Spanish and PortugueseSpanish 110
Elementary Spanish I
Staff
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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 121
Elementary Spanish
Staff
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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
See Timetable for times
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 219
Hispanic Texts and Contexts
Staff
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or Spanish 212.
The primary aim of this course is to develop students' knowledge of the geographical, historical and cultural contexts in those regions where Spanish is used. At the same time that they are introduced to research techniques and materials available in Spanish, students strengthen their language skills through readings, class discussions, and frequent writing assignments. This course is designed to give students a broad understanding of Hispanic culture that will prepare them for upper-level course work and study abroad.
Spanish 223
Perspectives of Spanish and Latin American Literatures
Prof. García Serrano
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or Spanish 212.
Literature from Spain and Latin America contains a wealth of information about language, history and culture. The goal of this course is to help students develop skills to carefully read Spanish literary works while preparing them for upper-level courses and study abroad. We begin reviewing the main characteristics of various literary movements and of the four genres (narrative, poetry, theater and essay). During the second part of the semester students become familiarized with a wide variety of theoretical approaches to the study of literature with the purpose of applying them to their own analytical writing. In the last part of the course students produce their own essays on a text chosen by them and based on research. Sample essays written by other students and included in the textbook will serve as models. Throughout the course students will have ample opportunities to hone their skills through the close reading and class discussion of varied and stimulating works by Miguel de Cervantes, Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, Roberto Bolaño, etc.
Spanish 250-601
Major Works in Spanish and Latin American Literature
Prof. Regueiro
See Timetable for times
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.
Spanish 354-301
The Task of the Storyteller
Prof. Velázquez
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
Seductive, false, and dangerous; persuasive, true, and beneficial, the powers of storytelling may be contested, but they cannot be denied. In this course we will delve into a rich tradition of storytelling from medieval frame-tale collections inspired by Eastern narrative practices (Kalila and Dimna, The Book of the Wiles of Women, Libro de los ejemplos del Conde Lucanor y de Patronio) to scenes of storytelling in longer prose works and examples of the modern novella by Miguel de Cervantes, María de Zayas, Tirso de Molina and others. Through these texts and accompanying secondary literature on the medicinal, religious, political, aspects of storytelling, we will attempt to sketch out the task of the storyteller in relationship to the ethics of transmission, the production of knowledge and pleasure, issues of orality, memory, history and the creation (and destruction) of a sense of self and community. Lastly, we shall consider the claim of twentieth-century philosophers and cultural critics who proclaim the demise of storytelling in late modernity. Course requirements include oral presentations, keeping a reading journal, and short essays throughout the semester.
Spanish 357-301
Change of Heart: Early Modern Literature of Transformational Selves
Prof. Velázquez
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
Why are we fascinated by tales of transformation from cosmetic and sartorial make-overs to spiritual conversions? What if identity is defined less by what we are (a stable, consistent entity through time) than by our potential to become something or someone else? We will examine in this course several expressions of transformational selves in lyric poetry, prose fiction, religious texts, and plays written in Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a period of great changes and upheavals. Some of the issues we will study include existential change and subjectivity, true and faked religious conversions, human-animal metamorphoses, gender-bending, and social mobility. Course requirements include oral presentations, keeping a reading journal, and short essays throughout the semester.
Spanish 380-301
The Spanish Avant-Garde
Prof. López
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
A study of the Spanish avant-garde including the poetry of García Lorca, the films of Luis Buñuel, and the paintings of Salvador Dalí. We will explore the reception of the avant-garde and of Surrealism in Spain followed by the transformation of the avant-garde into two politically rival ideologies. Class participation, one (maybe two) oral reports, and a written paper will decide final grade.
Spanish 386-301
The Spanish Labyrinth: The films of Pedro Almodóvar
Prof. Guadalupe
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
The metaphor of the labyrinth has been used to explain the complexities of Spanish history leading up to the Spanish Civil War. This metaphor has recently been employed again in the title of a new monograph on Almodovar’s cinema that reflects on his iconic status, both as a postmodern artist and as the most representative figure of the new and liberated Spain that has emerged from decades of dictatorship and cultural backwardness. One of the world's most acclaimed directors, Almodóvar is unquestionably the most international of today’s Spanish filmmakers. The aim of this course is to familiarize students with Pedro Almodovar’s films and to shed some light on the intricacies of their themes, cultural background, and visual style. By exploring both primary and secondary materials, we will analyze Almodovar’s career from the early iconoclastic post-Franco films of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s to his most recent work that has secured his reputation as an international auteur.
