Modern Languages and Literatures
The study of modern languages, as well as cultures and literatures in their original languages, is an intellectual experience that allows students to recognize and embrace language and cultural diversity. Language learning goes beyond the development of linguistic skills; it fosters creativity, understanding, and inclusion, while promoting the development of critical thinking skills.
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures stresses proficiency in all language skills, as well as the development of a cultural awareness, to prepare students for careers in business, communication, education, government, health sciences, social work, translation and interpreting, and related professions. Similarly, our varied coursework encourages the study of bi/multilingualism and bi/multiculturalism in the context of the United States and around the world. This work is locally and nationally crucial as there are over 300 languages spoken in the U.S. and at least 20% of the U.S. population speaks a language other than English.
The Department offers instruction in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Currently, majors and minors are available in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and an individually-designed major is possible in Chinese.
In addition to its own programs, the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures courses contribute to programs across the University including: the International Studies program and the minor programs in Asian Studies, Communication Media Studies, Educational Studies, Health Studies, Italian Studies, Judaic Studies, Latinx, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Peace and Justice Studies, Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies, Visual and Performing Arts, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Selected language courses may count toward the above programs. A limited number of courses taught in English may count toward specific majors and minors as well as a selection of courses offered by other departments. Please consult with the individual directors of the French, German, Italian and Spanish programs for a list of any relevant courses from outside the department not already listed in this section of the Catalog. Additionally, many of our courses fulfill the Magis Core Signature Elements.
Modern Languages and Literatures courses requiring a prerequisite may allow students with suitable life or academic experience from other institutions to be admitted by permission of the chair. Students who believe they have appropriate preparation may petition the chair for admission to desired courses.
Note: Education minors need a minimum of 30 credits in the language area, of which at least three credits must be in the area of literature and three in the area of culture and civilizations.
Language Core Requirements
As part of the Magis Core curriculum, at least one semester of a second language must be taken at Fairfield University by all students, complemented by either a second language course in the same language or a second math course. Note that students must first complete a language placement exam before registering for the course in order to continue in the same language that was previously studied. Additionally, students may choose to complete their Magis Core literature requirement in a language course other than one taught in English. Students may also take language courses to fulfill the Magis Core Signature Elements such as Social Justice (SJ), Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), and Interdisciplinary (ID) course work.
Core Mission Statement
We seek to develop global citizens who will respectfully engage across languages and cultures. We promote social justice through linguistic and cultural understanding, embracing multiple points of view beyond boundaries.
Student Learning Goals and Objectives
The study of modern languages, cultures, and literatures is crucial in an increasingly globalized world. Linguistic and cultural proficiency prepares students for a variety of professions including careers in business, media, education, politics, health sciences, and social work. The study of languages promotes empathy, appreciation for diversity, and cross-cultural understanding. Language is at the center of the liberal arts education at Fairfield University and beyond. Our rigorous curriculum develops our students’ language skills, cultural knowledge, and real-world experience essential to success in academic, professional, and personal endeavors.
Through their study of languages, students will:
- Be able to read a passage of moderate difficulty in their chosen language
- Be able to communicate with a native speaker
- Learn grammatical structures which will facilitate oral and written expression in the language
- Become acquainted with the life, customs, and cultural traditions where the language is spoken
Language Specific Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
French
- Express ideas in writing in all major time frames and moods with appropriate vocabulary, proper syntax, and few grammatical errors.
- Express ideas orally in all major time frames and moods with appropriate vocabulary, proper syntax, and few grammatical errors.
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze and synthesize texts and films, while considering political, social, historical, or cultural context.
- Students completing the French major at Fairfield should reach the oral proficiency level of at least Intermediate High, and the written proficiency level of Advanced Low, following the ACTFL Guidelines.
German
- Express ideas in writing in all major time frames and moods with appropriate vocabulary, proper syntax, and few grammatical errors.
- Express ideas orally in all major time frames and moods with appropriate vocabulary, proper syntax, and few grammatical errors.
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze, and synthesize, texts and films while considering political, social, historical, or cultural contexts.
- Students completing the German major at Fairfield should reach the oral proficiency level of at least the Intermediate High, and the written proficiency level of Advanced Low, following the ACTFL Guidelines.
Italian
- Analyze a variety of genres in film and literature.
- Comment upon texts and films in written essays and oral discussions using critical terminology.
- Appreciate the historical and cultural context of Italian literature and film.
- Express ideas verbally and in writing with appropriate vocabulary and proper syntax and minimal grammatical errors.
Spanish
Students who successfully complete the Spanish major at Fairfield University will be able to:
- Reach the advanced high ACTFL sub-level for speaking in accordance with the ACTFL guidelines
- Reach the advanced high ACTFL sub-level for writing in accordance with the ACTFL guidelines
- Demonstrate analytic, interpretive, and critical thinking skills with respect to literature, film, linguistics, and culture in the target language
- Demonstrate participation in a cultural immersion in a Spanish-speaking community locally or abroad
Arabic
ARBC 1110 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I 3 Credits
The first course, the first of a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of phonology, script, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the standard means of communicating in the Arab world. Teaching is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the courses are aimed at placing student learners in the context of the native-speaking environment.
ARBC 1111 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ARBC 1110.
A continuation of ARBC 1110, this course teaches the essentials of phonology, script, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the standard means of communicating in the Arab world. Teaching is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the courses are aimed at placing student learners in the context of the native-speaking environment.
