AC Home > Programs of Study > Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures >

LANGUAGE COURSES


COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (CLT) LTE 140 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE (CLASSICAL EMPHASIS): THE BEGINNINGS OF WESTERN LITERATURE

The development of three genres of ancient literature (epic, drama, and lyric) and the differences in their means of expression. Through the literature, students will also be introduced to the culture, myths, ideas, and history of the Greek and Roman worlds. Readings in English translation from poets such as Homer, Vergil, Sophocles, Euripides, Sappho, and Catullus. Catto, Staff/Three credits

LTE 140 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the form and structure of various genres of literature. Readings are drawn mainly from world literature in English translation. Class discussion and writing assignments will make use of such critical concepts as points of view, imagery, and tone. (Spring and Fall) Begley, Zielonka, Staff/Three credits

CLT 205 LITERARY FOUNDATIONS OF THE WEST


This course considers some of the great themes of the West as they are played out in literature. The Fall semester’s work (CLT 205) concentrates on questions raised by the texts about the role of heroes and their relationship with their ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum. communities, about honor, authority, obedience, rebellion, and the place of the gods or God in the lives of human beings. Cotter, Howe/Three credits

CLT 206 LITERARY FOUNDATIONS OF THE WEST II


The Spring’s work (CLT 206) continues our investigation of the above questions, particularly in the light of the modern insistence on the pre-eminence of the individual person rather than on the community. Howe, Ramsey/Three credits

CLT 210 CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY

This course introduces the central myths of ancient Greece and Rome. Myths give us insight into ancient and contemporary culture, and students are encouraged to draw connections between ancient myths and modern analogues. Much of the course is spent examining the original evidence for ancient myths, poems, plays, inscriptions, temples, sculptures, and paintings. Topics include myths of creation, the Olympian gods, ancient religion, and the hero. The nature of myth and various interpretative theories of myth are also explored. (Spring) Nelson/Three credits

CLT 211 MYTH IN EPIC

Study of the development of the genre of epic with readings in English drawn from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Hesiod’s Theogony, Apollonius’ Voyage of Argo, Lucretius’ The Nature of Things, Vergil’s Aeneid, and Ovid’s Metamorphoses. (Spring) Catto, Staff/Three credits

CLT 212 MYTH IN TRAGEDY

Reading in English of Aeschylus’ Oresteia and Prometheus Bound, and representative tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides, and the Roman poet Seneca. Emphasis on dramatic poetry as a source for the study of Greek mythology. (Spring) Catto/Three credits

CLT 213 GREEK AND ROMAN COMEDY

Reading in English of representative comedies of Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, and Terence, and their influences on later authors.(Spring) Catto, Staff/Three credits

CLT 234 CERVANTES’ DON QUIXOTE


Close reading and analysis of the complete text of Cervantes’ masterpiece in translation, concentrating on the understanding and enjoyment of the author’s art and thought. (Not available for students who completed SPA 334.) Begley/Three credits

CLT 251 MODERN GERMAN MASTERPIECES

This course is designed to familiarize students with the works of a variety of 20th-century German writers. In addition to such well-established authors as Kafka, Hesse, Mann, and Brecht, more recent writers like Gunter Grass, former East German writer Christa Wolf, and Heinrich Boll, the 1972 Nobel Prize winner for literature, will be discussed. Same as GER 251. (Fall) Solbakken, Staff/Three credits

CLT 252 RUSSIAN LITERATURE

This course concentrates on some of the major Russian writers of the 19th and 20th centuries. It studies the works of these authors not only for their artistic value, but also as products of the cultural milieu in which they were composed. Readings will be selected from the following novelists: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Gogol, Biely, Olesha, Bulgakov, and Pasternak. 20th-century poets will be represented by Alexander Blok, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Sergei Essenin, Anna Akhmatova, Osip Mandelstam, Boris Pasternak, and Mariana Tsvetayeva. Staff/Three credits

CLT  253  CONTEMPORARY  SPANISH-AMERICAN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION


A reading and analysis of representative works of Fuentes, Borges, Cortazar, and others who constitute the vanguard of the current literary “boom” in South America. Works will be read in English. Begley/Three credits

