Departments & Programs

Spanish and Portuguese

Course Descriptions

Spanish
  • HISP–S 100 Elementary Spanish I (4 cr.) A four-skills approach to Spanish with an emphasis on critical thinking skills. Enrollment in S100 is restricted to those with less than two years of high school Spanish or with consent of department. All others must enroll in S105. Credit not given for S100 and S105.
  • HISP–S 105 First-Year Spanish (4 cr.) For students with two or more years of high school study. The course content begins where S100 begins, and ends where S150 ends. Credit not given for S105 and S100 or S150. Next course sequence is S200.
  • HISP–S 150 Elementary Spanish II (4 cr.) This course continues the work of S100. Continued emphasis on all four skills and on critical thinking skills. Grading is based on exams and oral tests, written exercises, compositions, and a cumulative final exam. Students can expect to practice speaking in small groups in class, and read about and discuss materials in Spanish. Credit given for only one of S150 and S105.
  • HISP–S 200 Second-Year Spanish I (3 cr.) P: S150 or S135 or S105 or equivalent. This course reviews some of the basic structures studied in the first year and examines them in more detail. Emphasis remains on the four skills and on critical thinking skills. Readings are both journalistic and literary. Grades are based on exams, oral tests, homework, compositions, and a cumulative final exam. Homework load is substantial.
  • HISP–S 220 Chicano and Puerto Rican Literature (3 cr.) A & H, CSA The bicultural reality of the Hispanic people in the U.S. as seen in their literature. Taught in English.
  • HISP–S 250 Second-Year Spanish II (3 cr.) P: S200 or equivalent. This course continues the work of S200. Continued emphasis on all four skills and on critical thinking skills. Grades are based on exams, oral tests, homework, compositions, and a cumulative final exam. Homework is substantial. After successful completion of this course, the foreign language requirement is fulfilled for schools that require a four-semester sequence.
  • HISP–S 251 Service Learning in Spanish (1 cr.) P: S200 or equivalent. C: S250. Allows S250 students to apply skills from their classroom language-learning experience to community projects such as teaching basic Spanish and presenting cultural activities to elementary school children.
  • HISP–S 260 Introduction to Hispanic Film (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Hispanic culture in film. Cinematic techniques used to portray Hispanic culture. Taught in English.
  • HISP–S 265 Topics in Hispanic Literature in Translation (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Study of works of Hispanic literature read in English translation. Taught in English. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
  • HISP–S 280 Spanish Grammar in Context (3 cr.) P: S250 or equivalent. A topic-based approach to the formal aspects of Spanish grammar. Formal linguistic skills are developed through explicit grammar instruction, the reading of Hispanic texts, and the study of literature and culture through writing and conversation. Credit given for only one of S280 or S310.
  • HISP–S 284 Women in Hispanic Culture (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Images, roles, and themes involving women in Hispanic literature. Taught in English.
  • HISP–S 290 Topics in Hispanic Culture (3 cr.) Emphasis on one topic, author, or genre in Hispanic culture. May be repeated once for credit with different topic.
  • HISP–S 308 Composition and Conversation in Spanish (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. C: S280 or S310, or equivalent. This content-based course seeks to improve students' oral and writing skills in Spanish while fostering critical thinking and cultural awareness. The written component includes an analysis of various writing styles: description, narration, exposition, and argumentation. The oral component includes discussions of cultural topics in the Spanish-speaking world. Credit given for only one of S308 or S312.
  • HISP–S 315 Spanish in the Business World (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. Introduction to the technical language of the business world, with emphasis on problems of vocabulary, style, composition, and translation in the context of Hispanic mores. Instruction in Spanish.
  • HISP–S 317 Spanish Conversation and Diction (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. Meets five times a week. Intensive controlled conversation correlated with readings, reports, debates, and group discussions. May be repeated once for credit. S317 is not open to native speakers of Spanish. I Sem., II Sem.
  • HISP–S 324 Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Cultures (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. A & H, CSA Through the examination of a variety of texts, this course explores Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Latino culture from historical, social, artistic, and political perspectives. Credit given for only one of S324 or S275.