ARBC 2210 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ARBC 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, continues to build upon the skills acquired in the first-year course. Emphasis will be placed upon improving grammar, listening comprehension, and speaking and reading skills. Students will gain confidence in conversing with native speakers on a variety of topics, will be able to write more complex texts on everyday themes, and will acquire the skills to read uncomplicated authentic texts, such as newspaper articles on familiar topics.
ARBC 2211 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ARBC 2210.
A continuation of ARBC 2210, this course continues to build upon the skills acquired in the first-year course. Emphasis will be placed upon improving grammar, listening comprehension, and speaking and reading skills. Students will gain confidence in conversing with native speakers on a variety of topics, will be able to write more complex texts on everyday themes, and will acquire the skills to read uncomplicated authentic texts, such as newspaper articles on familiar topics.
ARBC 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of Arabic language and culture, under the direction of a staff member. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
Chinese
CHIN 1110 Elementary Chinese I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Chinese or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
CHIN 1111 Elementary Chinese II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): CHIN 1110.
This course, a continuation of CHIN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
CHIN 2210 Intermediate Chinese I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): CHIN 1111.
This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
CHIN 2211 Intermediate Chinese II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): CHIN 2210.
This course, a continuation of CHIN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc.). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
CHIN 2220 Advanced Chinese 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): CHIN 2211.
This course will continue to build on work completed through the intermediate level Chinese. All four skills: reading, listening, reading, and writing, will be further strengthened, but with emphasis on consolidating conversational skills and improving reading confidence. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to use integrated skills and cultural strategies to speak with some fluency on everyday conversational topics, read lengthier and more complex materials, write short but accurate compositions on computers using Chinese software, and develop a more sophisticated sense about the language and the culture.
CHIN 2221 Reading China 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): CHIN 2211.
This course has the twin goals of increasing reading proficiency in Chinese language and exploring Chinese culture. Topics are selected from four main areas: Chinese Geography (e.g. city, countryside, landscape), Chinese Life (e.g. festivals, popular culture, everyday living), Chinese Society (e.g. family, social problems, internet use), and Chinese History and Thought (e.g. history, literature, myth, and philosophy). Students also learn how to use different resources and online tools to read and research China-related subjects on their own. Required readings and assignments are in Chinese.
CHIN 2250 Modern China Through Fiction and Film 3 Credits
This course is a study of various cultural aspects of modern China in the 20th century through reading translated fiction as well as films. Students explore topics such as modernity, nationalism, individualism, gender, and cultural identity in the modern cultural-historical context. Also will be discussed are issues particular to fiction and film as representational modes: How do fiction and film narrate history and the complex Chinese experience? How have they both been shaped by and contributed to the socio-cultural transformations? And how do they represent the increasingly diversified cultural and social landscape of contemporary China? Crosslisted with ENGL 1180.
CHIN 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of Chinese under the direction of a staff member. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
French
FREN 1110 Elementary French I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with French or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
FREN 1111 Elementary French II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 1110 or placement in course.
This course, a continuation of FREN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
FREN 2210 Intermediate French I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 1111 or placement in course.
This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
FREN 2211 Intermediate French II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2210 or placement in course.
This course, a continuation of FREN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
FREN 2219 French Syntax and Expression 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2211 or placement in course.
This course provides a rigorous review of French grammar and syntax and examines the critical differences between English and French. The goals of this course are to prepare students for further advanced courses, and to use French more accurately by practicing the specifics of grammar and syntax. Furthermore, the students will examine and use the French language in varying levels of discourse and registers, ranging from everyday speech to short narratives. To achieve these goals, we will examine contemporary, historical and literary readings, which contain the grammar and syntax under study and insure that they are studied in context.
FREN 2220 Topics in Language and Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2211 or placement in course.
This course improves proficiency in written and oral expression by focusing on topics in French language and culture. Students develop advanced writing and speaking skills while concentrating on grammar, style, and appropriateness. Frequent compositions or other homework , based primarily on the genres or topics studied, allow students to identify and correct grammatical mistakes. Students present research in class in French. Films and various cultural artifacts (proverbs, songs, historical materials) familiarize students with idiomatic French.
FREN 2230 Topics in French Classical Theater 3 Credits
French 2230 focuses on the history and study of French Classical Theater of the 17th century. Besides learning the history of French theater, you will also learn about the various literary genres and versification, as you read two classical plays in their entirety. Some of the class time will be devoted to the study of complex and advanced grammar and syntax, which you will practice by completing weekly assignments. All class lectures and discussions will be in French.
FREN 3251 Culture and Civilization of France and the Francophone World I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2211.
This course explores France and French-speaking people in a cultural, social, and historical context. Students use multimedia, Internet, and audio-visual resources extensively and submit frequent oral and written reports.
FREN 3252 Culture and Civilization of France and the Francophone World II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): FREN 2211.
This course explores the regions and people that comprise the francophone world in a cultural, social, and historical context. Students use multimedia, Internet, and audio-visual resources extensively and submit frequent oral and written reports.
FREN 3265 French Translation Workshop 3 Credits
In this course, students develop expertise in the art and craft of translation. The course presents terminology, advanced grammar analysis, and procedures that assist the translator in describing and solving translation problems. It uses real and simulated case studies in a variety of fields including commercial correspondence, tourism, food, transportation, telecommunications, social science, and literature. Students practice with native script, giving attention to individual interests and majors, using French-to-English and English-to-French translations. The class, which is conducted in both languages, uses human, computer-based, and print resources.
FREN 3267 French Commercial Culture 3 Credits
This introduction to the business practices and economic situation of France in the context of the European Union emphasizes commercial vocabulary and business situations presented through extensive use of authentic material and documents. This course, which is of particular interest to students seeking a career in international business or international affairs, uses multimedia, Internet, and audio-visual resources extensively, and includes regular practice in speaking and writing.
