Spanish
The goals of our Spanish program at Cal Lutheran 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 Cal Lutheran 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).
SPAN 282. Selected Topic. (4).
SPAN 282C. ST: Select topic (core). (1-4).
Select Topic approved for core requirement.
SPAN 285. Barcelona Through the Looking Glass. (To experience the mathematics that allowed Gaudi to create his unique structures. (6)).
The major purposes of this course are (1).
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 303/303. Don Quijote and Modern Fiction. (4,4).
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 482C. ST: Select Topic (core). (1-4).
Select Topic approved for core requirement.
SPAN 490. Independent Study. (1-4).
SPAN 492. Internship. (1-4).
SPAN 496. Directed Research Directed Research. (1-3).