SPA: Spanish

College of Arts and Humanities

How to Read Course Descriptions

SPA 101. Elementary Spanish I. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of Spanish geared to facilitate the development of functional proficiency at the novice level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Introduction to Spanish and Latin American culture through readings and discussion.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SPA 102. Elementary Spanish II. 3 Credits.

Continuation of the fundamentals of Spanish geared to facilitate the development of functional proficiency at the novice level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Introduction to Spanish and Latin American culture through readings and discussion. Must satisfy specified PREREQ or pass language placement exam.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 102 requires a prerequisite of SPA 101.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SPA 199. Spanish Transfer Credits. 1-10 Credits.

Spanish Transfer Credits.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

SPA 201. Intermediate Spanish I. 3 Credits.

Spanish with an emphasis on proficiency development at the intermediate level. Elements of grammar and pronunciation are introduced in class and via laboratory work. Literary and journalistic readings are utilized as a basis for writing assignments and class discussions in Spanish. Must satisfy specified PREREQ or pass language placement exam.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 201 requires prerequisite of SPA 102.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SPA 202. Intermediate Spanish II. 3 Credits.

Continuation of Spanish with an emphasis on proficiency development at the intermediate level. Elements of grammar and pronunciation are introduced in class and via laboratory work. Literary and journalistic readings are utilized as a basis for writing assignments and class discussions in Spanish. Must satisfy specified PREREQ or pass language placement exam.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 202 requires a prerequisite of SPA 201.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SPA 250. Intermediate Spanish for Reading. 3 Credits.

This is a course designed to help undergraduate students read in Spanish and translate texts from Spanish into English. This course serves as an alternative to the second part of the Intermediate Level sequence in Spanish (SPA 202). Students will be expected to continue to improve on their oral, aural, and writing Spanish skills by the end of the course, but the main emphasis will be to understand texts of moderate difficulty written originally in Spanish. Special emphasis is given to the expansion of vocabulary and the consolidation of grammatical structures studied throughout the sequence of SPA 101, SPA 102, and SPA 201. Throughout the weeks students will be able to get enough grammatical tools to understand how the language works and how to understand meaning. In-class communication between the professor and the students and among the students will be conducted in Spanish.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 250 requires a prerequisite of SPA 201 or permission of the department.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

SPA 301. Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition. 3 Credits.

Review and mastery of Spanish grammar, with special emphasis on sentence structures, stylistics, and the skills needed to write advanced compositions. Students will also continue to develop proficiency in listening comprehension and speaking skills. This course can be taken simultaneously with SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 301 requires a prerequisite of SPA 202 or SPA 250.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SPA 302. Advanced Spanish Grammar and Conversation. 3 Credits.

Additional review and mastery of Spanish grammar, with special emphasis on sentence structures and stylistics, along with intensive interaction to develop proficiency in listening comprehension and speaking ability. This course is intended for non-native speakers of Spanish. Heritage language learners should consider SPA 303. SPA 301 and SPA 302 can be taken simultaneously. Students may only receive credit for SPA 302 or SPA 303 but not both.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 302 requires a prerequisite of SPA 202 or SPA 250.
Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

SPA 303. Spanish for Heritage Speakers. 3 Credits.

This course is tailored to meet the specific needs of heritage speakers of the language. In many cases, this means students who grew up speaking Spanish at home but did not attend school in the language. In this course, students build on their already existing knowledge and expand their command of the four linguistic skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) while studying authentic cultural materials. Interested students are encouraged to consult the Department before enrolling for accurate placement. Non-native speakers should consider SPA 302. SPA 301 and SPA 303 may be taken simultaneously. Students may only receive credit for SPA 302 or SPA 303 but not both.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 303 requires a prerequisite of SPA 202 or SPA 250 or permission of the department.
Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

SPA 304. Spanish Language Topics in the Community. 3 Credits.

Spanish for the professional in fields such as social work, immigration, criminal justice, law, and medicine. Emphasis on oral communication in specific, real-life situations. Some interpretation, translation, and writing or professional documents.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 304 requires prerequisites of SPA 301 and SPA 302.

SPA 310. Business Topics in Spanish. 3 Credits.

Introduction to business concepts in Spanish in fields of management, banking, finance, accounting, marketing, and international business. No prior knowledge of business required. Practical course in oral communication. Some interpretation, translation, and writing of business documents.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 310 requires prerequisites of SPA 301 and SPA 302.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.

SPA 315. Advanced Readings in Spanish. 3 Credits.

Development of advanced techniques for close-reading and interpreting authentic literary and cultural texts from the Spanish-speaking world. Special attention will be paid to improving proficiency in oral and written expression.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 315 requires a prerequisite of SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Fall.

SPA 320. Cultures of Spain. 3 Credits.

An interdisciplinary study of the arts, cultures, geography, literatures, and philosophies of Spain.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 320 requires a prerequisite of SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 321. Cultures of Latin America. 3 Credits.

An interdisciplinary study of the arts, cultures, geography, literatures, and philosophies of Latin America.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 321 requires a prerequisite of SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 322. Latin America on Film (in Spanish). 3 Credits.