  • HISP–S 326 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. N & M Introduces the basic concepts of Hispanic linguistics and establishes the background for the future application of linguistic principles. The course surveys linguistic properties in Spanish, including phonology, morphology, and syntax. Additional introductory material on historical linguistics, second language acquisition, semantics, and sociolinguistics will be included. I Sem., II Sem.
  • HISP–S 328 Introduction to Hispanic Literature (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. A & H, CSA Develops skills needed for more advanced study of Hispanic literatures through the reading and analysis of texts in at least three literary genres. Credit given for only one of S328, S331, S332, or S333.
  • HISP–S 334 Panoramas of Hispanic Literature (3 cr.) P: S328, or equivalent. A & H, CSA A panoramic introduction to the study of Hispanic literature in its literary-historical development, through a variety of literary genres. Periods and geographical areas may vary. Credit given for only one of S334, S332, or S333.
  • HISP–S 336 Introduction to Spanish Translation (3 cr.) P: S280 or S310, or equivalent. An introduction to the practice and techniques of translation, both from Spanish to English as well as from English to Spanish. Translation practice will focus on a variety of textual modes, including literary works, legal documents, journalistic prose, and other materials.
  • HISP–S 407 Survey of Spanish Literature I (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H A historical survey that covers major authors, genres, periods, and movements from the Spanish Middle Ages through the baroque period of the seventeenth century. Readings include prose works, poetry, and drama.
  • HISP–S 408 Survey of Spanish Literature II (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H A historical survey of Spanish literature that covers the main current of Spain's literary history in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. Readings in prose, poetry, and drama by Larra, Perez Galdós, Unamuno, Lorca, and other representative writers.
  • HISP–S 411 Spain: The Cultural Context (3 cr.) P: One course from S324, S328, S331, S333, S334. A & H, CSB A course to integrate historical, social, political, and cultural information about Spain. II Sem.
  • HISP–S 412 Spanish America: The Cultural Context (3 cr.) P: One course from S324, S328, S331, S333, S334. A & H, CSA A course that integrates historical, social, political, and cultural information about Spanish America. I Sem.
  • HISP–S 413 Hispanic Culture in the United States (3 cr.) P: One course from S324, S328, S331, S333, S334. A & H, CSA Integrates historical, racial, political, and cultural information about Hispanics in the United States.
  • HISP–S 417 Hispanic Poetry (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Study of major aspects, movements, or directions of Hispanic poetry from the Middle Ages to the present.
  • HISP–S 418 Hispanic Drama (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Forms, traditions, themes, and periods of Hispanic drama from the Renaissance to the present.
  • HISP–S 419 Modern Spanish Prose Fiction (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Spanish prose fiction from mid-nineteenth-century realism through post-Spanish Civil War narrative innovations.
  • HISP–S 420 Modern Spanish-American Prose Fiction (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Spanish-American prose fiction from late nineteenth-century modernism to the present.
  • HISP–S 422 Hispanic Cinema (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Analysis and interpretation of Hispanic films, with an emphasis on the study of their formal aspects. National/regional context varies.
  • HISP–S 423 The Craft of Translation (3 cr.) P: S308 or S312, and S328 or S332. A practical approach to the problems and techniques of Spanish/English and English/Spanish translation, using a variety of texts and concentrating on such critical areas of stylistics as tone, rhythm, imagery, nuance, allusion, etc. Language and translation theory will also be studied.
  • HISP–S 425 Spanish Phonetics (3 cr.) P: S326 or equivalent. N & M Intensive patterned pronunciation drills and exercises in sound discrimination and transcription, based on detailed articulatory description of standard Spanish of Spain and Latin America. Attendance in language laboratory required. Usually offered I Sem. and II Sem.
  • HISP–S 427 The Structure of Spanish (3 cr.) P: S326 or equivalent. N & M Analyzes the structure of simple and compound sentences in Spanish, focusing on the internal structure of the sentence and how certain phrases within the sentence combine in different word orders to produce specific meanings. Covers transitivity, word order, negation, pronominal and verbal systems, and syntactic variation.
  • HISP–S 429 Hispanic Sociolinguistics (3 cr.) P: S326 or equivalent. N & M Examines current topics in Hispanic sociolinguistic/pragmatics. Topics include sociolinguistic and phonological and syntactic variation, field methods, discourse analysis, language and power, language ideology, language attitudes, languages in contact, language and gender, language and the law, bilingualism, linguistic politeness, and speech act theory.
