Spanish Program

Lower Division Courses

"Placement Test" for Spanish 1A, 1B, 2A and/or 2B: there are no "placement Tests" for Spanish 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B. 

"Credit Allowances" are listed for Foreign Language classes. It is based on the student's experience in the language and most from the studies in high school. You may find those allowances here.

Credit by Examination: To "test out" of a course, you must be enrolled in the course for the same semester. There is two application procedure (1) the department request and (2) the university's Application for Credit by Examination". The same Department Credit Allowances pertain for students requesting to test out. Please note: Credit may not be awarded for a lower-division course if the student has received credit (credit or letter grade) for an uper-division course in that same foreign language. For example: if a student has received a letter grade for Spanish 119 (upper division course), the student cannot challenge Spanish 4A (lower division course).

The department application is available at the department office (Peters Business Bldg, Room 393). This form will required a copy of your unofficial transcript for the Chair's review and decision.

Courses

SPAN 1A. Elementary Spanish (4).

Beginning course in conversational and written Spanish. Emphasis on reading, writing, listening, speaking, and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples. (CAN SPAN 2)

• Course Description: Spanish 1A is an elementary Spanish course designed for students with no prior knowledge of Spanish.  The course emphasizes oral communication, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

Students successfully completing SPAN 1A will be able to:

• Engage in simple interpersonal exchanges in which culturally appropriate conversational conventions are employed to carry out basic speech acts such as greetings, exchange of names, politeness and leave-taking.
• Describe daily routines, studies, family, friends and other people, foods, travel, sports, pastimes, the home and other topics of day-to-day relevance using present-tense verbs, including reflexive and irregular verbs.
• Read short, contextualized passages on Hispanic and world cultures for comprehension.
  Write short, personalized essays using complete sentences.
  Describe habitual actions and personal routines in the past.

SPAN 1B. Elementary Spanish (4).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. SPAN 1A or permission of instructor recommended. Second semester course in conversational and written Spanish. G.E. Breadth C2. (CAN SPAN 4).

• Course Description:  Spanish 1B is a second semester course in conversational and written Spanish. G.E. Breadth C2.

Students successfully completing SPAN 1B will be able to:

• Describe and narrate in the past tenses;
• Talk about likes and dislikes;
• Describe people’s personalities and physical characteristics;
• Understand  and create basic communication involving everyday topics including clothing, the weather, the home and its furnishings, holidays, parties and celebrations, work and the labor market, foods and shopping, and sports and other pastimes;
• Give formal and informal commands;
• Describe actions and events that are occurring at the present moment;
• Compare people, things, qualities and quantities of things.

SPAN 2A. Spanish for Communication (3).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. Second year course that emphasizes speaking and reading skills. G.E. Breadth C2. (CAN SPAN 8) 

• Course Description.  Spanish 2A is a third semester course in conversational and written Spanish. G.E. Breadth C2.

There are four main areas of Spanish proficiency: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.  By the end of the semester you will be expected to

• Be able to carry on simple conversations in Spanish,
• Understand general statements and questions,
• Read and comprehend short passages in Spanish, and
• Write short compositions. 
• In each area, you are expected to be able to produce and understand language that would be understood by a “sympathetic” native speaker.

SPAN 2B. Spanish for Communication (3).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. Open to students with four years of high school Spanish. G.E. Breadth C2. (CAN SPAN 10)

• Course Description: Second year course that emphasizes speaking and reading skills.G.E Breadth C2

There are four main areas of foreign language proficiency: speaking, listening comprehension, writing and reading comprehension.  By the end of the semester, students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Initiate, sustain and close a general conversation about familiar, routine matters using connected speech. 
• Understand and answer simple questions, and
• Understand and write short essays and compositions, all in language that would be understood by a “sympathetic” native speaker. 
• Aside from the four linguistic skills, students will also be able to identify and discuss aspects of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.  

SPAN 3. Reading and Writing (3).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. SPAN 2A or 2B recommended. Opportunity to increase reading and writing skills in preparation for upper-division coursework in Spanish. G.E. Breadth C2.

