Spanish Course Descriptions

SP 110 - Elements of Spanish I (4 Cr.)

Intended for students with little or no knowledge of Spanish. Students will develop communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and understanding of Hispanic cultures. Four contact hours. Prerequisite: Completion of placement exam. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 110V - Elements of Spanish I (4 Cr.)

This is a four-credit course, with three hours a week face-to-face and one hour a week online, in which students will conduct interactive activities with classmates and students abroad. Intended for students with little or no knowledge of Spanish. Students will develop communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and understanding of Hispanic cultures.. Moreno-López and Miranda-Aldaco.

SP 119 - Gateway to Mexico (1 Cr.)

An introduction to Mexican history and culture. It is a half-semester precursor course for students participating in the intensive course abroad in Cuernavaca, Mexico. This course is graded pass/no pass only. Fall semester. Department.

SP 120 - Elements of Spanish II (4 Cr.)

Continued development of the four basic language skills-listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing-within the context of Hispanic cultures. Four contact hours. Prerequisite: SP 110 or SP 110V with a minimum grade of C- or placement. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 120C - Spanish Requirement in Cuernavaca (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #3) Special section SP 120. Continued development of the four basic language skills within the context of Mexican culture. Three weeks of intensive language study in Mexico, coupled with homestays and cultural explorations within the country. Prerequisites: Placement test or SP 110 or SP 110V with a minimum grade of C-. Enrollment in SP 119 during second seven weeks of the fall semester prior to the trip. January intersession. Department.

SP 120V - Elements of Spanish II (4 Cr.)

This is a four-credit course, with three hours a week face-to-face and one hour a week online, in which students will conduct interactive activities with classmates and students abroad. Continued development of the four basic language skills-listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing-within the context of Hispanic cultures. Prerequisite: SP 110 or SP 110V with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Fall and spring semesters. Moreno-López and Miranda-Aldaco.

SP 130 - Intermediate Spanish (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #2) (LER-FL) This course is designed to expand knowledge of the Spanish language and explore the cultural diversity in the Spanish-speaking world through the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This is the third and final course of the lower-division language sequence. Satisfactory completion of the course fulfills the foreign language requirement. Four contact hours. Prerequisite: SP 120, SP 120C, or SP 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 130C - Spanish Requirement in Cuernavaca (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #2 and #3) (LER-FL and LER-SA) Special section of SP 130. Continued development of the four basic language skills within the context of Mexican culture. Three weeks of intensive language study in Mexico, coupled with homestays and cultural explorations within the country. Satisfactory completion of SP 130 in Cuernavaca fulfills the foreign language requirement. Prerequisites: SP 120, SP 120C, or SP 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Enrollment in SP 119 during second seven weeks of the fall semester prior to the trip is required. January intersession. Department.

SP 130E - Spanish/Environmental Studies in Ecuador (7 Cr.)

ES 130E (GEN. ED. #2, #3, and #11) (LER-ENV, LER-SA, LER-FL) This interdisciplinary course allows students to study environmental sustainability issues and Spanish in Ecuador, which is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. This course encompasses a pre-program course and an international field experience that includes field trips to the rain-forest and the San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Islands. Using current environmental problems in Ecuador and elsewhere, this course focuses on environmental politics, economic development, and/or ethical considerations about the relationship between human populations and their surrounding ecosystems. This course also examines the intellectual history of the idea and discipline of ecology, including Darwin's legacy and the importance of the Galapagos Islands in shaping Darwin's thought. Credits will be distributed as follows: 3 credits during the pre-program course in the Spring semester at Goucher (2 Environmental Studies and 1 Spanish), and 4 credits during the three week intensive course in Ecuador (1 Environmental Studies and 3 Spanish). This course will be offered every other year in the Spring semester at Goucher, in combination with a three week intensive course in Ecuador during May/early June. Prerequisite for SP 130: SP 120 with a minimum grade of a C- or placement. Spring semester, alternate years. Department.

