Catalog home

The Academic Program

• The Academic Year
• Graduation Requirements
• Instructional Policies
• The Curriculum
  • African Studies
  • American Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art
  • Asian Languages and Cultures
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Classics
  • Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies
  • Computer Science
  • Economics
  • Educational Studies
  • English
  • Environmental Studies
  • French and Francophone Studies
  • Geography
  • Geology
  • German Studies
  • Hispanic Studies
  • History
  • Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies
  • International Studies
  • Latin American Studies
  • Legal Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Middle Eastern Studies and Islamic Civilization
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Russian Studies
  • Sociology
  • Theater and Dance
  • Urban Studies
  • Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Special Programs

• Program Description
• Course Descriptions
• Hispanic and Latin American Studies web site

Spanish Course Descriptions

101, 102 ELEMENTARY SPANISH I AND II

Pronunciation, grammar essentials, conversation and reading. Three class hours a week plus one hour of tutorial. Minimal introduction to history and culture of hispanophone countries. Prerequisites: for 101 there is no prerequisite. For admission into 102, students must have completed Hispanic Studies 101, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C–. Every semester. (4 credits, each course)

 

110 ACCELERATED BEGINNING SPANISH

Accelerated Spanish 110 meets the goals of Elementary Spanish I and II (101 and 102) in one semester. It covers pronunciation, grammar essentials, conversation and reading. This course is appropriate for students with significant prior experience in Spanish or another appropriate language and for students who are highly self-motivated and able to learn foreign languages quickly. Successful completion allows enrollment in Intermediate Spanish. Students will not receive credit for this course if they've previously taken or been awarded credit for Hispanic Studies 101 and/or 102. Registration in the course is contingent on instructor's approval. Three class hours a week plus two hours of tutorial. For admission into 203 or 220, students must have completed Hispanic Studies 110, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C. Every semester. (5 credits)

 

111 ACCELERATED ELEMENTARY PORTUGUESE

See listings for Portuguese at the end of this section.

 

203, 204 INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I AND II

Intermediate Spanish extends and deepens awareness and use of linguistic functions in Spanish. Formal introduction to history and culture of Hispanophone countries. Prerequisites: for admission into 203, students must have completed 102, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C–. For admission into 204, students must have completed 203, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C–. Every semester. (4 credits, each course)

 

220 ACCELERATED INTERMEDIATE SPANISH

Accelerated Spanish 220 meets the goals of Intermediate Spanish I and II (203 and 204) in one semester. It extends and deepens awareness and use of linguistic functions in Spanish, and it introduces the history and culture of Hispanophone countries. This course is appropriate for students with significant prior experience in Spanish and for students who are highly self-motivated and able to learn foreign languages quickly. Successful completion allows enrollment in 300-level courses in Spanish. Students will not receive credit for this course if they've previously taken or been awarded credit for 203 and/or 204. Registration in the course is contingent on instructor's approval. Three class hours per week plus two hours of tutorial. For admission into any Hispanic Studies 300 or 400 level course, students must have completed Hispanic Studies 220, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of C. Every semester. (5 credits)

 

305 VISIONS OF THE HISPANIC WORLD: ORAL AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

Primarily designed to improve oral communication and to strengthen the student's written proficiency and his or her awareness of grammar intricacies in relation to writing, it serves as a bridge to upper-level courses. Conversations and compositions are based on cultural and literary topics. Class activities vary according to the instructor but usually include five to fifteen minute presentations, interviews with native speakers, commentary on videos and movies, short stories, plays and short novels, writing strategies, and self-correction exercises. It often involves extensive reading appropriate to the level. Prerequisite: 204, 220, or consent of the instructor. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

307 INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYSIS OF HISPANIC TEXTS (Same as Latin American Studies 307)

This course presents the student with some basic tools for the systematic analysis of a broad range of topics and forms of cultural production (literature, cinema, art, e-texts...) in the Hispanic world. It also seeks to develop advanced language skills in composition and presentation. Prerequisite: 305. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

308 LOCATING U.S. LATINO STUDIES: INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES

By 2003, individuals of Latin American descent living in the United States numbered approximately 38 million, constituting the country's largest "minority" group. In this course, we will study the interdisciplinary field of contemporary U.S. Latino Studies that has emerged in response to this growing population. Here we will trace the fundamental questions and concerns within Latina/o Studies, ranging from the field's activist origins in the Chicano and Puerto Rican movements of the 1960s and 70s to its current emphasis on pan-Latino, comparative, and "new Latino" avenues of inquiry. For example, what is a U.S. Latina/o? What is U.S. Latina/o Studies, and how is it different from (and similar to) Latin American Studies? Where does U.S. Latina/o Studies "belong" in institutions of higher learning? In addition to these questions regarding the academic location of U.S. Latina/o Studies, in this class you will learn to describe the main demographic features of the various U.S. Latino communities and compare each group's unique (im)migration history, settlement patterns, and transnational activities. Finally, we will devote a significant portion of the course to a broader discussion of U.S. Latina/o identity as it relates to questions of class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and national origins. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of instructor. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

309 INTRODUCTION TO HISPANIC LINGUISTICS (Same as Linguistics 309)

A linguistic survey of the Spanish language aimed at improving pronunciation and increasing comprehension of the structure of the language, deepening students' understanding of the sound system, word formation, grammar and meaning. Study will emphasize phonetics and provide an introduction to transcription, phonology, morphology and syntax, as well as provide an overview of linguistic change and geographic variation. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of instructor. Every year. (4 credits)

 

331 LUSO-BRAZILIAN VOICES: CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION

See listings for Portuguese at the end of this section.