• Course Description: This course stresses reading and writing skills in Spanish. The goal is for student to increase reading and writing skills in preparation for upper-division course work in Spanish. The class proposes to build upon previous study of Spanish to take the student from an elementary to an intermediate level of reading and writing skills in the language. The class will seek to review and strengthen grammar principles, broaden student’s vocabulary base, improve reading comprehension and move towards a more proficient written expression.

Course Objectives:             

• Evaluate analyze, and critically assess the ideas and meanings of diverse texts
• Compose response to readings
• Write for a variety of purposes and audiences
• Vocabulary preparation: cognates; recognition through context; word families
• Advance organization: anticipating, predicting, skimming and scanning the reading selections
• Strategy development: decoding strategies such as using parts of speech or syntax to determine meaning as well as high-order strategies such as interpreting metaphors and distinguishing main supporting ideas
• Transferring strategies to writing brief compositions based on the topics of the reading selections
• Increase vocabulary
• Refine knowledge of grammar and syntax improve fluency in reading and writing

SPAN 4A. Spanish for the Bilingual Student (3).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. For the native speaker of Spanish who has intensive life experience using the Spanish language. Grammar is stressed, but speaking, reading, and writing skills are also further developed. G.E. Breadth C2.

• Course Description: For students from a bilingual background who have previous formal study of Spanish.  Emphasis on productive language skills, grammar, advanced reading, comprehension, and culture using peninsular and Latin American texts.

At the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Comprehend, summarize and explain literary texts in Spanish.
• Distinguish between the orthographic rules of formal and informal Spanish.
• Organize and express ideas in writing.
• Identify and explain several aspects of Hispanic culture, history, sociology, literature and contributions to American society.

SPAN 4B. Spanish for the Bilingual Student (3).

Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. SPAN 3 or permission of instructor recommended. For students from a bilingual background who have previous formal study of Spanish. Emphasis on productive language skills, grammar, advanced reading comprehension, and culture using peninsular and Latin American texts. G.E. Breadth C2.

At the successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Comprehend, summarize and explain literary texts in Spanish.
• Distinguish between the orthographic rules of formal and informal Spanish.
• Organize and express ideas in writing.
• Develop an understanding of the power of language, image, symbol and metaphor in our lives and in the arts.
• Promote an understanding of the terminology of language and grammar.
• Identify and explain several aspects of Hispanic culture, history, sociology, literature and contributions to American society.

SPAN 5. Spanish for Conversation (3).

Recommended: SPAN 2A or 2B. Emphasis on spoken Spanish; development of oral fluency through class discussion, conversation games, and vocabulary exercises.

• Course Description: Spanish 5 is a conversation course for intermediate students of Spanish. Emphasis is on spoken Spanish; development of oral fluency through class discussion, conversation games, oral presentations, vocabulary exercises and homework assignments in reading, research and grammar. 

Successful students will be able to communicate orally in Spanish at an:

• Intermediate-advanced level description of people, places, things, events
• Advanced-level narration in present tense
• Intermediate-level narration in past and future tenses
• Intermediate-advanced use of vocabulary related to daily life activities

To make formal oral presentations in Spanish at an intermediate-advanced level comprised of:

• Organized description, narration, exposition using/listing new, pertinent vocabulary
• Well formulated opinions
• Paragraph-length sustained speech without continuous reliance on notes
• Grammatical constructions
• Pronunciation intelligible to native speakers

SPAN 8T. Fundamental Skills in Spanish (1-2; max total 4 if no topic repeated)

Instruction in fundamental problems in writing and word usage, such as accentuation, spelling, and vocabulary. Intended primarily for students who need more work in specific areas of writing and speaking. CR/NC grading only.

SPAN 10. Spanish in Context (3 or 6; max total 6)

Recommended: two years of high school Spanish, SPAN 1B or permission of instructor. Intended for those who are enrolled in our summer study abroad program. Emphasizes speaking, reading, and cultural interaction with members of the community. (Summer only)

Flowchart

• Credit by examination (CBE) for Spanish courses

Upper Division Courses

For an official list of courses offered in this department, please go to General Catalog here.

*Please note, these courses are not in numeral order, but in Area order. Be sure, if searching for a particular course number, you are looking in the correct Area of study.

AREA I. Bilingual Studies

SPAN 106T. Children's Literature in Spanish (3)
Recommended: SPAN 2A, 2B or 4A, 4B. Examination of children's stories, poems, rhymes, and songs written, composed, or available in Spanish. Practice in the techniques of storytelling. Dramatizations of children's stories in Spanish. Presentation of puppet plays.

