Spanish and PortugueseSpanish 110- Elementary Spanish I
Staff
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Course Description
Spanish 110 is a first-semester language course that emphasizes the development of foundational listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Through listening activities and videotaped interviews with native speakers, your aural and oral abilities will improve at the same time that you will become familiarized with different varieties of standard spoken Spanish. You will be given ample opportunities to practice orally and in writing so that you can reinforce newly acquired vocabulary and grammatical structures. Reading strategies will facilitate your comprehension of the texts included in the course syllabus. Readings focused on a specific country or region, visual items (such as maps, photos, films) and a class project will advance your knowledge of Hispanic cultural practices and products while increasing your intercultural competence.
Conducted entirely in Spanish, this class will provide you with guided practice before moving to more independent and spontaneous language production. Working in small groups and in pairs, you will participate in class activities that simulate real-life situations that will help you gain confidence communicating in Spanish.
Goals
By the end of this course you can expect to handle a variety of day-to-day situations in a Spanish-speaking setting:
- Greet and introduce people, invite people to events, accept or reject invitations, ask for directions, tell time, shop and order meals in a restaurant
- Talk about yourself, family, and friends regarding physical and emotional states, daily routines, leisure, preferences and plans
- Use the information learned in class about the Hispanic world as an icebreaker to find common ground with people from the countries that we have studied
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 112- Elementary Spanish I and II: Accelerated
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
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’ foundational listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Through listening activities and mini documentaries shown in class, students will develop their aural and oral skills at the same time that they will become familiarized with different varieties of standard spoken Spanish. Students will be given ample opportunities to practice orally and in writing so that they can reinforce newly acquired vocabulary and linguistic structures. Readings focused on a specific country or region, visual items (such as maps, photos, and films) and a class project will advance students’ knowledge of Hispanic cultural practices and products while increasing their intercultural competence.
Goals
By the end of this course students can expect to handle a variety of day-to-day situations in a Spanish-speaking setting such as:
- Introduce themselves, use greetings, describe people, places and things, give instructions, tell time, go shopping, order meals in a restaurant, and make travel plans
- Talk about themselves, families, and friends regarding academic life, daily routines, health, work, leisure, and preferences (using the present and past tenses)
- Use the cultural information learned in class as an icebreaker to find common ground with a wide a variety of Spanish speakers
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 115- Spanish for the Medical Professions, Elementary I
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 115 is a first-semester elementary Medical Spanish Language course and the first in the Spanish for 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 already taken Spanish 110 will not receive credit for Spanish 115. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level. Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement (AP, SAT II, etc.) or have taken courses at the 200- and 300-level may not take basic level language courses (100-level courses) in the same language. They will not receive credit for this course (Spanish 115).
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 121 Elementary Spanish
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 121 is designed for students who have some prior experience in Spanish. It is an intensive elementary-level language course that in one semester covers the material studied over two semesters in our 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 in other Spanish courses, Spanish 121 emphasizes the development of foundational listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Through listening activities and mini documentaries shown in class, students will develop their aural and oral skills at the same time that they will become familiarized with different varieties of standard spoken Spanish. Students will be given ample opportunities to practice orally and in writing so that they can reinforce newly acquired vocabulary and linguistic structures. Readings focused on a specific country or region, visual items (such as maps, photos, and films) and a class project will advance students’ knowledge of Hispanic cultural practices and products while increasing their intercultural competence.
Conducted entirely in Spanish, this class will provide you with guided practice before moving to more independent and spontaneous language production. You will participate in paired, small-group and whole-class activities that simulate real-life situations that will help you gain confidence communicating in Spanish.
Goals
By the end of this course students can expect to handle a variety of day-to-day situations in a Spanish-speaking setting such as:
- Introduce themselves, use greetings, describe people, places and things, give instructions, tell time, go shopping, order meals in a restaurant, and make travel plans
- Talk about themselves, families, and friends regarding academic life, daily routines, health, work, leisure, and preferences (using the present and past tenses)
- Use the cultural information learned in class as an icebreaker to find common ground with a wide a variety of Spanish speakers
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
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Intermediate Language Courses
Spanish 130 Intermediate Spanish I
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 130, a first-semester intermediate-level course, emphasizes students’ acquisition of new vocabulary and linguistic structures in a cultural and communicative context while building on their previous speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills. A substantial amount of the course is devoted to learning and using the past tenses. As in other Spanish courses, students will take part in a wide range of activities including video blogging, role-plays, film viewings, listening to music, and class discussions of current social and cultural topics. Unique to this course is the creation of a “cultural journal” throughout the semester in which students pursue their own interests in the Spanish-speaking world while taking advantage of some of the rich resources within Philadelphia’s own Hispanic community.