CLT 256 LATINO VOICES

The course explores the themes of cultural and national identity in major novels, collections of short stories, television programs, film and non-fiction created by Latino writers of the United States. The class will attempt to answer the following questions: What are the characteristics of the Latino text? Does the fact that a writer or director heralds from Hispanic descent necessarily render her or his fictional product a Latino text? Is there really one, sole Latino community represented in the texts, or rather, do we encounter a plurality of definitions of community? How does each text’s structure reflect the themes of transculturation and immigration? How does each writer and director use language(s)? Why are most of these texts written or performed primarily in English? Why do they narrate the experiences of young adolescents who emigrate to the United States? How has the existing body of critical studies on these texts affected the production of a Latino canon? Prerequisite: LTE 140 or equivalent. Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

CLT 260 20TH-CENTURY LITERATURE

An introduction to some of the major European writers of the 20th Century. Particular emphasis is placed on how these writers interpreted and survived (most of them) the dark times which engulfed the continent during the last 75 years. Authors include some Russian, German, French, Italian, and Greek writers. (Fall) Staff/Three credits

** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum.

CLT 266 ITALIAN CINEMA


The course provides an introduction to Italian cinema. Students will explore the nature of neorealism, the hallmark of the Italian cinematic tradition, through an examination of the development of the film industry, the socio-historical situation, and the literary tradition within the Italian peninsula. The study of neorealism, which involves discussion of directed readings and screenings of classics by Rossellini, De Sica, and Visconti, provides a basis for the examination of ensuing movements and Italian “auteurs,” such as Fellini, Antonioni, Bertolucci, Pasolini, and others. Films may be screened at times other than regular class meetings when running times are extended. Bonanno/Three credits

CLT 269 EXISTENTIALISM AND THE HUMAN CONDITION


Close reading and analysis of the works of some noted 20th- Century writers whose primary concern is the study of the human condition in an existential frame of reference. Offered in English translation. Authors will include Malraux, Sartre, Camus, de Beauvoir, Gide, and Marcel. Staff/Three credits

CLT 276 WOMEN AND FILM


This course seeks to understand the role of women in cinema, both as makers of film and as objects of the camera. It explores the history of women as directors, scriptwriters, and entrepreneurs—among other positions—especially during the early years of the film industry. Students analyze important critical essays on how films represent female sexuality and interpret films in light of these readings. Special attention is given to issues of melodrama and spectatorship. Films from both Hollywood and world cinema are screened to enable students to appreciate the critique representations of women in different cultures. (Spring) Kercher/Three credits

CLT 290 ROMANTIC LOVE IN THE FRENCH NOVEL


Close reading and analysis of the theme of romantic love in representative French novels. Offered in English translation. Authors will include Mme. de la Fayette, Prevost, Laclos, Constant, Stendhal, Flaubert, and Zola. Zielonka/Three credits

CLT 295 SPECIAL TOPICS

Staff/Three credits

CLT 299 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Staff/Three credits

FRENCH (FRE)

All courses, whether lower-division or upper-division, are conducted largely or entirely in French, unless otherwise specified.

FRE 101A FRENCH I


For students with no previous knowledge of French or who need a review of basic vocabulary and grammatical components. The emphasis in this course is on speaking and oral comprehension. Work with video and audio tapes. Media fee $15. (Fall) Bierfeldt/Three credits

FRE 102A FRENCH II


Continuation of French I, aimed at developing students’ language skills: oral comprehension and expression, reading, and writing. Work with video and audio tapes. Prerequisite: French 101, one or two years of high school French, or equivalent. Media fee $15. (Fall and Spring) Bierfeldt/Three credits

FRE 103A FRENCH III


Continued development of communicative competency in the French language. The course will stress a review of French grammar, and correct pronunciation and comprehension of the spoken language. Prerequisite: French 102, two or three years of high school French, or equivalent. Media fee $15. (Fall and Spring) Howe, Zielonka, Staff/Three credits

FRE 104A FRENCH IV

A continuation of French III with an introduction to more advanced aspects of French grammar, as well as readings, skits, videos, and conversation practice. For students who have completed FRE 103 or an equivalent course. Media fee $15. (Spring) Howe, Zielonka, Staff/Three credits