SPAN 134. Spanish in Bilingual Schools (3)
Recommended: SPAN 119 and 122 or permission of instructor. Emphasis on Spanish language development for bilingual teachers at the elementary level. Presentation of specialized vocabulary in teaching elementary courses. Development and evaluation of bilingual teaching materials in Spanish.

AREA II. Language and Translation

SPAN 110T. Practical Spanish for Professions (3; max total 12 if no topic repeated)
Applicable for minor. Preparation of professionals and paraprofessionals in California Spanish to work with the Spanish speaking in the following fields: health, education, social work, business, law, agriculture, and psychology.

SPAN 112. Reader's Theater in Spanish (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Dramatic readings of prose and poetry selections per formed by students in front of the class. Discussion focuses on a critical reading of the text and preparation of the performance. Public presentations and recordings optional.

SPAN 113. Patterns of Spanish (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Recommended as the first upper-division course. Verb synonyms. Quantitative and qualitative usage of verbs. Acquisition of the following skills: narration, description, argumentation, and expression of feelings through syntactical variations and substitution of verbs. Attention is focused on the formation of a sentence, not on the composition of a paragraph.

SPAN 115. Basic Principles of Translation (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Specific problems of Spanish to English and English to Spanish translation, with emphasis on idiomatic expressions. Some attention to specialized vocabulary. Use of bilingual dictionaries.

SPAN 117. Advanced Conversation and Reading (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Reading and discussion of current periodicals, newspapers, and magazines that reflect the cultural patterns of the Spanish-speaking countries.

SPAN 119. Advanced Grammar (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Special emphasis on grammar review and development of writing skills. Analysis of grammatical constructions.

SPAN 121A. Composition (3)
SPAN 119 highly recommended. Refinement of writing skills through vocabulary development, spelling exercises, and composition. Special emphasis on problems created by differences between the spoken and written language. (Formerly SPAN 118, SPAN 121)

SPAN 121B. Composition (3)
Prerequisite: SPAN 121A. Greater refinement of writing skills necessary for SPAN 140 and further upper-division courses in Hispanic literature. Special emphasis on analyzing a literary text by written means.

SPAN 124. Oral and Written Expression (3)
Recommended: SPAN 2B, 3, 4B, or 10. Systematic analysis of students' ability to express themselves, both orally and in writing. Development of vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammatical structures. (Summer only)

AREA III. Hispanic Culture

SPAN 125. Hispanic Culture (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area C. Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Interdisciplinary approach to global examination of cultural productions of Spain and Latin America through readings, lectures, films, and other media. G.E. Integration IC.

SPAN 129. Mexican Culture (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area C. Recommended: SPAN 2B, or 3, or 4B. Interdisciplinary approach to Mexican culture. Study of geography, history, politics, the arts, aspects of daily life, and cultural patterns by means of reading assignments, lectures by the instructor and invited guests, films, and other media. G.E. Integration IC.

AREA IV. Spanish Linguistics

SPAN 130. Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (3)
Recommended: SPAN 122 or permission of instructor. Basic principles of Spanish linguistics, including aspects of syntax, morphology, phonetics, dialectology, and historical linguistics.

SPAN 137. Applied Spanish Linguistics (3)
Recommended: SPAN 130 or permission of instructor. Analysis of Spanish with emphasis on areas of phonetics, pronunciation, and grammar which cause the greatest problems in learning and teaching the language. Readings and practice in the development of instructional strategies and materials.

SPAN 139. Spanish of the Southwest (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Research on dialect differences in California and the Southwest, including the linguistic, social, and cultural determinants. Emphasis on the Spanish of the San Joaquin Valley.

AREA V. Hispanic Literature

SPAN 140. Hispanic Fiction and Poetry (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Readings and appreciation of Hispanic literature to familiarize the student with fiction and poetry as art forms.

SPAN 142. Introduction to Spanish Literature (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Selected readings from those literary works which have fundamentally affected the development of Spanish civilization, from El Cid to Lorca. Provides a historical framework for the study of Spanish literature.

