Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Faculty

Chair

  • Pedro Meira Monteiro

Director of Undergraduate Studies

  • Natalia Castro Picón

Director of Graduate Studies

  • Marina S. Brownlee (acting) (fall)
  • Christina H. Lee (spring)

Professor

  • Marina S. Brownlee
  • Rubén Gallo
  • Germán Labrador Méndez
  • Christina H. Lee
  • Pedro Meira Monteiro
  • Gabriela Nouzeilles

Associate Professor

  • Javier E. Guerrero
  • Rachel L. Price

Assistant Professor

  • Natalia Castro Picón
  • Rafael Cesar
  • Nicole D. Legnani

Associated Faculty

  • Jeremy I. Adelman, History
  • Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesús, Effron Center Study of America
  • João Biehl, Anthropology
  • Eduardo L. Cadava, English
  • Susana Draper, Comparative Literature
  • Christina León, English
  • Douglas S. Massey, Schl of Public & Int'l Affairs
  • Irene V. Small, Art and Archaeology

University Lecturer

  • Alberto Bruzos Moro

Senior Lecturer

  • Mariana Bono
  • Nicola T. Cooney
  • Dunia Catalina Méndez Vallejo

Lecturer

  • Anna Alsina Naudi
  • Catalina Arango
  • Gorka Bilbao Terreros
  • Nadia Cervantes Pérez
  • Nicholas J. Figueroa
  • Yvonne Gavela-Ramos
  • Luis Gonçalves
  • Iris I. Hauser
  • Anais Holgado-Lage
  • Perla Masi
  • Raquel Mattson-Prieto
  • Adriana G. Merino
  • Paloma Moscardó-Vallés
  • Eduardo Negueruela Azarola
  • Sergio Ramirez
  • Eliot Raynor
  • Cesar Adrian Romero Fernandez
  • Maria A. Saiz Angulo
  • Daniela C. Salcedo Arnaiz
  • Amina B. Shabani
  • Andréa de Castro Melloni

Visiting Professor

  • Lilia K. Moritz Schwarcz
For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

Program Information

Information and Departmental Plan of Study

More than half a billion people across five continents speak Spanish or Portuguese as their first language, and in the United States, with more than 38 million Spanish speakers, the Hispanic legacy is embedded in myriad aspects of American politics, arts, and culture. Our community of scholars studies and highlights the importance and influence of the Spanish, Latin American, and Luso-Brazilian histories, cultures, and languages in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to our globalized present.

Our department is a critical pillar of Princeton's commitment to internationalization and scholarly excellence. We encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary work, and our faculty are active in many other departments and programs on campus, including the Program in Latin American Studies, international and regional studies, American studies, media and modernity, the School of Architecture, comparative literature, renaissance studies, history, art and archaeology, the art museum, and the environmental institute.

Our mission is to help Princeton students flourish as global citizens, ready to face the challenges posed by an increasingly cosmopolitan and multilingual professional world. With this general purpose in mind, we offer a full range of language courses, advanced seminars on literature and culture, translation workshops, and the opportunity for independent study. With the support and guidance of our talented faculty, students can study not only the Spanish and Portuguese languages, but also literatures, visual arts, music, urban cultures, as well as the complex political and social histories of the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian worlds.

Students become familiar with renowned writers such as Miguel de Cervantes and Jorge Luis Borges, Nobel Prize laureates Gabriela Mistral, José Saramago, and Mario Vargas Llosa; influential artists such as the painters Diego Velázquez, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo, the architect Oscar Niemeyer, contemporary musicians Caetano Veloso, Gotan Project, and Calle 13; as well as international filmmakers such as Luis Buñuel, Pedro Almodóvar, Kleber Mendonça, and Alfonso Cuarón. To experience cultural and linguistic immersion, our students also can study abroad through our popular summer programs in Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, and Spain, or with other approved international programs.

Our concentrators and certificate recipients are provided with the high linguistic proficiency, cross-cultural literacy, and critical and analytical skills that are key for careers in the humanities, law, medicine, government, international relations, international business, education, and community-based initiatives today. They also enable students interested in the environment to communicate effectively when doing research or volunteering in Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking regions. Our courses serve as passports for living and working in more than 30 countries, including some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Advanced Placement

An advanced placement examination in Spanish (language and/or literature) with a score of 5 or SAT Subject Test score of at least 760 is required to satisfy the A.B. language requirement at entrance, or for admission to a 200-level course. Students who took either test in 2020 or in 2021 must take the Spanish placement test to confirm their advanced placement.

Prerequisites

The normal requirement for admission to the department is successful completion of two 200-level courses in Spanish or one 200-level course in Portuguese.

Before or right after declaring a concentration in Spanish and/or Portuguese in April of sophomore year, please email the director of undergraduate studies to set up an appointment.

Concentrators automatically default into the Track 1 subplan. (See track descriptions below.) There will be an opportunity to elect a subplan during the declaration period. However, it can be elected or changed at any time during junior or senior year by contacting the department's undergraduate administrator

Early Concentration

Qualified students are encouraged to decide on their concentration as early as possible in their sophomore year. In this way they can benefit from departmental advising on course selection and on the possibility of spending a semester or the whole junior year abroad.