  • HISP–S 430 The Acquisition of Spanish (3 cr.) P: S326 or equivalent. N & M Examines current topics in the acquisition of Spanish. Provides an introduction to research on the first and/or second language acquisition of Spanish and to the pedagogical applications of these findings. Students develop a background in these fields and have opportunities to link theory and practice.
  • HISP–S 435 Literatura Chicana y Puertorriqueña (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Works in Spanish by representative Chicano and Puerto Rican authors of the United States. Cultural values and traditions reflected in both the oral and written literatures.
  • HISP–S 450 Don Quixote (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Detailed analysis of Cervantes' novel. Life and times of the author. Importance of the work to the development of the novel as an art form.
  • HISP–S 470 Women and Hispanic Literature (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Hispanic woman within her cultural context through literary texts. Topics such as women authors, characters, themes, and feminist criticism.
  • HISP–S 471 Spanish American Literature I (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Introduction to Spanish American literature.
  • HISP–S 472 Spanish American Literature II (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Introduction to Spanish American literature.
  • HISP–S 473 Hispanic Literature and Literary Theory (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Studies literature as an art form within the Hispanic tradition. Employs critical methodology and textual interpretation and analysis to exemplify theory of each genre.
  • HISP–S 474 Hispanic Literature and Society (3 cr.) P: course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Writers and their works in social, political, economic, and cultural context. Specific topic to be announced in the online Schedule of Classes.
  • HISP–S 479 Mexican Literature (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Mexican literature from independence to the present.
  • HISP–S 480 Argentine Literature (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Argentine literature from independence to the present.
  • HISP–S 481 Hispanic American National/Regional Literatures (3 cr.) P: One course from S328, S331, S332, S333; one course from S275, S324, S326; and one course from S308, S312, S315, S317. A & H Study of national and/or regional literatures of Hispanic America.
  • HISP–S 494 Individual Readings in Hispanic Studies (1–3 cr.) P: Consent of department. This course cannot be used for the Spanish 300/400 level requirement for the major or minor. I Sem., II Sem., SS.
  • HISP–S 495 Hispanic Colloquium (1–3 cr.) P: consent of department. Topic and credit vary. May be taken twice for credit as long as topic is different. I Sem., II Sem., I, II SS.
  • HISP–S 498 Honors Seminar (3 cr.) P: Approval of departmental honors advisor. Topics will vary. The course may be repeated once with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours. Permission to take the course must be obtained from the departmental honors advisor.
  • HISP–S 499 Honors Research in Spanish (1–3 cr.) P: Approval of the honors advisor. I Sem., II Sem.
Portuguese
  • HISP–P 100 Elementary Portuguese I (4 cr.) Introduction to present-day Portuguese, with drills for mastery of phonology, basic structural patterns, and functional vocabulary. Attendance in language laboratory may be required.
  • HISP–P 150 Elementary Portuguese II (4 cr.) Introduction to present-day Portuguese, with drills for mastery of phonology, basic structural patterns, and functional vocabulary. Attendance in language laboratory may be required.
  • HISP–P 115 Portuguese for Business (2 cr.) Designed to provide the beginning Portuguese student with a foundation in both the Portuguese language and the Brazilian culture in the business context. The course alternates between the teaching of the language and the culture of business in Brazil, and students develop some foundational skills in three main areas: language and communications, business culture, and Portuguese grammar.
  • HISP–P 135 Intensive Portuguese (4 cr.) For students from secondary school placed into the second semester of first-year study or those with prior knowledge of another Romance language. Content of P100 and P150 reviewed at an accelerated pace. May be used in elective area of the Spanish major. Credit given for only one of P135 or P150.
  • HISP–P 200 Second-Year Portuguese I (3 cr.) P: P150 or equivalent. Continuation of P100, with increased emphasis on communicative exercises and selected readings. Attendance in the language laboratory may be required.
  • HISP–P 250 Second-Year Portuguese II (3 cr.) P: P150 or equivalent. Continuation of P150, with increased emphasis on communicative exercises and selected readings. Attendance in the language laboratory may be required.