SPAN 143. Introduction to Spanish-American Literature (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Selected readings from those literary works which have fundamentally affected the development of Spanish American civilization, from Hernán Cortés to Octavio Paz. Provides a historical framework for the study of Spanish American literature.

SPAN 145. Mexican Literature (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Study of the works of such major Mexican literary figures as Sor Juana, Gutiérrez Nájera, Azuela, and Fuentes.

SPAN 147. Twentieth Century Spanish-American Literature (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Intensive study of selected Spanish-American works including writings of Azuela, Fuentes, Carpenter, Vargas Llosa; outstanding poets such as Neruda, Vallejo, and Paz.

SPAN 148T. Major Figures in Hispanic Literature (3; max total 6 if no topic repeated)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. Reading and analysis of the works of one major Hispanic author such as Cervantes, Unamuno, Neruda.

SPAN 149. The Golden Age (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. A study of Spanish Renaissance Man and his environment. His sociopolitical, esthetic, and literary ideas are studied through readings in Garcilaso, San Juan de la Cruz, and other authors. (Formerly SPAN 149T)

SPAN 150. Twentieth Century Spanish Literature (3)
Recommended: SPAN 3 or 4B. A study of Spanish Existential Man. His sociopolitical, esthetic, and literary ideas are studied through readings in Unamuno, Ortega y Gassett, Lorca, José Hierro, and other authors. (Formerly SPAN 150T)

SPAN 165. Modernismo - 1950 (3)
Prerequisite: SPAN 140, 142, and 143, or permission of instructor. In-depth study of the authors from Modernismo and Vanguardia: Dario, Machado, Vallejo, Huidobro, Lorca, Neruda, Paz, and Bombal. Introduction to the ideas of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud.

SPAN 170. Senior Seminar in Spanish Studies (3)
Recommended: senior standing, 20 upper-division units of Spanish coursework or permission of instructor. Culminating experience in the major that includes summative assessment of language, linguistic, cultural, and literary proficiency. Readings and research projects. Addresses individual needs of graduating majors. (Spring semester)

SPAN 190. Independent Study (1-3; max total 6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for RP grading.

Graduate Program

The Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures offers the Master of Arts degree in Spanish.

The Master of Arts degree in Spanish language and literature serves several categories of students: those anticipating doctoral studies, those teaching or preparing to teach in high school and community college, and those interested in further study beyond the baccalaureate degree. For specific requirements, consult the department graduate program advisor and coordinator, Dr. Gloria Medina-Sancho.

For general requirements, see Division of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Program Advisor and Coordinator

Contact Dr. Gloria Medina-Sancho for initial and continuous advising in the Spanish MA Requirements.

Dr. Gloria Medina-Sancho
gmedina@mail.fresnostate.edu
PB 336
559.278.6963

Please send an email to Dr. Medina-Sancho to make an appointment.

Spanish M.A. Handbook

All information concerning the M.A. in Spanish may be found in the Spanish M.A. Handbook, which may be downloaded in PDF format here: Spanish M.A. Handbook  

Master of Arts in Spanish

The Master of Arts degree in Spanish is awarded upon satisfactory completion of a 30-unit program of study. For the culminating experience, students may select either a thesis/project or a comprehensive exam.

Program Prerequisites

Admission to the M.A. degree program in Spanish requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and assumes an undergraduate major in Spanish but it is open to others with a bachelor's degree who show intellectual promise and ability to perform at a satisfactory level during their graduate studies. Students lacking the B.A. in Spanish will be required to make up deficiencies prior to acceptance into the M.A. program.

(See also Graduate Studies-Regulations regarding Admission to Graduate Standing, Advancement to Candidacy, Program Requirements, and Criteria for Thesis and Project in the General Catalogue.)

Admission Prerequisites

The MCLL Department's Spanish M.A. program requires applicants to have a 3.0 overall GPA.

Supplementary Admissions Materials

In addition to the materials required for application to Fresno State via Cal State Apply, the Spanish program requires the following supplementary materials to be submitted directly to the graduate advisor and coordinator, Dr. Gloria Medina-Sancho, gmedina@mail.fresnostate.edu:

1. Three (3) original letters of recommendation.
2. A 500-word statement of purpose, written in Spanish or English.
3. A 10-12 page writing sample in Spanish.