Program of Study

All Spanish concentrators are strongly advised to take one advanced language course (SPA 205, SPA 207, SPA 207S, SPA 208S, SPA 209, or SPA 307), unless the director of undergraduate studies (in consultation with the language directors) determines that the respective student’s language skills do not warrant taking such a course.

All Portuguese concentrators are required to take at least one 200-level POR course.

All Spanish concentrators must take one course in pre-1800 literature. University regulations limit to 12 the number of departmental courses allowed to each student in their concentration. Students cannot earn both a SPO concentration (in any track) and a SPO certificate (in any language). Students interested in focusing in both Spanish and Portuguese may choose Track 2 for their concentration.

Tracks

Departmental courses cover a wide array of literary, cultural, social, historical, and political topics. Students are, therefore, able to pursue courses of study that are tailor-made to their own individual interests. The department offers four different tracks for concentrators.

Please note that an upper division course is any course above Spanish 209 or POR 209.

Track 1

Concentration in one language, literature, and culture (Spanish or Portuguese). Requires a minimum of eight upper-division courses in the language of concentration. Up to two of those courses may be taken in English, in which case all written work must be completed in the target language.

Track 2

Concentration in two languages, literature, and cultures (Spanish and Portuguese; or Spanish/Portuguese and another language). Requires a combination of five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese and three upper-division courses in the second language. One of the five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese may be taken in English, in which case all written work must be completed in the target language.

Track 3

Concentration in Spanish or Portuguese with another related field (e.g., urban studies, architecture, global health and health policy, environmental studies, humanistic studies, sociology, European studies, international studies, Latino studies, Latin American studies, comparative literature, history, politics, anthropology). Requires a combination of five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese and three upper-division courses in the secondary field.  One of the five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese may be taken in English, in which case all written work must be completed in the target language.

Track 4

Concentration in Spanish or Portuguese with the creative arts (e.g., creative writing, theater, visual arts, translation). Requires a combination of five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese and three upper-division courses in the creative arts. One of the five upper-division courses in Spanish or Portuguese may be taken in English, in which case all written work must be completed in the target language.

Any track in the concentration in Spanish and/or Portuguese literature and cultures requires a minimum of eight upper-division courses, at least five of which must be in the language of concentration. With the approval of the director of undergraduate studies, up to three courses taken during a semester abroad may count toward the concentration if the student is pursuing Track 1 or Track 2. Up to two courses taken during a semester abroad may be counted toward the concentration if the student is pursuing Track 3 or Track 4.

Language Programs

Students who wish to continue a language begun in secondary school must have their proficiency measured either by a College Board score for admission (see Advanced Placement above) or by the department's placement test administered online during the summer before course registration. 

Spanish Language Program

The normal program for beginners seeking a basic mastery of Spanish is the sequence 101, 102, 107, which satisfies the University's language requirement.

Students with a satisfactory score on the department's Spanish language placement test will be placed in either 103 or 105, and will proceed respectively to 107 or 108 to satisfy the University language requirement. They may also be placed directly into 108. Students who have successfully completed 107 may not take 108. Students cannot place into SPA 102 or SPA 107 through the department's placement test.

Course credit in 101-102, 103, 107, or 108 is also available through approved courses outside of Princeton University (see Study and Work Abroad below). Students who take 100-level Spanish courses outside of Princeton University must take the departmental placement test after the completion of their courses to demonstrate that they have reached the necessary proficiency level.

Email Catalina Méndez Vallejo, associate director of the Spanish language program, for questions regarding the placement test.

Students who want to receive credit for a Spanish language course taken outside of Princeton, or have questions concerning summer language study, should email Mariana Bono, associate director of the Spanish language program.

Portuguese Language Program

The sequence for beginners seeking a basic mastery of Portuguese is 101, 102, 107, which satisfies the University's language requirement. The sequence for students who have a previous knowledge of a Romance language is 106, 109, which also satisfies the University's language requirement. POR 106 is designed for, but not limited to, students who have already fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish, French, or Italian. Students are encouraged to contact an instructor of Portuguese to find out whether they qualify to take 106. POR 199 is an intensive one-semester course and may not be used to fulfill the language requirement.

For questions concerning placement and summer study, please contact Nicola Cooney (ncooney@princeton.edu), director of the Portuguese language program.

Independent Work

The program of study in junior and senior years is generally more intensive in its focus, reflecting the requirements of the departmental concentration the student has chosen. Undergraduates declare their departmental concentration prior to the start of junior year and complete a program of study that combines a set of courses with junior and senior independent work. Independent work gives students the opportunity to work closely with faculty members on library, laboratory, and field-based research, and in sustained writing projects. The independent work requirement, culminating in the senior thesis, is the keystone of the Princeton academic experience. In senior year, students take a departmental examination that is focused on some aspect of their field of concentration or on the senior thesis.

