Spanish
Modern Languages Mission Statement
Educated people spend their lives pursuing growth in political, social and intellectual freedom. One kind of intellectual freedom requires us to break away from the notion that our native language is the most natural and apt means of expressing the full range of human experience. An education can start with the realization that all words are purely conventional devices. They are nonetheless tools that stir emotions, articulate ideas, and establish relationships with others. Learning another language contributes to our education by intimately exploring cultural and linguistic concepts that broaden our understanding
Our basic courses offer the opportunity to begin acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for the eventual mastery of a language. When students take full advantage of that opportunity, they can use the target language in all subsequent courses. The department emphasizes the use of the target language in most of its courses because it believes that students can best appreciate another culture from within its own mode of expression.
With a view toward career opportunities, the department encourages integrating language study with a variety of other academic areas, such as history, philosophy, international studies, environmental studies, biology, economics, politics and public affairs, global commerce, global health, and English. Courses in cultural studies and literature, aside from their intrinsic worth, also present multiple perspectives on other cultures and areas of intellectual experience.
A student who wants to spend a summer, a semester, or a year abroad with programs approved by Denison should consult members of the department and the Center for Global Programs (see Off-Campus Programs). On-campus opportunities to improve command of the language are provided by language tables, international films, club meetings, and similar activities sponsored by the department. There are as well subsidized field trips to museums and pertinent activities in cities across the country, and in some cases international travel.
Spanish Program Mission
Our mission is to foster the development of cross-cultural communication skills through rigorous intellectual inquiry into a variety of archives from Spanish-speaking societies. By working closely with professors and peers, in and beyond the classroom, students acquire proficiency in critically analyzing the complex issues of today's world.
Spanish Program Vision
Our students become co-learners with each other and us, and competent in intercultural communication and the study of cultural discourses. They engage with a wide range of texts and develop analytic and evaluative skills to be active participants in an evolving world. They connect with the world in multiple significant ways: study abroad, student conferences, guest speakers, extracurricular activities, and community outreach. Our program is a rigorous, intellectually stimulating and fulfilling endeavor, responding to an ever-changing world. It integrates culture, language, and literature through, and across, multiple perspectives and methodologies. It also forges ties with many other departments throughout the university so that our discipline can facilitate research and the acquisition of knowledge across the curriculum.
Goals for the Major
In our courses students acquire functional language abilities and develop knowledge of the cultures and literature of Spanish-speaking peoples. Through historical breadth and depth of inquiry, students analyze issues pertaining to different Hispanophone regions and examine them through a variety of disciplinary approaches. Students develop critical language awareness, interpretative and translation skills, historical and political awareness, social sensibility, and aesthetic perception.
At the linguistic level the Spanish program subscribes to the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century articulated by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. They include five areas of development in second language education.
Communication
- Interpersonal: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- Interpretive: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics from diverse media.
- Presentational: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Cultures
- Practices and Perspectives: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
- Products and Perspectives: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
Connections
- Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the language.
- Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the language and its cultures.
Comparisons
- Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own, including the relationship between accepted practices, products and perspectives.
Communities
- Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
- Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
Faculty
Associate Professor Charles St-Georges, Chair
Associate Professor Melissa Huerta, Associate Chair
Associate Professors Dosinda Alvite, Mónica Ayala-Martínez, Jason Busic, Melissa Huerta, Francisco J. López-Martín, Charles St-Georges; Assistant Professors Mary Beaton, Mirela Butnaru; Visiting Assistant Professors Ramiro Garcia-Olano, David Reher
Academic Administrative Assistant
Liz Barringer-Smith
Spanish Major
Spanish major sequence (9 courses):
Core courses:
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SPAN 213 - Communication Skills
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SPAN 215 - Writing Workshop
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Electives - 6 courses (300-level):
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at least one course from language studies (301-319, 377 depending on theme)
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at least one course from cultural studies (320 and above, 377 depending on theme)
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Senior capstone course SPAN 400 - Senior Capstone Seminar
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Note that any one of the 300-level courses may be taken in English. Normally, this course is taught within the Spanish program, but a course outside of the Spanish program whose focus is the Hispanic cultural archive may be approved by the Spanish faculty upon student or faculty request.
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Secondary Concentration in Another Language Students majoring in Spanish may opt to declare a secondary concentration in an additional language other than English offered at Denison. If the student wishes to do so, in addition to the above requirements, the student must complete the following:
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Language requirement: a fifth semester in the chosen language of concentration.