 

Area 1: Origins and Beginnings

 

414 "YO SÉ QUIÉN SOY": THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN IDENTITY IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN SPAIN

This course traces the process of building the new, modern identity through some of the Medieval and early modern masterpieces of Spain. These texts foreshadow struggles between self and society in the 21st century: religion, capitalism, sex and gender, power, the unconscious, the role of fiction. Through an interdisciplinary approach, we will discuss La Celestina, El Lazarilloand Don Quijote, among others. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

415 MEDIEVAL PULP FICTION: ROMANCES OF CHIVALRY

These popular texts were enjoyed by readers and unlettered listeners, including the conquerors and Cervantes. Brimming with adventures against national or supernatural enemies; battles between knights or armies; seductions, courtships, and secret loves, the genre was vilified by the Church and other critics as dangerous to the morality of young people, women, and the Spaniards colonizing America. We will contemplate Don Quixote's passion for chivalric heroes and why these stories have been loved for generations. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

416 FIGHTING WORDS: BUILDING LATIN AMERICA'S IDENTITY

After 1492, America faces the challenge of building a new identity. The conquest changes forever indigenous America and truly creates a New World: a new geography, a new population, a new culture. This course focuses on the construction of Latin America's identity through its literature. Words not only reflect the process of inventing a New World, but also participate actively in it. Fighting words will be heard in America from Columbus' journals to the writings that opened the path towards independence from Spain. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

417 READING MONSTERS IN EARLY MODERN HISPANIC LITERATURE

Monsters are usually associated with deformity, perversion, and evil. Early-modern Hispanic peoples felt both fear and fascination with regard to monsters. Monstrous bodies were found in scientific treatises, geographical descriptions, and in the eyewitness accounts of the conquest of America. But more strikingly, early-modern masterpieces like Don Quijote or La vida es sueño used the monster as a metaphor for literature itself. This class explores the limits of the discourse of monstrosity that not only told the limits of a monstrous discourse, but also produced extreme reactions of repulsion and awe. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

AREA 2: Modern Hispanic Voices

 

420 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF PLENITUDE: MODERN AND POSTMODERN HISPANIC FICTION

The rise of modern fiction produced a series of remarkable novels in Latin America and Spain all throughout the 20th century and into the present. The course will focus primarily on the Latin American "Boom" from the 1960s onwards. We will also study the appearance and enduring presence of postmodernism in Hispanic fiction. The course refines the analysis of literary works from a variety of perspectives (historical, political, social, ethical, aesthetic, etc.) and provides a comprehensive view of the evolution of Hispanic narrative from the dawn of modernity to the present. It targets those students who enjoy literature and believe in the pleasure of the text. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

421 ROMANTICS, MODERNS AND AVANT-GARDISTS

The course offers a panorama of Spanish culture from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the Civil War in 1936. It focuses on the evolution of literature and the arts during the periods of Romanticism, Realism, Modernism and the Avant-Garde, in an attempt to describe the faces of modernity in Spain. Authors that are usually studied include José Zorrilla, Rosalía de Castro, Benito Pérez Galdós, Emilia Pardo Bazán, Miguel de Unamuno, Ramón María del Valle Includeán, José Ortega y Gasset, Luis Buñuel, and Federico García Lorca. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

422 MODERN HISPANIC NOVEL AND THE VISUAL ARTS

The course offers an interdisciplinary approach to narrative that focuses on the cooperation between the written and the visual text. One example of this cooperation is how nineteenth-century painting influenced the novel. Another example deals with cinematic adaptations of narratives. We also consider the perennial dilemma of literal versus personal interpretation. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

423 CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN AND U.S. LATINO THEATER

A study of representative plays from diverse authors and periods of contemporary Latin American and U.S. Latino theater, including student production and performance. Students read the scripts of plays alert for how they convey emotion, thought and meaning, and for how they might look and sound on a real stage with live actors, costumes, sets, props, lights, and sounds. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

424 WORDS THAT MATTER

For centuries poetry has been used across all levels of Hispanic societies to explore the power of words to shape individual and national consciousness. The course examines the tradition of Hispanic poetry including the poetic tendencies from Modernism, to the Avant-Garde, to the poetry of social protest. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

425 DICTATORS, REVOLUTIONS AND INSURRECTIONS

The course explores modern Hispanic cultural production in response to dictators, revolutions, and socio-political repression. Students read a variety of contemporary authors and analyze how they represent social realities in discourse that reflects and informs societal changes. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