Junior Papers

Concentrators are strongly advised to take SPA/POR 330 during the fall of their junior year. This course is designed to introduce students to research methods and to guide them in the production of their first junior paper.

Concentrators should discuss as soon as possible their area of interest with the director of undergraduate studies in order to find the most appropriate advisers for the junior papers (JPs). By the end of September (first JP), and by mid-February (second JP), all juniors should have contacted their advisers to discuss a plan of work. The first JP (fall semester) should be about 4,000 words, and the second JP (spring semester) should be between 5,000 and 8,000 words. Both JPs may be written in English, in which case a three-page summary in the target language must be provided. Or, the JP can be written in the target language, in which case a summary is not needed. All JPs must include PU's honor pledge.

Concentrators following two languages are encouraged to write one JP in each of the languages of concentration.

Senior Thesis

Concentrators should select a senior thesis adviser by the end of September at the latest. The senior thesis is normally written in English, and should be between 15,000 and 20,000 words. Topics chosen in the past have ranged over the whole field of Spanish and Portuguese studies, from linguistic problems and literary techniques through close textual analysis to thematic and ideological studies. Students primarily interested in culture and civilization have written on art, political and economic issues, education, and a variety of social questions. The senior thesis is a major commitment of a student's time and energy, and the most important yardstick for choosing a topic is willingness to spend many hours on a particular set of texts or problems.

Any extensions beyond the University deadline date need preapproval from both the director of undergraduate studies and residential college dean.

Resources are available to assist students with the costs of senior thesis research, including, when appropriate, travel abroad. The best time to use them is the summer preceding senior year.

Senior Departmental Examination

The senior departmental/comprehensive exam will consist of an oral presentation of the thesis. It will be followed by questions regarding the thesis content and bibliography, as well as questions related to the coursework done by the student in the department.

Study and Work Abroad

The department strongly encourages its concentrators to spend as much time as they can in any country where their language(s) of concentration is (are) spoken. There are many ways of doing this within the four-year undergraduate degree: through study abroad for one or two semesters; through summer study abroad; and through a summer internship abroad. All students must visit the The Louis A. Simpson *60 International Building to become acquainted with the administrative procedures related to study abroad.

Junior Semester/Junior Year Abroad

Students planning to spend a semester or their whole junior year abroad should seek advice from the director of undergraduate studies and from relevant faculty in choosing a suitable program of study. Further assistance is available from the Office of International Programs. Departmental and University approvals of programs abroad are required.

Grades awarded by overseas institutions for courses that are recognized in lieu of Princeton courses are not included in the consideration of departmental honors.

Students who study abroad are not exempted from independent work requirements. If necessary, the department will decide to find a JP adviser in the location where the student spends the semester or year abroad or will indicate a department adviser who will be in contact with the student throughout the term or year abroad.

Up to three approved courses taken abroad in one semester will normally count for up to three course credits toward the concentration. Students must complete the program abroad to the standards required by the overseas institution.

Summer Language Study

All students interested in languages are encouraged to study abroad during the summer in one of the programs recommended by the department and the Office of International Programs. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese has summer programs in Toledo, Spain, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, for students with intermediate and advanced knowledge of Spanish, and a summer program in Lisbon, Portugal, for students with intermediate to advanced knowledge of Portuguese. The department offers several scholarships to attend those programs.

Summer Work Abroad

Information about placements and internships abroad may be obtained from the Office of International Programs.

Certificate in Language and Culture

Admission

The program is open to all undergraduates in all departments. Ordinarily, students concentrating in language and literature departments, including comparative literature, will be eligible for the certificate in language and culture provided that: (a) the linguistic base for the language and culture certificate is different from the linguistic base of the concentration; and (b) the work required for the language and culture certificate does not duplicate the requirements of the concentration. Students pursuing area studies certificates may earn the certificate in language and culture provided that: (a) the courses they elect to satisfy the requirements of the area studies program are different from those they elect to satisfy the requirements of the language and culture certificate program (in agreement with the Program in Latin American Studies, one course can be used toward both a certificate in Spanish and Portuguese and a certificate from the Program in Latin American Studies); and (b) they submit a piece of independent work in addition to the independent work that satisfies the requirements of the area studies program.

Application forms are available on the department's webpage for the certificate. Completed forms are submitted during the senior year. A separate application must be completed for each language in which a certificate will be pursued.

Plan of Study

The certificate in language and culture is available in Spanish and Portuguese and involves satisfactory completion of the following course requirements:

Spanish

  1. Four department-based or cross-listed SPA courses above SPA 209, at least three of which must be 300-level (or higher) in Spanish language, literature, or culture. Courses must be taken for a letter grade, not Pass/D/Fail or Audit. At the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies, students who study abroad during the academic year may count one preapproved course per semester abroad toward the certificate. One Princeton summer abroad course offered through the department would also count. Two preapproved courses in a summer program abroad other than Princeton's can count for one course toward the certificate. In no case, however, can more than two courses taken abroad count toward the certificate. A maximum of one course taught in English may be counted toward the certificate, provided that all written work is submitted in Spanish.
  2. Independent work. During their senior year, students are required to submit a paper on the topic designated on their application. (See deadline information above.) The paper must be written in Spanish; be at least 6,000 words in length; and be an extension of a paper written for one of the courses taken toward the certificate. Advisers are not assigned. One additional 300-level (or higher) SPA course may be substituted for the independent work. 
  3. Students interested in earning a certificate in another department's program and in Spanish may earn both certificates provided that: (a) different courses are used to fulfill the requirements for each certificate (except for PLAS; see above under Admission); and (b) the student produces two different pieces of independent work.