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If the student comes with advanced proficiency in the second language of concentration, then the student may complete the language requirement by taking an advanced course in said language.
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The fifth-semester/advanced course may be fulfilled by off campus study. OCS may prove necessary for those languages that do not offer a fifth semester/advanced course at Denison.
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Senior capstone project: students must complete a project connecting the Spanish cultural and/or linguistic archive with that of their chosen language of concentration. The student will complete this project in the senior capstone course.
Students waived from SPAN 213 are required to complete the remaining curriculum, but will only need 8 courses to do so. Students waived from SPAN 215 are required to complete the remaining curriculum, but will only need 7 courses to do so.
Students who declare a Spanish major should choose an advisor in the program to guide them through their educational career.
Spanish Minor
Spanish minor sequence (6 courses).
Core courses:
- SPAN 213 - Communication Skills
- SPAN 215 - Writing Workshop
- Electives - 4 courses (300-level)*:
- Students must take 4 courses at the 300-level, distributed as such:
○ at least 1 course from language studies (301-319, 377 depending on theme)
○ at least 1 course from cultural studies (320 and above, 377 depending on theme)
*Note that any one of the 300-level courses may be taken in English. Normally, this course is taught within the Spanish program, but a course outside of the Spanish program whose focus is the Hispanic cultural archive may be approved by the Spanish faculty upon student or faculty request.
Students waived from SPAN 213 are required to complete the remaining curriculum, but will only need 5 courses to do so. Students waived from SPAN 215 are required to complete the remaining curriculum, but will only need 4 courses to do so.
Students who declare a Spanish minor should choose an advisor in the program to guide them through their educational career.
Additional Points of Interest
The Language Lab
An important asset of the department is the Language Lab with its 27 Macs, zone-free Blu-ray player and document camera. It also has a VIA Connect PRO, which is a wireless collaboration and presentation solution that makes sharing and presenting easier for all computers in the room. The lab provides support for learning activities outside and inside the classroom, ranging from grammar drills to research and collaborative writing projects, as well as discussions of authenticated materials published on the Internet. The area is designed not only for individualized instruction but also for group work and small seminars using a variety of digital materials for class discussion.
Cultural Enrichment
Each semester the department offers students exceptional opportunities for cultural enrichment in language study. These opportunities include, for example, off-campus trips to plays, movies and performances, as well as campus visits by scholars and performers. In that way, experiences in target cultures become more readily available to our students. These opportunities are made possible through a most generous endowment bestowed on the Department of Modern Languages by the Patty Foresman Fund. The department maintains a Modern Languages Facebook page where Denison community members can view upcoming events.
The Foresman Lounge
Located in the central hub of the department, the lounge provides the Denison community with a space for a wide range of activities such as receptions, classes, and informal gatherings. This area has a kitchenette with a table and chairs for sharing lunch or a coffee with our faculty as well as mobile soft seating for easy reconfiguration of the space. It is also equipped with a wide range of technological devices to enrich our students’ learning experiences. This room has a 52-inch flat screen TV connected to a webcam, zone-free Blu-ray player and a document camera. The lounge also has a ceiling-mounted laser projector that connects to a networked Mac computer, the Blu-ray player and a VIA for wireless connection to the data projector.
General Departmental Regulations
Students who plan to major in the department are advised to begin course work in the first year. Those who want to fulfill the basic requirement in language by continuing one begun in secondary school will find it advantageous to begin their course work in the first year. The Department of Modern Languages strongly recommends that students complete their language requirement by the end of their sophomore year.
Study Abroad
Spanish major and minor students are highly encouraged to study in a Spanish-speaking country through an approved academic program. Courses must be approved by the departmental coordinator before going abroad in order to be considered for Spanish credit. The Spanish section will not evaluate a study-abroad course for transfer without evidence (syllabus, course description, reading list, etc.) of the content of the course. To receive Spanish language credit, study abroad courses must be pursued in Spanish, be content based, and be similar in quality and content to a Spanish course at Denison. Students are encouraged to take courses that enrich the Denison curriculum; neither technical courses nor orientation sessions can receive academic credit. Summer programs: Students may study in an approved summer program that is at least 6 weeks long and 45 hours, minimum. One course will transfer towards a major/minor from summer study.
