Spanish Course Descriptions

SPAN - 101-102. First and Second Semester Spanish (4-4)

A two-semester sequence designed specifically for students with no previous Spanish. Activities and tests designed to accommodate the early stages of language acquisition; grammatical structures and lexical items presented accordingly. Emphasizes the development of communication skills: the ability to comprehend native speakers of Spanish, to speak Spanish with them, to understand Spanish-language texts, and to communicate ideas in Spanish. Both 0127-101 and 0127-102 are offered in Fall and Spring.

SPAN - 103. Intensive Spanish (8)

An intensive introduction to the Spanish language that allows students to take two semesters in one. Ideal for anyone who has had some Spanish in high school and/or placed into First Semester Spanish on theplacement exam with a high score. Students may choose to continue on to the third semester in Puebla, Mexico, over the intersession.

SPAN - 180. Poetry in San Francisco (4)

This course examines the role, the reception and the influence of poetry in the San Francisco Bay Area. It looks at the interactive relationship that American poetry and the city of San Francisco have had with each other, with particular attention to the Beat Poets.

SPAN - 201. Third Semester Spanish (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 101-102. A one-semester intensive review of the basic structures of Spanish. Class conducted in Spanish, with activities designed to practice and consolidate all language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural readings to expand vocabulary, stimulate discussion, and broaden students' understanding of the Hispanic world. Offered every semester. Cross Listed With: LAS - 201

SPAN - 202. Fourth Semester Spanish (4)

Students develop reading, speaking, and writing skills, and expand their active vocabulary. The readings (which explore economic development, education, environment, politics, and social institutions in Latin America) are the core of the course, serving as the basis for class discussion and essays and for the selective review of grammar. Students learn to read/write discipline specific content in preparation for upper level classes at USF or abroad. Discussion, essays, grammar exercises, individual lector sessions, tests. Offered every semester. Cross Listed With: LAS - 202

SPAN - 203. Latin American Literature (4)

Offered in English. Representative works of various countries to show Latin American literature in its social context. Historical coverage from pre-Columbian American peoples to contemporary writers. Course is conducted in English. Offered every Fall. Cross Listed With: LAS - 203

SPAN - 205. Indigenous American Literature and Film (4)

Offered in English. An introduction to the complex cultural world of the indigenous peoples of the early Americas, beginning with California and moving southward: Mexico, Central America, and South America. Offered every semester.

SPAN - 207. Invisible Cities: Literature and Film (4)

Offered in English. This course considers an otherwise neglected area of American literature which depicts the alienation and marginalization of persons, rendering them nearly invisible to their contemporaries. Because the course at times studies sensitive and controversial issues it is recommended for Juniors or Seniors. Offered every Fall.

SPAN - 220. Spanish Conversation for Specific Disciplines: Psychology, Business, Health Science, Law (4)

Conversation class for students in a particular discipline. Students will read Spanish-language articles and selections from books on topics specific to their field. In-class discussions and activities, individual presentations, quizzes (written and oral) on content and vocabulary. Discipline alternates. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 221. Spanish for Bilingual Students (4)

Prerequisite: Native speaking abilities, no junior high or high school study in a Spanish-speaking country, and a placement score between 66 and 80. Native speakers who score more than 80 on the Placement Test should register for Spanish 114. Students will study the Spanish language with an eye to improving their linguistic skills. This may take the form of improving spelling, expanding vocabulary at formal registers, broadening the range of topics controlled in written and oral expression, and so forth. Offered every semester.

SPAN - 230. Spanish Conversation (4)

Students expand vocabulary and develop flexibility and proficiency by means of extensive conversation. May be repeated once for credit after an interval of one semester. Designed for native speakers of English. Offered every semester.

SPAN - 242. Latino Literature and Film in the West (4)

Offered in English. This course considers writers who bring a deeper understanding to the Hispanic-Latino-American experience in California and in the West. Both Hispanic-Latino and non-Hispanic-Latino writers are studied. Works are read and discussed in English in a seminar style. Cultural on-site experiences are integral to course objectives. Offered every Spring.

