Spanish and PortugueseSpanish 110
Elementary Spanish I
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): A score below 380 on the SAT II or below 285 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 110 is a first-semester elementary language course designed for students who have not previously studied Spanish. This course emphasizes the development of foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 112
Elementary Spanish I and II: Accelerated
Staff
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Permission needed from department
Prerequisite(s): Permit required from the directors of the Spanish language program
Spanish 112 is an intensive course designed for students who have already satisfied the language requirement in another language and have not previously studied Spanish. By combining the curriculum of Spanish 110 and 120, Spanish 112 seeks to develop students' reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 115
Spanish for the Medical Professions, Elementary I
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): A score below 380 on the SAT II or below 285 on the online placement examination.
Offered through the Penn Language Center, Spanish 115 is a first-semester elementary medical Spanish language course and the first in the Spanish for the Medical Professions sequence. It is designed for students with no prior coursework in Spanish. This course teaches beginning students the fundamentals of practical Spanish with an emphasis on medical situations and basic medical terminology. In this course, particular attention will be given to developing speaking and listening skills, as well as cultural awareness. It incorporates activities, vocabulary, and readings of particular interest to healthcare practitioners, while adhering to the goals and scope of Spanish 110, the first-semester Spanish language course. Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have completed SPANISH 110 or any SPANISH course above that level may not take SPANISH 115. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level, and therefore students will not receive credit for SPANISH 115.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 120
Elementary Spanish II
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 110 or permission of the course coordinator.
Spanish 120, the continuation of Spanish 110, is a second-semester elementary Spanish course. This course emphasizes the development of foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 121
Elementary Spanish
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): A score of 380-440 on the SAT II or 285-383 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 121 is designed for students who have some prior experience in Spanish. It is an intensive elementary-level language course which in one semester covers the material studied over two semesters in Spanish 110 and Spanish 120. The course provides a quick-paced review of material normally covered in a first semester Spanish course and then proceeds to introduce new material so students will be prepared to take Spanish 130 during the subsequent semester
As other Spanish courses, Spanish 121 emphasizes the development of foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities that focus on meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language.
By the end of this course, students will be able to engage in simple conversation on familiar topics, talk about the past and the future, make comparisons, give commands, describe people and things in increasing detail, etc. Students will also develop reading and listening skills that will allow them to understand simple articles in Spanish as well as pick out pertinent information when listening to a native speaker.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 130
Intermediate Spanish I
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 112, 120, 121 or 125 or a score of 450-540 on the SAT II or 384-453 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 130 is a first-semester intermediate-level language course that emphasizes the development of the four basic skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking skills) within a culturally based context. Class time will focus on communicative activities that combine grammatical concepts, relevant vocabulary, and cultural themes. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities to practice linguistics skills in meaningful contexts. Major course goals include: the acquisition of intermediate-level vocabulary, the controlled use of the past tense, and the development of writing skills at a paragraph level with transitions.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 135
Spanish for the Medical Professions, Intermediate I
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 112, 120, 121 or 125 or a score of 450-540 on the SAT II or 384-453 on the online placement examination.
Offered through the Penn Language Center, Spanish 135 is a first-semester intermediate-level medical Spanish language course that emphasizes the development of the four basic skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) and the acquisition of medical terminology. Students will be expected to participate in classroom activities such as role-plays based on typical office and emergency procedures in order to develop meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language. Students will also review and acquire forms and structures useful both inside and outside the medical field.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have completed SPANISH 130 or any SPANISH course above that level may not take SPANISH 135. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level, and therefore students will not receive credit for SPANISH 135.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 140
Intermediate Spanish II
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 130 or 135 or a score of 550-640 on the SAT II or 454-546 on the online placement examination.
Spanish 140, the continuation of Spanish 130, is a fourth-semester intermediate-level language course that emphasizes the development and integration of the four basic skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) while developing awareness and appreciation of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will participate in pair, small-group and whole-class activities to practice linguistics skills in meaningful contexts. Topics studied include the environment, the arts, social relations, and conflict and justice. Major course goals include the acquisition of intermediate-level vocabulary, the formulation of hypotheses, and the development of writing skills at a paragraph level with transitions.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 145
Spanish for the Medical Professions, Intermediate II
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 130 or 135 or a score of 550-640 on the SAT II or 454-546 on the online placement examination.
Offered through the Penn Language Center as the continuation of Spanish 135, Spanish 145 is a second-semester intermediate-level medical Spanish language course. This course emphasizes the development of the four basic skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) and the acquisition of medical terminology. Students will be expected to participate in classroom activities such as role-plays based on typical office and emergency procedures in order to develop meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language. Students will also review and acquire forms and structures useful both inside and outside the medical field.