FREN 3271 Contemporary French Press and Media 3 Credits
Students read and discuss articles from representative magazines and newspapers in French, as well as reports from television news broadcasts and the Internet. The course considers how the media and technology are shaping French society in the 21st century and discusses a wide range of topics such as politics, education, religion, the arts, science, privacy, and censorship. Students complete frequent oral and written reports.
FREN 3980 Internship 3 Credits
The internship program gives students first-hand experience in the fields of translation, interpretation, cataloging, public relations, advertising, or teaching, etc., in the language of their specialization. Department members, who agree to guide the endeavor, supervise student work. When required by a faculty supervisor, an evaluation of student interns may be required from the institution where students work. The student's work should demand no less than one full day per week, or its equivalent.
FREN 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of French, under the direction of a member of the faculty. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
FREN 4301 Survey of Literature in French I 3 Credits
This course presents a chronological view of French literature, emphasizing the most important writers and major literary movements and themes. Students will consider varied genres from the Middle Ages through the 17th century.
FREN 4302 Survey of Literature in French II 3 Credits
This course presents a chronological view of French literature, emphasizing the most important writers and major literary movements and themes. Students will study the forces unleashed by the Revolution and considers the development of modern French literature.
FREN 4305 French and Francophone Women Writers 3 Credits
The course explores a wide range of literary genres produced by women writers from France and the francophone world, investigating women's issues such as race, gender, class, status, and power within the historical, political, and cultural contexts of their regions of origin. The course introduces French feminist theories. Students read and conduct discussions in French and complete frequent oral and written assignments.
FREN 4366 Film and Literature in French 3 Credits
This course examines the relationship between film and literature. Students view the film version of each work, which serves as a basis for class discussion. The course requires frequent oral and written work .
FREN 4999 Capstone Seminar 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing.
Majors in French participate in an interdisciplinary seminar in the spring of their senior year. The focus of this seminar varies according to the professor, but possible topics include European Film, The Grand Tour, Immigration in Europe, Capital Cities, Language Teaching and Technology, Europe and America. Students research their capstone papers in the target language and present the final work in English and French. The instructor may, in some cases, evaluate work in the target language in consultation with colleagues in that area of expertise in the department. Seminar is conducted in English.
German
GRMN 1110 Elementary German I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with German or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
GRMN 1111 Elementary German II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 1110.
This course, a continuation of GRMN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
GRMN 2210 Intermediate German I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 1111.
This course, the first of a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
GRMN 2211 Intermediate German II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2210.
This course, a continuation of GRMN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
GRMN 2220 Topics in Language and Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course improves proficiency in written and oral expression by focusing on particular topics in German language and culture. Students develop advanced writing and speaking skills while concentrating on grammar, style, and appropriateness. Weekly compositions, based primarily on the genres studies (short story, theater, memoir, essay) allow students to identify and correct grammatical mistakes. Students present speeches in class and conduct situational dramas such as job interviews, television reporting, courtroom trials, debates in German. Films and various cultural artifacts (comic strips, proverbs, songs) familiarize students with idiomatic German.
GRMN 2230 Business German 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course will present you with an introduction to the German business world, the larger context within which it is nestled (political/economical system) and provide you with a basic, practical set of tools (vocabulary, cultural knowledge) to help you function in various business settings. The course curriculum is designed around discussions of economic and political issues and around “hands-on” experience with practical everyday situations, which you will practice in role-plays /group work (phone etiquette, basic sales dialogs, contact with customers) and by completing written assignments (resume, e-mails, business letters, etc.).
GRMN 3240 German Children’s + Youth Literature 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course focuses on the representation of childhood in juvenile literature in various genres (songs, stories, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, novels). The readings encompass traditional children’s literature, and contemporary works dealing with similar themes plus issues of identity and self-realization. We will read and reflect on literary and cultural forms of children’s stories and fairy tales written by authors such as Grimm, Busch, Hoffmann, Kästner and Hartling. Language and writing skills will be enhanced through detailed study of the texts as well as producing a storybook for children in German. The class is taught in German.
GRMN 3241 German Cinema 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
German filmmakers are known for their artistic expression and reaction to social and political trends that concern the country and its citizens. This course deals with major developments of German cinema throughout the twentieth century and will give students an overview of major movements, important directors, genres, and actors in the history of German film, as well as socio-political matters facing Weimar and Nazi Germany, post-war West and East German states, and unified Germany. Students will be introduced to the tools of film analysis, cinematic codes, and techniques such as narration, mise-en-scène, cinematography, sound, editing, and how these affect the viewer.
GRMN 3251 German Civilization and Culture I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course examines the main currents of German culture and civilization through lectures, films, the Internet, and literary and cultural readings. Students complete frequent oral and written reports. Conducted in German, this course requires frequent oral and written reports.
GRMN 3252 German Civilization and Culture II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course examines German immigration, especially to the United States, considering in-depth the German-American experience through lectures, films, the Internet, and literary and cultural readings. Conducted in English, this course requires frequent oral and written reports.
GRMN 3262 Survey of German Literature 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
This course offers an overview of German works and literary movements from the Middle Ages to 1945, providing students with the fundamentals of literary analysis in the genres of poetry, drama, novellas, novels, short stories, and film. The course requires frequent oral and written reports.
GRMN 3980 Internship 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
The internship program gives students first-hand experience in the fields of translation, interpretation, cataloging, public relations, advertising, teaching, etc., in the language of their specialization. Department members, who agree to guide the endeavor, supervise student work. When required by a faculty supervisor, an evaluation of student interns may be required from the institution where students work. The student's work should demand no less than one full day per week, or its equivalent.
