Spanish
The goals of our Spanish program at CLU are proficiency in the language and a high degree of familiarity with Hispanic literature and culture. In order to achieve these goals, we offer a wide variety of courses, from language through literature, linguistics and culture.
Most of our majors and minors go into teaching, some into private industry and some into government service. Our program tries to address itself to the needs of these students by preparing them for an increasingly pluralistic and globally oriented society as well as a competitive career world. To that end and because language and literature are inseparable from a cultural context, our program has a strong cultural orientation. In all of our courses, we strive to develop in our students an understanding of as many aspects of Hispanic culture and civilization as possible in conjunction with the subject focused on. We also place a strong emphasis on developing students’ critical thinking skills in all our courses and many are conducted in Spanish in order to develop students’ proficiency in the language.
Spanish faculty use interactive lectures, group work, entertaining cultural activities, such as singing, video and film presentations, computer-aided presentations and exercises to give the students a well-rounded learning experience. A computer lab is available to enhance this experience outside the classroom.
In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of cultural activities on campus, such as the Dia de los Muertos and Las Posadas celebrations in the fall, as well as the Encuentros festival in the spring. They also can become members of the Spanish honor society, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi and participate in the Latin American Students Association.
We strongly encourage majors and minors in Spanish to study abroad. The Spanish Department sponsors a program in Guanajuato, Mexico, which provides students with an excellent opportunity to polish their language skills through immersion in the culture. Other opportunities to spend a semester or junior year abroad at any one of a variety of universities in Spain and Latin America are available through the CLU Study Abroad Program
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish:
32 credits minimum, 32 credits upper division
SPAN 301 | Conversation and Composition | 4 |
SPAN 315 | Spanish Literature and Society | 4 |
SPAN 325 | Spanish American Literature and Society | 4 |
SPAN 401 | Applied Linguistics and Grammar | 4 |
SPAN 405 | Latin-American Culture and Civilization Capstone (Capstone) | 4 |
One Spanish 400-level course | 4 | |
Two Spanish upper division electives | 8 | |
Total Hours | 32 |
At the discretion of the department, a relevant course in another discipline, such as POLS 443 , may be substituted for the upper division elective. In addition, an oral proficiency exam is required before graduation.
Minor in Spanish
12 credits minimum, 12 credits upper division taught in Spanish
SPAN 301 | Conversation and Composition | 4 |
SPAN 401 | Applied Linguistics and Grammar | 4 |
Any upper division literature, film or culture course | 4 | |
Total Hours | 12 |
Students interested in teaching Spanish should refer to the Chair of the Spanish Department for information about the Spanish subject matter program. (See Education)
Courses
Lower Division
SPAN 101/102. Elementary Spanish. (4,4).
A beginning study of the language. Introduces
students to the essentials of grammar with basic
skills of listening, speaking, reading and
writing within a communicative cultural context.
Prerequisite: SPAN 101: 0-2 years of high school
Spanish; SPAN 102: SPAN 101 or 3-4 years of high
school Spanish.
SPAN 201/202. Intermediate Spanish. (4,4).
Continuing development of the four communicative
skills. Emphasis on vocabulary building and the
use of Spanish in practical situations. Includes
cultural and literary readings and a grammar
review. Prepares students to move into advanced
conversation and composition. Prerequisites:
SPAN 201: SPAN 102 or equivalent or satisfactory
score on proficiency exam; SPAN 202: SPAN 201 or
equivalent or satisfactory score on proficiency
exam. (SPAN 201 offered in fall; SPAN 202 offered
in spring).
Upper Division
SPAN 301. Conversation and Composition. (4).
Intended to further the student's conversational
ability, with emphasis on speaking and writing
grammatically correct Spanish. Increased
understanding of the Hispanic world through
reading and discussion. Prerequisite: SPAN 202.
Conducted in Spanish. (offered in fall).
SPAN 303. Don Quijote and Modern Fiction. (4).
This course is designed to trace the influence of
Don Quijote on contemporary fiction and film. It
will involve the study of the work itself as well
as that of other select works from Western
literature for comparison purposes, focusing on
literary aspects as well as the historical,
social and cultural context. Instructor's consent
is required. Note: This class is offered in
English and may not be taken for the Spanish
minor. (cross-listed with HNRS 303).
SPAN 305. Introduction to Literature in Spanish. (4).
This course introduces students to the study of
literature in Spanish through the reading of
short literary texts. Students study literary
terminology and methods of analysis and practice
the analysis and discussion of literature in
Spanish. Texts are selected from across literary
periods from Spanish and Spanish-American
authors. Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 315. Spanish Literature and Society. (4).
Designed to familiarize students with major
authors of Spanish literature from its beginning
to present times. A study of selections viewed in
their cultural and historical contexts will
highlight the extent to which these authors were
influenced by the ideology of their times and how
their writings, in turn, relate to contemporary
thought. Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 325. Spanish American Literature and Society. (4).
Designed to familiarize students with major
authors of Spanish American literature from its
beginning to present times. A study of selections
viewed in their cultural and historical contexts
will highlight the extent to which these authors
were influenced by the ideology of their times
and how their writings, in turn, relate to
contemporary thought. Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 361. Contemporary Chicano Literature. (4).
Intended as a basic exploration of the literature
of the Chicano people. This representative
synthesis covers the principal genres of poetry,
theatre, the novel, the short story and the
essay. A historical framework establishes the
different periods of Chicano creativity from its
origins through the civil rights movement and to
contemporary times. Note: This class is offered
in English and may not be taken for the Spanish
minor. (cross-listed with ENGL 361).
SPAN 401. Applied Linguistics and Grammar. (4).
This course provides students with phonetic,
phonological, morphological and syntactic aspects
of the Spanish language in its synchronic and
diachronic contexts. Includes grammar, reading
and writing and has a lecture and discussion
format. Conducted in Spanish. (offered in spring).
SPAN 405. Latin-American Culture and Civilization Capstone. (4).
Intended to deepen student's knowledge of the
development of the institutions of the
Spanish-American peoples, and to improve their
conversational ability. Includes lectures oral
participation and oral and written reports.
Conducted in Spanish (offered in spring).
SPAN 461. Mexican Literature. (4).
Critical study of selected representative
readings from pre-Columbian writers/poets,
through the novel of the Revolution to the
present. Emphasis on socio-cultural contexts as
well as the literary values of the texts.
Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 463. Women Writers in Hispanic Literature. (4).
Women have long contributed to the wealth of
literary production in the Spanish language. This
course profiles the writings of women from
different parts of the Hispanic world and may
include issues of gender, race and ethnicity.
Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 470. Film in Spanish. (4).
This course introduces students to important
developments in cinema in the Spanish-speaking
cultures. Different types of film are shown and
analyzed from an aesthetic perspective and in
relationship to Spanish and Spanish American
history, literature, art and society. Conducted
in Spanish.
SPAN 482. Selected Topics. (1-4).
SPAN 490. Independent Study. (1-4).
SPAN 492. Internship. (1-4).