Students who have previously studied Spanish must take the online placement examination.
Students who have completed SPANISH 140 or any SPANISH course above that level may not take SPANISH 145. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level, and therefore students will not receive credit for SPANISH 145.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish may not take basic level language courses (110-145) in the same language. Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 180
Spanish Conversation
Staff
La casa hispánica residents only.
Spanish 202
Advanced Spanish
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 140 or equivalent.
The purpose of this course is twofold: (a) to develop students' communicative abilities in Spanish, that is, speaking, listening, reading and writing, and (b) to increase their awareness and understanding of Hispanic cultures and societies. Homework and classroom activities are designed to help students build their oral proficiency, expand and perfect their knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures, improve their reading and writing skills, and develop their critical thinking abilities. The material for this class includes short stories, newspaper articles, poems, songs, cartoons, video clips and a novel, such as César Aira’s La villa. At the completion of this course students will feel confident discussing and debating a variety of contemporary issues (cultural and religious practices, family relationships, gender stereotypes, political events, immigration to the USA, etc.).
Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 208
Business Spanish I
Prof. Lebaudy
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Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Spanish 140 or equivalent.
Spanish for Business I provides advanced-level language students with technical vocabulary and communicative skills covering business concepts as they apply to the corporate dynamics of the Spanish-speaking world, with a special emphasis on Latin America. Through readings, presentations, discussions, and video materials, we shall analyze those cultural aspects that characterize the business environment in the region as well as focus on economies and markets in light of their history, politics, resources and pressing international concerns.
Any questions about placement should be directed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 209
Business Spanish II (Advanced Spanish in the Business World)
Prof. Lebaudy
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Pre-requisite(s): Departmental permission required.
This course is specifically designed for advanced speakers of Spanish (i.e., native speakers, high-level heritage speakers, and students who have studied in a Spanish-speaking country for at least one semester). Students will take an in-depth look at the corporate dynamics of a number of countries in Latin America, focusing on their economies and markets, as well as on the cultural and business protocols of each region. Through the creation of an entrepreneurial project and the writing of a business plan, students will enhance their business and language skills.
Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 212
Advanced Spanish Grammar
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or equivalent.
Spanish 212 is an advanced grammar course that emphasizes the acquisition of a solid knowledge of those major points of Spanish grammar. Through discussion and correction of assigned exercises, analysis of authentic readings, and contrastive study of Spanish and English syntax and lexicon, students will develop an awareness of the norms of standard Spanish with the aim of incorporating these features into their own oral and written linguistic production.
Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 215
Spanish for the Professions I
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or equivalent.
Spanish for the Professions is designed to provide advanced-level language students with a wide-ranging technical vocabulary and the enhancement of solid communicative skills within the cultural context of several developing Latin American countries. Focusing on topics such as politics, economy, society, health, environment, education, science and technology, the class will explore the realities and underlying challenges facing Latin America. Through essays, papers, articles, research, discussions, case studies, and videotapes, we shall take an in-depth look at the dynamics of Latin American societies. The course will focus on--but not be restricted to-- Mexico, Cuba and Argentina.
Any questions about placement should be addressed to the directors of the Spanish language program.
Spanish 219
Hispanic Texts and Contexts
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 212.
The primary aim of this course is to develop students' knowledge of the geographical, historical and cultural contexts of the Spanish-speaking world. At the same time that they are introduced to research techniques and materials available in Spanish, students strengthen their language skills through reading, oral presentations, video viewing, and regular writing assignments. The course is designed to give students a broad understanding of Hispanic culture that will prepare them for upper-level course work.
Spanish 250-601
Major Works Spanish and Latin American Literature
Prof. Regueiro
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From the rise of the novel with Cervantes' Don Quixote in early-modern Spain to the Latin American "boom" with García Márquez' One Hundred Years of Solitude, this course will examine these and other major works in Hispanic literature within the cultural, political, and social context of each period.
Span 319-301
History of the Spanish Language
Prof. Esposito
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
This course will explore two main issues: (1) The external history of the Spanish language: How do linguists read history? What cultural and historical events are important for the development of the Spanish language? As linguistic historians, we shall follow a canonical chronology that will examine such topics as: pre-Roman influences; Iberian Latinity; the linguistic fragmentation of the Peninsula; medieval attempts at standardization; the rise of the Academy; and the renaissance of the languages of the Autonomías. As critical readers, we shall interpret these linguistic cultures in light of their foundational ideologies. (2) The internal history of the Spanish language: How did Latin become Spanish? Is a sound change innocent and free of cultural meaning? What features make Spanish unique in comparison to the other Iberian languages? To what end do we draw such conclusions?