Courses
SPAN 111 - Beginning Spanish I (4 Credit Hours)
Students learn about the Spanish-speaking world while they start developing their Spanish linguistic skills in four basic areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Students do a variety of written and oral activities that include formal and informal presentations, skits, short essays, etc. The course is conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 112 - Beginning Spanish II (4 Credit Hours)
Students continue learning about the Spanish-speaking world while they solidify their Spanish linguistic skills at the ACTFL novice level in the four basic areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Students do a variety of written and oral activities that include formal and informal presentations, skits, short essays, etc. The course is conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 111 or placement.
SPAN 211 - Intermediate Spanish (4 Credit Hours)
Students further their knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world while developing a functional comprehension and use of spoken and written Spanish at the ACTFL novice-high/intermediate-low level. The course solidifies grammar structures and emphasizes the acquisition of cultural knowledge about the Spanish-speaking world through a wide variety of visual and written texts. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 112 or placement.
SPAN 213 - Communication Skills (4 Credit Hours)
Students will enhance their proficiency in oral and written Spanish, in order to solidify a low-intermediate ACTFL level. Students will develop skills such as summarizing, comparing, contrasting and synthesizing. Students will practice communicational abilities through discussions, oral presentations, debates, reports and film reviews. Audiovisual materials, Internet based resources and cultural readings will be frequently used texts. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 211 or placement.
SPAN 215 - Writing Workshop (4 Credit Hours)
Students develop their writing and analytical skills through an intensive writers’ workshop, which includes linguistic, literary, and cultural analysis through grammar, readings, discussions, and essay. Students develop their writing through expository, argumentative, and analytical essay as well as other genres such as chronicle, journal, autobiography, and literary translation. Students will write, edit, and evaluate their work and that of their peers following models presented through readings organized around thematic units. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 213 or placement or permission of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 310 - Creative Writing (4 Credit Hours)
Students will enhance their skills in writing and composition through literary analysis, literary translation, and practice of the craft of writing in different genres (drama, poetry, short story) in the Spanish language. Using the close reading of great works of Hispanic literature in the above-mentioned genres, students will learn to translate literary texts and create literature of their own. Students will explore the process of writing, editing, and evaluating their work and that of their peers.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisite if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 312 - Spanish in the United States (4 Credit Hours)
Have you ever heard a Spanish speaker in the United States say escuela alta, rufo, llamar para atrás o queik? Or have you heard someone switch from English to Spanish in the same sentence? What is Spanglish? Do you have a friend who doesn't know Spanish even though his parents speak it? Is Spanish a foreign language in the US? Have you ever heard someone say that we shouldn't speak Spanish here? The United States has a Hispanic population that is larger than most Latin American countries. But, unlike other Spanish-speaking countries, Spanish is a minority language in the US. In this class, we study various social and linguistic phenomena that arise from this situation. Among other topics, we analyze the history of Spanish in the US, the racialization of Spanish, language policy, Spanish in education, Spanglish, and Latinx identity.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or permission of the instructor.
SPAN 314 - Translation Studies: Being Translingual and Transcultural (4 Credit Hours)
This course introduces students to the existing world of translation. Students work with written texts, transferring text from a source language into a target language (Spanish-English and English-Spanish). This is far more than replacing one word with another: the translator must also convey the style, tone, and intent of the text. Focus is on the actual process of translation: what the translator does and why. Students will work mostly with literary and journalistic texts. Students will gain an understanding of different cultural communication styles. Students will familiarize themselves with the relationship between language and power, and the role of the translator as the "in-between" agent.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisites if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 315 - Foundations of Hispanic Linguistics (4 Credit Hours)
Students will conduct an in-depth analysis of the Spanish grammatical system, which includes core areas of linguistics such as morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Students will analyze the Spanish grammatical system in a wide variety of written and oral texts. For example, contrastive analysis will be used as a method of problem-solving. Spanish will be the medium of instruction as well as the content area. Written work and oral presentations in Spanish should be produced at the ACTFL intermediate-high level. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisite if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 320 - Survey of Spanish Literature (4 Credit Hours)
Students will analyze Spanish Literature from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century within its historical, sociocultural and artistic contexts. This course offers an overview of main literary periods, authors and genres. Students will examine a variety of texts and the outstanding characteristics of their authors. Students will engage in critical analysis of texts through research essays, creative projects and oral presentations, at the ACTFL intermediate-high level. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisites if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 322 - Transatlantic Myth Busters: The Black Legend (4 Credit Hours)