SPAN - 245. Spanish and Spanish Speakers in California, the U.S. and San Francisco (4)

Who speaks Spanish in the US? What kind of Spanish do they speak? What does it mean to be a Spanish-speaker in the US/California/San Francisco - to a Spanish speaker and to an English speaker? We will examine historical realities, language varieties, and the relationships between language and identity, language and culture. Using sociolinguistic methods, we will explore a variety of contemporary social and political issues associated with the presence of Spanish and Spanish-speakers in the U.S. in California, and in San Francisco, among them language legislation and bilingual education. Sources include published book and articles, web resources, and community contacts.

SPAN - 250. Cultures in Contact and Conflict (4)

Offered in English. Examines the co-existence of three cultures (Islamic, Jewish, and Christian) in Medieval Iberia to illustrate varied modes of cultural interaction, the effects of which are visible in history, religion, philosophy, science, language, and the arts. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 271. Feminist Discourse and Feminist Theories in Latin American Literature (4)

Offered in English. A study of novels, short stories, and poems by Latin American, Latino-Latina, and indigenous writers in the light of current theories of feminist criticism. Exploration of issues such as writing of desire and the body, revisionist readings and race, class and religion as they affect gender issues. Offered every Spring.

SPAN - 285. Language and Culture in Latin America (English) (4)

This course examines the languages and cultures of Meso- and South-America that were overlaid by Spanish. In addition to an overview of the languages and cultures themselves, students will explore such issues as (1) the relationship between language and culture, language and nation, (2) colonial policies concerning indigenous languages, (3) contemporary language policies, and (4) the endangerment of indigenous languages.

SPAN - 303. Latin American Literature I (4)

This course covers a representative sample of the literature written in Latin America from the inception of Colonial power to Independence (from the 15th to the 19th century). Course is conducted in Spanish. Cross Listed With: LAS - 303

SPAN - 304. Latin American Literature II (4)

This course covers a representative sample of the literature written in Latin America from the end of the 19th century to the present. Course is offered in Spanish.

SPAN - 310. Introduction to the Analysis of Literary Texts (4)

Students will focus on oral and written expression through an introduction to the analysis of literary texts. In addition to learning the Spanish-language terminology of literary analysis, students will read short works (poetry, short stories, dramatic texts), practice the concepts and techniques of analysis in class discussion, and write short essays on those texts. Offered every semester.

SPAN - 311. Advanced Oral and Written Expression (4)

Students will focus on oral and written expression through an introduction to specific text genres. In addition to a brief review of idiosyncratic structures and the construction of complex sentences, students will read brief texts representative of (primarily) non-literary genres: definition, summary, description, narration, exposition, meditative essay, and critical essay. These texts will serve as models for both written (short essays) and oral practice (the discussion of texts and the ideas presented in them).

SPAN - 327. Spanish Literature I (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310. This survey focuses on key works of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Golden Age. Offered every Fall.

SPAN - 328. Spanish Literature II (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310. This survey will trace an emerging category of writing called literature from the Enlightenment to the present. Offered every Spring.

SPAN - 332. Survey of Spanish-American Literature (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310. Covers the development of Spanish-American literature from the pre-Columbian period to the present. Poses questions about its uniqueness and its relationship to world literature. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 335. Twentieth Century Spanish-American Literature (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310. Studies various attempts to define cultural identity and artistic expression in the work of the boom novelists, black poets, etc. Course given in Spanish. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 342. Latino Literature and Film in the West (4)

This course considers writers who bring a deeper understanding to the Hispanic-Latino-American experience in California and in the West. Both Hispanic-Latino and non-Hispanic-Latino writers are studied. Works are read and discussed in Spanish in a seminar style. Cultural on-site experiences are integral to course objectives. Offered every Spring.

