Spanish (SPAN)

111 – Elementary Spanish

• Essentials of Spanish, stressing the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing. Scheduled use of the language laboratory to supplement and reinforce classroom learning. Given in Spanish. Designed for students with no experience of Spanish. Three hours. Staff.

112 – Elementary Spanish

• Second half of Elementary SPAN. Prerequisite: SPAN 111. Given in Spanish. Three hours. Staff.

115 – Intensive Elementary Spanish

• Intensive introduction to Spanish, emphasizing the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.Designed for students who have taken Spanish but who do not place in intermediate Spanish. Admittance through placement testing only. Students who have taken SPAN 111 and/or SPAN 112 may not enroll in SPAN 115. Given in Spanish. Four hours. Staff.

211 – Intermediate Spanish

• Continued study of the four language skills at a more sophisticated level. Instruction includes the scheduled use of the language laboratory. Prerequisite: SPAN 112/115 or admittance through placement testing. Given in Spanish. Three hours. Staff.

212 – Intermediate Spanish

• Second half of Intermediate Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 211. Given in Spanish. Three hours. Staff.

215 – Intensive Intermediate Spanish

• A brief grammar review with emphasis upon reading a variety of texts dealing with Hispanic culture as well as intensive drill in conversation, controlled composition, and accuracy in pronunciation. Admittance through placement testing only. Course designed for students who are beyond the SPAN 211 level but do not place into SPAN 231. Students who have taken SPAN 211 and/or 212 may not enroll in 215. Given in Spanish. Four hours. Staff.

231 – Conversation

• Intensive practice in conversational Spanish designed to develop the student’s fluency and vocabulary. Emphasis on grammar review and practical exercises for written and spoken communication. Prerequisite: SPAN 212 or 215 or department permission. Three hours. Staff.

232 – Advanced Grammar and Composition

• This third-year language and writing development course offers a comprehensive grammar and composition review to advanced students of Spanish. Vocabulary building through the study of idioms is emphasized. Translation exercises both from Spanish to English and English to Spanish as well as practice drills in spoken and written applications of grammar are included. This course is a prerequisite for all 400-level literature courses. Prerequisite: SPAN 212 or 215. Given in Spanish. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 312. Three hours. Staff.

235 – Phonetics and Linguistics

• This course offers a study of the theories and practical applications of Spanish pronunciation with emphasis on oral drills in class, in the language laboratory, and abroad. Special attention is given to identifying and correcting individual pronunciation problems. Recordings of native speakers and radio and television broadcasts serve as pronunciation models. Prerequisite: SPAN 212 or 215, or department permission. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 224. Three hours. Staff.

241 – Reading Literature in Spanish

• This course is designed to help students become critical readers of literature. Texts are selected for their value in helping students understand literary forms and how these forms are constructed and read. Emphasis is placed on the constituent elements of narrative prose, poetry, and drama. Readings consist of selections from Spanish and Latin American literature, and particular attention is paid to close textual reading. This course is conducted entirely in Spanish, and attention to the figurative use of language in literature promotes considerable growth in student’s ability to understand and use spoken and written Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 231 or department permission. Three hours. Staff.

301 – Spanish for Business and International Trade

• An introduction to the world of business conducted in Spanish. This course helps students to develop the ability to interact in a business environment by providing them with the appropriate vocabulary, cultural sensitivity, and cross-cultural skills. Topics include: business careers, applying and interviewing for employment, the business office, banking, real estate, sales, soliciting and giving advice, negotiating, business travel, and social situations. This course is conducted in Spanish and include a grammar review integrated into the business context. Prerequisite: SPAN 231. Counts toward the Spanish major and minor. Offered alternate years. Three hours. Staff.

349 – Teaching Methodology for Foreign Languages

• Also listed as FREN 349 and GERM 349, this course fulfills a state requirement for students seeking certification in the teaching of foreign languages. Students will explore the theories of language acquisitions, current research and various methods of language instruction to form a personal statement of teaching. This course will emphasize the national standards and proficiency-based objectives for foreign language instruction. Through the development of a teaching portfolio for future classroom use, learners will demonstrate the ability to present, reinforce, and assess communicative language skills including speaking, writing, reading and listening. In addition, learners will develop practices to employ media for language teaching. Given in English. Prerequisite: One course beyond the 212-215 level and admission to the Randolph-Macon education department’s teacher preparation program. Required to be taken no earlier than the academic year during which student teaching is to take place. Offered as needed. Three hours. Staff.

351 – Introduction to Literature of Spain

• A study of Spanish peninsular literature from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century. Selected works from prose narrative, poetry, theater, and essay. Introduction to analysis of literary texts. Given in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 231 and 241 or department permission. Partially satisfies the AOK requirement for Literature and Art. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 251. Three hours. Ms. Bordera-Amérigo, Mr. Malin, Mr. Harms.