This course consists of the analysis of several films about Latin America that address critical issues (history, politics, economy, religion, ethnic diversity, racial and gender discrimination) necessary to understand and appreciate Latin American culture.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 322 requires a prerequisite of SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Gen Ed Attribute: Arts Distributive Requirement, Diversity Requirement.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 330. Spanish Narrative. 3 Credits.

Representative selections of Spanish literature from its medieval beginning to the present. Focus will be on a variety of genres that highlight the interplay of language and context to understand dominant themes and concerns of a global era.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 330 requires prerequisite of SPA 315.
Typically offered in Fall.

SPA 331. Latin American Narrative. 3 Credits.

Panoramic view of the rich and diverse voices and communities represented in Latin American literature from pre-Columbian indigenous texts to the present. Focus will be on the interplay of culture, society, and colonial and post-colonial politics on Latin American literary expression.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 331 requires a prerequisite of SPA 315.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 332. Exile, Land, Language, and Love in Medieval and Early Modern Spain. 3 Credits.

This course covers literary works from the ninth to the seventeenth century by focusing on the concept of exile in Spain, and introduces students to the multi-cultural artistic production of the Iberian Peninsula within the context of major historical and cultural events.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 332 requires a prerequisite of SPA 315.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 340. Study of Bilingualism: An Introduction. 3 Credits.

The course focuses on the bilingual situation in the U.S., in Latin America, and in Spain. Topics include the linguistic development of bilingual speakers, linguistic aspects such as the case of pidgin and Creole languages, the definition "Spanglish," and the sociopolitical aspects such as linguistic loyalty, linguistic politics and planning, and attitudes toward bilingualism. Taught in Spanish.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 340 requires prerequisites of LIN 230 or LAN 327 and SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 353. Introduction to the Study of Language: Spanish. 3 Credits.

A study of different aspects of languages, the structure of their sounds, how words are organized, their meanings, how languages are acquired, and how they are used in society. This course is conducted entirely in Spanish, although examples from other languages and their speakers will also be addressed.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 353 requires prerequisites of LIN 230 or LAN 327 and SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Fall.

SPA 365. Spanish Phonetics. 3 Credits.

Description and practice in the sounds of the Spanish language and its major dialectical differences. Comparative analysis with English.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 365 requires prerequisites of LIN 230 or LAN 327 and SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Fall.

SPA 370. History of the Spanish Language. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the history of the Spanish language to study its evolution and fundamental basics of research in the history of a language using primary sources to understand the mechanics involved in language change and the social and cultural evolution of the communities that use the language.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 370 requires prerequisites of LIN 230 or LAN 327 and SPA 302 or SPA 303.
Typically offered in Spring.

SPA 402. Spanish Comedia of the Golden Age. 3 Credits.

Themes and traditions of the comedia.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 402 requires prerequisite of SPA 330.

SPA 405. Modern Hispanic Literature (18-19th C). 3 Credits.

Spanish and Spanish-American thought, literature, and culture as revealed in outstanding works from the neo-Classical period to the end of the 19th century.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 405 requires prerequisite of SPA 330 or SPA 331.

SPA 407. Contemporary Spain. 3 Credits.

Contemporary Spain studied in a European context. Film, literature, and electronic media used to elucidate cultural, political, and social connections.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 407 requires prerequisite of SPA 320 and 330.
Distance education offering may be available.

SPA 444. Advanced Spanish Proficiency Development. 3 Credits.

This course provides intensive practice of advanced communication skills in speaking, listening comprehension, writing and reading, along with a review of Spanish grammar to foster proficiency development. Acquisition of cultural knowledge through a study of cultural products, perspectives, and practices. Course includes a language lab component.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 444 requires a prerequisite of SPA 330 or SPA 331 or SPA 332.
Typically offered in Fall.

SPA 456. Senior Seminar in Hispanic Literary, Film, and Cultural Studies I. 3 Credits.

Seminars provide in-depth study of current topics in literary, film, and cultural studies related to the Spanish-speaking world. This course is intended to be taken in senior year. See departmental website for a listing of recent topics.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 456 requires prerequisites of SPA 315 and one additional SPA course above SPA 315.
Typically offered in Fall & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

SPA 457. Senior Seminar in Hispanic Literary, Film, and Cultural Studies II. 3 Credits.

Seminars provide in-depth study of current topics in literary, film, and cultural studies related to the Spanish-speaking world. This course is intended to be taken in senior year. See departmental website for a listing of recent topics.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 457 requires prerequisites of SPA 315 and one additional SPA course above SPA 315.
Typically offered in Spring.
Repeatable for Credit.

SPA 472. Nobel Laureates in Hispanic Letters. 3 Credits.

This course is devoted to study those Spanish-language writers from Spain and Spanish America who won the Nobel Prize in Literature during the 20th and 21st century for their literary achievements; to analyze their works and the sociopolitical context of their writings, and to examine the politics of literary awards and the significance of their recognition.
Pre / Co requisites: SPA 472 PREREQ: SPA 330 or SPA 331.