GRMN 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 2211.
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of German under the direction of a staff member. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
GRMN 4999 Capstone Seminar 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing.
Majors in German participate in an interdisciplinary seminar in the spring of their senior year. The focus of this seminar varies according to the professor, but possible topics include European Film, the Grand Tour, Immigration in Europe, Capital Cities, Language Teaching and Technology, Europe and America. Students research their capstone papers in the target language and present the final work in English and German. The instructor may, in some cases, evaluate work in the target language in consultation with colleagues in the area of expertise in the department. Seminar is conducted in English.
Hebrew
HEBR 1110 Elementary Hebrew I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Hebrew. This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
HEBR 1111 Elementary Hebrew II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): HEBR 1110.
This course, a continuation of HEBR 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
HEBR 2210 Intermediate Hebrew I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): HEBR 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc.). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
HEBR 2211 Intermediate Hebrew II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): HEBR 2210.
This course, a continuation of HEBR 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc.). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
Italian
ITLN 1110 Elementary Italian I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Italian or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The culture of Italy is explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
ITLN 1111 Elementary Italian II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 1110.
This course, a continuation of ITLN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The culture of Italy is explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
ITLN 2210 Intermediate Italian I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. Italian culture is explored through a wide variety of materials including literary texts, press articles, and films. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
ITLN 2211 Intermediate Italian II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2210.
This course, a continuation of ITLN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. Italian culture is explored through a wide variety of materials including literary texts, press articles, and films. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
ITLN 2262 Rome in the Cultural Imagination 3 Credits
A center of artistic, cultural, religious, and political power, Rome has captivated the imagination of artists, politicians,
and thinkers over its long history. Paradoxically, it is both a destination for religious pilgrimage as well as a center of
licentiousness. This course, which considers Rome as both a city and an idea, follows the city’s long trajectory through
magnificence and decay to focus in a particular way on the impressions of 19th- and 20th- century American travelers,
many of whom were artists, writers, and filmmakers. This course is conducted in English.
ITLN 2271 Italian Cinema 3 Credits
This survey of Italian films as textual, cultural, and historical artifacts analyzes movements such as neorealism, commedia all'italiana, the spaghetti western, and new Italian cinema through the works of selected directors. The course follows a chronology from the silent period to present day, with special emphasis on the "golden ages" of Italian cinema, neo-realism of the postwar period, the 1960s' comedy of manners, and the new Italian cinema of the 1980s and 1990s. Students analyze the works of Rossellini, De Sica, Fellini, Visconti, Germi, Antonioni, Wertmüller, Leone, Pasolini, Moretti, Benigni, and others. Crosslisted with FTMA 2271.
ITLN 2289 Dante 3 Credits
This course examines the works of Dante Alighieri, including the Vita nuova, in addition to the "Inferno," "Purgatorio," and "Paradiso" from the Divine Comedy. Students are introduced to the political, linguistic, theological, and poetic ideas that make Dante's works not only significant in the medieval context, but also continue to challenge and inform modern debates. This course, which is conducted in English, counts towards the core requirement in literature. Crosslisted with ENGL 1150. Previously ITLN 3289.
ITLN 2290 Italian American Cinema 3 Credits
This course investigates salient aspects of Italian American cinema, including the representation of Italian Americans, works directed by Italian American directors, and roles played by Italian American actors. It also examines the difference in roles and representation for men and women in this subgroup of American society, with particular consideration given to the ethnic roots of these differences. Throughout the semester we will examine the ways in which film displays Italian ethnicity in the United States. The course also analyzes the profound influence of Italian cinema on the film-making of Italian American screenwriters and directors. This class is taught in English. Crosslisted with FTMA 2290. Previously ITLN 3290.
ITLN 2291 Boccaccio’s Decameron in Translation 3 Credits
Written just a few years after the Black Death swept through Florence in 1348, Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron offers poignant testimony to the resilience of the human spirit in the wake of immeasurable loss. In this class we will follow Boccaccio’s troupe of 10 young
men and women as they fill their days singing, dancing, playing games, and telling tales. We will analyze Boccaccio’s stories in terms of gender, class, and authorship, and see if his crafty wives and hypocritical clerics still have the power to shock and delight their modern readers.
ITLN 3219 Italian for Professional Applications 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
This is a language course designed to give students who have completed Intermediate Italian the grammatical, lexical, and cultural literacy to engage in professional transactions in Italian. Students will gain a cross-cultural understanding of business communication in Italian through the introduction and refinement of pertinent grammar and vocabulary. As a class, we will research notable Italian industries, including fashion, food, and tourism, and analyze their commercial appeal in Italy and abroad. Students will also become familiar with Italy's political, industrial, and financial institutions, while keeping abreast of current events that affect Italian commerce.
ITLN 3220 Topics in Language and Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
This course improves proficiency in written and oral expression by focusing on particular topics in Italian language and culture. Students develop advanced writing and speaking skills while concentrating on grammar, style, and appropriateness. Weekly compositions, based primarily on the genres studied (short story, theater, memoir, essay) allow students to identify and correct grammatical mistakes. Students present speeches in class and conduct situational dramas such as job interviews, television reporting, courtroom trials, and debates in Italian. Films and various cultural artifacts (comic strips, proverbs, songs) familiarize students with idiomatic Italian.