  • HISP–P 290 Topics in Luso-Brazilian Culture (3 cr.) Emphasis on one topic, author, or genre in Luso-Brazilian culture. May be repeated once for credit with different topic. No knowledge of Portuguese required.
  • HISP–P 311 Advanced Grammar and Composition in Portuguese (3 cr.) P: P200-P250 or equivalent. An advanced course on basic grammar skills and composition. Emphasis on syntax, vocabulary usage, and writing.
  • HISP–P 317 Reading and Conversation in Portuguese (3 cr.) P: P200-P250 or equivalent. Emphasis on conversational and reading skills using plays, short stories, poetry, and novels from Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa. Students will also be introduced to the basics of literary appreciation.
  • HISP–P 400 Literatures of the Portuguese-Speaking World I (3 cr.) A & H, CSA A general overview of the literature in Portuguese. The course emphasizes the unity and diversity of the literature in the major Portuguese-speaking areas of the world: Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa. Starting with the parallel development of one literature (Portuguese) in distinct geographical areas (the Portuguese colonies), it shows the changes that take place when new nations are created in these areas, and new national literatures become a reality. The course combines lecture and discussion, and is conducted in Portuguese.
  • HISP–P 401 Literatures of the Portuguese-Speaking World II (3 cr.) A & H, CSA A survey of the literatures from Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa. Lectures and discussions of selected works by representative authors of the major literary periods.
  • HISP–P 405 Literature and Film in Portuguese (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Survey of literary works and film adaptations from the Lusophone world.
  • HISP–P 410 Brazilian Cinema (3 cr.) A & H, CSA A survey of Brazilian cinema from the beginning of the twentieth century to present day. Taught in English.
  • HISP–P 412 Brazil: The Cultural Context (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Integrates historical, social, and cultural information about Brazil. Taught in English.
  • HISP–P 415 Women Writing in Portuguese (3 cr.) A & H A survey of women’s writing from different Portuguese-speaking nations.
  • HISP–P 420 Literatures of the Portuguese-Speaking World in Translation (3 cr.) A & H Readings of Brazilian, Portuguese and Lusophone African writers from a comparative perspective. Specific topics may vary in any given semester. Taught in English. Cannot count toward Portuguese major or minor. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
  • HISP–P 425 Structure of Portuguese Language (3 cr.) P: P250 or equivalent. Introduction to the linguistic study of various aspects of the structure of the Portuguese language: phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, dialects, historical grammar; and application of linguistics to literature.
  • HISP–P 470 Poetry in Portuguese (3 cr.) A & H, CSA Historical survey of poetry in Portuguese. Emphasis on major authors from Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa.
  • HISP–P 475 Theatre in Portuguese (3 cr.) A & H, CSA A survey of theatre in the Portuguese language from the sixteenth century to the late twentieth century. Particular attention will be given to the social and historical context in which works were produced.
  • HISP–P 476 Prose in Portuguese (3 cr.) A & H Survey of prose writers and works from the middle ages to the present.
  • HISP–P 494 Individual Readings in Luso-Brazilian Literature (1–3 cr.) P: Consent of the department. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
  • HISP–P 495 Luso-Brazilian Colloquium (1–3 cr.) P: Consent of the department. Topic and credit vary. This course may be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 12 credit hours.
  • HISP–P 498 Portuguese Honors Seminar (3 cr.) P: Approval of the director of Portuguese Studies. Topics will vary. May be repeated once with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
  • HISP–P 499 Honors Research in Portuguese (1–3 cr.) P: Approval of the director of Portuguese Studies. I Sem., II Sem.
Catalan
  • HISP–C 400 Catalan Language and Culture I (3 cr.) R: Knowledge of another Romance language. Introduction to the study of Catalan language and of the particular situation of Catalonia as a culture within present-day Spain. May be used in elective area of the Spanish major. Does not count toward the major in Portuguese.
  • HISP–C 450 Catalan Literature (3 cr.) P: C400 or consent of instructor. A & H Survey of Catalan literature from the Middle Ages to the present. Significant works in all genres will be studied within their historical and cultural context. Issues of nation-formation, hegemony, biculturalism, and marginalizations will be paid special attention.
  • HISP–C 494 Individual Readings in Catalan Studies (1–3 cr.) P: Consent of department. May be repeated once with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours. I Sem., II Sem.