the structure of the Spanish language. It's a course on how to understand Spanish grammar (and grammar or language structure as a whole) so you might critically reflect on the language to get a deep command of it on your own in the years to come. The course is organized around four basic perspectives on the study of the structure of Spanish: (1) the structure of the Spanish sound inventory, (2) the structure of Spanish words, (3) the structure of Spanish sentences, (4) the structure of the Spanish language in its societies.

SPAN 371A – Spanish for Business and Economics

Cross Listed

SPAN 371A – Spanish for Business and Economics

Cross Listed · Honors Course

SPAN 381 – Medical/Business Translation

Cross Listed

This course covers English/Spanish medical/business translation. It focuses on (1) building conceptual knowledge in the medical/business contexts and (2) language and translation competence in these settings. It introduces students to professional, nationally-accepted standards of translation practice and performance and uses authentic materials and contextually-meaningful situations.

SPAN 382 – Legal/Business Translation

Cross Listed

This course covers English/Spanish legal/business translation. It focuses on (1) building conceptual knowledge in the legal and business contexts and (2) language and translation competence in these settings. It introduces students to professional, nationally-accepted standards of translation practice and performance and uses authentic materials and contextually-meaningful situations.

SPAN 441 – Children's Literature in Spanish

Cross Listed

SPAN 449D – Topics in Border Studies

This course will explore Topics in Border Studies. Through the readings in this course students will develop analytical and interpretive skills and learn to apply these skills to literature and the genre both within the classroom environment and on their own. Additionally, students will achieve a nuanced understanding of the literature's social and historical context.

SPAN 457 – Applied Linguistics

Cross Listed

Application of linguistic theory to issues of Spanish language instruction; theories of language acquisition and language teaching methodology.

SPAN 458 – Spanish in the Community

This course is intended to familiarize the students with issues about language use in social context. Students will discuss results of research on the relationship between language and society in several Spanish-speaking communities.

SPAN 471 – Beginning Simultaneous Interpretation

Cross Listed

This course begins the in-depth study of simultaneous interpretation (continued in Advanced Simultaneous Interpretation). Its focus is (1) building conceptual knowledge in legal/medical/business contexts and (2) language and interpreting competence. Students are introduced to professional, nationally accepted standards of practice and performance using authentic materials and contextually meaningful situations.

SPAN 472 – Beginning Consecutive Interpretation

Cross Listed

This course begins the in-depth study of the theory and practice of consecutive interpretation and sight translation (continued in Advanced Consecutive Interpretation). It reviews legal and medical concepts and covers policy and law relevant to interpreter practice, theory, skill development, and special issues in legal, medical, and business settings using authentic materials and contextually meaningful situations.

SPAN 481 – Advanced Simultaneous Interpretation

Cross Listed

This course continues the in-depth study (begun in Beginning Simultaneous Interpretation) of simultaneous interpretation. Its focus is (1) building conceptual knowledge in legal/medical/business contexts and (2) advanced language & interpreting proficiency. Students will review of professional, nationally accepted standards of practice and performance using authentic materials & contextually meaningful situations. Focus is on intensive skill development.

SPAN 482 – Advanced Consecutive Interpretation

Cross Listed

This course continues the in-depth study (begun in "Translation and Interpretation: Social Justice and Practice") of the theory and practice of consecutive interpretation and sight translation. It focuses on a review of complex legal and medical concepts; policy and law relevant to interpreter practice; theory; skill development; and special issues in interpretation in legal, medical, and business settings using authentic materials and contextually meaningful situations. Focus is on intensive skill development.

SPAN 493 – Internship

Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.

SPAN 498 – Senior Capstone for the Professions

A culminating experience for majors involving a substantive project that demonstrates a synthesis of learning accumulated in the major, including broadly comprehensive knowledge of the discipline and its methodologies. Senior standing required.