Was Inquisition an evil machine created by the Spaniards to terrorize the world? Did the Spanish Empire rule over half of the world through fear and punishment? Is Spain a barbaric country? Students will address these and other questions that arose during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe to analyze the expansion of the Spanish Empire. In this class, we will study different power relationships between Spain and Latin America and, Spain and Europe. Through historical, literary and cultural texts students will analyze the myth known as "The Black Legend" and learn about different social and political structures and discursive strategies that sustain power. Students will also explore how these have been transformed and survive nowadays.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisite if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 324 - Al-Andalus and Its Diasporas: From the Middle Ages to the Present (4 Credit Hours)
Islamic Spain was a place where ancient and new communities encountered and transformed each other. Known in the Middle Ages as al-Andalus, it continues to occupy the cultural and political imaginations of Spain and the Arab Word. This class explores al-Andalus through what defines it in scholarly and popular discourse: its religious communities and the cultural contact and synthesis characterizing them. By placing medieval Spain or “Iberia” into its Mediterranean context, the class traces the development of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities from their beginnings in the eastern Mediterranean and their settlement in Iberia up to the diasporas in the Mediterranean region today. Rather than essentializing religion, we place it in dialogue with language and culture, tradition and innovation. As a writing intensive seminar, students will engage the cultural and historical themes of the class through writing in daily discussion posts, in-class reflections, midterm essays, and a phased-research project on a theme chosen by the student. Closed to first years.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 when taught in Spanish; When taught in English, none.
SPAN 325 - Survey of Latin American Literature (4 Credit Hours)
Students will analyze texts from Pre-Columbian times to the present within their historical, sociocultural and artistic contexts. This course offers an overview of main literary periods, authors and genres. Students will examine a variety of texts and the outstanding characteristics of their authors. Students will engage in critical analysis of texts through research essays, creative projects and oral presentations, at the ACTFL intermediate-high level. Conducted in Spanish. Cross-listed with LACS 325.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisites if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 330 - Cultures of Spain (4 Credit Hours)
Students will analyze how the different people of Spain conceive of and represent themselves, their attitudes, values, and beliefs. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will explore questions about national and regional identities, religious and ethnic communities, cultural movements and institutions, canon formation, and popular culture. Following a historical perspective, students will examine the evolution of institutions, traditions, and various artistic endeavors. Historical, cultural, and philosophical texts will be the basis of this class. Students will hone the skills of interpreting, relating, categorizing, and critiquing cultural works and periods. Students will write analytical essays, present oral reports, and take exams as part of the course evaluation. Students will achieve an ACTFL intermediate-high level. Conducted in Spanish.
SPAN 335 - Cultures of Latin America (4 Credit Hours)
Students will analyze selected historical themes such as revolution, gender and sexual politics, Southern cone dictatorships, human rights, and memory. Students will work with a variety of texts: films, testimonies, performance art, and fine arts. Students will engage in critical analysis of texts through research essays, creative projects and oral presentations, at the ACTFL intermediate-high level. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215 or consent of instructor or department chair; no course prerequisites if taught in English; when taught in English, no first-year students.
SPAN 340 - Hispanic Transatlantic Study (4 Credit Hours)
Students will engage in an in-depth study of selected topics in the frame of the Atlantic World, which addresses the relations between the cultures of Peninsular Spain and Latin America from a transatlantic perspective. Students will question Western systems of thought, will interrogate structures of power and will develop new connections to the realities of the Hispanic World. Students will summarize, compare and contrast, synthesize and evaluate cultural themes, actors and events. Students will hone their research skills and will demonstrate them through oral presentations, in-depth discussions, creative work, research papers, poster sessions, webspaces, and wikis that meet the ACTFL intermediate-high/advanced-low level standards. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215.
SPAN 361 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
SPAN 362 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
SPAN 363 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
SPAN 364 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
SPAN 377 - Advanced Topics in Spanish (4 Credit Hours)
This course offers a place for innovative courses exploring Hispanic cultures and/or linguistics. Description depends on topic and instructor.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 215.
SPAN 380 - Immigrants, Afros and Indios: Multiple Marginalities at the Intersection of Race and Class in Latin (1-4 Credit Hours)
In this course, we will critically analyze topics such as nation, immigration, race, and class as construed in the Latin American context. We will do it using different cultural productions such as works in the fine arts, cinema, music, dance, cartoons, and literary texts. We will also keep present references to the historical, political, and social background in which those productions have appeared. Students will engage with those productions through a variety of forms: doing research, writing essays, doing oral presentations, making creative works, and engaging in in-depth discussions. They will also compare and contrast, evaluate, summarize, and synthesize as they study and analyze those themes. They will further develop their reading, writing, listening, and conversational skills in Spanish at the intermediate-high/advanced-low level as described by the ACTFL standards. The course is conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite 215 or placement or permission of the instructor. This is a special topics course.