Program Requirements

Students meet the Graduate Writing Requirement by writing one research paper for a graduate seminar in English which is assessed in content, organization, and writing style. For more information, please contact the graduate program coordinator.

In order to achieve classified standing, students must demonstrate an acceptable level of competence in Spanish by passing a written departmental examination on grammar and composition. In addition, under the direction of the graduate advisor and coordinator, students prepare a coherent program that will best meet their professional needs, within one of the following frameworks. Each student's program of study must include at least 24 units of 200-level work.

Thesis/Project Plan

• SPAN 203 (3 units)
  
• Graduate seminars in Spanish (21-24 units)
  
• Independent Study (SPAN 290) (0-6 units)
• SPAN 298 and/or 299 (3-6 units)
  
• Electives (must see adviser) (0-6 units)
  
• Select from SPAN 137, 139, 142, 143, 145, 147, 148T, 149, 150
  
• Approved elective in related fields (0-3 units)

Total (30 units)

Comprehensive Examination Plan

• SPAN 203 (3 units)
  
• Graduate seminars in Spanish (21 - 24 units)
  
• Independent Study (SPAN 290) (0-6 units)
  
• Electives (0-6 units)
  
• Elect from SPAN 142, 143, 145, 147, 148T, 149, 150
  
• Approved elective in related fields (0-3 units)

Total (30 units)

Specific Requirements

The following areas must be covered by graduate or undergraduate courses and may be satisfied in undergraduate preparation: Peninsular Spanish literature (two courses including SPAN 142), Spanish American literature (two courses including SPAN 143), Hispanic linguistics (one course).

Students who intend to go on to a Ph.D. program at another institution are strongly advised to study at least one other foreign language.

M.A. Language Exam

Students are expected to take the Language Exam during their first semester as graduate students in the Program. See the M.A. Language SAMPLE Exam.

Teaching Associate (TA) Information

Teaching Associateships in Spanish

Graduate Courses

(See Catalog Numbering System.)

Spanish (SPAN)

SPAN 201. Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language

Strategies for implementing Spanish curriculum at post-secondary level. Study of instructional techniques, procedures, resources, and methods of assessing student performance in post-secondary settings. Practical application of second language acquisition research.

Units: 3

SPAN 202. Introduction to Literary Theory

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Introduction to the study of theory, from Plato to Derrida to Post-Colonialism, as it relates to the study of Hispanic literature.

Units: 3

SPAN 203. Applied Literary Theory

Prerequisite: SPAN 202. Theory and practice of literary analysis. Application of research, bibliographical and critical methods to literary texts.

Units: 3

SPAN 204. Spanish Syntax (Not Currently Offered)

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. An analysis of the grammatical structures of the Spanish language. Includes contrastive analysis of Spanish and English syntax.

Units: 3

SPAN 205. History of the Spanish Language (Not Currently Offered)

Phonological, morphosyntactic, lexical and semantic development of the Spanish language, from the Pre-Roman period to Modern Spanish.

Units: 3

SPAN 210. Spanish American Short Story

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Study of the short story as an art form in Latin America and analysis of short stories of such writers as Quiroga, Arreola, Rulfo, Bombal, Borges and Cortazar.

Units: 3

SPAN 214. Generation of '98

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Advanced analysis of the literature of Spain written at the time of the final collapse of Spain's empire. Includes works by Azorin, Baroja, Unamuno, Valle-Inclan, Machado, Ortega, and Jimenez.

Units: 3

SPAN 215. Hispanic Women Writers

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and close written analysis of poetry, novels, theater and essays written by Hispanic women from 1535 to present.

Units: 3

SPAN 216. Masterpieces of Hispanic Theater

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and close written analysis of peninsular and Spanish American theater masterpieces, historical milieu and cultural context.

Units: 3

SPAN 218T. Topics in Hispanic Literary Studies

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Hispanic literary topics such as Hispanic Realism, Novel and Cinema, Violence in Hispanic Literature, Novel of Dictatorship, Novel of the Indian in Latin America.

Units: 3, Repeatable up to 6 units

SPAN 219T. Top Creat Writ (Not Currently Offered)

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Topics in advanced creative writing in Spanish including poetry, fiction and/or non-fiction.

