THE SPANISH
MAJOR
Berry College
Department of Foreign Languages- Evans
School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Prerequisites:
Intermediate level ability in Spanish
demonstrated by proficiency testing or by satisfactory completion of the
following introductory courses:
This course is designed for true
beginners with little to no prior experience with the Spanish language. Emphasis is placed on speaking, reading, aural comprehension,
and writing skills. Students will learn to use these skills in the present
indicative on a variety of common themes. PR: Departmental Placement or CI.
SPA 102 Introduction
to Spanish II (4 hours)
This course is
designed to help students further develop their speaking, reading, aural
comprehension, and writing skills. Students will continue using these skills in
the present indicative and will learn to use them in the past indicative
(preterite and imperfect). Students will also begin to employ the present
subjunctive through formal and informal commands. PR: SPA 101 or departmental
placement.
SPA 200 Intermediate
Spanish (4 hours)
This course is
designed to help students further refine speaking, reading, aural
comprehension, and writing skills. Students will continue using these skills in
reference to the present and past indicative and will learn to use them in the
present and past subjunctive and in the future indicative. Students will also be
introduced to conditional sentences. PR: SPA 102 or departmental placement.
§Heritage language learners should contact
the Department Chair for course placement.
Requirements:
Completion of the following major area
courses (16
hours):
SPA 290 Spanish in Context (4 hours)
This course
promotes Spanish language proficiency in all four skill areas, with a
particular focus on reading and writing, and deepens students’ cultural
awareness. Through a thorough review and
expansion of Spanish vocabulary and grammar, the course serves as a bridge
between the basic language sequence and upper-level courses. Students enrolled
in this course are required to participate for one hour per week in outreach
initiatives involving the local Latino community. PR: SPA 200 or departmental
placement.
SPA 301 Oral and Written Expression in Spanish
(3 hours)
This course
promotes further development of language proficiency with particular emphasis
on speaking and writing. Students will learn to converse more fluently through
varied activities centered on Hispanic cultural artifacts. Students will also
gain practice composing short papers in Spanish. PR: SPA 290.
SPA 302I Advanced Grammar and Composition in
Spanish (3 hours)
This course is
an intensive grammar review that takes the student through previously learned
material while introducing more advanced forms and structures. Acquisition will be reinforced through a
series of writing assignments that will focus on particular grammar points and
encourage students to internalize new structures through repetitive usage. PR:
SPA 290.
One of the
following two courses:
SPA 310 Introduction to Hispanic Literature
and Literary Analysis: Spain (3 hours)
This course is a
panoramic exploration of peninsular Spanish literature. Readings from a wide
variety of authors, movements, genres, and themes will be used to teach students
how to practically and critically read literature. Students will produce a
series of essays and/or one major final essay that will be produced through a
series of drafts. This course prepares students for upper-level literature
courses. PR: SPA 290.
SPA 311 Introduction to Hispanic Literature and Literary Analysis:
Latin America (3 hours)
This
course is a panoramic exploration of Latin American literature. Readings from a
wide variety of authors, movements, genres, and themes will be used to teach students
how to practically and critically read literature. Students will produce a
series of essays and/or one major final essay that will be produced through a
series of drafts. This course prepares students for upper-level literature
courses. PR: SPA 290.
One of the
following two courses:
SPA 320 Histories and Cultures of the Hispanic
World: Spain (3 hours)
This course is a
survey of the cultures and civilizations of Spain. Areas of study will include
history, politics, geography, the arts, daily life, religions, and traditions.
PR: SPA 290.
SPA 321 Histories and
Cultures of the Hispanic World: Latin America* (3 hours)
This course is a survey of the cultures
and civilizations of Latin America. Areas of study will include history,
politics, geography, the arts, daily life, religions, and traditions. PR: SPA
290.
Completion of three of the following
elective courses at the 400-level (of these electives, at least one should be a
literature course) (9 hours):
Linguistic
Studies:
SPA 402 Introduction to Translation Studies (3 hours)
This course
focuses on issues of translating texts from Spanish to English and from English
to Spanish. Students will gain both theoretical knowledge through varied
readings and practical knowledge on this topic through written translation
exercises and analyses. Particular emphasis will be placed on grammatical and
stylistic points of contrast between Spanish and English. The appropriateness
of direct vs. indirect or approximate translations will also be discussed in
different contexts. PR: SPA 302I.
SPA 404I Spanish Business Communication (3 hours)
Development of
oral and written skills in business and trade transactions. The course explores basic business concepts,
vocabulary, and the culture of Spanish-speaking countries in a business
context. PR: SPA 302I.