Portuguese

  1. Three department-based POR courses above the 100-level on the literature and cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world. At least one of these three courses must be at the 200-level. No course taught in English can count toward the certificate. Courses must be taken for a letter grade, no Pass/D/Fail or Audit. At the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies, students who study abroad during the academic year may count one preapproved course per semester abroad toward the certificate. One Princeton summer abroad course offered through the department would also count, provided that it is taught in Portuguese. Two preapproved courses in a summer program abroad other than Princeton's can count as one course toward the certificate, provided that they are taught in Portuguese. In no case, however, can more than one course taken abroad count toward the certificate.
  2. Independent work. During their senior year, students are required to submit a paper on the topic designated on their application. (See deadline information above.) The paper must be written in Portuguese; be at least 6,000 words in length (title page); and be an extension of a paper written for one of the courses taken toward the certificate. Advisers are not assigned. One additional upper-division POR course (above the 100-level)  may be substituted for the independent work.
  3. Students interested in earning a certificate in another department's program and in Portuguese may earn both certificates provided that: (a) different courses are used to fulfill the requirements for each certificate*; and (b) the student produces two different pieces of independent work. *In agreement with the Program in Latin American Studies, one course can be used toward a certificate in both POR and PLAS.

Courses

POR 101 Introduction to Portuguese I Fall

Students will be taught the fundamental skills of oral comprehension, speaking, reading and writing, while gaining exposure to the Portuguese-speaking world through the media, literature, film and the music of Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa. Instructed by: L. Gonçalves

POR 102 Introduction to Portuguese II Spring

A continuation of POR 101. Students will continue to develop skills of oral/aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing, while gaining further exposure to the Portuguese-speaking world through the media, literature, film and music of Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa. Students who successfully complete POR 102 will place into POR 107. Instructed by: L. Gonçalves

POR 106 Introduction to Portuguese for Spanish Speakers Fall/Spring

Normally open to students already proficient in Spanish, French, or Italian, this course uses that knowledge as a basis for the accelerated learning of Portuguese. Emphasis on the concurrent development of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Three classes. Prerequisite: Spanish 107 or equivalent, or instructor's permission. Instructed by: L. Gonçalves

POR 109 Intermediate Portuguese for Spanish Speakers Fall/Spring

Students will continue to develop their language skills, especially those of comprehension and written and oral expression through grammar study, readings, film, music, and other activities. Students will read and discuss one novel in Portuguese and will gain further exposure to the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world. Three classes. Prerequisite: POR 106 or instructor's permission. Instructed by: A. de Castro Melloni

POR 199 Intensive Portuguese Fall/Spring

An intensive course designed for students who have fulfilled the language requirement in Spanish or another Romance language. Knowledge of one of these languages provides the basis for the accelerated learning of Portuguese. This intensive one-semester course teaches fundamental communication skills of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing and provides some exposure to cultural aspects of the Portuguese-speaking world. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: A. de Castro Melloni

POR 208 Journeys in Portuguese: Studies in Language and Culture Fall/Spring

Designed as a journey through the Portuguese-speaking world, this course seeks to present the Portuguese language in context by exploring historical, social, political, and cultural aspects of Brazil, Portugal, Portuguese-speaking Africa and Asia through media, literature, film, music, and other activities. Students will increase their fluency and accuracy in both written and spoken Portuguese, broadening their vocabulary and mastery of syntax through textual analysis, discussions, oral presentations, and grammar review. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: 109 or instructor's permission. Instructed by: L. Gonçalves

POR 209 Portuguese Cultural Themes

An advanced language and culture course looking at a variety of themes pertaining to the contemporary Portuguese-speaking world. Discussions and compositions expand knowledge of grammar and increase fluency in written and spoken Portuguese, providing a solid foundation for further study of literature and culture. Prerequisite: POR 109 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: Staff

POR 221 Introduction to the Literature and Culture of the Portuguese-Speaking World (also
LAS 223
) LA

Through readings of selected texts and audiovisual materials, this course introduces students to the diverse cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world. Discussions focus on Portugal's expansion during early modern times, and the spread of the Portuguese language in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Contemporary issues in several geographic areas will be approached comparatively. Prerequisite: POR 208 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: Staff

POR 300 Luso-Afro-Brazilian Literary Traditions (also
LAS 315
) LA

This course focuses on works that have been key for shaping the literary tradition of the Portuguese language, from colonial to postcolonial times. Discussions will focus on the intersections between literature, social change, identity, and history in Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa. Prerequisite: POR 208 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: Staff