ITLN 3222 Made in Italy 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
Made in Italy, a term that indicates the uniqueness of Italy in abbigliamento (clothing), agroalimentare (food), arredamento (furniture) and automobili (automobiles), dates to the 1980s. This course seeks to further our understanding of Italian culture by investigating the reasons for the popularity and preeminence of products made in Italy. Designers have ensured Italy's prominence in the world of fashion. Pasta, prosciutto, and olive oil are synonymous with Italy, the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. Innovative design, both interior and exterior, is another hallmark of Italian excellence. Italy has produced both high performing, luxury cars and more economical modes of transportation. Conducted in Italian.
ITLN 3233 Creative Writing in Italian 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
This course will explore the craft of fiction, touching on both its theory and practice. Students will begin by examining some masters of prose in order to discuss key elements of fiction writing (plot, character, point of view, and style). They will consider the panorama of modern and contemporary Italian fiction, from the novella to the historical novel, coming-of-age fiction to the postmodern immigrant narrative. Students will develop individual creative projects, which will be shared with their workshop classmates and revised in cooperation with the instructor.
ITLN 3240 Language of Food in Italian Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
"Dimmi ciò che mangi e ti dirò chi sei… Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." Perhaps more than any other modern nation, Italy is defined by and celebrated for its food. Exports such as vino, pizza, and gelato, so quintessentially Italian, are now readily available across the globe. But what does food mean to Italians, and how does it reflect, magnify, and shape their collective identity? In this course, students will explore references to food and gastronomy in Italian literature, television, cinema, and art. We will investigate how Italians past and present have used food to talk about mechanisms of social belonging, disparity, and alienation. Beginning with today’s celebrity chefs and moving back to Dante and the origins of Italian literature, we will learn about the historical forces that influenced Italy’s evolving culinary traditions while honing our Italian language skills.
ITLN 3253 Contemporary Italian Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
This course examines aspects of contemporary Italian culture in the arts, film, music, media, and literature. Students analyze the debates that inform the political, social, and cultural dimensions of Italian society today. Readings include magazine and newspaper articles, print advertisements, novels, short stories, and comic books. Students view television news reports, soap operas, commercials, and movies, and listen to various types of contemporary Italian music. The course is conducted in Italian.
ITLN 3255 The Novella 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
This course analyzes the most successful genre in Italian literature, the novella (short story), as it evolved from the medieval era through the Renaissance to present day. Students read selections from Boccaccio, Basile, Bandello, Verga, Pirandello, Deledda, Morante, Moravia, Calvino, and others. The course is conducted in Italian.
ITLN 3257 Theatre in Italy: Comedy 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
From the erudite satires of the humanists to the political farces of contemporary playwrights, Italian comedy has always done more than just entertain. In this course we will study dramatic works by some of Italy's most prominent authors (Machiavelli, Aretino, Goldoni, Pirandello, et al.) and explore the development of comic theater in Italy from the Renaissance to the present. We will weigh the social function of humor in Italian theater, along with issues relating to gender, power, and performance. We will focus on the literary and historical dimensions of these texts and use these lively comedies to hone our reading, writing, and oral skills in Italian. To that end, we will watch clips of the plays, regularly perform scenes together in class, and even experiment with improvised "commedia dell'arte" scenarios.
ITLN 3330 Redefining the Cosmos 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
The Italian Renaissance has traditionally been understood as the very laboratory of Modernity. In a time where new and revolutionary ideas about art, politics and science took shape, Europe faced an extraordinary challenge: how to integrate into "the Renaissance experiment" the new natural and human experience that opened up with the discovery of the New World. Italy produced an extraordinarily heterogeneous body of work that stemmed from these voyages: that is, a "literature of discovery." This course will explore this literature, which includes epic poems, popular cantari, travelogues, historical and geographical treatises, as well as epistolary collections. Previously ITLN 4330.
ITLN 3980 Internship 3 Credits
The internship program gives students first-hand experience in the fields of translation, interpretation, cataloging, public relations, advertising and teaching in the language of their specialization. Department members, who agree to guide the endeavor, supervise student work. When required by a faculty supervisor, an evaluation of student interns may be required from the institution where students work. The student's work should demand no less than one full day per week, or its equivalent.
ITLN 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of Italian, under the direction of a staff member. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
ITLN 4330 Redefining the Cosmos: Voyages 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): ITLN 2211.
The Italian Renaissance has traditionally been understood as the very laboratory of Modernity. In a time where new and revolutionary ideas about art, politics and science took shape, Europe faced an extraordinary challenge: how to integrate into "the Renaissance experiment" the new natural and human experience that opened up with the discovery of the New World. Italy produced an extraordinarily heterogeneous body of work that stemmed from these voyages: that is, a "literature of discovery." This course will explore this literature, which includes epic poems, popular cantari, travelogues, historical and geographical treatises, as well as epistolary collections.
ITLN 4999 Capstone Seminar 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing.
Majors in Italian participate in an interdisciplinary seminar in the spring of their senior year. The focus of this seminar varies according to the professor, but possible topics include European Film, The Grand Tour, Immigration in Europe, Capital Cities, Language Teaching and Technology, Europe and America. Students research their capstone papers in the target language and present the final work in English and Italian. The instructor may, in some cases, evaluate work in the target language in consultation with colleagues in the area of expertise in the department. Seminar is conducted in English.
Portuguese
PORT 1110 Elementary Brazilian Portuguese I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Portuguese or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, is designed to present the student with the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultures are explored through a variety of media. The course will broaden the students' understanding of the cultures of the different countries where Portuguese is spoken, especially Brazil.
PORT 1111 Elementary Brazilian Portuguese II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): PORT 1110.