SP 130G - Spanish/Astronomy in Granada (8 Cr.)

(AST 110G) (GEN. ED. #2, #3, and #6) (LER-FL) Regularly scheduled every other year in the spring semester at Goucher, in combination with a three-week intensive course in Spain during the month of May. This course will encourage a great deal of interdisciplinary study among our students by studying sciences and Spanish in a Spanish city that is known for its astronomical observations, such as IRAM, and its multiethnic environment. Credits will be distributed as follows: 2.5 Astronomy and one Spanish credit in the spring, and 1.5 Astronomy and three Spanish credits in the summer. Prerequisite: SP 120, SP 120C, SP 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Spring/summer. Spring semester, alternate years. Miranda-Aldaco and Sugerman.

SP 130S - Intermediate Spanish with Community-Based Learning (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. # 2) (LER-FL) Spanish 130S is designed to improve students´ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through a variety of interactive and cultural activities inside and outside the classroom. Students´ will take an active role in the learning experience by participating in the community-based learning component of the course, which involves direct contact with the Spanish-speaking community of area neighborhoods. This is the final course in the 100-level language sequence. Successful completion of this course will fulfill the foreign language requirement. Prerequisite: SP 120, SP 120C, or SP 120V with a minimum grade of C-, or placement test. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 130V - Intermediate Spanish (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #2) (LER-FL) This is a four-credit course, with three hours a week face-to-face and one hour a week online, in which students will conduct interactive activities with classmates and students abroad. This course is designed to expand knowledge of the Spanish language and explore the cultural diversity in the Spanish-speaking world through the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This is the third and final course in the lower-division language sequence Successful completion of this course will fulfill the language requirement. Prerequisite: SP 120, SP 120C, SP 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Fall and spring semesters.. Moreno-López and Miranda-Aldaco.

SP 225 - Cuban Spanish, in Business (4.5 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #2) This interdisciplinary course will allow students to study business management and Spanish in Cuba, a country in transition from a firmly-state-controlled economic structure to a more open economy. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the culture, the language and experience the political and social life of this Spanish speaking country first hand, and in doing so learn how to understand, speak, read, and write at an intermediate language level. The course will be scheduled every other year in the fall semester at Goucher, in combination with a three-week intensive course in Cuba during the Winter session. During the Fall Semester at Goucher, students will obtain 1.5 credits in Business Management and Business Spanish credits. During the three-week in Cuba the 3 Business Management and Spanish credits will be completed. Prerequisite for Spanish: SP 130 or placement. Prerequisite for BUS MGT: None. Department.

SP 229 - Intermediate Readings in Spanish (3 Cr.)

Course is designed for continued development of student's language abilities, emphasizing reading and writing skills through cultural and literary texts. It will include a review of the fundamentals of grammar in the context of the readings. Course does not count toward the Spanish major or minor. Prerequisite: satisfactory completion of foreign language requirement. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 229E - Spanish/Environmental Studies in Ecuador (7 Cr.)

ES 130E (GEN. ED. #2, #3, and #11). This interdisciplinary course allows students to study environmental sustainability issues and Spanish in Ecuador, which is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. This course encompasses a pre-program course and an international field experience that includes field trips to the cloud forest and the San Cristobal Island in the Gal´apagos Islands. Using current environmental problems in Ecuador and elsewhere, this course focuses on environmental politics, economic development, and/or ethical considerations about the relationship between human populations and their surrounding ecosystems. This course also examines the intellectual history of the idea and discipline of ecology, including Darwin's legacy and the importance of the Galapagos Islands in shaping Darwin's thought. Credits will be distributed as follows: 3 credits during the pre-program course in the spring semester at Goucher (2 Environmental Studies and 1 Spanish), and 4 credits during the three week intensive course in Ecuador (1 Environmental Studies and 3 Spanish). This course will be offered every other year in the spring semester at Goucher, in combination with a three week intensive course in Ecuador during May/early June. Prerequisite for SP 130: SP 120 with a minimum grade of a C- or placement test. Spring semester, alternate years. Department.