FRE 110 FRENCH IV/V


This intensive course will provide well-motivated students an opportunity to accelerate their progress in the French language. In one semester it will cover the equivalent of FRE 104 and 120 (fourth and fifth semesters of college language study). Instruction time will be double that of regular language courses: six hours per week. Students in small groups will also participate in weekly drill sessions with a student assistant. The course is designed to intensify the students’ experience through greater immersion in the target language and culture. The course emphasizes all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Besides a thorough review of grammar, it includes cultural and literary readings, newspaper and television news, and video material. This course counts for two courses (six credits); it may fulfill the foreign language requirement. Three credits may count toward the Major or six toward the Minor. Work with tapes. Media fee $15. Prerequisite: FRE 103 or equivalent. (Fall) Bierfeldt, Howe, Zielonka/Six credits

FRE 120 FRENCH V

For students who wish to expand and deepen their command of the four language skills: speaking, listening, ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum. Reading, and writing. Prerequisite: FRE 104 or equivalent. Students who have taken FRE 110 are not eligible for the course. (Fall) Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 140 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE: FRENCH LANGUAGE


This course is designed to acquaint the student with the form and structure of the various genres of literature through the close reading and analysis of selections from French prose, poetry, and drama. Prerequisite: FRE 110 or 120 or equivalent. (Spring) Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 210 PROBLEMS IN FRENCH GRAMMAR


For students at an advanced level who need a systematic review of French morphology and syntax, with emphasis on the particular problems of the members of the class. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 251 MAIN CURRENTS OF FRENCH LITERATURE I


Reading and analysis of works representative of the most significant currents in French literature from Chanson de Roland to Voltaire. Prerequisite: FRE 140. Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 252 MAIN CURRENTS OF FRENCH LITERATUREII

Reading and analysis of works representative of the most significant currents in French literature from Chateaubriand to Camus. (Fall) Prerequisite: FRE 140. Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 301 ADVANCED FRENCH COMPOSITION


The purpose of the course is to learn to write clear and accurate French, as well as to develop effective compositional technique for narrative or persuasive essays. Selected prose passages are studied as written models. Prerequisite: FRE 251 or 252, or permission. Howe/Three credits

FRE 302 FRENCH ORAL EXPRESSION

An advanced course for students who desire greater fluency while continuing to increase their proficiency in pronunciation and intonation. (Fall) Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 304 FRENCH STYLISTICS

Readings, discussion, written exercises, and translation of selected texts designed to make the student aware of the major stylistic differences between the French and English languages. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course, and Junior/Senior standing, or permission of the instructor. Howe, Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 310 FRENCH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION I


An analysis of what constitutes the French way of life as seen in the arts, the social structure, the philosophy, and the history of France from the French Revolution to the present. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 332 MOLIERE, RACINE, AND CORNEILLE: MASTERPIECES OF FRENCH THEATRE


Students will study plays by the great classical dramatists Corneille, Moliere, and Racine. Close readings of the plays will alternate with general discussions of theatrical conventions of the 17th Century and comparisons between playwrights. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe/Three credits

FRE 350 ROMANTICISM

In this course students will discover one of the most influential movements in French literature: Romanticism. Marketing a reaction against the Classicism of the previous two centuries, this movement dominated the French literary scene in the first half of the 19th century. The course will begin by tracing the origins of Romanticism in certain works of the late 18th century, before embarking on the study of representative Romantic texts in all three literary genres: poetry, prose and theater. In addition, we will look at Romantic characteristics in the art and music of the period. Howe/Three credits

FRE 354 19TH-CENTURY FRENCH FICTION

Close reading of representative novels of the 19th century, with emphasis on the works of Balzac, Stendhal, Flaubert, and Zola. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 361 20TH-CENTURY DRAMA

Close reading of representative plays of the 20th century by authors such as Claudel, Giraudoux, Anouilh, Sartre, Ionesco, and Beckett. Discussion of theatrical and dramatic techniques characteristic of each playwright. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe/Three credits

FRE 364 CONTEMPORARY FRENCH FICTION


Close reading and analysis of works representative of the most significant currents of modern and contemporary prose fiction in France from Gide and Proust to the “nouveau roman.” Prerequisite: any Main Currents class. (Spring) Zielonka/Three credits