SPAN 381 - Women's Health in Latine/Chicanx Cultural Production (1-4 Credit Hours)
This course explores Latine and Chicanx women's health through feminist theories and methodologies. Key thinkers like Gloria Anzaldúa and Cherríe Moraga guide our critique of the socio-cultural constructions of women's bodies and health, promoting an understanding of bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and intersectional healthcare. Assignments will involve analyzing Latine/Chicanx cultural texts (literature, art, film, media) through a feminist lens, considering how social and cultural factors shape narratives around women's health. We'll examine the diverse experiences of women, especially focusing on race, class, sexuality, and nationality within Latine/Chicanx communities. The course includes comparative studies of cultural representations and acknowledges the importance of localized, community-specific studies to avoid overgeneralizations. Content is grounded in Latine/Chicanx feminist scholarship, encouraging students to engage critically with readings and case studies from leading feminist scholars and artists. The course is conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite 215 or placement or permission of the instructor. This is a special topics course.
SPAN 400 - Senior Capstone Seminar (4 Credit Hours)
This seminar integrates the two core courses, the six 300-level courses, and the off-campus experience into a culminating research project. It focuses on theoretical tools, frameworks and methodologies in Hispanic Cultural and Linguistic Studies. This seminar emphasizes the development of independent research skills and scholarly writing in connection with a research project based on individual students' interests in cultural artifacts from the Spanish-speaking and Latino worlds. Prerequisite: SPAN 213, SPAN 215 At the 300 level: any six courses (electives)
SPAN 415 - Seminar in Language (4 Credit Hours)
This course focuses on language and its applications. This means that we will discuss language as it relates to teaching and learning as well as to professional areas such as health, business or tourism. Moreover, we will explore the relationship between language and society. Students in this class will read and write different academic texts ranging from outreach texts to research proposals.
Prerequisite(s): SPAN 315 and one additional 300-level SPAN course or consent of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 420 - Seminar in Peninsular Literature (4 Credit Hours)
Study and discussion in depth of a selected topic, writer or work from Peninsular literature. Students will summarize, compare and contrast, synthesize and evaluate the literary works of an author or a specific literary group of writers. Students will hone their research skills and will demonstrate them through oral presentations, in-depth discussions, creative work, research papers, poster sessions, webspaces, and wikis that meet the ACTFL intermediate-high/advanced-low level standards. This course will involve the writing of a research paper. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Two 300 level SPAN courses or consent of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 425 - Seminar in Latin American Literature (4 Credit Hours)
Study and discussion in depth of a selected topic, writer or work from Latin America literature. Students will summarize, compare and contrast, synthesize and evaluate cultural themes, actors and events. Students will hone their research skills and will demonstrate them through oral presentations, in-depth discussions, creative work, research papers, poster sessions, webspaces, and wikis that meet the ACTFL intermediate-high/advanced-low level standards. This course will involve the writing of a research paper. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Two 300 level SPAN courses or consent of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 430 - Seminar in Spanish Culture (4 Credit Hours)
Students will study and discuss in depth a selected topic, artist or creative work in the culture of Peninsular Spain. Building up on cultural structures studied in previous courses, students will advance personal critiques and evaluations of creative works. Students will hone their research skills and will demonstrate them through oral presentations, in-depth discussions, creative work, research papers, poster sessions, webspaces, and wikis that meet the ACTFL intermediate-high/advanced-low level standards. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Two 300 level SPAN courses or consent of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 435 - Seminar in Latin American Culture (4 Credit Hours)
Students will study and discuss in depth a selected topic, artist, creative work or cultural period in Latin America. Students will summarize, compare and contrast, synthesize and evaluate cultural themes, actors and events. Students will hone their research skills and will demonstrate them through oral presentations, in-depth discussions, creative work, research papers, poster sessions, webspaces, and wikis that meet the ACTFL intermediate-high/advanced-low level standards. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): Two 300-level SPAN courses or consent of instructor or department chair.
SPAN 451 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)
SPAN 452 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)