SP 230 - Intermediate Conversation and Composition (4 Cr.)

Development of conversation and writing skills through the study and discussion of texts, audio, short videos, and full-length films. Special attention is given to the acquisition and active use of everyday vocabulary. Grammar exercises are integrated with the readings and dialogues. Prerequisite: SP130 with a minimum grade of A-, or SP 229, or placement test. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 230S - Intermediate Conversation and Compositions with Community-Based Learning (4 Cr.)

Special section of SP 230. Development of conversation and writing skills through the study and discussion of texts, audio, short videos, and full length films. Special attention is given to examining cultural and social issues that affect Spanish-speaking communities in their countries and in the United States. An integrated community-based learning component will provide the students with meaningful opportunities to increase their language skills while engaging with the local Spanish-speaking community. This interaction time will replace one hour of class each week. Prerequisite: SP 229 or equivalent placement. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 235 - Advanced Conversation and Composition (3 Cr.)

Continuation of the skills introduced in SP 230. Emphasis on critical writing, analytical reading, and advanced conversation required for upper-level courses. Practice of complex linguistic structures, writing of summaries, developing arguments, and interpretation of quotes. The program is structured around four main topics: international politics, immigration, multiculturalism, and Latin-American culture. Prerequisites: SP 230 or placement test. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 238G - Spanish/Astronomy in Granada (8 Cr.)

AST 110G/SP 130G (GEN. ED. #3 and #6) Regularly scheduled every other year in the spring semester at Goucher, in combination with a three-week intensive course in Spain during the month of May. This course will encourage a great deal of interdisciplinary study among our students by studying sciences and Spanish in a Spanish city that is known for its astronomical observations, such as IRAM, and its multi-ethnic environment. Credits will be distributed as follows: 2.5 Astronomy and 1 Spanish credit in the spring and 1.5 Astronomy and 3 Spanish credits in the summer. Prerequisite: SP 130, SP 130C, SP 130V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement test. Spring semester, alternate years. Miranda-Aldaco and Sugerman.

SP 240 - The Critical Pedagogue: Teaching Spanish as a Cross-Cultural Transformative Process (3 Cr.)

In this course student will observe teachers of Spanish, create their own lesson plans, exams and class activities, and practice different methods for teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking and cultural material. Class discussions and readings will revolve around questions such as: Does the neutral/objective teacher exist? Is what one chooses to include or leave out of the curriculum a political act? Students will analyze bias, stereotypes and generalizations in textbook and pedogogical material. They will read in Spanish the book I, Rigoberta Menchu, An Indian Woman in Guatemala and discuss the realities of social and political struggle and their connection to class materials. Students will also examine Spanish and Mexican films, which shed critical views of educational systems and compare them to their own. Prerequisite: SP 235 . Fall semester, alternate years. Moreno-López. Offered 2007-08 and alternate years.

SP 250 - Special Topics in Cultures and Civilizations of the Spanish-Speaking World (3 Cr.)

Introduction to different cultures and civilizations of the Spanish-speaking world. The topic will vary from year to year. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Prerequisite: SP 235. Variable semesters. Department.

SP 254 - Survey of Peninsular Literatures and Cultures: An Exploration of Spain's Literary Journey (3 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #9) (LER-TXT) This course is designed to help students appreciate and enjoy literature as well as to introduce some of Spain's major literary periods, and a variety of Spanish authors. Students will study the evolution of Spanish literature starting in the 12th Century when Spain was still under Arab occupation to the 20th century, concentrating mostly in poetry, short stories and plays. We will explore a variety of texts that reflect Islamic Spain, as well as the Sephardic, Catalonian, Galician and Castilian Traditions. Through the critical analysis of texts, which focus on issues of gender, sexuality, socio-economics and culture, students will understand different worldviews of this multi-cultural country's traditions and how they relate to their contemporary reality. Prerequisite: SP 235 or permission of the instructor. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 260 - Spanish in the Media (4 Cr.)