356 – Introduction to Latin-American Literature

• A study of Latin-American literature from the Colonial period to the present. Prose narrative, poetry, and theater are studied. Emphasis on analysis of literary texts and use of critical terms. Given in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 231 and 241 or department permission. Partially satisfies the AOK requirement for Literature and Art. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 252. Three hours. Mr. Harms.

371 – Spain’s Civilization

• A survey of political, intellectual, and artistic life in Spain from earliest times to the 21st Century. Ideas and traditions that have had the most profound and long-lasting influence on the cultural heritage of Spain are emphasized. Extensive use of audio-visual materials. Lecture, discussion, oral reports, and brief papers are the principal modes of presentation. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 241, 351 and 356 or department permission. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 323. Three hours. Mr. Malin, Ms. Bordera-Amérigo.

372 – The Two Spains

• A study of the conflictive process of modernization in Spain that concentrates on the clash between the progressive efforts to modernize and the traditionalist efforts to maintain Spain’s unique social and cultural identity. This study abroad course in Spain includes visits to historical and cultural sites as well as a three-week family stay. In Spanish. Prerequisites: SPAN 232, 241, 351 and 356 or department permission. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 327. Three hours. Mr. Malin, Ms. Bordera-Amérigo.

376 – Latin-American Civilization

• Study of the culture and civilization of Spanish-speaking America from a variety of viewpoints: historical, literary, sociological, anthropological, and political. Extensive use of audiovisual materials. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 241, 351 and 356. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 324. Three hours. Mr. Harms.

450 – Internships in Spanish

• Individually designed field studies and projects for students of junior or senior status whose maturity and proficiency in Spanish will enable them to enter the fields of business, industry, government, health or social services. The internship provides several weeks of practical application of knowledge of Hispanic culture and language. Prerequisites: certification of class status, appropriate GPA, and permission of the department. Application required; see Internship Program. Offered alternate years. Three hours. Staff.

452 – Early Modern Peninsular Literature

• A selection of representative works form XVI and XVII century Spain studied against the historical and cultural background of Spain’s Golden Age, the age of Cervantes, Velazquez, and Lope de Vega. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 232, 241, 351 and 356. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 431. Three hours. Staff.

453 – Cervantes

• A study of selected works of Spain’s literary giant with emphasis on the Quijote. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 232, 241, 351 and 356. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 432. Three hours. Staff.

456 – Spain’s 19th Century

• A study of regionalism, romanticism, realism, and naturalism in narrative prose, drama, and poetry against a background of political upheaval in 19th-century Spain. Several representative major authors from each genre receive special attention. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 232, 241, 351 and 356.  Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 352. Three hours. Mr. Malin.

458 – Spain’s 20th and 21st Centuries

• A consideration of the literature of Spain beginning with the Generation of 1898 and ending with writers of the 1980s and 1990s. Examples from all genres (short story, novel, essay, drama, poetry) are studied for their literary value as well as for the insight they offer into contemporary Spanish culture. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 232, 241, 351 and 356. Given in Spanish. Offered alternate years. Not open to students who have completed SPAN 361.Three hours. Ms. Bordera-Amérigo.

381/481 –Special Topics

• Intensive work in areas of language or literature not covered in the general curriculum, tailored to the needs of advanced students. Prerequisites: SPAN 231, 232, 241, 351 and 356. Given in Spanish. Three hours each. Staff.

487-488 – Department Honors I and II

• Staff.

491-492 – Independent Study

• An independent study under the guidance of a member of the department. At least a 3.25 cumulative GPA and approval by the curriculum committee are required. Three or six hours. Staff.

495 – Capstone Experience

• Majors will take this one credit capstone course in conjunction with a 400-level literature course during the spring semester of their senior year. Working with their capstone adviser, students will submit for approval of the Departmental Capstone Committee a topic related both to the theme of the 400-level course and to the interests of the students. Under the guidance of their capstone adviser, students will prepare a capstone project, which will also serve as the final paper or project for the 400-level literature course. In addition to the written project, students will make two oral presentations, one in English on Research Day and another in Spanish. Performance in SPAN 495 will be evaluated by the Departmental Capstone Committee members and will be based on the students’ work with their capstone advisers, the capstone project, and the two presentations. Given in Spanish. Offered in spring; offered in fall when necessary. One hour. Staff.

Study Abroad courses offered at the University of Salamanca in Spain

All of the following courses are taught in Spanish. Prerequisites for all courses taught in Spain are SPAN 212 or 215 and permission of the romance language department. SPAN 231 is highly recommended. NOTE: Fall term in Salamanca is equivalent to one R-MC term. In the spring, students are advised to attend both the winter and spring terms combined.