This course, a continuation of PORT 1110, is designed to present the student with the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultures are explored through a variety of media. The course will broaden the students' understanding of the cultures of the different countries where Portuguese is spoken, especially Brazil.
PORT 2210 Intermediate Brazilian Portuguese I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): PORT 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, continues to build upon the skills acquired in the first-year sequence. The course focuses on increasing the development of communication and comprehension skills while exploring in more depth the complexity of the Brazilian Portuguese language. Emphasis is placed on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as the development of cultural literacy. Cultural emphasis is placed on both Brazil and the Lusophone world.
PORT 2211 Intermediate Brazilian Portuguese II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): PORT 2210.
This course, a continuation of PORT 2210, continues to build upon the skills acquired in the first-year sequence. The course focuses on increasing the development of communication and comprehension skills while exploring in more depth the complexity of the Brazilian Portuguese language. Emphasis is placed on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as the development of cultural literacy. Cultural emphasis is placed on both Brazil and the Lusophone world.
Russian
RUSN 1110 Elementary Russian I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Russian or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
RUSN 1111 Elementary Russian II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 1110.
This course, a continuation of RUSN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
RUSN 2210 Intermediate Russian I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
RUSN 2211 Intermediate Russian II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): RUSN 2210.
This course, a continuation of RUSN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
Spanish
SPAN 1110 Elementary Spanish I 3 Credits
Designed for students with no prior experience with Spanish or whose placement scores are in the range for this course level. This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
SPAN 1111 Elementary Spanish II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 1110.
This course, a continuation of SPAN 1110, teaches the essentials of pronunciation, structure, and usage, allowing students to acquire the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language cultures are explored through a variety of media. Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
SPAN 2210 Intermediate Spanish I 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 1111.
This course, the first in a two-semester sequence, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
SPAN 2211 Intermediate Spanish II 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2210.
This course, a continuation of SPAN 2210, prepares students to continue the study of language on a more advanced level, and includes review of essential points of grammar, vocabulary building, and regular practice in speaking and writing. The language cultures are explored through a wide variety of materials (literary texts, press articles, films, etc). Students attend three classes per week and do mandatory online work determined by the instructor.
SPAN 2220 Spanish Language and Culture Review 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2211.
This course is designed to reinforce and refine students’ written and oral proficiency in Spanish as preparation for advanced coursework. Emphasizing a communicative approach, we focus on grammar review, stylistic accuracy, and appropriate linguistic register. Through active participation and engagement with a variety of cultural texts and short stories from the Spanish-speaking world, students will deepen their cultural understanding while developing more advanced speaking and writing skills. Students engage critically with issues such as cultural identity, domestic violence, and migration, as they are invited to question assumptions, biases, and worldviews that influence how we perceive and represent others .
SPAN 2220H Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Placement exam.
This course is directed at heritage speakers of Spanish, that is, students with personal background and prior instruction in Spanish who already possess functional communication abilities in the language. It will prepare students for upper-division literature, culture, linguistics, and translation courses by focusing on the development of advanced reading, writing, and oral abilities in Spanish. Emphasis will be placed on the main stages of the writing process through continuous practice inside and outside of the classroom. The class will use news articles, films, literary works, and other cultural texts. It will be conducted entirely in Spanish.
SPAN 2222H Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Placement exam.
This course is directed at heritage speakers of Spanish, that is, students with personal background and prior instruction in Spanish who already possess functional communication abilities in the language. It will prepare students for upper-division literature, culture, linguistics, and translation courses by focusing on the development of advanced reading, writing, and oral abilities in Spanish. Emphasis will be placed on the main stages of the writing process through continuous practice inside and outside of the classroom. The class will use news articles, films, literary works, and other cultural texts. It will be conducted entirely in Spanish. Previously SPAN 2220H
SPAN 3225 Spanish and English in Contrast 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This class offers an in-depth review and study of the more problematic aspects of Spanish grammar for English speakers and provides students with the essentials of their own native grammar necessary to comprehend the similarities between English and Spanish.
SPAN 3231B Career-Oriented Spanish for Business 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This course aims to give post-intermediate students of Spanish a solid foundation of business vocabulary, basic business and cultural concepts, and situational practice that will prepare them to succeed in today's growing Spanish-speaking business world. It will incorporate a wide array of real-life situations and problems that will integrate all four language skills: speaking, reading, writing and listening. One of the main objectives of this course is to turn students into potential professionals by improving their critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary in today's globalized business world.
SPAN 3231N Career-Oriented Spanish for Nursing and Health Studies 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This to further develop Spanish skills in the four modes: speaking, listening, writing and reading to compliment health, pre-med and nursing studies at a post-intermediate level. In addition to an advanced course in Spanish grammar and vocabulary curated to the health studies needs, we will also explore the following topics through in-class presentations, role play, readings, and authentic texts from the Spanish-speaking world: Cultural competency, Lifespan issues, Bilingual health care systems, Health assessment in Spanish, and Patient teaching. Open to students interested in health professions, pre-med, nursing, etc.
SPAN 3245 Analysis and Interpretation of Hispanic Literature 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
The course provides students with the fundamentals of literary analysis in the genres of poetry, narrative, theater, and film. It uses materials from around the Hispanic world to present a broad historical-cultural context for further reading and to sharpen the skills of analysis, argumentation, speaking, and writing. Focused on a literary study whose critical terms derive from the structure of literature itself (plot, scene, shot, verse, etc.), the course includes a survey of the periods of literary history. Students complete critical papers.
SPAN 3251 Spanish Civilization and Culture 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This course presents the main currents of Spanish civilization by means of lectures and student participation in written and oral reports. Studies of the geography, history, literature, and fine arts of Spain underscore class discussions.