The media and the press are said to be shaping not only language use, but identity formation among Spanish-speakers in Latin America and the United States. With this in mind, the goal of this course is to explore the emergence of a universal or transnational Spanish that seeks to generate a Pan-Hispanic identity while respecting multicultural perspectives. The course will refine oral and written language skills while viewing diverse media formats: print media, podcasting, blogging, talk radio, and the 30 minute news broadcast. Prerequisite: SP 235. Spring semester. Spring semester, alternate years. Cortés-Conde.

SP 263 - Spanish in the Workplace: Language and Culture (3 Cr.)

(LER-DIV) This course is designed to increase students' knowledge of the Spanish language and the Hispanic culture in preparation for their work in the United States bilingual workplace. The students will have the opportunity to work with the Hispanic community in Baltimore City through a community-based learning approach. The combination of community service and class discussions will allow students to gain a greater understanding of the barriers the Hispanic community face, as well as, the successes achieved in the areas of health care, education, social and legal services. Prerequisite: SP 235 . Spring semester, alternate years. Cortes-Conde and Ramos-Sellman.

SP 265 - The Intrepid Dialectologist: Learning Spanish Through Dialects and Service Learning (3 Cr.)

(LER-DIV) As is the case with most languages, Spanish is not unified or monolithic, it has the multiplicity of varieties that reflect the diverse experiences and culture of a people who defy being categorized by nationality, ethnicity, or race. From Mexico to Argentina and Puerto Rico to Spain, we will uncover these Spanishes and the cultures that make sure of them. The course has a community-based learning component. Contact with the Spanish speaking community in the Baltimore area will give students the opportunity to experience first hand these diversities. Prerequisite: SP 235 or equivalent placement. Fall semester, alternate years. Cortés-Conde.

SP 272Y - Intensive Courses Abroad (8 Cr.)

(ED 272Y) (GEN. ED. #3) INTENSIVE COURSE ABROAD

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION IN COSTA RICA (8) (ED 272Y) (GEN. ED. #3) This interdisciplinary course builds Spanish language skills into the curriculum of education through a seven-week pre-program course in the fall (two credits), a three-week immersion experience in Costa Rica in January (four credits), and a seven-week post-program course in the spring (two credits). This course introduces students to the basic skills and concepts of multiculturalism and how to effectively apply them in a classroom. The first seven-weeks is conducted in English. During the three-week intensive, students will be immersed in the Spanish language, and the final seven weeks will be conducted in Spanish. Prerequisites: SP 230 or permission of the instructor. Variable semesters. Moreno-López and Smith.

SP 290 - Internship in Spanish (Variable 3-4 Cr.)

Projects in which students make use of their foreign language skills in a work environment in this country or abroad with a government agency, business, or nonprofit organization. This course is graded pass/no pass only. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 294 - Survey of Latin-American Literatures and Cultures: Vision de los Vencidos, an Alternative Perspective (3 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #9) (LER - TXT and LER-DIV) This course is designed to help students appreciate and enjoy literature in its historical context as well as to present some of Latin America's major literary periods with their most representative authors. At the beginning of the semester, students study samples of Quechua and Nahuatl poetry, and stories of the Quiche. The colonization of the Américas is approached from the point of view of the colonized. Then, students critically analyze the writings of a 16th century Spanish friar, a 17th century Mexican nun, and authors from the 19th and 20th century from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Students will explore issues of afrocubanism, indigeninsm, and indianism, all movements that have had crucial roles in the social and ethnic configuration of Latin America. Prerequisite: SP 235 or permission of instructor. Fall and spring semesters. Department.

SP 296 - Latin American Studies (1 Cr.)

