SPANISH
Department of Modern Foreign Languages
Leonard Koos, Chair
Elizabeth F. Lewis, Career Advisor
Faculty
Associate Professors
Ana Garcia Chichester
Elizabeth F. Lewis
Jose Angel Sainz
Assistant Professors
Zennia D. Hancock
Jeremy G. Larochelle
Jessica C. Locke
Maria Isabel Matrinez-Mira
Shara G. Voisard
Senior Lecturer
Maria C. Riegger
The Spanish Program
Through courses in Spanish, students gain proficiency in understanding, reading, writing, and speaking the language. Classes are conducted in Spanish from the beginning levels. Through classroom instruction, individual research, and department-sponsored organizations, students come to know the varied Hispanic cultures around the world. Experiential learning through individual study, internships, study abroad, and service learning offers students valuable experience outside the classroom. Internships are available to juniors and seniors in local and regional agencies and organizations and in Washington D.C.
Students wishing to major may select from courses in language, literature, linguistics, and culture of Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Latinos. Students may reside in the Spanish speaking residence hall which sponsors various inter-cultural programs during the semester. The Spanish program hosts a Language Coordinator from the Universidad de Deusto who spends a year in residence teaching, leading conversation hours, and scheduling special events that promote the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.
UMW has a well established study abroad program in Bilbao, Spain with the Universidad de Deusto. Students may chose from summer, semester, or year-long courses of study in language, culture, and literature as well as courses in business, economics, and international affairs. Summer and semester Latinoamericana-Equatorialis University in Quito, Ecuador where students may choose home stays with Andean families and focus on community-oriented programs. Additionally, the university cooperates with a variety of other overseas study programs, advises and encourages students wishing to study abroad, and helps in planning their foreign study programs.
The program also offers courses for students with an interest in environmental studies, business, and in creative writing.
Graduates in Spanish may pursue careers in government or in private fields in which the knowledge of Spanish language and Hispanic culture is essential. Careers that attract language students include education, business, interpreting and translating, research, social services, law and law enforcement, health, and international affairs.
*For information regarding General Education language requirements for students not currently majoring in Modern Foreign Languages, please see page 53 in this Catalog.
Requirements for the Spanish Major
Thirteen (13) courses totaling a minimum of 39 credits in language, literature, linguistics, and culture courses, plus a required experiential learning component. Ten required courses in the major include: Spanish 312, 314, 317, and 318; two courses in culture from 315, 316 or 320; three introduction to literature courses (from 323, 324, 327, or 328); one advanced language course (413 or 414); and three electives in literature, culture, or linguistics above 328 (not including Spanish 491, 492, 499). Experiential learning is fulfilled by taking Spanish 491,492, 499 or 301 for academic credit, or by an approved community service experience of a minimum of 42 site hours. Community service may be part of the work required in a course or may be volunteer work. Students must conduct their community service in institutions and agencies approved by the Community Outreach and Resources office. To earn credit for experiential learning for community service, students must fill out a Service Learning Contract and submit an evaluation from the institution/agency supervisor to their faculty advisor.
Spanish Course Offerings
101, 102 – Beginning Spanish (3, 3)
Introduction to the elementary aspects of Spanish.Review of elementary Spanish for beginning students of the language.
105 – Intensive Beginning Spanish (6)
Grammar, conversation, reading, laboratory use. Intensive review of elementary Spanish skills before the intermediate level. Students who have taken Spanish 101 are not eligible to take this class.
201, 202 – Intermediate Spanish (3, 3)
Review of Spanish language skills. Two semesters of language study at the intermediate level. Completion of Spanish 202 fulfills the language requirement.
205 – Intensive Intermediate Spanish (6)
Grammar review, oral work, reading, laboratory use. Intensive review of intermediate Spanish skills. Completion of this course fulfills the language requirement. Students who have taken Spanish 201 are not eligible to take this class.