Goals
By the end of this course students can expect to handle a variety of common situations in a Spanish-speaking setting such as:
- Narrate past actions, ranging from personal anecdotes to historical events
- Give advice, recommendations, and commands to people
- Express their feelings and doubts when reacting to what others have said
- Talk about their future expectations and wishes
- Demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Hispanic cultural practices and products
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 135- Spanish for the Medical Professions, Intermediate I
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 135 is a first-semester intermediate-level 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 everyday situations that they may encounter at work settings such as doctors’ offices, clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms in order to develop meaningful and accurate communication skills in the target language. Students will also review and acquire other essential tools of communication in the target language applicable both within and outside the medical field. 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 already taken Spanish 130 will not receive credit for Spanish 135. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level. Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement (AP, SAT II, etc.) or have taken courses at the 200- and 300-level may not take basic level language courses (100-level courses) in the same language. They will not receive credit for this course (Spanish 135).
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 140 Intermediate Spanish II
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 140 is a fourth-semester language course that both reinforces and enhances the communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) previously acquired while exploring the rich cultural mosaic of the Spanish-speaking world. Class activities are designed so that students can build up these four skills in order to function at an intermediate language level. Readings focused on contemporary social and political issues of the Hispanic world will advance your knowledge of Hispanic cultural practices while increasing your intercultural competence. Unique to this course is the preparation of an oral presentation on a topic related to the Hispanic world throughout the semester and presented during the last days of classes. The purpose of this task is to help students develop their presentational competence in Spanish.
Conducted entirely in Spanish, this class will provide students with ample opportunities to work in small groups and in pairs while gaining confidence communicating in Spanish. This course satisfies the language requirement at Penn.
Goals
By the end of this course students can expect to handle a variety of situations in a Spanish-speaking setting such as:
- Express their opinions on a variety of contemporary events and issues
- Defend their position when presented with a hypothetical situation
- Deliver short presentations on a chosen subject after thorough preparation
- Demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Hispanic cultural practices and products
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
Spanish 145 Spanish for the Medical Professions, Intermediate II
Staff
See Timetable for time(s)
Course Description
Spanish 145, the continuation of Spanish 135, is an intermediate-level integrated skills language course. It emphasizes the development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities. Students will be expected to participate actively in classroom activities such as communicative activities, role-playing based on typical doctor/patient interactions as well as other medical situations. Students will also review and learn other essential tools of communication applicable both inside and outside the medical field. Students who have already taken Spanish 140 will not receive credit for Spanish 145. Although these courses have different numbers, they are at the same level.
Students who have already fulfilled the language requirement (AP, SAT II, etc.) or have taken courses at the 200- and 300-level may not take basic level language courses (100-level courses) in the same language. They will not receive credit for this course (Spanish 145).
Prerequisites & Credit Regulation Form
The prerequisites for registering for this course are clearly detailed in the Credit Regulation Form (to be updated August 2018).
Students will have to complete and submit this form during the first week of classes so their instructors can verify that they are enrolled in the appropriate course.
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
See Timetable for time(s)
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 II: Grammar and Composition
Staff
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 202 or equivalent
Spanish 212 is an advanced-level language course that emphasizes the acquisition of the tools necessary for successful written expression in Spanish. These tools include a solid knowledge of the major points of Spanish grammar, an ample vocabulary, control of the mechanics of the language (spelling, punctuation, etc.), and a thorough understanding of the writing process. Throughout the semester students will use these tools to analyze authentic texts and to produce a variety of written assignments. By the end of the course students will have developed their awareness of the norms of standard Spanish and learned to incorporate these features into their own writing. The class will be conducted in Spanish and students are expected to speak in Spanish at all times.
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 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 Introduction to Literary Analysis
Staff
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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. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 319: History of the Spanish Language
Prof. Esposito
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
This course will explore three 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 pre-Roman influences, the spread of Latin, the linguistic fragmentation of the Peninsula, medieval attempts at standardization, the rise of the Academía and the linguistic revival of the Autonomías. As critical readers, we shall interpret these linguistic cultures in light of their foundational ideologies and how they contribute towards the creation of a national philological imaginary.
