Courses of Study:
Minor
Major (B.A.)
Department of Romance and Comparative Literature website: http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/rocl/
Objectives
Studies in the Spanish Program promote not only communication skills, but also an understanding of the various cultural contexts through interdisciplinary explorations of texts. Literature, film, history, politics, gender studies, etc. lead to some depth of understanding of issues facing Hispanic communities at home and abroad. Increasingly, technology (the uses of the Internet, web-page design, Powerpoint presentations, etc.) plays a part in these explorations.
Students are prepared to pursue careers in a wide range of fields where effective communication is essential, including those in which they will have contact with Spanish speakers and/or Hispanic cultures, in this country or globally. Students often go on to pursue graduate studies in professional fields (law, medicine, business, international relations, education, social services, etc.), in which their language and technological skills will make them especially attractive to employers, and which will enable them to succeed in a competitive environment.
How to Become a Major
Students considering a Spanish major should complete the language requirement as soon as possible, preferably by the end of their first year at Brandeis. They are then advised to take SPAN 105a before beginning the sequence of Spanish language (SPAN 106b or SPAN 108a) and literature (SPAN 110a, 111b, and beyond) courses that will fulfill the Spanish major. Please note: Many Spanish majors and minors choose to study in Spain or Latin America for all or part of their junior year. Normally, any full-credit Spanish literature course taken abroad will count toward the Spanish major up to a maximum of four courses for majors and two courses for minors. Students interested in learning more about the Spanish major or minor are encouraged to speak with the undergraduate advising head in Spanish.
Faculty
See Romance and Comparative Literature.
Requirements for the Major
The major consists of nine semester courses.
A. SPAN 106b (Spanish Composition, Grammar, and Stylistics) or SPAN 108a (Spanish for Heritage Speakers).
B. SPAN 110a (Introduction to Peninsular Spanish Literature), and SPAN 111b (Introduction to Latin American Literature), to be completed as early as possible.
C. Five additional semester courses from the Spanish literature offerings numbered above 111, at least one of which must deal with Spanish or Latin American literature before 1700. No more than two of these electives may be taken in English. Courses conducted in English include those abbreviated SECS (Spanish and European Cultural Studies) and ECS 100a.
D. At least one course beyond 106b must be designated "library intensive" and at least one should be "writing intensive." Normally SPAN 111b is "library intensive" and SPAN 198a is "writing intensive."
E. SPAN 198a (Seminar in Literary and Cultural Studies) in the fall semester of the senior year. Those seeking departmental honors will also take SPAN 99d in the spring to complete the Senior Thesis. Honors students must have maintained a 3.60 GPA in Spanish courses previous to the senior year. Honors are awarded on the basis of cumulative excellence in all courses taken in the major, including the Senior Thesis.
Students may petition the undergraduate advisor for changes in the above program. Students wishing to receive credit toward the Spanish major for courses that are crosslisted under ECS (abbreviated SECS) will be required to do the reading and writing in Spanish.
Requirements for Minor
The minor consists of five semester courses.
A. SPAN 106b (Spanish Composition, Grammar, and Stylistics) or SPAN 108a (Spanish for Heritage Speakers).
B. SPAN 110a (Introduction to Peninsular Spanish Literature) and SPAN 111b (Introduction to Latin American Literature).
C. Two additional Spanish literature courses from the offerings numbered above 110. No more than one of these electives may be taken in English. Courses conducted in English include those abbreviated SECS (Spanish and European Cultural Studies). All students pursuing a Spanish minor will be assigned an advisor in the department. Enrollment in the Spanish minor must be completed by the end of the first semester of the senior year. All courses are conducted in Spanish, unless otherwise noted.
Courses of Instruction
(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students
PORT 10a Brazilian Portuguese
Prerequisite: Some knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese. Signature of the instructor required.
Introduces Brazilian culture while reviewing and presenting basic grammar skills. Speaking, reading, and writing skills are all emphasized. Movies, news broadcasts, magazines, and Internet sites all complement class work. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
SPAN 10a Beginning Spanish
Enrollment limited to 18 per section. Students who have completed two or more years of study of Spanish must obtain permission of the instructor before enrolling.