FRE 366 TOPICS IN FRENCH CINEMA


The main aims of this course will be to use French cinema to improve students’ knowledge of and interest in French culture and history; to discuss how films can portray historical events, and to think about the techniques and aesthetics of film-making. Films used in the course will illustrate different aspects of French culture and give a

** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum. picture of contemporary life at the time in which they are set. Some may center on important social or historical moments. Topics may vary by semester. In addition to viewing seven or eight movies, students will read several short historical and literary texts concerning the periods covered by the films. The course will be conducted in French. Prerequisite: FRE 251 or 252. Howe/Three credits

FRE 390 INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH POETRY

A close reading of representative poems. The course includes some selections from the Middle Ages and 16th/17th centuries, but concentrates mostly on poetry of the 19th and 20th centuries. Characteristics of different poets and different poetic movements will be analyzed. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe/Three credits

FRE 392 EXPLICATION DE TEXTES


Explication of texts as practiced in France: detailed study and interpretation of short selections from French literature. Half of the texts studied will be poems, but we will also analyze prose passages and a play. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Howe/Three credits

FRE 401-409 SPECIAL TOPICS

Staff/Three credits

FRE 401-409 INDEPENDENT STUDY


Staff/Three credits

GERMAN (GER)

GER 101A GERMAN I

An introduction to the German language aimed at developing beginning skills in oral comprehension and expression, reading, and writing. Three hours of class work with tapes and computer software. Media fee $15.00. (Fall) Solbakken/Three credits

GER 102A GERMAN II

Continuation of German I. Aimed at further developing the language skills. Three hours of class work with tapes and computer software. Media fee $15. (Spring) Solbakken/Three credits

GER 103A GERMAN III


Systematic review of grammar. Graded readings. Three hours of class. Media fee $15. Prerequisite: GER 102 or equivalent (Fall) Solbakken/Three credits

GER 104A GERMAN IV

Systematic review of grammar. Graded readings. Three hours of class. Media fee $15. Prerequisite: GER 103 or equivalent (Spring) Solbakken/Three credits

GER 251 MODERN GERMAN MASTERPIECES


This course is designed to familiarize students with the works of a variety of 20th-Century German writers. In addition to such well-established authors as Kafka, Hesse, Mann, and Brecht, more recent writers like Gunter Grass, former East German writer Christa Wolf, and Heinrich Boll, the 1972 Nobel Prize winner for literature, will be discussed. Students of German will be expected to do some of the work in German. Same as CLT 251. Solbakken/Three credits

GER 295 SPECIAL TOPICS


Solbakken/Three credits

GER 299 INDEPENDENT STUDY


Subject and/or authors studied to be chosen by student with approval of professor. Solbakken/Three credits GREEK (GRK)

GRK 101A GREEK

I An introduction to classical Greek language, literature, and culture. Emphasis on the grammatical structures and vocabulary which will enable students to read Greek texts with understanding and facility. (Fall) Catto, Staff/Three credits

GRK 102A GREEK I I


A continuation of Elementary Greek with increased attention to cultural material. (Spring) Catto, Staff/Three credits

GRK 201 GREEK III


Review of basic grammar and introduction to the more advanced points of Greek syntax. Selected readings from Plato’s Apology of Socrates. The completion of Greek 101-102, or—with permission of instructor—one year of high school Greek is required for admission. Catto/Three credits

GRK 202 GREEK IV

The class will read selections from the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, or the comedies of Aristophanes. Open to students who have completed Greek 201. Catto, Staff/Three credits

GRK 301 SPECIAL TOPICS


Catto/Three credits

GRK 310 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Area and/or authors studied to be chosen by student with approval of professor. Catto/Three credits **

Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum.