Units: 3, Repeatable up to 9 units

SPAN 222. Cervantes

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. In-depth study of Don Quixote and selected Novelas ejemplares. Includes discussion of works, lectures, and written research.

Units: 3

SPAN 224. Major Hispanic Novelists

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Research and in-depth study of the novels of major Hispanic novelists.

Units: 3

SPAN 225. Modernismo - 1950

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Research and in-depth study of the literature from Modernismo through 1950. Discussion and written analysis of the major authors from the period.

Units: 3

SPAN 226. Major Hispanic Poets

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Research and in-depth study of the poetry of major Hispanic poets. Discussion and written analysis of the poetry on one of the following poets: Machado, Lorca, Dario, Neruda.

Units: 3

SPAN 227. Novel of Formation

Analysis of the Latin American novel of formation. Discussion of issues such as the formation of an individual's sense of gender, race, and class, ane the role of travel, memory, orality, and writing in the socialization of youth.

Units: 3

SPAN 230. History of Spanish (Not Currently Offered)

The linguistic development of the Spanish language from Latin to the present day including the sound system, word formation and etymology, and grammar, within a social and cultural context.

Units: 3

SPAN 245. Mexican Literature

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and analysis of representative works of Mexican literature from the Precolombian Period through the 1980s. Includes study of major cultural and artistic movements in literature, the visual arts and film.

Units: 3

SPAN 247. The Spanish American "Boom"

In-depth study of the Spanish-American "new novel" that emerged in the 1960s. Analysis of factors leading to this "boom" and impact of this new narrative style on subsequent writers in Latin America and on a broader scale.

Units: 3

SPAN 249. Golden Age

Advanced analysis of prose narratives, poems, and theatrical works from Spain's Renaissance and Baroque periods in their historical and cultural contexts.

Units: 3

SPAN 250. Spanish Post-War Literature

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and analysis of representative works of Spanish literature from 1939 through the 1980s. Examines literary production during the Francoist Dictatorship and the transition to a democratic government.

Units: 3

SPAN 255. Nineteenth Century Spanish Literature

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and analysis of representative works of Spanish literature from the Romantic, Realist, and Naturalist Movement.

Units: 3

SPAN 257. Spanish American Testimonio

Analysis of Spanish American Testimonio genre through representative texts. Discussion of aesthetic, etical, and ideological issues related to the production and diffusion of these texts, such as authority/authorship, literature/anthropology, writing/orality, memory, political engagement, manipulation, and resistance.

Units: 3

SPAN 259. The Poetics of Caribbeanness

Prerequisites: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Analysis of literary and artistic movements in the Spanish Caribbean, from the colonial times to the present, through representative works, emphasizing how the interactions of race, gender, and ethnicity affect the construction of individual and national identities.

Units: 3

SPAN 267. Early 20th Century Spanish Literature

Prerequisite: Spanish major or permission of instructor. Discussion and analysis of represnetative works of Spanish literature from Modernismo, the Generation of 1914, and the Generation of 1927.

Units: 3

SPAN 270. Research Methods (Not Currently Offered)

Training in the search for, proper selection of, and proper use of secondary sources in support of a research paper's thesis that participates in currently scholarly debates related to Hispanic literature of all time periods.

Units: 3

SPAN 290. Independent Study

See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for RP grading.

Units: 2-3, Repeatable up to 6 units

SPAN 298. Project

See Criteria for Thesis and Project. Writing and/or editing materials suitable for school programs from elementary through high school level, such as children's literature, original poetry, testing devices, and translations. Approved for RP grading.

Units: 3-6

SPAN 298C. Project Continuation

Pre-requisite: Project SPAN 298. For continuous enrollment while completing the project. May enroll twice with department approval. Additional enrollments must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Units: 0

SPAN 299. Thesis

Prerequisite: See Criteria for Thesis and Project. Preparation, completion, and submission of an acceptable thesis for the completion of the master's degree. Approved for RP grading.