SPAN 3253 Spanish-American Civilization 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This course presents a general view of Spanish-American civilization from pre-Columbian times to the present. Participants study the culture, social history, and politics of Spanish-America through select literary readings, articles, documentaries, films, newspapers, and Internet research. The course includes a special topic covering the globalization in Latin America and its impact in the 21st century. Students complete exams, oral presentations, written papers, and a final paper.
SPAN 3271 Hispanic Film 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
In this course we examine Latin American and Latinx films to see how artists use cinema to capture their realities, create worlds, challenge stereotypes and social norms, and further complicate stories beyond commercial cinemas. Through consistent practice with the written word and manipulating film images, we examine the crucial importance of self-representation, and diversity of perspectives in front of and behind the camera. Through analysis and application, we explore Latin American cinemas as highly political and culturally-entrenched vehicles as they circulation in the world film landscape.
SPAN 3285 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220.
This course is an introduction to the scientific study of language, with a focus on Spanish. It particularly aims at both the descriptive and applied levels. At the descriptive level, it will focus on the understanding of the mechanisms of the language in various areas: how sounds are articulated and work within a system (phonetics and phonology); how small units with meaning are combined to form words (morphology); how words are combined to form sentences (syntax); how meaning is attached to the different units, and how meaning operates at different levels (semantics). At the applied level, it will also explore topics such as linguistic variation, second language acquisition, bilingualism, and the situation of Spanish in the United States. Taught in Spanish.
SPAN 3286 Languages and Identities: Sociolinguistic Approaches to Spanish in the U.S. 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2220 or SPAN 2220H.
While the increased visibility of Spanish has surprised some in recent decades, people have been speaking Spanish in what is now the US for hundreds of years. This course offers an introduction to sociolinguistics, i.e., the study of the language in relation to social factors, with a focus on Spanish in the US. Particular emphasis is placed on social and political issues that impact the use and representation of Spanish. Taught in Spanish.
SPAN 3980 Internship 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.
The internship program gives students first-hand experience in the fields of translation, interpretation, cataloging, public relations, advertising, teaching, etc., in the language of their specialization. Department members, who agree to guide the endeavor, supervise student work. When required by a faculty supervisor, evaluation of student interns may be required from the institution where students work. The student's work should demand no less than one full day per week, or its equivalent.
SPAN 3990 Independent Study 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.
Students undertake readings and studies in a specialized area of Spanish, under the direction of a staff member. Designed to fill the special needs of specific students, this course is offered at the discretion of the department chair. Enrollment by permission only.
SPAN 4302 Remembering the Spanish Civil War Through Contemporary Literature and Film 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course examines the recent investigative and cultural expression of events of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), Franco Dictatorship (1939-75), and Transition to Democracy (1975-82). This cultural production parallels a push to physically excavate hundreds of Civil-War mass graves. Much like the demands to recover family members' bodies from these graves, an explicit social justice agenda is motivating novelists, playwrights, and filmmakers while they excavate the memory of these events. Through the study of contemporary Spanish literature and film, we examine the complex relationships between politics, social justice, cultural production, and the push to "recover" Spain’s historical memory.
SPAN 4305 Popular Culture in Latin America 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course examines the interaction among mass, elite, traditional, and indigenous art forms, their relationship with the dynamics of national/cultural identity in Latin America in the 19th and 20th centuries, and globalization. Forms of expression include oral poetry and narrative; the folletin (19th-century melodramas by installment) to 20th-century "fotonovelas," "radionovelas," and "telenovelas"; broadsides; comics; musical and political movements such as neo-folklore, new song, Nueva Troba, and Rock Latino; artistic movements such as Mexican muralist; traditional and popular crafts; cooking; popular dance; and film.
SPAN 4306 Cuban Film: A Close Look at the Revolution 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This class investigates topics in Cuban history, culture, and politics, by focusing on the impact of the Cuban Revolution on society as presented through one of the strongest contemporary Cuban cultural artifacts: Cuban film and film about Cuba. Since 1959 film has played a crucial role in officially narrating, shaping, critiquing and questioning the Revolution. We will analyze how film continues to serve as a space to reflect on the complexities of Cuban society, and how social media and technology is now challenging the limits of Cuban film, and possibly of the Revolution itself.
SPAN 4307 Translation Theory and Practice: Spanish and English 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course offers an introduction to the field of Translation Studies, both from theoretical and practical perspectives. Great emphasis will be placed on the translation process through continuous practice inside and outside of the classroom. Likewise, metalanguage and key concepts from translation theory will be progressively introduced through readings to facilitate the critical reflection and discussion of translation problems and solutions. The course will be taught in Spanish.
SPAN 4309 Bilingualism in the Spanish-Speaking World 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
The theme of this course is the issue of bilingualism, analyzed from three different angles: sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and educational. Bilingualism is a natural and widespread phenomenon, and research on this area has been growing over the last years in various fields, such as Applied Linguistics, Psychology, Sociology, or Education. Approximately half of the world population speaks two or more languages, and current research also shows cognitive advantages for those who speak more than one language. This course will offer students a critical overview of this phenomenon from the three perspectives mentioned above. The course will be conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 4311 Glory, Splendor, and Decay: Spanish Golden Age Literature 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course studies the most important literary manifestations of the 16th and 17th centuries' Golden Age Spanish culture, with emphasis on Cervantes, Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Góngora, and Calderón de la Barca.
SPAN 4341 20th Century Spanish Literature 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course examines works and literary movements from the early part of the 20th century (Generation of '98) to present times. Representative authors include Unamuno, Baroja, Valle-Inclán, García Lorca, J.R. Jiménez, Cela, Laforet, Delibes, and Matute.