ITALIAN (ITA)

ITA 101A ITALIAN I


An introduction to the Italian language aimed at developing from the beginning the language skills: oral comprehension and expression, reading, and writing. Work with tapes. Media fee $15. (Fall) Bonanno, Bezhani, Staff/Three credits

ITA 102A ITALIAN II


A continuation of Italian I. Aimed at developing further the language skills through oral/aural drills and graded readings. Work with tapes. Media fee $15. Prerequisite: ITA 101 or equivalent. (Spring) Bonanno, Bezhani, Staff/Three credits

ITA 103A ITALIAN III

For students who wish to develop their knowledge of grammar in order to expand their ability to express themselves both orally and in writing. Work with tapes. Media fee $15. Prerequisite: ITA 102 or equivalent. (Fall) Bonanno, Staff/Three credits

ITA 104A ITALIAN IV

Continuation of ITA 103A. (Spring) Bonanno, Staff/Three credits

ITA 120 ITALIAN V: CONVERSATIONAL ITALIAN AND GRAMMAR REVIEW


This course is designed for students who wish to enhance their proficiency in Italian. The main points of Italian grammar will be reviewed and expanded through traditional exercises and conversations on current topics. Italian news as well as magazine articles and literary excerpts will be used. Prerequisite: ITA 104 or equivalent. (Fall) Bonanno/Three credits

ITA 140 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE: ITALIAN LANGUAGE

This course is designed to introduce students to the form and structure of various genres of literature through the close reading and analysis of selections from Italian prose, poetry, and drama. Prerequisite: ITA 120 or equivalent. Bonanno/Three credits

ITA 295 SPECIAL TOPICS

Bonanno/Three credits

ITA 299 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Area and/or authors studied to be chosen with approval of professor. Bonanno, Staff/Three credits

LATIN (LAT)

LAT 101A LATIN I

An introduction to Latin language, literature, and culture. Emphasis on the grammatical structures and vocabulary which will enable the student to read Latin texts with understanding and facility. (Fall) Catto, Nelson, Staff/Three credits

LAT 102A LATIN II

A continuation of Latin I with increased reading of narrative passages and an introduction to cultural material. (Spring) Catto, Staff/Three credits

LAT 201 LATIN III

For the student who wishes to increase the facility and accuracy with which he/she reads classical Latin. The class will consist of review of grammar and readings which focus on the daily lives of Romans of the first centuries B.C. and A.D. Readings will be drawn from the prose letters of Cicero and Pliny, and the poetry of Catullus, Horace, and Martial. Prerequisite: LAT 101-102, or at least two years of high school Latin. (Fall) Catto, Staff/Three credits

LAT 202 LATIN IV

The class will read selections from the poetry of the Golden Period of Latin literature. Readings will be drawn primarily from the epics of Lucretius and Vergil, and will focus on the themes of creation and foundations. Prerequisite: LAT 201or by permission of the professor. (Spring) Catto, Staff/Three credits

LAT 301 ADVANCED READINGS IN LATIN LITERATURE

Extensive reading from major authors drawn from the following categories: Roman drama, epic, historians, oratory, philosophy, satire, and elegiac, lyric, and pastoral poetry. Readings will change each semester in accordance with the interests of the students. Prerequisites: LAT 201 and 202, or by permission of the professor. Catto, Staff/Three credits

LAT 310 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Subject and/or authors studied to be chosen with approval of professor. Catto, Staff/Three credits

LINGUISTICS (LIN)

LIN 101 INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS


An introduction to the basic theory, methods, and findings of modern linguistics, with an emphasis on language as a system of human knowledge. Topics include animal communication; language acquisition; the structure of sounds, words, and sentences; meaning; and language variation and change. Aubin, Staff/Three credits

LIN 221 SOCIOLINGUISTICS

The dynamics of language as a social and cultural phenomenon. Importance of the various groups speakers belong to (social class, ethnic group, sex, age, occupation ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum. and geographic area, for example), and what speakers do on particular communicative occasions (the interrelations of speaker, addressee, audience, topic, channel, and setting). Aubin, Staff/Three credits

LIN 231 GENERAL PHONETICS

The nature of speech sounds; articulation; intonation; distinctive feature analysis; introduction to I.P.A. alphabet; transcription practice; basic principles of acoustic phonetics. (Spring) Aubin/Three credits

LIN 391 SPECIAL TOPICS

Designed to permit the study of a selected topic which may change each time the course is offered. (Offered when warranted) Aubin, Staff/Three credits

LIN 399 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Aubin, Staff/Three credits

SPANISH (SPA)