(2) The internal history of the Spanish language: Just when did Latin become Spanish? Why are some linguistic changes predictable while others aren’t? Why don’t Spanish speakers say fiestivo or duermimos? But what about cuentista? Why do some Spanish speakers say hablastes, siéntensen and la di el libro a María? And that lisping king?
(3) What did the earliest Spanish texts look like?
No prior knowledge of Latin or linguistics is necessary, but having an unquenchable curiosity about language is a definite advantage.
This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 348-301 Don Quijote
Prof. Solomon
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As a foundation work of world literature and Hispanic culture, every student of Spanish will benefit from reading Miguel de Cervantes’ novel El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. This course is designed to shepherd students through the novel, highlighting its major characters, plot points, themes, historical contexts, and literary techniques, while reinforcing an understanding of the work through 400 years of audiovisual representation—illustrations, cinematographic adaptations, animated versions, and musical scores. Course requirements include weekly worksheets and a short final project. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 380-301 Spanish Nationalism and the Generation of 1898
Prof. Guadalupe
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"Generation of '98" is the name used to bring together a group of Spanish writers, essayists and poets that were profoundly affected by the moral, social and political crisis in Spain caused by the military defeat against the US and which meant the loss of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines in 1898. The shock of Spain’s defeat in the war, which left it stripped of the last vestiges of its empire and its international prestige, provided an impetus for many writers and thinkers to embark on a period of self-searching and an analysis of Spain’s problems and its destiny. Novelists, poets, essayists, playwrights and thinkers such as Miguel de Unamuno, Antonio Machado, Azorin, Ramiro de Maeztu, Valle-Inclan, Ganivet, and Pio Baroja reinvigorated Spanish letters and restored Spain to a position of intellectual and literary prominence that it had not held for centuries. Some of the topics covered in this course will include Spanish nationalism and the identification of Spain with Castile, regionalisms, the crisis of Spain, tradition and reform, religion, Spain in the world, etc. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 388-401 Immigrants, Tourists, and Vagabonds in Spanish Cinema
Prof. Prof. Caballo-Marquez
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This course will focus on the study of different representations of Otherness in the context of Contemporary Spanish Cinema. The images of immigrants, tourists, and vagabonds will guide our analysis of some of the new trends and topics in Spanish Film. We will first analyze some of the representations of immigration that have emerged in Spanish Cinema since the end of the 20th century. In the context of the financial crisis that hit Spain hard after 2008 (and other previous crises), we will also explore the characterization of a variety of “vagabonds”. And lastly, and as a counterpoint to these previous ways of looking at Otherness, we will also consider various representations of the tourist, a more privileged vantage point. The course is mainly a survey of Contemporary Spanish Cinema, and its aim is to introduce students to the study of cinema, as well as make them familiar with the linguistic and theoretical tools employed in the study of film in general. We will study the works of directors such as Fernando León de Aranoa, Montxo Armendáriz, Icíar Bollaín, Chus Gutiérrez, Jesús Ponce, and Toni Bestard, among others. The course will be conducted entirely in Spanish.
Spanish 388-402 Contemporary Spanish Cinema
Prof. Moreno Caballud
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A survey of Spanish cinema from the 1940’s to the present. Special attention will be paid to the political, cultural, and social discourses that the films reproduce, adapt or question. This will allow an understanding of the implicit or explicit social dialogues that shaped cinematographic production in Spain from the post-civil war years, through Franco’s dictatorship, the advent of the democratic state in the 1970’s, and the economic and political crises of the 21st century. At the same time, films will be analyzed from the standpoint of their rhetoric construction, examining the specificity of cinematic language and its particular uses in each case.
Spanish 390-401 Contemporary Colombian Literature: A History of Violence and Redemption
Prof. Montoya
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Prerequisite(s): Spanish 219 or Spanish 223.
Colombia has recently become a case of international interest. After fifty years of internal armed conflict, the government and the oldest communist guerrilla in the world signed a peace agreement. However, in a surprising result, voters rejected the treaty in a public referendum. How does one explain these simultaneous longing for peace and will to continue war?