POR 301 Modern Brazilian Literature and Culture (also
LAS 303
) LA

A study of 19th- to 21st-century Brazilian texts with the aim of defining the place of Brazilian literature and culture within the context of Latin America and beyond. To include writers like Machado de Assis, Oswald de Andrade, Guimarães Rosa, Drummond, João Cabral, Clarice Lispector, and Caetano Veloso. Prerequisite: POR 208 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: Staff

POR 304 Topics in Brazilian Cultural and Social History (also
LAS 311
) LA

Through the analysis of literary texts, films, and music, the course will consider cultural responses to the construction of a Brazilian national identity. Possible topics include the Brazilian modernist tradition; contemporary culture and media; the city and literature; poetry and song. Prerequisites: POR 208 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: Staff

POR 319 Brazilian Cinema (also
LAS 319
/
VIS 346
) LA

An introduction to the richness of Brazilian film, this course explores major cinematic movements: from the Cinema Novo, to critically acclaimed documentaries and more recent commercial successes like City of God. Recurrent and emerging trends will be discussed (e.g., the destruction of the Amazon, urban violence, literary adaptation, musical expressions). Prerequisite: POR 208 or instructor's permission. One three-hour class. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 101 Beginner's Spanish I Fall

An integrated approach to develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish in a cultural context to foster cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world. Class activities are devoted to acquiring and developing communicative and cultural competence through aural/oral practice, reading strategies, vocabulary acquisition, and language production. Audiovisual and other media resources are included. Five classes. Instructed by: A. Merino

SPA 102 Beginner's Spanish II Spring

A continuation of SPA 101. The course continues to stress oral/aural practice with added emphasis on reading and communicative writing strategies. Students will read and analyze literary and cultural texts. Increased expression will be fostered through composition editing, videos, music, and film commentaries. Audiovisual and other media resources are included. Five classes. Prerequisite: SPA 101. The next course in this sequence is SPA 107. Instructed by: A. Merino

SPA 103 Intensive Beginner's and Intermediate Spanish Fall

An intensive course that combines 101 and 102 in one semester. Designed for students who have previously studied Spanish. An integrated approach that emphasizes developing and reinforcing language skills. Students will be introduced to various cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world through literary readings, videos, music, and films. Audiovisual and other media resources are included. Five classes. Prerequisites: satisfactory score on Princeton Spanish placement test and instructor's permission. Followed by SPA 107. Instructed by: E. Raynor

SPA 105 Intermediate Spanish Fall

Specially designed for students with a good foundation in Spanish. Class activities reinforce language skills through aural/oral practice, grammar review, vocabulary acquisition, reading, editing, composition, oral presentations, and discussion of contemporary Spanish short stories, music, and films. Three classes. Prerequisites: a satisfactory score on the Princeton Spanish placement test. Normally followed by 108. Instructed by: N. Cervantes Pérez

SPA 107 Intermediate/Advanced Spanish Fall/Spring

Designed for students who have successfully completed SPA 102 or SPA 103. An integrated approach to increase comprehension, and oral and written expression. Class activities reinforce language skills through aural/oral practice, grammar review, vocabulary acquisition, reading, editing compositions, oral presentations, and discussion. Students will develop their reading comprehension, oral proficiency, and writing skills through various multimedia activities. Five classes. Prerequisite: SPA 101-102 or SPA 103. Instructed by: I. Hauser

SPA 108 Advanced Spanish Fall/Spring

An intensive course designed to prepare students to enter 200-level courses, with an emphasis on reading, speaking, and writing. The course is aimed at developing advanced language skills through frequent writing exercises, oral presentations, discussions of current events, literary texts, music, and film. Three classes. Prerequisite: 105 or satisfactory score on the Princeton Spanish placement test. Instructed by: G. Bilbao Terreros

SPA 205 Medical Spanish Fall/Spring

An advanced level Spanish course on health and medical topics. Its main purpose is to provide the students with vocabulary and linguistic skills to discuss medical issues, and to prepare them to interact with Spanish speakers in a healthcare environment in the U.S. or Latin America. The course is focused on both oral and written skills. It will also explore some aspects of the Spanish-speaking culture in the fields of health and medicine through authentic documents and the contribution of guest speakers. Instructed by: P. Moscardó-Vallés

SPA 206 Legal and Business Spanish Spring

An advanced level Spanish course on legal and business language. The aim is to provide students with a new vocabulary for classroom discussions, readings and practice in a guided legal and business-related context. This course enables a deeper understanding of grammatical concepts previously presented as well as the syntactical and lexical challenges typical of this specific area of the Spanish language. Students will also be introduced to the basics of a completely different legal system and different business cultures, through texts, discussions, research, translation practice, situational case studies, and videos. Instructed by: A. Alsina Naudi

SPA 207 Studies in Spanish Language and Style Fall/Spring

An advanced course in Spanish composition and conversation designed to give students increased fluency and expertise in written and verbal Spanish skills. Extensive review of grammar and vocabulary through written and oral exercises. Course material includes literary texts, news-related publications, and films. Three classes. Prerequisite: SPA 107 or SPA 108 or equivalent AP/SAT score. Instructed by: A. Holgado-Lage