SPA 101A SPANISH I

For students who have no previous knowledge of Spanish. An audio-video introduction to language in a cultural context. Media fee $15. (Fall) Warren, Staff/Three credits

SPA 102A SPANISH II

An audio-video approach to learning language in a cultural context. Prerequisite: SPA 101, one or two years of high school Spanish, or equivalent. Media fee $15. (Fall and Spring) Warren, Staff/Three credits

SPA 103A SPANISH III


Continued development of communicative competency in Spanish language and Hispanic culture including a variety of media. Prerequisite: SPA 102, or two or three years of high school Spanish, or equivalent. Media fee $15. (Fall and Spring) Guerrero-Watanabe, Leone, Kercher, Staff/Three credits

SPA 104A SPANISH IV

Integration of all skills. Reading skills using contemporary selections are developed through a process approach. Cultural topics present insights into the characteristics of Hispanic people, art, and literature. Prerequisite: SPA 103 or equivalent. (Fall and Spring) Grijalva, Kercher, Staff/Three credits

SPA 110 SPANISH IV/V

This intensive course will provide well-motivated students an opportunity to accelerate their progress in the Spanish language. In one semester it will cover the equivalent of SPA 104 and SPA 120 (fourth and fifth semesters of college language study). Instruction time will be double that of regular language courses: six hours per week. Students in small groups will also participate in weekly drill sessions with a student assistant. The course is designed to intensify the students’ experience through greater immersion in the target language and culture. The course emphasizes all four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Besides a thorough review of grammar, it includes cultural and literary readings, newspaper and television news, and video material. This course counts for two courses (six credits); it may fulfill the foreign language requirements. Three credits may count toward the Major, six toward the Minor. Media fee $15. Prerequisites: SPA 103 or equivalent. (Fall) Grijalva, Leone/Six credits

SPA 120 SPANISH V: CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH AND GRAMMAR REVIEW


This course helps develop oral language competency in Spanish, while increasing vocabulary and reviewing grammatical structures. The main objective is to enable students to understand lectures in the language, converse on everyday topics, read material of average difficulty, and express points of view on current issues with acceptable correctness. Prerequisite: SPA 104 or equivalent. Not open to students who have completed SPA 110 Spanish IV/V. (Fall and Spring) deMoor, Guerrero-Watanabe, Staff/Three credits

SPA 140 INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE: SPANISH LANGUAGE

Designed for students to become active readers of literature and develop skills. The students are introduced to the form and structure of various genres of literature through the close reading and analysis of selections from Spanish and Spanish-American prose fiction, poetry, and drama. Prerequisite: SPA 110, 120 or equivalent. (Spring) Begley, Grijalva, Guerrero-Watanabe, Leone/Three credits

SPA 210 PROBLEMS IN SPANISH GRAMMAR

For students at an advanced level who need a systematic review of Spanish morphology and syntax. Emphasis will be placed on special problems such as the use of subjunctive, prepositions, and pronouns, and “ser/estar.” Particular problems of members of the class will also be considered. (Fall) Prerequisite: SPA 140 or equivalent. Begley/Three credits

SPA 220 SPANISH COMPOSITION

Designed to develop skills in descriptive, narrative, and expository writing in Spanish, this course emphasizes the process of writing. It deals with strategies for generating and organizing ideas through pre-writing, composing, writing, and editing. Writing activities help expand and refine grammatical structures, range of vocabulary, and rhetorical techniques. Not open to students who have completed SPA 301. Prerequisite: SPA 140 or equivalent. Grijalva, Staff/Three credits ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum.

SPA 251 MAIN CURRENTS OF SPANISH LITERATURE I


A survey of classical Spanish literature from The Cid to Calderon. Students will be introduced to the study of peninsular literature through the reading and analysis of representative selections from the major works produced during this period. Prerequisite: SPA 140. Begley/Three credits

SPA 252 MAIN CURRENTS OF SPANISH LITERATURE II

A survey of modern Spanish literature from Romanticism to the Generation of 1898. Students will be introduced to the major generic and thematic developments in the literature of this period through the reading and analysis of representative selections from major authors and their works. (Fall) Prerequisite: SPA 140. Begley, Leone/Three credits