SPAN 4346 Contemporary Spanish Theatre 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course examines several current themes in contemporary Spanish theatre. One topic is how Spanish theatre has engaged with the memory of historical moments such as the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the ensuing Franco dictatorship (1939-75), and terrorism under democratic rule, particularly the post-9/11 terrorist bombings in Madrid. While reading a selection of contemporary Spanish plays, we will study the strategies used by playwrights to evoke or avoid the historical memory of these events.
SPAN 4353 Spanish-American Narrative 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This critical analysis and discussion of key words of the narrative genre emphasizes the 20th-century development of the novel and short story. Authors include Azuela, Quiroga, Borges, Bombal, Somers, Cortázar, García Márquez, Fuentes, Ferré, and Allende. The course also considers experimental writing, the short story of fantasy, testimonio, and others, and requires critical papers and oral reports. Open to juniors and seniors only.
SPAN 4357 The Spanish Novel 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245, junior standing.
This course studies the novel of Spain from its first tentative manifestation with the picaresque through its major development with Cervantes and into the 20th century, emphasizing the works of more important writers.
SPAN 4359 Culture, Civilization, and Literature in the Spanish-American Caribbean Region 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245, junior standing.
This study and explanation of distinctive elements of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Central American countries focuses on the fusion of indigenous, Black, and Hispanic as manifestation in the Spanish-American Caribbean Region. Students will read, study, and critically analyze relevant documents, and cultural materials from pre-Columbian populations until the contemporary period.
SPAN 4360 Dictatorships and Revolutionary Movements in Contemporary Latin America 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245.
This course will analyze various revolutionary movements in Latin America as well as the dictatorships that emerged in early 20th Century and ended almost at the turn of the century. We will discuss the new "neo-socialist" governments that have emerged in 21st Century Latin America since the end of the Socialist Block (1990s), under the dominant global economy. In this class we will read, analyze, and discuss critical essays and literature (narrative, poetry, and testimonies), and other cultural forms (such as fiction and documentary films, art, music, etc).
SPAN 4371 Images of Latin American Indians 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 3245, junior standing.
This course examines the vision of Latin American Indians from the first letters of the "discoverers" and conquistadores (Colón, Cortés, Bernal Díaz del Castillo), and missionaries (Bartolomé de las Casas) through relevant novels, short stories, and films of the 19th and 20th centuries. To understand the post-discovery vision of the Indians, this course also studies the major pre-Columbian civilization of Mesoamerica and the Andean region. Authors include: Matto de Turner, Icaza, Arguedas, Castellanos, and others.
SPAN 4391 Introduction to Translation and Interpreting Studies, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4392.
Prerequisite(s): Placement exam.
This course offers an exploration of key principles, main schools of thought, and fundamental controversies in translation and interpreting theory. It will provide a conceptual foundation for students to draw on when describing, planning, assessing, and justifying their translations. English-Spanish translations will be used to discuss theoretical concepts. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4392 Non-Specialized Translation Practice, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4391.
Prerequisite(s): Placement exam.
This course offers advanced intensive translation practice of non-specialized, non-fiction, non-literary texts. It will focus on the different steps of the translation process and it will emphasize detection and solving of translation problems through continued practice and reflection. Translation from Spanish into English will be prioritized, but translation from English into Spanish will also be practiced. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4393 Computer-Assisted Translation Tools, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4394.
This course offers a hands-on introduction to computer-assisted translation tools used in the translation industry with a particular emphasis on SDL Trados Studio. Students will learn how to translate and review using SDL Trados Studio and how to manage terminological data using SDL Multiterm through the complexion of various English-Spanish translation tasks which mirror professional practice. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4394 Commercial and Legal Translation, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4393.
This course offers an introduction to the specifics of commercial and legal translation through advanced intensive translation practice of specialized commercial and legal texts. Translation from Spanish into English will be prioritized, but translation from English into Spanish will also be practiced. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4395 Medical Translation, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4396.
This course offers an introduction to the specifics of medical translation through advanced intensive translation practice of specialized medical texts. Translation from Spanish into English will be prioritized, but translation from English into Spanish will also be practiced. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4396 Community Interpreting, Spanish <> English 3 Credits
Corequisite(s): SPAN 4395.
This course offers an introduction to interpreting in community settings, emphasizing medical and legal contexts. Sight translation, consecutive interpreting, and simultaneous interpreting will be practiced. The course will be taught in English and Spanish.
SPAN 4999 Capstone Seminar 3 Credits
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing.
This course is the senior capstone, in which every senior Spanish major during the spring semester of their senior year must complete a research paper for the major. The topic varies according to the professor teaching the capstone that semester. Enrollment by permission only.
Professors
Carolan
Farrell
Johnson
Rankin
Associate Professors
Adrada-Rafael, Chair
Díaz
Gasca Jiménez
Goldfield
Assistant Professors
Añón Suárez
Crognale (Visiting)
Gaskill (Visiting)
Assistant Professors of the Practice
Erotopoulos
Rigo de Alonso
Rodríguez Cortés
Wilkinson
Instructors of the Practice
Arango-Martín
Lecturers
Arce
Ayalon
Battisti
Brea
Bunn
Eliasoph, Y.
Frankel
Karim
Kelso
Mairech
Mini de Neri
Morabito
Pavon
Scarfone
Syssoeva
Zanelli
Zuñiga
Faculty Emeriti
Campos
Garcia-Devesa
Hill
Sourieau
Webster
Contributing Faculty Members
Xiao