220 – Language Development for Oral Proficiency

• Designed for the student who has completed a course in intermediate Spanish, this course immerses the student in spoken Spanish four hours a day for a month with emphasis on oral proficiency skills for the academic, family, and social contexts which are the basis of Spanish life, at a level appropriate with the student’s placement exam scores. Spontaneous conversation, controlled linguistic exercises, and workshops in literary Spanish, business Spanish, or translation substantially increase the student’s capacity to communicate in Spanish. Students who place below the intermediate level in the placement exam given in Salamanca will receive credit for SPAN 220. SPAN 220 does not count toward the minor or major in Spanish. Students who place at the intermediate or Superior levels on the placement test given in Salamanca will receive credit for SPAN 305, which counts as part of Group IV (elective) toward the major or the minor. Students who place at the Advance level on the placement test given in Salamanca will receive credit for SPAN 316. SPAN 316 is the equivalent of SPAN 232 and counts as part of Group I toward the major. Four hours.

305 – Intensive Language Development for Oral Proficiency

• See SPAN 220.

313 – Spanish Grammar

• This course is a study of Spanish grammar, both at the theoretical and practical levels. Topics covered include the study of basic difficulties of the Spanish language, vocabulary building, writing exercises, and oral comprehension and expression. This course counts in Group I on the major or minor. Three hours.

315 – Spanish Grammar

• This course is a continuation of SPAN 314. The course is to refine and crystallize reading, writing and speaking skills acquired in SPAN 314. Prerequisite: SPAN 314 or equivalent. Two hours.

316 – Intensive Language Development for Oral Proficiency

• See SPAN 220.

318 – Geography of Spain

• This course is a study of Spain’s physical geography. Topics covered include therelief of the Iberian Peninsula, its climate, water, and vegetation. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as part of Group II for the major or minor. Three hours.

319 – Human Geography

• This course is a study of the human geography of Spain. Topics include: population, its evolution, and its characteristics; rural and urban life; and development of cities and characteristics of urbanization. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as part of Group II for the major or minor. Three hours.

320 – Economics of Spain

• This course is a survey of the economic geography of Spain as well as a study of the Spanish system of economy. Topics include its financial market, its monetary policy, and its role in the international economy, particularly in the European Union. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. Two hours.

321 – Regions of Spain

• This course examines the physical, economic, and cultural characteristics of Spanish regions. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent.Two hours.

331 – Spanish Literature

• This course is a survey of Spanish literature up to the 20th century. Periods covered include the literature of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, the 18th and the 19th centuries.  Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course, combined with SPAN 333 counts as Group I. After consultation with the department, the two courses may count as part of Group II on the major. Two hours.

332 – Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries

• This course is a study of Spanish literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries. It examines, among others, the romantics and realists as well as the generalists of 1898 to 1962. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as Group I. After consultation with the department this course may count as part of Group III on the major. Three hours.

333 – Literature Beginning to 19th Century

• This course is a survey of Spanish literature of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque period the 18th century, Romanticism, Naturalism and Realism. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. Corequisite:SPAN 332. Two hours.

335 – History of Spain: Medieval Period

• This course is a survey of Spanish history from Visigoth Spain to the 16th century. Topics covered include the Moslem conquest of Spain, the Reconquista, the Catholic kings, the conquest of America, and the Counter-Reformation. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as part of Group II on the major or minor. Three hours.

336 – History of Spain: Modern Period

• This course is a study of Spanish history from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Topics include the Old Regime, the Bourbons, and Carlos III. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as part of Groups II on the major or minor. Corequisite: SPAN 337. Three hours.

337 – History of Spain: Contemporary Period

• This course is a survey of the history of 20th century Spain. Topics include the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, the Second Republic, the Civil War, Spain under Franco, and the transition to Democracy. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. Corequisite: SPAN 336. Two hours.

353 – History of Spanish Art

• This course is a survey of Spanish art (architecture, sculpture and painting) up to the 19th century. Art forms covered include Visigoth, Asturian, Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassic. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. May be used to partially satisfy the collegiate requirement in Fine Arts. This course counts as part of Group II on the major or minor. Three hours.

354 – History of Spanish Art

• This course is a study of Spanish art of the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics include Expressionism, Avant Garde Art between the two world wars, Post-War Art and artistic trends since 1965. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. This course counts as part of Group II on the major. Will partially satisfy collegiate requirement in Fine Arts. Three hours.

355 – Contemporary Forms of Media: Cinema, Press, TV

• This course is a survey of cinema and contemporary cinema, different forms of written and oral media, their ideology, and their social influence. Prerequisite: SPAN 305 or equivalent. Two hours.