SPAN 498H – Honors Thesis

Honors Course · Engagement: Discovery · Engagement: Global and Intercultural Comprehension

An honors thesis is required of all the students graduating with honors. Students ordinarily sign up for this course as a two-semester sequence. The first semester the student performs research under the supervision of a faculty member; the second semester the student writes an honors thesis.

SPAN 498H – Honors Thesis

Honors Course

An honors thesis is required of all the students graduating with honors. Students ordinarily sign up for this course as a two-semester sequence. The first semester the student performs research under the supervision of a faculty member; the second semester the student writes an honors thesis.

SPAN 510 – Development of Spanish Medieval, Renaissance, and Golden Age Literature

Spanish medieval, renaissance, and golden age literature (short fiction, poetry, novel and drama) from the twelfth through the seventeenth century.

SPAN 531 – Topics in Spanish-American Literature: Pre-Columbian Period to Independence

Representative topics include pre-Columbian Aztec, Mayan, and Maya-Quiche literature; the chronicle; Renaissance and baroque poetry.

SPAN 571 – Topics in Literary Theory and Criticism

Topics include historical overview of major developments in literary theory and criticism with theoretical and critical analysis of Hispanic texts.

SPAN 580B – Spanish Phonology II

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course continues the study of the generative analysis of the phonological system of Spanish started in Spanish phonology I. SPAN 580 (Spanish Phonology II) reviews recent analyses of important phonological processes of Spanish, highlighting advances, difficulties and unresolved theoretical and empirical issues. The course aims to provide students with: (a) the knowledge and resources necessary to read and critique/analyze generative analyses of the phonological system of Spanish; (b) a general understanding of major theoretical models of phonology through their application to Spanish; (c) a general understanding of the challenges presented by Spanish to modern linguistic analysis, as well as the ability to formulate research questions. Students who wish to enroll in the course are required to have a sound knowledge of the descriptive facts of the phonology of Spanish and of major concepts/tools of generative phonology.

SPAN 587 – Assessment in Second/Foreign Language Learning

Cross Listed · GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

The primary objective of this course is the development of language teachers' assessment literacy, which includes knowledge of key assessment principles and skill in creating or adopting assessment tools and procedures for the language classroom. Participants in this course will develop their knowledge and skills related to assessing all skill areas in the language classroom, including productive skills (writing, speaking), receptive skills (reading, listening), and assessing grammar and vocabulary. Grading and student evaluation will also be important topics of consideration and exploration in this course. Designed specifically for in-service (and pre-service) language teachers, the course combines theory with practice by covering essential principles of effective classroom assessment and the development of effective assessment tools for classroom use. Participants completing this course will become more assessment literate and better able to evaluate student performance in their classrooms fairly and effectively.

SPAN 587A – Introduction to Pragmatics

The topic of the seminar is pragmatics. Pragmatics is the study of language use in different social contexts, and it raises many important questions about language use in different cultures, such as "How can I speak appropriately in a new language?", "How can I be polite (or impolite) when interacting with other speakers?", among many others. Speakers have a variety of ways of communicating their ideas in social interaction. Among many expressions and structures at their disposal, speakers choose particular ones based on the identity they want to project, the identity of their interlocutor(s), and the situation in which the interaction is taking place. Quite often, speakers also convey meaning in indirect ways. In this seminar, we will examine five broad domains: (1) pragmatic constructs and foundational theories, (2) common research methodologies and methods, (3) cross-cultural pragmatics, (4) pragmatics and technology, and (5) pragmatics in specific discourse domains (e.g., legal and medical discourse). Through critical examination of the literature in these three areas, we will refine your understanding of the role of pragmatics in (applied) linguistics research, and some of the common methods of data collection and analysis in this field.

SPAN 696D – Hispanic Linguistics

GIDP: Second Lang. Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT)

This course is designed to explore theoretical and applied issues involving language and linguistics. Throughout the course we will examine an array of perspectives. In the light of the readings students will develop original research projects.