301 – Study Abroad Reflection (1)
Prerequisite: 4-week minimum study abroad program. Follow-up course to a study abroad program to earn credit for Experiential Learning.
310 – Spanish for Native and Heritage Speakers (3)
Class addresses special problems in grammar and spelling. Only open to native and heritage speakers of the language.
312 – Introduction to Literary Studies in Spanish (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. An introduction to the analysis of literary texts. This course prepares students for reading, analyzing, discussing and writing about texts before taking literature courses in Spanish.
314 – Spanish Pronunciation and Oral Use (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Introduction to phonetics and intensive oral practice above the intermediate level.
315 – Spanish Civilization (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Geography, history, and the social, political and cultural background of Spain and the Spanish people.
316 – Latin American Civilization (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. History, geography, and the social, political and cultural backgrounds of Latin America and the Latin American people.
317 –Grammar and Composition (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Studies in grammar and composition.
318 –Grammar and Conversation (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Studies in grammar and oral skills.
320 – Topics in Hispanic Culture (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Explores cultural issues dealing with the Hispanic culture.
323, 324 – Introduction to Spanish Literature (3, 3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Survey of Spanish literature from the Middle Ages to present day.
327, 328 – Introduction to Latin American Literature (3, 3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202 or 205 or equivalent. Survey of Latin American Literature from pre-colonial to present day.
365 -Detective Fiction from Spain and Latin America (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 312 or permission of the instructor. Study of the genre from representative authors from Spain and Latin America. Focus on issues of social justice and human rights in detective fiction.
375 – Spanish Realism and Generation of 1898 (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 312 or permission of the instructor. Representative authors or themes from nineteenth-century Spanish Realism and Naturalism through the Generation of 1898 in Spain.
378 – Latin American Poetry (3)
Pre-requisite: any two courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327 or 328). A study of representative poetic works from the Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassic, Romantic, Modernista and/or contemporary periods in Latin America.
383 – Contemporary Spanish Prose (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 312 or permission of the instructor. Novels and short stories selected from the beginnings of the 20th century to the present.
385 –Latin American Novel (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Great works from Latin America selected from the period of the Boom and Post-Boom.
386 – The Twentieth-Century Latin American Short Story (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Collections of short fiction from the avant-garde to present day.
388 – Twentieth-Century Latin America Drama (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Major Latin American dramatists plus collective theater and works written by U.S. Latino(a) playwrights.
393 – Spanish for Professional Use (3)
Prerequisites: Spanish 317, 318. Study of specialized vocabulary, cultural variances, and their application to various professions.
413 –Advanced Grammar and Composition (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 317, 318. Formal and creative application of writing skills.
414 – Spanish for Translation (3)
Prerequisites: Spanish 317. English-Spanish and Spanish-English translation of texts from different disciplines. Includes studies in history and theory of translation.
415 – Advanced Conversation (3)
Prerequisites: Spanish 318. Oral communication at an advanced level. Students practice conversation skills through individual presentations, group discussions, and other formats.
416 –Topics in U.S. Latino Issues (3)
Prerequisites: Spanish 315, 316 or 320. Issues dealing with the culture and concerns of U.S. Latinos are explored. Topics will vary.
420 – Spanish Cinema (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Selected topics in film.
451 – Cervantes (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Reading and intensive study of Don Quijote.
475 –Hispanic Women Writers (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Study of women writers from Spain and Latin America.
481 – Spanish Seminar (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Selected topics in literature from Spain.
483 – Topics in Spanish Linguistics (3)
Prerequisite: Spanish 314 or permission of the professor. Selected topics in linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, and history of the language.
485 – spanish American Seminar (3)
Prerequisite: any two survey courses in Spanish or Latin American literature (323, 324, 327, 328). Selected topics in literature and film from Latin America.
491, 492 – Individual Study (3, 3)
Intensive study of a topic selected by student in consultation with instructor. By permission of the department.
499 – Internship (Credits variable)
Supervised off-campus experience, developed in consultation with a faculty advisor and the office of Career Services.