Course Descriptions

Spanish | Latin American Studies | Study Abroad Programs

SP 110. ELEMENTS OF SPANISH I (4)
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.

SP 110V. ELEMENTS OF SPANISH I (4)
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.

SP 119. GATEWAY TO MEXICO (1)
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.

SP 120. ELEMENTS OF SPANISH II (4)
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.

SP 120C. SPANISH REQUIREMENT IN CUERNAVACA (4) (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.

SP 120V. ELEMENTS OF SPANISH II (4)
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.

SP 130. INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (4) (GEN. ED. #2)
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, 120C, or SP 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement.

SP 130C. SPANISH REQUIREMENT IN CUERNAVACA (4) (GEN. ED. #3)
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, 120C, or 120V, with a minimum grade of C- or placement. Enrollment in SP 119 during second seven weeks of the fall semester prior to the trip is required.

SP 130G. SPANISH/ASTRONOMY IN GRANADA (8) (AST 110G) (GEN. ED. #2, #3, AND AST 110G #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 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.

SP 130S. INTERMEDIATE SPANISH WITH COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING (4) (GEN. ED. # 2)
This is a four-credit course, with three hours a week face-to-face and one hour a week working in Centro Latino. 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.

SP 130V. INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (4) (GEN. ED. #2)
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.

SP 205. GATEWAY TO COSTA RICA (1)
Gateway to Costa Rica is a seven-week introductory course focusing on Costa Rican history and culture. Students will continue to develop the four language skills, with an emphasis in writing. This course is a required precursor course for students participating in the Costa Rica program in May/June 2010. This course is pass/no pass only. Prerequisite: satisfactory completion of the foreign language requirement in Spanish. Prerequisite: SP 130, SP 130C, SP 130G, SP 130S, SP 130V with a minimum grade of C- or placement.

SP 229. INTERMEDIATE READINGS IN SPANISH (3)
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. q

SP 229CR. INTERMEDIATE SPANISH IN COSTA RICA (4) (GEN. ED. #3)
Special section of SP 229. Continued study and development of the four basic language skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with emphasis on reading and writing skills through cultural and literary texts. Three weeks of intensive language study are complemented by cultural excursions, academic talks and homestays. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of foreign language requirement in Spanish or placement; enrollment in the Gateway to Costa Rica course during second seven weeks of the spring semester prior to the trip is required.

SP 230. INTERMEDIATE CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION (4)
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: SP 229 or placement.

SP 230CR. INTERMEDIATE SPANISH IN COSTA RICA (4) (GEN. ED. #3)
Special section of SP 230.With an emphasis on writing and conversation, language skills are enhanced through the study and discussion of cultural and literary texts. Special attention is given to the acquisition and active use of everyday vocabulary within the Costa Rican culture. Three weeks of intensive language study are complemented by cultural excursions, academic talks and homestays. Prerequisites: SP 229 or placement; enrollment in the Gateway to Costa Rica course during second seven weeks of the spring semester prior to the trip is required.

SP 235. ADVANCED CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION (3)
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.

SP 238G/ SPANISH/ASTRONOMY IN GRANADA (8) (GEN ED #3 AND #6) AST 110G
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.

SP 240. TEACHING SPANISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (3)
This course addresses the issues of an increasingly diverse body of students taking Spanish in the secondary classrooms. Students who intend to teach Spanish learn how to conduct assessment and evaluation techniques, and apply methods for teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking and cultural material. Prerequisite: SP 235.

SP 250. SPECIAL TOPICS IN CULTURES AND CIVILIZATIONS OF THE SPANISH-SPEAKING WORLD (3)
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.

SP 254. SURVEY OF SPANISH LITERATURE (3) (GEN. ED. #9)
The evolution of the literature of Spain from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Prerequisite: SP 235.

SP 260. SPANISH IN THE MEDIA (4)
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

SP 263. SPANISH IN THE WORKPLACE: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (3)
The course is designed to integrate the study of Spanish language and Hispanic culture with other fields through exploration of pertinent issues in the workplace and the community in the United States. Course includes a 12-hour service learning component. Prerequisite: SP 235

SP 272Y. INTENSIVE COURSES 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.

SP 290. INTERNSHIP IN SPANISH (VARIABLE) (3-4)
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.

SP 294. SURVEY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE (3) (GEN. ED. #9)
Main currents and genres in Spanish-American literature from pre-Colombian times to the early 20th century. Prerequisite: SP 235.