SPAN - 350. Cultures in Contact and Conflict (4)

Examines the co-existence of three cultures (Islamic, Jewish, and Christian) in Medieval Iberia to illustrate varied modes of cultural interaction, the effects of which are visible in history, religion, philosophy, science, language, and the arts. Works are read and discussed in Spanish. Offered intermittently

SPAN - 355. Cultural Studies of Spain (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310 or instructor. A social and cultural survey from Medieval Spain to the present, focusing on history, literature, music and the visual arts, including film. Works to be discussed will consider how cultural forces and significant figures have influenced contemporary Spain. Class sessions will be conducted in Spanish.

SPAN - 360. Studies in Latin American Culture (4)

This course combines historical, social, and artistic perspectives. Course offered in Spanish. Topic varies. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 371. Feminist Discourse and Feminist Theories in Latin American Literature (4)

A study of novels, short stories, and poems by Latin American, Latino-Latina, and indigenous writers in the light of current theories of feminist criticism. Exploration of issues such as writing of desire and the body, revisionist readings and race, class and religion as they affect gender issues. Works are read and discussed in Spanish. Offered every Fall.

SPAN - 380. Cervantes: Spanish Major Course (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 310. The life and works of Cervantes, with emphasis on the Quixote. Class to be given in Spanish. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 385. Language and Culture in Latin America (Spanish) (4)

This course examines the languages and cultures of Meso- and South-America that were overlaid by Spanish. In addition to an overview of the languages and cultures themselves, students will explore such issues as (1) the relationship between language and culture, language and nation, (2) colonial policies concerning indigenous languages, (3) contemporary language policies, and (4) the endangerment of indigenous languages.

SPAN - 398. Directed Reading and Research (1-4)

The written permission of the instructor, the department chair and the dean is required. Offered every semester.

SPAN - 401. Building Bridges: ESL in the Spanish Speaking Community (4)

This course is a hybrid course, combining classroom lecture and discussion with on-line activities, in addition to the service component of the course: teaching English as a Second Language to members of Mujeres Unidas y Activas, a grassroots organization of immigrant Latin American women based in San Francisco. The class focuses on issues of immigration in the US, discrimination based on gender and ethnicity (and collective and individual responses to such forms of oppression), and the role of critical education in challenging injustice.

SPAN - 402. Service Learning Project (4)

Students teach English As a Foreign Language to Mujeres Unidas y Activas, a grassroots organization based in the San Francisco Women's Building. They learn about immigration issues in the U.S., gender and race discrimination, foreign language teaching techniques, and the role of education in challenging injustice. Cross Listed With: LAS - 402

SPAN - 410. Spanish Linguistics: Phonetics and Phonology (4)

Recognition, description, and transcription of the sounds of Spanish; discussion of intonation, rhythm, pitch, and stress.

SPAN - 411. Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (4)

Overview of basic fields of linguistic analysis (syntax, morphology, phonology, semantics) and consideration of sub-fields (dialectology, bilingualism and biculturalism, language change).

SPAN - 412. Bilingualism: Cultures and Languages in Literature (4)

Prerequisite: SPAN - 411 or equivalent introduction to linguistics. Topic varies: Spanish dialectology, bilingualism and biculturalism, language change, or contrastive linguistics. Offered intermittently.

SPAN - 413. Dante's Divina Commedia (4)

A close study of Dante's great work, this course encourages an aesthetic appreciation of the poem. It follows Dante's prescription for reading the Commedia: consider its historical context and engage the poem's erudition and multiple allusions from Classical Antiquity. It will also look at the poem's influence on contemporary literature, as well as reflect on the ethical, political and spiritual relevance of the Commedia in our days. Cross Listed With: SII - 413

SPAN - 470. Honors Senior Thesis (4)

Offered every semester.

SPAN - 480. Senior Seminar: Writing Women and Women Writing in Medieval Spain (4)

Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. This course examines a full range of medieval Iberian women's lives, as the women and their lives were written, and as women wrote ABOUT themselves and their own lives.

SPAN - 481. Senior Seminar: Latin American Literature (4)

Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. Possible topics: film and the Hispanic Novel; the new Spanish-American novel; and race, class, and gender in Spanish-American literature.