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