Span 350-301
Spanish Literature of the Golden Age
Prof. Regueiro
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
This course will introduce students to the key works of Spanish literature written between 1500 to 1700. It will explore the major literary genres of this period (lyric poetry, narrative prose—including the picaresque—and drama) as well as the social and cultural contexts in which they were produced. We will examine works by Garcilaso, Cervantes, Góngora, Quevedo, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, and Calderón.
Span 373-301
Myth, Romance and Mistery: An Introduction to Spanish Romanticism
Prof. López
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
A study of the canonical authors of Romantic drama in Spain. In this course we will read the main titles in nineteenth-century drama, we will pay attention how these works witness the sensibility of the period. Other topics: connection between literary works and the social and political movements, the position of the writer, and the evolution of the artistic taste. Four exams and class participation will decide final grade.
Span 386-301
Folk and Traditional Cultures in Modern Spain: History and Workshop
Prof. Moreno Caballud
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
This course will explore the persistence and transformation of Iberian folk and traditional cultures through the Twentieth Century. We will focus mainly on documents that reflect the popular oral tradition of tales, legends, myths, proverbs, poems, and jokes, but we will also explore rituals, festivities, institutions and the material culture of “traditional” (rural, pre-capitalist, pre-modern) Spain. Students will learn about these cultures by studying their history and also by fulfilling a series of creative exercises in which they will work with the motifs, forms, and structures of the folk heritage.
Span 388-401
The Great Illusion. Over a Century of Spanish Cinema
Prof. Solomon
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Film in Spain has a rich but turbulent tradition that, until recently, occupied a marginal position within Cinema Studies departments in American universities. From the pioneering shorts of Segundo de Chomón —often nicknamed “the Spanish Méliès”— to the worldwide success of Pedro Almodóvar’s melodramatic and irreverent films that caricature contemporary (Spanish) culture, this course offers both a survey of Spanish film and an introduction to critical thought in the field of Film Studies. We analyze the trajectory of Spanish film beginning in its silent origins in the nineteenth century, passing through the censorship and hegemonic ideology of the Francoist regime, and ending in the years of Spain’s progressive transition to democracy that leads us to the present-day status of Spanish cinema. Along the way, we supplement the shorts and feature-length films with a diverse selection of critical readings that present pertinent historical and cultural contexts, fundamental cinematic concepts, as well as current theoretical debates in Film Studies. We conclude the class by exploring new trends in cinematic productions including short digital cinema, recent developments in new media, and the rise in participatory cinema.
Over the course of the semester students will learn to discuss the technical and stylistic aspects of cinema while developing a theoretical language to think critically about the cultural and historical contexts of Spanish cinema. We interrogate the specificity of cinema as a means of representation (in comparison with literature) and we question the particularities of a cinema “made in Spain.”
Required screenings include films by Segundo de Chomón (Hotel Electric), Luis Buñuel (Un Chien Andalou), Luis Berlanga (Bienvenido Mr. Marshal), Juan Antonio Bardem (Muerte de un ciclista), Carlos Saura (La caza), Victor Erice (El Espítitu de la Colmena), Narciso Ibáñéz Serrador (¿Quien puede matar un niño?), José Luis Borau (Furtivos), Pilar Miró (Crimen de Cuenca), Pedro Almodóvar (Pepe, Luci, Bom, La ley del deseo, Todo sobre mi madre), Julio Medem (La ardilla roja), Alex de la Iglesia (El día de la bestia), and Nacho Villalongos (Cronocrímenes).
Course Materials/Textbooks for this course will be available at the Penn Book CENTER (130 S. 34th Street; (215) 222-7600).
Span 390-401
Art and literature in Latin America during the 1960s
Prof. Laddaga
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
The course will focus in the artistic production in the region at a time of fast social change. The materials to be presented and analyzed will include books, films and works of visual arts, mostly from artists of the Southern cone. We will discuss the works of, among others, Julio Cortázar, Clarice Lispector, Glauber Rocha, Raúl Ruiz, Hélio Oiticica and Antonio Berni.
Span 390-402
Women Literature
Prof. Escalante
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
In this course, we are going to study literary works written by women from the end of the 19 th century to the present. We are going to analyze how these texts are a testimony to women's subaltern position in society and discuss women’s attempt to criticize or subvert the rigid rules of the traditional and patriarchal societies of Latin America. Other topics include the representation of desire, sentimentality, and body image. Some of the authors we will read include Flora Tristán, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Delmira Agustini, María Luisa Bombal, Alejandra Pizarnick, and Cristina Peri Rossi.