LAM 105/ HIS 268/LAM 268) This course is an option for students who are proficient in Spanish and who are concurrently enrolled in either LAM 105-Introduction to Latin American Studies or HIS 268/LAM 268-Latin American History: Pre-Columbian to Present. Students and the instructor meet on a regular basis to discuss, in Spanish, the same themes, events, and concepts presented in the companion course. Students enrolled in SP 296 write their exams and assignments in Spanish as well. This course may be taken with either one or both Latin American studies courses, but it may not be taken separately or as a stand-alone course. This one-credit course may be taken with more than one course. Prerequisite: permission of the Latin-American studies director. Corequisite: LAM 105 and/or HIS 268/LAM 268. Variable semesters. Department.

SP 299 - Independent Work (1-4 Cr.)

Fall and Spring semesters. Department.

SP 318 - "Trans-Nationally Queer": Finding a Voice Through Art in the Gay Spanish Speaking World (3 Cr.)

Starting with Denmark in 1989, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Argentina and Mexico have already granted civil rights to their gay citizens. But, artists, film directors, authors, pop singers, actors and actresses have been contributing for decades not only to the pop culture of the gay Spanish speaking world but also to its rich literary tradition. Through novels, films, songs, art pieces, essays and articles we are going to analyze the evolution of the queer movement in different Spanish speaking communities around the world and we are going to compare it to the on-going struggle in the U.S. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294 or equivalent placement. Variable semesters. Moreno-Lopez.

SP 320 - Fable, Fantasy, and Francoism: Narratives of the Spanish Civil War (3 Cr.)

This course examines the representation of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath in both film and fiction. Students will study and analyze a variety of narratives, some fictional and some historical, about the Spanish Civil War and the Post-Civil War era. We will also analyze a number of films that emphasize the effects of the war on cultural and personal liberties. Special emphasis will be given to the experience of marginalized groups, such as women, children, gays, and lesbians. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294. Variable semesters. Zavales Eggert.

SP 328 - Crime and Punishment in Latin American Cinema (3 Cr.)

The objective of this seminar is to explore film narratives and examine the world-view represented in them. In order to understand different world-views one must compare them; thus, the overall objective is to explore the representation of crime in Latin American cinema and compare it with that of U.S. filmmakers. This course will utilize film studies as a backdrop to discuss and explore cultural differences in the understanding of crime, responsibility, and punishment. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294. Variable semesters. Cortés-Conde.

SP 332 - Special Topics in Spanish Peninsular Literature (3 Cr.)

Literary themes and genres in Spanish peninsular literature. The topic will vary from year to year and may include Spanish peninsular short story, theatre, or novel. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294. Variable semesters. Department.

SP 340 - Social Criticism Through Written and Visual Texts (3 Cr.)

Students will explore social issues from the different periods of Spanish history through the study and critical analysis of three literary works and their representation in films. The first, El perro del hortelano, a baroque play of the Spanish Golden Age, sheds a critical light on social classism through a comedy that focuses on love and jealousy. The second, the novel and film Crónica del rey pasmado, narrates the story of a young king living in the Spanish Golden Age, who is torn by the attraction he feels towards his wife and the precepts of the Catholic Church. Finally, we will examine La familia de Pascual Duarte, the founding novel of the genre known as tremendismo. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294. Variable semesters. Moreno-López.

SP 345 - Special Topics in Latin American Literature (3 Cr.)

Literary themes and genres in 20th-century Latin American literature. The topic will vary from year to year. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Topics may include the Latin American short story, theatre, or novel. Prerequisites: SP 254 or SP 294. Variable semesters. Murphy and Zavales Eggert.

SP 360 - Special Topics in Spanish Translation (3 Cr.)

The topic will vary from year to year and may include translation for content specific areas (such as business, literature, medicine); translation vs. interpretation; dubbing and subtitles in films; and on-line language translators. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. Prerequisite: SP 254 or SP 294 . Variable semester. Variable semesters. Department.

SP 400 - Independent Work (1.5-4 Cr.)

Fall and spring semesters. Department.