Spanish 386-401
Introduction to Spanish Screenwriting
Prof. Solomon
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
This workshop course explores recent screenwriting in Spain and Latin America while introducing students to the craft of writing original screenplays in Spanish for feature-length and short films. Class sessions include discussions and exercises on building characters, developing stories and plots, creating powerful dialogues and descriptions, and organizing scenes and sequences. We will also compare the differences between screenwriting for short films and developing a script for a feature-length film. Over the course of the semester students will view and analyze recent screenplays written by young Spaniards and Latin Americans such as Santi Amodeo (Astronautas, Spain 2003), Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo (La noche de los girasoles, Spain 2006), and Fernando Eimbcke (Temporada de patos Mexico 2004). As a final project all students are required to write a screenplay for a short film (20-30 minutes). Students who desire to participate in this senior seminar should have excellent Spanish writing skills and enjoy creative storytelling.
Spanish 390-401
Latin American Literature Around 2000
Prof. Laddaga
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
Literature in Latin America around 2000. The course will analyze selected works of a number of writers who defined the profile of the Latin American literary scene at the turn of the 21st century. We will pay special attention to the ways in which they reflect on the technological, economic and social factors shaping the world in which they were created. We will read stories by Roberto Bolaño, César Aira, Mario Bellatin and others.
Spanish 394-401
Fictions of Plot and Conspiracy in 20th Century Latin American Literature
Prof. Montoya
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
The ideas of complot and conspiracy have been central in both political theory and literature. The image of a small group of individuals that 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.
Spanish 395-401
Hispanic Theater
Prof. Regueiro
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
A comparative study of Golden Age classical drama and contemporary Latin American theater within the cultural context of each period. In this course, we will read plays by Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Ruiz de Alarcón, Calderón, Rodolfo Usigli, José Triana, Osvaldo Dragún, Griselda Gambaro, Egon Wolff, René Marqués, and others.
Spanish 396-401
Coming of Age in Latin America
Prof. Knight
See Timetable for times
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
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. Novelists covered include José Emilio Pacheco, Mario Vargas Llosa, and César Aira.
Spanish 397-401
Consumers and Citizens
Prof. Feliciano Arroyo
See Timetable for times
Many intellectuals have taken 1973 - the year of the Pinochet-led coup in Chile - to mark the beginnings of a global paradigm shift. As Latin America and the world began to undergo a move toward neoliberalism - the dominance of the logic of the market in governance and everyday life - the question of the relationship between practices of citizenship and of consumption began to take greater relevance. This course focuses on Latin American cultural production of the last four decades in order to explore how it portrays, absorbs, resists, and negotiates this issue. Some of the overarching questions we will be addressing will be: What is the relationship between consumption and citizenship? How has the rise of neoliberalism influenced Latin American sociocultural practices? How has so-called high art engaged with popular and mass cultural forms during this time period? How does the consumption of cultural production relate to the repertoires of practices of citizenship? What connections can we draw between aesthetics and politics?
We will read authors such as Néstor García Canclini, Julio Cortázar, Diamela Eltit, Carlos Monsiváis, César Aira, and Rita Indiana Hernández. Films we will watch during the semester will likely include María, llena eres de gracia, La ciénaga, and No.
Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
Spanish 400-301
The Spanish Language and Empire
Prof. Espòsito
See Timetable for times
Course open to graduating senior Spanish majors only.
"Cuando bien comigo pienso, mui esclarecida Reina, i pongo delante los ojos el antigüedad de todas las cosas, que para nuestra recordación y memoria quedaron escriptas, una cosa hállo y: sáco por conclusión mui cierta: que siempre la lengua fue compañera del imperio; y de tal manera lo siguió, que junta mente començaron, crecieron y florecieron, y después junta fue la caida de entrambos." With these oft cited words, Antonio de Nebrija begins his 1492 Gramática de la lengua castellana. However, the idea of language as handmaiden of imperial expansion did not begin nor end with Nebrija. In this capstone seminar, our goal will be to explore and to problematize that thing which is at the core of the Hispanic Studies major, the notion of the Spanish language itself. We will explore both the expansion of and challenges to the Spanish language, from its origins as a Cantabrian romance-speaking enclave in post-Visigothic Spain to its present polycentric reality. Among the topics that we shall be exploring are: early attempts at standardization and linguistic compromise; Castilian peninsular hegemony; colonial expansion and the diffusion of variety; the rise of the Academy; rival globalisms; the Instituto Cervantes as the new academy; the emergence of new linguistic and cultural centers outside of Spain; the creation of new hybrid languages; the relationship of language to market. Readings will be in both Spanish and English; the class will be conducted entirely in Spanish. In addition to consistent preparation and participation, a significant final research project is required.
Spanish 400-302
Spanish Detective Novel
Prof. García-Serrano
See Timetable for times
Course open to graduating senior Spanish majors only.
This course aims to examine a selection of detective novels written by contemporary Spanish authors. First, we will assess existing theoretical approaches to this literary genre so that students are familiarized with its evolution, techniques, conventions, themes, etc. Secondly, we will explore the relation between the detective novel and the political and social changes in Spain during the last decades. Therefore, the course has a twofold purpose: to pay attention to the formal aspects of these intricate literary constructions as well as the political and social context in which they were produced. We will read texts by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, Eduardo Mendoza, Alicia Bartlett, Javier Azpeitia, and Luis García Jambrina.