SPA 209 Spanish Language and Culture through Cinema Fall/Spring

Designed to enhance oral and written skills in Spanish while increasing familiarity with Hispanic cultures through cinema. Language skills development is connected to the content of films and will be combined with in-class debates on cultural topics and writing of compositions. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: SPA 107 or SPA 108 or equivalent AP/SAT score. Instructed by: N. Cervantes Pérez

SPA 210 Introduction to Spanish-English Translation (also
TRA 210
) Not offered this year LA

This course offers an introduction to translation practice for the Spanish-English language pair, focusing primarily on the task of translating from Spanish into English. However, students will also carry out a number of brief English into Spanish translation tasks. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish and follows a communicative approach to translation, with a good balance between theory and praxis. It will provide students with a solid foundation in the field, and prepare them to take more specialized translation courses. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 211 Varieties of Spanish (also
LIN 211
) Spring SA

Offered as an overview of sociolinguistic variation in the Spanish-speaking world, students will learn about social, political, and cultural aspects related to dialectal variation in Spanish and become acquainted with important linguistic features present in various dialects. Upon completion of the course, students become familiarized with particular features distinguishing one dialect from another, while gaining knowledge of the development of these differences. This course will greatly enrich a student's view of Spanish, either as a native/heritage speaker or Spanish learner, and allows for the development of analytical skills. Instructed by: D. Méndez Vallejo

SPA 221 Introduction to Medieval and Early Modern Spanish Cultures LA

Major developments in Spanish literature and civilization from the Muslim conquest to the 17th century. Beliefs and attitudes underlying the rise of the Spanish empire and the ways in which the interaction (convivencia) of Christians, Jews, and Muslims brought about the cultural differentiation of Spain within the European context. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: 207 or higher, or instructor's permission. Instructed by: M. Brownlee

SPA 222 Introduction to Latin American Cultures (also
LAS 222
/
LAO 222
) CDLA

Introduction to modern Latin American cultural and literary traditions with emphasis on the political uses of writing and art, national identity vis-à-vis popular and indigenous groups, memory and representation, the definition of modernity, and trans-American dialogues. The course may focus on national foundational fictions, the literary and artistic avant-gardes of the 1920s and 1960s, Mexican and Peruvian indigenismo, and memory art and cinema. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: SPA 207 or higher, or instructor's permission. Strongly recommended before 300-level courses. Instructed by: J. Guerrero

SPA 224 Hispanic Studies: Introduction to Cultural Analysis LA

An introduction to textual analysis and interpretation of Hispanic literatures. The course will be organized on discussions of various genre (narrative, poetry, drama, essay). Readings will include authors from early and modern periods from Spain and Latin America, such as Garcilaso de la Vega, Cervantes, Calderón de la Barca, Miguel de Unamuno, García Lorca, Sor Juana, José Hernández, Rubén Darío, Jorge Luis Borges, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Margo Glantz. Popular music and film will also be studied. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: 107 or 108, or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 227 Contemporary Issues in Spain (also
EPS 227
/
URB 237
) LA

This course will focus on current political, social, and cultural issues in Latin America and/or Spain, including social movements, new artistic developments, economic changes, environmental debates, globalization and culture, politics of memory, immigration and cultural conflicts, nationalist movements, etc. Each semester, the course will focus on one of two particular regions and countries, such as the Southern Cone, the Andean region, Central America, Brazil, Mexico and the borderlands, Spain, etc. This course will also strengthen the students' conversational skills through team discussion and oral presentations. Instructed by: G. Labrador Méndez

SPA 300 The Literature and Culture of Spain and Colonial Latin America: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque (also
LAS 300
) LA

Through selected texts from Spain and colonial Latin America, the course will explore the formation of a literary tradition in Spanish. The main objective is to foster comparative studies within literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world so as to identify points of contact and differentiation currently defining this field of studies. Two lectures, one preceptorial. Prerequisite: one 200-level Spanish course. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 301 Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Spanish Culture (also
COM 368
/
MED 301
) LA

Poetry, prose, and drama of the Golden Age. Readings might include the works of authors such as Garcilaso, Saint Theresa, Saint John of the Cross, Góngora, Quevedo, Lope de Vega, and Calderón. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 302 Medieval Spanish Literature LA

Spanish literature and culture from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the 16th century. Emphasis on both literary works (most read in modernized versions) and original documents. Special attention will be given to medieval Spain's pluralistic society of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. Prerequisite: a 200-level course in Spanish or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute seminars. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 303 Spanish Literature and Culture: Modern Spain 1700 to Present Fall LA

Key literary works are analyzed in relation to main cultural, political, and social currents in Spain in the last three centuries. The course combines analysis of specific texts with a panoramic view of the complex articulation of cultural forces that have led to the present configuration of contemporary Spain. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: N. Castro Picón

SPA 305 Topics in Spanish Civilization of the Golden Age LA

Selected literary forms and themes in relation to the major historical, social, and cultural currents of the Golden Age. Possible topics include the function of the theater in the absolutist state; the Inquisition and the literature of alienation; the impact of the Counter-Reformation on artistic activity; the image of woman in literature. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 306 Cervantes and His Age (also
COM 315
) LA