For students who have had no previous study of Spanish. A systematic presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language within the context of Hispanic culture, with focus on all five language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and sociocultural awareness. Several sections will be offered. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 20b Continuing Spanish
Prerequisite: SPAN 10a or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
For students with some previous study of Spanish. Continuing presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language within the context of Hispanic culture and practice of the four language skills. Special attention to reading and writing skills, as well as guided conversation. Several sections will be offered. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
SPAN 31a Intermediate Spanish: Composition and Grammar
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of writing and/or grammatical skills in the context of continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 32a Intermediate Spanish: Conversation
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of oral expression and conversational skills in the context of continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 33a Intermediate Spanish: Reading
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of reading skills in the context of the continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 34a Intermediate Spanish: Topics in Hispanic Culture
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
Topics or themes from Hispanic cultures are the context for continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 40b Intermediate Spanish II
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: Any 30-level Spanish course or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
Prepares students for practical applications while continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish.
Staff
SPAN 41b Spanish for Cultural and Literary Studies
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: Any 30-level Spanish course or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course prepares students for the more advanced Spanish courses leading to the major and minor. It focuses on cultural and literary topics in the Hispanic world while continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 42b Spanish for the Professions
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: Any 30-level Spanish course or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
Prepares students for practical applications of Spanish in the United States and foreign communities while continuing development of linguistic competence in Spanish. Each section focuses on a single topic such as business Spanish, medical Spanish, Spanish for the social sciences. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 98a Independent Study
May be taken only with the written permission of the advising head of the major and the chair of the department. Signatures of the instructor and the chair of the department required.
Reading and reports under faculty supervision.
Staff
SPAN 98b Independent Study
May be taken only with the written permission of the advising head of the major and the chair of the department. Signatures of the instructor and the chair of the department required.
Readings and reports under faculty supervision. Usually offered every year.
Staff
SPAN 99d Senior Thesis
Students should first consult the area head of the major. Signatures of the instructor and the advising head required.
Usually offered every year.
Staff
(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students
The SECS abbreviation denotes Spanish and European Cultural Studies courses.
SPAN 105a Spanish Conversation and Grammar
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: Any 30-level or 40-level Spanish course or the equivalent, or permission of the advising head. Enrollment limited to 15.
Students learn to communicate effectively in Spanish through class discussions, oral and written exercises, presentations, literary and cultural readings, film, and explorations of the mass media. Emphasis on improvement of oral and written fluency, and acquisition of vocabulary and grammar structures. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
SPAN 106b Spanish Composition, Grammar, and Stylistics
[ wi hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 105a or permission of the advising head. Enrollment limited to 15.
Focuses on written communication and the improvement of writing skills, from developing ideas to outlining and editing. Literary selections will introduce the students to the principles of literary analysis and serve as topics for class discussion and writing. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
SPAN 108a Spanish for Heritage Speakers
[ hum ]
Enrollment limited to 18.
Designed specifically for bilingual "heritage" speakers of Spanish, who would like formal training in the language, particularly reading and writing skills. Special attention is given to Latino cultures and to issues pertaining to U.S. Latinos. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Dávila
SPAN 109b Introduction to Hispanic Cultural Studies
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 106b or SPAN 108a. Signature of the instructor required.
Introduces students to basic ideas with respect to the study of Hispanic cultures. "Texts" are drawn from a variety of cultures and traditions and might include literature, film, architecture, maps, music, and even pop stars and pop-star wannabes. Usually offered every semester. Will be offered in the spring of 2003.
Mr. Mandrell
SPAN 110a Introduction to Peninsular Spanish Literature
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 109b or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 15.
Was El Cid a political animal? How do women, Jews, and Muslims fare in classical Spanish literature? Study of major works, authors, and social issues from the Middle Ages to the end of the 17th century. Texts covered range from the epic Cantar del Cid to Cervantes and masterpieces of Spanish Golden Age theater. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Fox
SPAN 111b Introduction to Latin American Literature
[ nw hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 109b or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18. A library intensive course.
Focuses on texts from the 15th to 19th centuries in search of textual characteristics that help to shape a comprehensive study of Latin American literature and its historical and cultural context. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Pérez
SPAN 120b Don Quijote
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 15.
A reading for fun and critical insight into what is often called "the first modern novel." We will discuss some reasons for its reputation as a major influence on subsequent fiction throughout the Western world and view several film interpretations. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Fox
SPAN 125b Literary Women in Early Modern Spain
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 15. A library intensive course.
Examines works by and about women in early modern Spain, with particular attention to engagements with and subversions of patriarchal culture on theater, prose, and poetry, by such writers as Caro, Zayas, Cervantes, and Calderón. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Fox
SPAN 140a Topics in Poetry
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a, 111b or permission of the instructor.