SPA 253 MAIN CURRENTS OF SPANISH-AMERICAN LITERATURE I


A critical study of literary periods and movements from pre- Columbian literature to the end of Realism and Naturalism. Reading and analysis of representative selections from major works. Not open to students who have taken SPA 256. (Fall) Prerequisite: SPA 140. Grijalva/Three credits

SPA 254 MAIN CURRENTS OF SPANISH-AMERICAN LITERATURE II

A critical study of the most significant currents in Spanish- American literature from Modernism to the present. Reading and analysis of representative selections from major works. Prerequisite: SPA 140 Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 256 COLONIAL ENCOUNTERS IN SPANISH AMERICA

A survey of Spanish-American literature from pre- Columbian times through Independence in the early 19th Century. Interdisciplinary in approach, this course examines the impact of Spanish colonialism in the New World. Themes and issues are approached from both an historical and literary perspective. By critically using primary sources and other colonial literature, the course explores the nature of Spanish-American literary and historical development during the Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and early Romantic periods. Some of the themes include the transition from pre-Columbian to Colonial society; the Spanish conquest and evangelization and their impact on the development of a mestizo society; and finally the development of Spanish-American consciousness and national identity. Prerequisite: SPA 140. Not open to students who have completed SPA 253. Same course as HIS 256. Grijalva/Three credits

SPA 301 ADVANCED SPANISH COMPOSITION


An advanced course in writing, with an emphasis on creativity and development of syntax, vocabulary, and style. Study of prose models in a variety of styles. (Spring) Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Guerrero-Watanabe, Staff/Three credits

SPA 302 ADVANCED SPANISH ORAL EXPRESSION


A systematic study of various forms of public discourse through discussion and debate on controversial issues. Designed for students with a sophisticated command of Spanish who seek to increase their fluency and develop cultural awareness. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 310 SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION I

General background: history, geography, art, and social structures. Detailed analysis of Medieval, Renaissance, and Golden Age life and culture in Spain. Assigned readings and written reports. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 311 SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION II

Modern Spain: detailed analysis of the period following the War for Independence (1808). Special emphasis will be placed on Spain’s political climate, the Civil War of 1936- 39, and the post-Franco democratic revival. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley, Kercher/Three credits

SPA 312 SPANISH-AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION I


Detailed analysis of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations, and colonial times through the study of history, art, music, social structure, and thought. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Not open to students who have taken SPA 256. Grijalva/Three credits

SPA 313 SPANISH-AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION II


Detailed analysis of life and culture during the period of independence, and contemporary times as seen in the intellectual and artistic achievements of the Spanish-American nations. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Grijalva, Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 315 CARIBBEAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE

This course explores the cultural and social institutions of the Spanish Caribbean in the 19th and 20th centuries. Special emphasis will be placed on the racial dynamics and political events that have shaped the culture of all three nations: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum.

SPA 316 EMERGING MODERNITY IN THE HISPANIC WORLD


The main objective of this course is the expansion of each student’s understanding of the social and political events, artistic production, literary texts and culture of four countries in the Hispanic world: Spain, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The course focuses on the transition towards the historical period of the 20th century that we will refer to as “modernity.” Throughout the course, we will make use of readings, films, music and the Internet in order to develop a more complete understanding of the complex modes of cultural production. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 320 MEDIEVAL SPANISH LITERATURE


This course is designed to explore the origins of Spanish literature in the Middle Ages. Readings will include principal works from the lyric and narrative traditions as well as the beginnings of drama in the peninsula. Works will be discussed in social and cultural contexts. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Staff/Three credits

SPA 331 SPANISH DRAMA OF THE GOLDEN AGE


Close reading and analysis of representative plays of the 16th and 17th centuries. Class discussion and written assignments. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 333 SPANISH MYSTICISM

A humanistic study of Spanish mysticism as seen in the works of several major religious authors of the Renaissance and the Counter-Reformation in Spain. Close reading and analysis of representative works, with special emphasis on Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Kercher/Three credits

SPA 334 CERVANTES: EL QUIJOTE


Close reading and analysis of the complete text of Cervantes’ masterpiece, concentrating on the understanding and enjoyment of the author’s art and thought. Discussion and short papers. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 336 SPANISH PICARESQUE