Since 1605, Don Quixote has elicited passionate reactions: Faulkner read it once a year, as some read the Bible, while Malraux saw it as the most meaningful book for survivors of concentration camps. Quixote has been construed in disparate ways, from debating good and bad reading and writing, to mocking the medieval world view; from exploring the serious impact of the printing press, to benevolently satirizing the conquistadors; from being a study of deviant social behavior and the nature of madness, to a meditation on human sexuality and ageing. One lecture, two precepts. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or equivalent. Instructed by: M. Brownlee

SPA 307 Ways of Reading and Writing in Spanish Fall/Spring LA

An advanced language course which develops and reinforces accuracy and fluency in both writing and speaking Spanish. Students will learn to identify linguistic features that characterize different genres, as well as social and cultural factors that aid in the interpretation and understanding of different texts and types of speech. The course also aims at providing the tools for discourse analysis, raising awareness of the social and ideological values that permeate discursive practices, and developing autonomy and proficiency as an advanced learner of Spanish language. Three classes. Prerequisite: One 200-level SPA course. Instructed by: M. Bono

SPA 309 Translation: Cultures in Context LA

An introduction to the study and practice of translation, this course provides students with an awareness of the complex tasks involved in translating written materials from one cultural context to another. The cultural encounter between the Hispanic and the Anglo-Saxon will be explored through the translation of increasingly difficult texts--newspaper articles, interviews, economic reports, and scientific articles. Through the examination of the students' own translations, the course will study the process of cultural exchange between Spanish and English. Prerequisite: 307. One three-hour seminar. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 312 The Dramatic Expression of the Golden Age LA

A survey of the major forms of Spanish drama of the Golden Age, including plays by Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, and Calderón. Emphasis on the development of the theater in relation to the rise of the absolutist state, the Counter-Reformation, and the impact of the Inquisition on Spanish society. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course. Two 90-minute classes. Instructed by: M. Brownlee

SPA 317 Topics in the Cultural Expression of Protest and Dissent in Spain LA

Topics may include the literature of non-Castilian cultures in the Peninsula; the nonconformist drama of Galdós, Unamuno, Valle-Inclán, and García Lorca; the artist against the state (poets, essayists, and novelists under the Franco regime); the commitments of the avant-garde. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 319 Topics in Cinema and Culture (also
LAS 354
) LA

Major cinematic movements in Latin America and/or Spain: their influence and their relationship to literary and cultural issues. Possible topics include: the art of adaptation of narrative to film or Spanish surrealism. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: 207 or instructor's permission. Instructed by: N. Legnani

SPA 320 Modern Spanish Fiction LA

The development of the novel and short story, as art forms, from 19th-century realism to the avant-garde of the 1920s and 1930s. An analysis of literary problems and their historical background, drawing on the works of Galdós, Clarín, Unamuno, Baroja, Valle-Inclán, Miró, and others. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or equivalent. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 321 Topics in the Intellectual History of Modern and Contemporary Spain (also
LAS 321
) LA

Special attention to its European context. Course may focus on a few important essayists (such as Ortega, Unamuno, d'Ors, and Zambrano) or may trace the development of an influential idea (such as the function of art, the individual and the masses) or map the characteristics of a certain period. One three-hour seminar. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or equivalent. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 326 Modern Spanish Poetry LA

Poetry from the late 19th century to the Spanish Civil War, considering modernismo and the generations of '98 and '27 in relation to European symbolism and the avant-garde. One three hour seminar. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or equivalent. Instructed by: G. Labrador Méndez

SPA 331 Modern Latin American Fiction (also
LAS 331
) LA

Major themes, forms, and techniques in Latin American novels and short stories. Close analysis of texts by Borges, Rulfo, García Márquez, Bolaño, Vallejo, and others. Consideration will be given to historical contexts and contemporary ideological currents. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 332 Modern Latin American Poetry (also
LAS 332
) LA

An introduction to the major poets and poetic trends in modern Latin America and the Caribbean, with emphasis on Martí, Darío, Huidobro, Vallejo, Mistral, Neruda, Palés Matos, Borges, and Saer. Special attention also to the rich oral traditions represented by popular genres such as boleros, tango, nueva canción and rock, and particularly the work of Silvio Rodríguez, Violeta Parra, Rubén Blades, Tite Curet Alonso, and Charly García available in audio recordings or videos. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or equivalent. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 342 Topics in Latin American Modernity (also
LAS 342
) Fall LA

The development of cultural patterns and literary forms in Spanish America since the late 19th century. Topics may include: the importance of oral traditions and popular music in forging identities; the literary and ideological import of modernismo, travel literature in the 19th century; and the avant-garde movements of the 1920s. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 343 The Invention of Latin American Traditions (also
LAS 343
) LA