Topics vary from year to year, but may focus on different periods, poets, or poetics from both sides of the Atlantic. Study may include jarchas, Garcilaso de la Vega, Bécquer, the Generation of '98 or '27, Neruda, Vallejo, Rosario Castellanos, Octavio Paz, Huidobro, Borges. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Mandrell and Ms. Pérez
SECS 150a Golden Age Drama and Society
[ hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation.
The major works, comic and tragic, of Spain's 17th-century dramatists. Works may include Cervantes's brief witty farces, Tirso's creation of the "Don Juan" myth, Lope's palace and "peasant honor" plays, and Calderón's Baroque masterpieces, which culminate Spain's Golden Age. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Fox
SPAN 155b Latin America Between Baroque and Kitsch
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or 111b.
Analyzing general characteristics associated with a Baroque style such as ornamentation, double meaning, parody, satire, imitation, etc. this course offers opportunities to understand how artists and writers have used this aesthetic artifice to contest the hegemonic discourses of their times. Texts, films, and art from the 17th and 20th centuries. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the spring of 2003.
Ms. Pérez
SPAN 163a The Latin American Boom and Beyond
[ nw hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a, 111b, or permission of the instructor. Course may be repeated for credit.
Examines texts of the Latin American "Boom" as well as contemporary narrative trends. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Dávila
SPAN 164b Studies in Latin American Literature
[ nw hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 111b or permission of the instructor. Course may be repeated for credit.
A comparative and critical reading of main trends, ideas, and cultural formations in Latin America. Topics vary year to year and have included fiction and history, humor, autobiography, art, and revolution. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Dávila and Ms. Pérez
SPAN 166b Writing the Latin American City
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 111b or permission of the instructor.
Examines the representation of the Latin American city within the context of modernity. Texts from various Latin American countries are examined in light of critical approaches to the city and its inhabitants. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Dávila
SPAN 168b Latin America through the Eyes of Women
[ nw hum ]
Prerequisites SPAN 110a or SPAN 111b. Enrollment limited to 18.
How do Latin American women represent their own realities? How do their artistic versions of social realities challenge traditional historical representations? Why aren't women included in the "boom" of Latin American literature? Literary and artistic works from the 17th to the 21st centuries are studied, looking at the different ways in which gender intersects their discourses. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Pérez
SECS 169a Travel Writing and the Americas: Columbus's Legacy
[ hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation.
Following the arrival of Columbus, the continent later known as America engaged with other continents in a mutual process of cultural, historical, geographical, and economic representation. The development of some of those representations is explored, beginning with travel writing and ending with recent images of the Encounter. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Pérez
SPAN 170a Topics in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Spanish Literature
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or permission of the instructor. Course may be repeated for credit.
Topics will vary from year to year, but might include Spanish Enlightenment and Romanticism: costumbrismo, Romantic drama, Bécquer, Galdós (the novelas contemporáneas), or 18th- and 19th-century poetry of the sublime. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Mandrell
SPAN 180b Topics in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Spanish Literature
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or permission of the instructor. Course may be repeated for credit.
Topics will vary from year to year, but might include the Generation of '98; the Generation of '27; García Lorca (poetry and drama); the post-Civil War novel; novels of the individual's quest; or modern women's writing. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Mandrell
SPAN 191a Hispanic Topics in Translation
[ hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation. Course may be repeated for credit.
Topics vary from year to year, but might include Realist Representations of Women; Ideas of the Modern and Modernity; Spanish Realism; or the Spanish Civil War. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Dávila and Mr. Mandrell
SPAN 192a Women's Fiction in Translation
[ nw hum ]
A consideration of contemporary fiction by Spanish, Latin American, and Latina women writers. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Mandrell
SPAN 193b Topics in Cinema
[ hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation. Course may be repeated for credit.
Topics vary from year to year, but might include consideration of a specific director; an outline of the history of a national cinema; a particular moment in film history; or Hollywood cinema in Spanish. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Pérez
SPAN 198a Seminar in Literary and Cultural Studies
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: SPAN 110a or SPAN 111b, or permission of the instructor. Signatures of the instructor and the advising head required.
A research seminar organized around varying themes ("the other," "the nation," etc.). Instruction on literary/cultural theory, researching a topic, and analytical skills necessary for developing a scholarly argument. Students present research in progress and write a research paper of significant length. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Mandrell