Analysis of representative works of the picaresque genre; its portrait of Spanish society; social criticism and contribution to universal literature and film. Emphasis will be placed on Lazarillo de Tormes, Guzmán de Alfarache, Buscón, and Rinconete y Cortadillo. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Kercher/Three credits

SPA 354 19TH-CENTURY SPANISH NOVEL

Study and analysis of representative works of the 19th Century with special emphasis on Pérez Galdós and Pardo Bazán. Discussion and reports. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 359 GENERATION OF 1898

A close reading and analysis of representative works by writers who formed the group known as the Generation of 1898: Miguel de Unamuno, Antonio Azorín, Pío Baroja, Ramón del Valle-Inclán, and Antonio Machado, among others. The course will attempt to analyze their special development of universal literary themes and the evolution of their personalized style. (Fall) Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 365 CONTEMPORARY SPANISH NOVEL

Close reading and analysis of prose works by 20th and 21st- Century Spanish authors. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Kercher, Leone/Three credits

SPA 366 TOPICS IN SPANISH CINEMA

This course presents issues of Spanish culture and history through close analysis and discussion of films of major Spanish directors from the 1950s to the present. Topics will vary by semester. This course is taught in Spanish. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Kercher, Leone/Three credits

SPA 381 20TH-CENTURY SPANISH-AMERICAN DRAMA

Close reading and analysis of representative playwrights since World War II. The focus will be on significant movements in Spanish-American theater. The playwrights discussed will be those who have been responsive to world currents and to the cultural development of their countries. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Staff/Three credits

SPA 384 20TH-CENTURY SPANISH-AMERICAN PROSE FICTION

Study of major developments in the Spanish-American fiction of this century. The course examines texts by Asturias, Borges, Carpentier, Fuentes, Puig, García Márquez, Cortázar, Allende, Poniatowska, and others. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Staff/Three credits

SPA 385 SPANISH-AMERICAN SHORT FICTION


A study of the short narrative in Spanish-American literature since the turn of the century. Special attention is given to formal and thematic characteristics, as well as to diverse contexts. Readings include works by Borges, Cortázar, Rulfo, Valenzuela, Ferré, among others. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 386 LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA


This course focuses on key films of the last sixty years from the major national film industries of Latin America, foremost Mexico, Cuba and Argentina. It explores how these films interpret important socio-historical and cultural issues, such as development, national identity, class, gender, and ethnicity. ** Courses so designated may be taken to satisfy the second literature requirement in the General Education curriculum. This course also introduces the student to basic sequence analysis and film vocabulary in Spanish. The course is taught in Spanish. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Kercher/Three credits

SPA 387 MODERNISMO


A comparative study of Modernismo in Spanish-American poetry and its manifestations in Spain, with an emphasis on the work of Martí, Nájera, Darío, Silva, Lugones, Chocano, Reissig, the Machados, Jiménez, and Valle-Inclán. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. deMoor, Guerrero-Watanabe/Three credits

SPA 390 INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH POETRY


An introduction to the Spanish system of versification which is illustrated through the study and analysis of representative works of Spanish and Spanish-American poets. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Begley/Three credits

SPA 396 SPANISH-AMERICAN/LATINA WOMEN WRITERS

This course explores the work of Spanish-American women writers and Latina writers of the United States. The main objective is to examine key authorial strategies as they relate to race and gender issues, class distinction, ideology, social conventions, and cultural identities. Students read literary texts by Sor Juana, Avellaneda, Castellanos, Poniatowska, Allende, Ferré, Gambaro, Menchú, Cisneros, Prida, and Agosín, among others, along with selected critical studies. Readings vary by semester. Prerequisite: any Main Currents course. Staff/Three credits

SPA 401-409 SPECIAL TOPICS


Staff/Three credits

SPA 410-419 INDEPENDENT STUDY

Available only to highly qualified students who wish to develop a special interest but cannot find a suitable course among the regular offerings. (Offered when warranted) Staff/Three credits

 

Did you Know?

More than 40% of Assumption undergraduates eventually go on to graduate school.

 

                              Introducing Assumption >     Academics                      Campus Life                          Admissions                            Financial Aid