This seminar will explore the particularities of the Colombian case through narrative and movies, combining different theoretical approaches, from postcolonialism to gender studies, but focusing on the relationship between literature, cultural productions, and political history and theory. We will analyze the causes and effects of the persistent violence in the country, the emergence of guerrillas, the rise of narco ‘capos’, the ‘guerra sucia’ against progressive political parties --and the constant struggle of the Colombian people to overcome this history of violence, and to build a more inclusive and democratic country. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 390-402 Animals and Animality in Latin American Literature
Prof. Brock
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In this class we will ask how animals – as characters, narrators, and tropes in literature – shed light on major philosophical and ethical questions: What makes us human? Where do the privileges and protections afforded to our fellow human beings end? How do we attend to the non-human world and attempt to understand perspectives different form our own? We will consider not only how representations of animals and animality challenge anthropocentric world views but also how they play into discourses of class, race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, civilization, state power, and civil rights in Latin America. Readings will be drawn primarily from twentieth-century Latin American literature and will include the works of Horacio Quiroga, Clarice Lispector, Jorge L. Borges, Manuel Puig, and João Guimarães Rosa among others. Course requirements include short written assignments, quizzes, an oral presentation, and a final paper. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 395-401 Theatrical Modernity and Postmodernity in Latin America
Prof. Feliciano Arroyo
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This course will focus on the theatrical tradition of Latin America during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In addition to reading some of the most influential playwrights of the region, we will discuss the aesthetic theories and sociohistorical contexts that have shaped contemporary Latin American and Latino theater and performance practices. We will also explore how the stage has served as a space in which to represent, debate, negotiate, and complicate issues related to national, gender, political, and ethnic communities and identities. The class will be taught in Spanish.
Spanish 396-401 Urban Life in Contemporary Latin American Literature
Prof. Knight
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Cities exist not just in their geography, but in their spirit, and that spirit is captured in literature. In this course we will read compelling works from Mexico City, Lima, and Buenos Aires that represent life in these Latin American capitals at different points between 1950 and the present. As we explore fiction and non-fiction writing by established authors (including Fuentes, Poniatowska, Vargas Llosa, Ribeyro, and Aira) and emerging writers (including Luiselli, Enríquez, and Alarcón), we will learn about the forces and events that have shaped narratives of the urban experience in Latin America. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 396-402 Literature and Science in Latin America: Theory and Aesthetics
Prof. Carlo
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During the second half of the XIX C. the received paradigms of science underwent monumental shifts. These shifts, coupled to numerous evolutionary advances in established fields of study, the creations of vast new fields of research, and the constant progress of technology had the effect of challenging traditional conceptions of the universe and humans’ role in it.
The conceptual revolutions that followed had a profound effect in the schema of the philosophers, writers, and poets of the age who were forced to grapple with the ontological and epistemological implications entailed by these new, and sometimes strange, worldviews.
This course intends to study the ways in which Spanish American writers and thinkers dealt with the new understanding and the paradigm shifts implied by the advancements in science. In the process, we will examine the manner in which literature can become a space for strict scientific and philosophical disquisitions, the role that scientific theories can play in literary discourse, the way in which the historical and sociological developments of science are perceived by writers, and the different attitudes that said writers adopt towards science. Finally, class discourse will include an introduction on the ways in which the electronic revolution has affected artistic creation and the writer’s perception of human life. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 397-401 Literature and Film of the Cuban Revolution
Prof. Brock
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In addition to having generated a rich corpus of literature and film, the Cuban Revolution lies at the epicenter of what remain urgent questions surrounding the relationship between art and politics: What makes art revolutionary? How do literature, film, and photography contribute to the telling of history, the formation of ideology, and the idolization of political figures? What responsibility do writers, filmmakers, and artists have to engage with politics, and what freedoms must they be afforded in order to be effective agents of critique? These are some of the questions we will tackle as we analyze Cuban literature and film created on the island and abroad over the last sixty years. Course requirements include short written assignments, quizzes, an oral presentation, and a final research paper. This course will be conducted in Spanish.
Spanish 397-402 Architecture of Latin American Identities
Prof. Grabner Travis
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Current sociological theory maintains that identities, like meanings of utterances in a conversation, are not fixed and unchanging. Rather, they are socially constructed, negotiated through our interactions with others in the world around us. This course will explore such constructions in an attempt to elucidate just a few of the many layers of experience that contribute to the conception of a “Latin American” identity, in both social and personal terms. We will study a variety of sources of literary, cultural and academic origins that theorize, identify and exemplify various means of expressing or manifesting identity, including religion, gender, family, ethnicity, nationality or citizenship, and even language and traditions. This class will be conducted in Spanish.