Units: 3-6

SPAN 299C. Thesis Continuation

Pre-requisite: Thesis 298. For continuous enrollment while completing the thesis. May enroll twice with department approval. Additional enrollments must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Units: 0

For more information:

Degree/Program Information in General Catalog

Translation and Interpreting

Spanish 114

Course description: Spanish 114 offers an introduction to both the theoretical and practical side of medical interpreting. In the course, students will become familiarized with the basics of interpreting—such as interpreting modes, roles, contexts and ethics—, medical interpreting and medical topics, including an overview of anatomy and bodily systems, and the settings and conditions of medical interpreting work. The class also addresses topics of interpreter qualifications, (note-taking, memory building skills), the importance of cultural competencies and cross-cultural understanding, professional responsibility, medical terminology, specialized vocabulary and certification. Learning exercises are based on authentic material and simulate common real-life interpreting events.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to perform basic interpreting tasks; apply critical thinking skills to navigate various interpreting situations; build on their knowledge of medical vocabulary in both English and Spanish; adhere to the medical interpreter code of ethics; have an understanding of general health topics; and define the role of the medical interpreter and the necessary professional skills needed to enter the workforce.

*After completing this course, students will be awarded with a 45-hour certificate of completion This certificate can be used as proof of required training by the CHIA and the NBCMI

At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Define medical interpreting
2. Describe the role of the interpreter
3. Explain basic interpreting theory and how that theory is applied to medical interpreting
4. Apply basic interpreting skills in medical settings
5. Understand the professional standards of practice and the code of ethics
6. Apply the code of ethics to different ethical scenarios
7. Correctly use basic and some specialized medical terminology in two languages
8. Identify the roots, prefixes, suffixes, and affixes
9. Demonstrate knowledge of human anatomy and body systems in English and Spanish
10. Discuss cultural sensitivity issues and importance of cultural competence in medical interpreting
11. Render and/or interpret short speeches/dialogues into and out of English and Spanish

Spanish 115

Course description: Spanish 115 offers an introduction to both the theoretical and practical side of translation. By translating weekly assigned texts and revising them in class, students will learn how to identify and apply different translation approaches and techniques. The class applies project-based learning pedagogy and uses real-life source texts in English and Spanish to give students an overlook of the various materials professional translators encounter, as well as the technological tools and online resources employed in the field. The weekly revisions (workshops) focus on terminology and problem areas, with emphasis on the concept of equivalence and translation of idioms, slang, figurative language and grammatical aspects such as the subjunctive. The course contextualizes translation in a cultural framework and looks at cultural-bound texts. Although the textbook and required readings are in English, the class is primarily conducted in Spanish and students are expected to participate in class discussions and workshops using Spanish.

Examples of major topics and hands-on texts covered:

1. Introduction to translation theory
2. Translation as a profession, and practice
3. Approaches to translation
4. Terminology and terminology management
5. Purpose in translation: audience, text typologies, register, regionalisms
6. Translation strategies and techniques
7. Translating figurative speech: idioms, insults, gestures, humor, the untranslatable
8. Commercial and Financial Translation.
9. Translation of texts on or about the following fields: medical, legal, advertising, correspondence, journalistic, technical, instructional, business, manuals, hospitality industry.

Spanish 116

Course description: Spanish 116 offers an introduction to both the theoretical and practical side of legal interpreting. In the course, students will become familiarized with the basics of interpreting—such as interpreting modes, roles and ethics—, court interpreting and legal topics, including an overview of the U.S. legal system, laws and regulations. The class also addresses topics of interpreter qualifications, (note-taking, memory building skills), professional responsibility, developments in the field of legal interpreting, and conventions associated with various legal settings. Special emphasis will be given to legal terminology in English and Spanish and the description of procedures in criminal and civil hearings and trials.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to perform basic interpreting tasks using consecutive, simultaneous and sight translation modes; build on their knowledge of legal vocabulary in both English and Spanish; follow the legal interpreter code of ethics; have a general understanding of the U.S. legal system; and define the role of the legal interpreter.

At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the laws and regulations of court interpreting
2. Describe the role of the court interpreter
3. Explain basic interpretation theory and how that theory is applied to legal interpreting
4. Use basic interpreting skills in legal settings (appropriate modes and strategies)
5. Adhere to the code of ethics
6. Apply the code of ethics
7. Correctly use basic and some specialized legal terminology in two languages
8. Talk about the legal traditions around the world
9. Discuss professional issues and the importance of continuing education
10. Render and/or interpret short speeches/dialogues into and out of English and Spanish

Phrase

This department has been granted free access to the Phrase Academic Edition, an academic program designed for universities with translation courses.