Fundamental texts of Spanish American literature from colonial times to the present. In a given semester the course could focus on works by Garcilaso, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Sarmiento, José Hernandez, Martí, Borges, Mariátegui, Palés Matos, Henríquez Ureña, or Lezama Lima. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 344 Literature and Society in Early Latin America (also
LAS 344
) LA

This seminar studies literary, legal, and historical writings in relation to such topics as imperialism and colonialism, the image of the "Indian," cultural identities, and rhetoric and politics, from the writings of Columbus and the cartographic imagination to the formation of the new criollo culture in the vice-regal city. Texts from the following authors will be carefully analyzed: Cortés, Cabeza de Vaca, Las Casas, Garcilaso de la Vega, Huaman Poma, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 345 Topics in Latin American Literature and Ideology (also
LAS 345
) Fall LA

Latin American and Caribbean thought from 1800 to the present, focusing on the conflicting cultural and ideological assumptions of liberalism and nationalism. Topics might include slavery and literature, the writing of history, the intellectuals and power, or the writings of some major figures such as Bolívar, Hostos, Martí, Mariátegui, Fernando Ortiz, or Paz. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: S. Draper

SPA 346 Modern Latin American Fiction in Translation (also
COM 346
/
LAS 364
) LA

Readings and discussion of authors such as Machado de Assis, Cortázar, Lispector, García Márquez, Vargas Llosa, and Puig, considered in relation to the cultures of Latin America and to trends of modern European and American fiction. Does not count as a departmental course for Spanish majors unless readings and papers are done in Spanish. Three hour lecture. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: R. Gallo

SPA 348 Fictions and Communities in the Andes (also
LAS 348
) Not offered this year LA

How is the complexity of the Andes imagined or resolved in its literatures? This seminar will study the plurality of narrations and communities that constitute the Andean world, focusing primarily on Peru and two of its major intellectual movements in the 20th century: the indigenismo and the criollo urban literature. Aspects of the Afro-Peruvian narratives will also be studied. Major authors discussed include: Ricardo Palma, Clorinda Matto, González Prada, Mariátegui, Arguedas, Vargas Llosa, Bryce, Ribeyro, Gregorio Martínez. Conducted in Spanish. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 350 Topics in Latin American Cultural Studies (also
LAS 349
) Fall LA

A course focusing on elements of Latin American culture that left a strong mark on the history, literature, and arts of the region. Recent topics include the representation of Che Guevara in novels, film, and photography; the literary response to Tango in Argentina; the impact of the invention of radio in avant-garde poetry. The course will emphasize the connections between history, literature, arts, and visual culture of the region. Two 90-minute seminars. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: N. Sanchez-Rodriguez

SPA 351 Topics in the Culture of Cities (also
LAS 347
) LA

An overview of the cultural production and history of major cities in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking worlds. Possible topics include Mexico City, Barcelona, Saõ Paulo, Buenos Aires, Havana, and Madrid. The course will examine the representation of the city in literature (poetry and prose), film, painting, photography, and music. Discussions will focus on how historical events determine the possibilities of representation. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 352 Topics in the Politics of Writing and Difference (also
LAS 356
) LA

A course analyzing various Latin American literary and written traditions produced by, in dialogue with, or on behalf of subjects who have an ambiguous relationship with dominant forms of written expression, for example: indigenous people, black people, and women. Special attention will be given to slave narratives, testimonio, autobiography, and the indigenista novel. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 353 Topics in Gender and Representation (also
COM 354
/
LAS 353
) LA

An examination of the relationship between gender and genre, between the author's experience as a gendered subject, and experiments with literary form. Topics might include women's writing, gay literature, and the aesthetics of camp. Discussions will emphasize the link between experimental forms of writing and the experience of history as a gendered subject. Two 90-minute classes. Prerequisite: a 200-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 380 Translation Workshop: Spanish to English (also
TRA 380
) Spring LA

This workshop-style course will focus on developing the student's skills in translating short texts from Spanish into English. Each week one or two students will present their translations from a selection of poems and short stories by writers like Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Elena Poniatowska, Julio Cortázar, and many others. Students will also read theoretical texts about translation. Several professional translators will visit the class during the semester and present examples from their own work to the class. Prerequisite: reading knowledge of Spanish. One three-hour seminar. Instructed by: N. Wimmer

SPA 381 Topics in the Theory of Translation Not offered this year LA

An overview of recent debates about the practice of translation with special emphasis on how these ideas have been applied in translations of literary works by poets, novelists, and thinkers like Octavio Paz, Alfonso Reyes, Jorge Luis Borges, José Lezama Lima, and José Ortega y Gasset. Readings include essays on translation by Walter Benjamin, Vladimir Nabokov, Georges Steiner, and Lawrence Venutti. Students will be asked to translate a literary text from Spanish to English. Prerequisite: 307. One three-hour seminar. Instructed by: Staff

SPA 401 Topics in Hispanic Culture (Europe and America) (also
LAS 428
) LA

Possible topics might include: modernity, empire, and colonialism, European travel literature in Latin America, the encounter of Latin America, and North American cultural traditions. One three-hour seminar. Prerequisite: a 300-level Spanish course or instructor's permission. Instructed by: Staff