Course Materials/Textbooks for this course will be available at the Penn Book CENTER (130 S. 34th Street; (215) 222-7600).
Span 390-403
Introduction to Spanish American Literature
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Span 390-404
Major Works of the "Boom"
Prof. Knight
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
Why has Latin American narrative of the 1960s and 70s enjoyed such popular and critical success? What distinguishes this literature from that which was written earlier or later or outside Latin America? Who were the major writers of the boom generation, and what unites or separates them? In this course we will consider these questions as we read important works of fiction by Cortázar, Donoso, Fuentes, García Márquez, and Vargas Llosa as well as criticism that sheds light on the phenomenon of the boom.
Course Materials/Textbooks for this course will be available at the Penn Book CENTER (130 S. 34th Street; (215) 222-7600).
Span 394-401
Latin American Fiction of the 21st Century
Prof. García-Serrano
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
This course explores recent developments in Latin America narrative by closely examining works by Roberto Bolaño, César Aira, Alan Pauls, Mario Bellatin, Rodolfo Fogwill and Rodrigo Rey Rosa. The texts selected, whether dialoging with the colonial past or depicting contemporary events, challenge traditional genres (historical, autobiographical, detective novel, etc.), undermine readers’ expectations at every turn, and, more importantly, evidence a deep understanding of contemporary issues. Throughout the course students will attempt to establish connections between these writers and their literary predecessors, such as Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, and Julio Cortázar. Readings include Bolaño's Estrella distante and El gaucho insufrible; Aira's Un episodio en la vida del pintor viajero and Cómo me hice monja; Bellatin's Salón de belleza: and the anthologies El futuro no es nuestro. Nueva narrativa latinoamericana and La joven guardia.
Span 394-402
The Secret Circle: Fictions of Complot and Conspiracy in Contemporary Latin American Literature
Prof. Montoya
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
The ideas of complot and conspiracy have been central in both political theory and literature. The image of a small group of individuals who secretly acts to change the world order seduces the public imagination. Latin American writers have not been oblivious to this trend, and some of the more representative novelists have used it in order to represent, analyze and criticize not only their societies, but also the literary and artistic milieus where they perform their creative practices. This course will examine the figures of conspiracy and complot in a series of Latin American novels of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We will read political fictions, artist’s novels, and detective and spy narrations, among other genres.
Course Materials/Textbooks for this course will be available at the Penn Book CENTER (130 S. 34th Street; (215) 222-7600).
Span 396-401
Coming of Age in Latin America: Narratives of Childhood and Adolescence
Prof. Knight
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219.
This course examines contemporary narratives of childhood and adolescence from Latin America. These stories critique the forces that shape young people as they attempt to define themselves in societies marked by racial, ethnic, gender, and class divisions. Texts for the course will be drawn from different geographical regions and will include novels, short stories, and films.
Span 400-301
The Latin American Short Story
Prof. de la Campa
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Graduating senior majors only.
This course will cover a representative sample of Latin American short story, including modern classics such as J.L. Borges, Clarice Lispector, Alejo Carpentier, Julio Cortázar and G. Garciá Márquez, as well as newer voices such as Ena Lucía Portela, Rubem Fonseca, Juan Villoro and Pedro Mairel. The selection also aims to cover the different Latin American cultural areas, including Brazil through translation. The course will focus on three main aspects: 1) what makes each short story an artistic composition, 2) what distinguishes the language of each author, 3) what type of historical and political inferences can one draw from each story. Students will be asked to make class presentations and write short papers anchored on these three themes.
Span 400-302
Literature at the Edge of the Abyss: 2666 and the Narrative of Roberto Bolaño
Prof. Montoya
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Graduating senior majors only.
2666 is the posthumous masterpiece by the Chilean-born writer Roberto Bolaño. Divided in five novels, it moves from the fictitious city of Santa Teresa, in the border between Mexico and USA –where hundreds of women are mysteriously killed–, to the Russian front during World War II and the Nazi concentration camps. Mixing the tradition of detective novel and the artistic avant-garde motifs, this ambitious novel explores different forms of contemporary terror, and the possibilities of art and literature to express them. In this course, we will focus on a close-reading of 2666, and on a selection of Bolaño’s short stories.
Span 400-303
Alternate worlds in the Latin American short story
Prof. Laddaga
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Graduating senior majors only.
The course will attempt to map the different styles of alternate worlds that can be found in the tradition of the short story in the region. We will particularly focus in the ways in which social contexts are transposed into these other worlds. We will present and discuss stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Virgilio Piñera, Julio Cortázar, Juan Rulfo and others.