SPA 406I Spanish for Professionals (3 hours)
This course
centers on oral and written skills and interpretation within a professional
context. Vocabulary and forms of expression appropriate to the legal and
medical fields will be explored. PR: SPA 302I.
SPA 407 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (3 hours)
This course
introduces students to the study of Hispanic linguistics and establishes the
basis for future applications of linguistic principles. Students will explore
the sound system of Spanish and its theoretical representation; topics in
morphology such as word formation and verbal inflection; and issues in syntax
and semantics analyzed both in isolation and in terms of their relationship to
each other. Students will also study sociolinguistic issues including
bilingualism and multilingualism; language contact and transfers; dialectal
variation; and Spanish in the United States. PR: SPA 302I.
Literary
Studies:
SPA 421I Major Hispanic Writers and Their Worlds*
(3 hours)
This course
focuses on the work and life of one significant Hispanic author or literary
movement and is taught as a seminar. Students will explore the literary
production of that writer or movement within the context of the personal, social,
political, cultural, historical, and literary worlds in which their œuvre was
produced. Students will write a series of short response papers about the works
studied. This course will culminate in a research project involving the writing
of an extensive term paper analyzing a unique theme related to the study of
this author or movement. PR: SPA 310 or SPA 311.
SPA 422I Seminar on Marginalized Voices in Hispanic
Literature* (3 hours)
This course
involves the intensive study of discourses and themes of power and agency in
Hispanic literature. Works by typically marginalized authors will be studied,
including indigenous, immigrant, impoverished, queer, and women’s voices.
Students will learn to articulate observations and opinions on the aforementioned
issues through seminar-style conversation. PR: SPA 310 or SPA 311.
SPA 424 Hispanic Theatre and Performance
Workshop (4 hours)
This course is a
study of masterworks of Hispanic drama. Students will learn how to critically
read these works as literature, isolating issues of performance, audience, and
identity. Students will also learn the basics of acting and how to interpret
and perform these works. Students will participate in the design and
performance of a Spanish-language drama as the final project for the course.
PR: SPA 290 or CI.
Culture
Studies:
SPA 430 Cultural Icons of the Hispanic World* (3 hours)
This course
explores how major icons of the Hispanic world are understood and how they are
represented today in literature, mythology and history, film, the plastic arts,
and popular culture. This course considers the context(s) in which these
figures first appear and their later appropriation as cultural icons as a means
of cultural, sociopolitical, personal, or artistic identification. Icons to be
studied will vary based on professorial preferences; examples include Don
Quijote, Don Juan, Sor Juana, la Celestina, la Virgen de Guadalupe, Moctezuma,
Salvador Dalí, Che Guevara, Francisco Franco, Frida Kahlo, etc. PR: SPA 320 or
SPA 321
SPA 432I Seminar on Hispanic Visual Media (3 hours)
This course
centers on the study of visual media as “texts” reflective of the cultural
milieus in which they were created. Media to be studied will vary based on
professorial preferences but may include film, television, the plastic arts,
architecture, etc. Students will develop advanced oral skills and vocabulary
related to these media through seminar-style conversation about assigned works.
Students will also write a series of response papers about the assigned “texts”
and a research paper. PR: SPA 301.
Special
Topics and Directed Studies:
SPA 405 Topics in Spanish (3 hours)
This course is a
special seminar on a subfield within Hispanic linguistic, literary, linguistic,
or culture studies not covered by other courses. The particulars of the course
will be determined by the professor, and may be repeated for credit provided
that the topics vary. PR: SPA 290
SPA 496 Academic Internship (3 to 12 hours)
Problem-oriented
experiences on specific academic projects relating to the individual student’s
program of study and planned in consultation with the student’s advisor. PR: See general provisions for academic
internships in this catalog.
SPA 498 Directed Study (3 hours)
This course
involves the independent study of a Hispanic topic. Students will work closely
with the professors directing their studies to determine course requirements
and a related research project. PR: any 400-level SPA and CI; JS or SS majors
only, and approval of school dean.
Completion of SPA 450 – Capstone Project
(3 hours)
SPA 450 Hispanic Studies Abroad (3 hours)
Research project
required for graduation if student cannot complete study abroad. Class will be
created in consultation with major advisor.” PR: SS, CI.
* Cross-listed
with Latin American and Caribbean Studies minor if on LA/C topic.
† Students may take the alternate survey
literature or culture courses for elective credit; students may not double-count classes used to fulfill
basic major requirements for elective credit.
Required hours for the major: 28