SP 296. LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (WITH LAM 105 OR HIS/LAM 268) (1)
This course is an option for students who are proficient in Spanish and who are concurrently enrolled in either Introduction to LAM 105–Latin American Studies or HIS/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. Corequisite: LAM 105 and/or HIS/LAM 268. Prerequisite: permission of the Latin-American studies director.

SP 299. INDEPENDENT WORK (1-4)
Variable semesters. Department.

SP 320. FABLE, FANTASY, AND FRANCOISM: NARRATIVES OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (3)
This course examines the representation of the Spanish CivilWar 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 CivilWar and the Post-CivilWar 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 294.

SP 328. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA (3)
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 294.

SP 332. SPECIAL TOPICS IN SPANISH PENINSULAR LITERATURE (3)
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 294.

SP 340. SOCIAL CRITICISM THROUGH WRITTEN AND VISUAL TEXTS (3)
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 294.

SP 345. SPECIAL TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE (3)
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 294.

SP 350. SPANISH-SPEAKING CULTURES AND LANGUAGE VARIETIES (3)
This course proposes to examine registers (formal and informal use of language) and dialects (Chilean, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Afro-Hispanic varieties, creoles) of the Spanish language. We will take into account the difference in culture and history that gave rise to these varieties. We will discuss two of the controversial issues in the area: (1) literacy and language loss in indigenous communities, and (2) the emergence and acceptance of “Spanglish” as proposed by the U.S.- Spanish media vs. the variety as an ethnic marker. To achieve a better understanding of the Spanish language varieties, we will have to resort to a theoretical understanding of the different language components: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics. Prerequisites: SP 254 or 294.

SP 400. INDEPENDENT WORK (1.5-4)

Latin American Studies

LAM 105. INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (3) (GEN. ED. #4 AND #10)
This course will introduce students to many cultural, social, and political aspects of the region of the world known as Latin America. Beginning with the various views of what is meant by “Latin American,” the course will give students a more complete picture of the heterogeneous identities of the area. Taking an interdisciplinary, broad approach to regional studies, the course will explore the diverse artistic movements, social organizations, and political institutions that have shaped Latin America in the past and continue to define its present. Students with advanced Spanish-language skills are encouraged to take SP 296 along with this course.

LAM 226. WOMEN, PEACE AND PROTEST: LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN AND THE SEARCH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (3) WS 226) (GEN. ED. #10)
Examination of women’s participation in the human rights, social, and economic movements. Focus on understanding if, why, and under what circumstances gender becomes a central force in the development of these movements.We will address three questions: Has the involvement of women helped to define the human rights movement in Latin America? To what extent have feminist theory and theories of the state accounted for the nature of women’s protest? How and why were women instrumental in the political process that led from authoritarian to democratic rule in their countries? This course focuses primarily (but not exclusively) on women’s movements in the southern cone countries: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. Prerequisite: sophomore standing.

LAM 264. LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS (3) (PSC 264)
An examination of the political process in Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin America is known as one region, yet the countries of Latin America are quite varied in their political systems, histories, and cultures. Students examine some of the important political, social, economic, and cultural processes in Latin America. Prerequisite: PSC 101 or permission of the instructor.

LAM 268. LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY: PRE-COLUMBIAN TO THE PRESENT (4) (HIS 268) (GEN. ED. #4 AND #10)
This course examines the history of the region from the dynamics of the pre-Columbian states through the patterns of European conquest and colonization, independence movements and the modern problems of political instability and economic development. Students with advanced Spanish-language skills are encouraged to take SP 296 along with this course.

LAM 280. SELECTED TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (3) (GEN. ED. #9 AND #10)
An interdisciplinary approach to significant topics relating to contemporary Latin America. Specific topic for the semester to be announced in advance. Topics may include: Latino issues in the United States, Latin American cinema, or revolutionary movements in Latin America. Prerequisite: Frontiers or sophomore standing.

LAM 290. INTERNSHIP IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (3-4)
Projects to further the career development of students. Projects may be undertaken in the United States or abroad with a government agency, business, or nonprofit organization. Graded pass/no pass only.

LAM 321. ATLANTIC REVOLUTIONS (3) (HIS 321)
In the late 18th and 19th centuries, a series of revolutionary movements in North America, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean jolted the Atlantic world. This course explores the connections, similarities and differences between these movements. Prerequisite: two 200-level European and American history courses.

LAM 380. INDEPENDENT WORK IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (3)
Students will work with the professor to design an advanced research project on a topic of their choosing.