426 PARODY IN THE POSTMODERN HISPANIC WORLD

Western societies and literary traditions use parody to measure, shape, and change cultural values and identities. Parody is considered to be an amorphous genre that adapts itself and evolves in time, along with the cultural environments in which it exists. This course offers students the opportunity to examine the concept of parody and its application to specific narrative texts produced in the Hispanic world during its postmodern era. Texts examined include fiction and non-fiction, cinematic, and other multimedia arts. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

AREA 3: Language, Linguistics and Community

 

430 ADVANCED SPANISH GRAMMAR: MEANING AND COMMUNICATION

An overview of the intricacies of advanced Spanish grammar, providing extensive oral and written practice to improve students' grammatical accuracy as well as their overall understanding of the structure of the language. Prerequisite: 305 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

431 SPANISH IN THE WORKPLACE

The course provides the student with a working knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures as related to the bilingual workplace in the United States and abroad. Emphasis is placed on such fields as health care and medicine, legal matters and law enforcement, social services, and business. Students pursue individual interests in specific career areas with a service learning component. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

433 TRANSLATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE

This discussion/writing course explores certain contemporary translation theories that guide the practice of translation of various kinds of texts, including, but not limited to, literature, film, propaganda, advertising, and commerce. The primary goal, however, is to produce high quality translations of a wide variety of texts. Students work in Spanish and/or Portuguese and English. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

435 HISTORY OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE (Same as Linguistics 435)

An overview of Modern Spanish as it has developed over time. Course will trace the historical evolution of the most salient phonological, morpho-syntactic and lexical traits of Modern Spanish and will include study of the origins of American Spanish. Students will also be introduced to some of the principal theories of language change. Prerequisite: 309 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

436 SPANISH DIALECTOLOGY (Same as Linguistics 436 and Latin American Studies 436)

A survey of modern dialectal variations of Spanish that includes examination of American Spanish dialects as well as those of the Iberian Peninsula. Sociolinguistic issues and historical aspects of dialect variation and study will be addressed, along with other extralinguistic factors. Through this course, students will be provided an introduction to theories of language change, as well as the history of the language, and will gain a broad understanding of the different varieties of Modern Spanish. Prerequisite: 309 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

437 APPLIED LINGUISTICS: SPANISH SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (Same as Linguistics 437)

An overview of research projects on the acquisition of Spanish as a second language. Students will learn about the theoretical approaches used in these studies as well as the effects of various pedagogical approaches on the development of Spanish interlanguage systems. While the focus of the course is on the acquisition of Spanish as a second language, students will gain a broad and useful understanding of different pedagogical issues directly related to the acquisition/learning process(es) of other second languages. Prerequisite: 309 or consent of instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

AREA 4: Hispanic Peoples and Cultures: Interdisciplinary Approaches

 

440 THEORIZING CONTEMPORARY U.S. LATINO POPULAR CULTURE

Via critical analysis of select musical and media texts, students investigate the primary approaches to the study of U.S. Latino popular expression and identity. A broad range of contemporary Cultural Studies theory is included in this analysis of the historical, socio-political, and artistic uses of popular culture within various U.S. Latino communities. Prerequisite: 308 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

441 HISPANIC FILM AND OTHER MEDIA

The course views feature films, documentaries, and other media from Spain, Latin America, and the U.S. from cultural, political, and linguistic perspectives. We will examine various strategies of film analysis through lectures, discussions, projects, and presentations. Themes include political struggles, human rights, race, class, gender, family, and identity. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

442 NATION AND IDENTITY IN THE HISPANIC WORLD

An examination of the origins and issues surrounding the formation and the evolution of nation-building in Spain, Latin America, and the U.S. Past and current movements and allegiances are seen through the writings of key political, social, and philosophical authors. Such issues as regional autonomy in Spain, indigenous initiatives in Latin America, the Chicano movement in the U.S., trade agreements, etc., are considered from early colonization through imperial expansion to present-day globalization. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

443 THE REALITY OF CONTEMPORARY SPAIN: CHALLENGES AND DILEMMAS

This course presents an overview of the evolution of life in Spain since the death of Franco, through the socialist period and Spain's entry into the European Union until today. Art, music, literature and film will serve as the basis for lectures and discussions of some of Spain's current challenges and achievements, namely, unemployment, immigration, language and identity, terrorism, and the impact of the Euro on the economy and on everyday life. Prerequisite: 307 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

444 THE FAMILY AS HISTORY: THE STORIES OF U.S. LATINOS (Same as American Studies 444 and Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies 444)

The course will examine and compare the stories of Latinas/os in the U.S. as told by themselves. Students will read authors of Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, and Mexican-American origin. We will place a special emphasis on practices and values held both here and in the cultures of origin. The course will cover such subjects as family, social and economic struggles, individual aspirations and spiritual needs. The course will highlight language issues and use film to complement the readings. Prerequisite: 307 or 308 or consent of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

445 LATINOS IN/AND THE MEDIA

As scholars of U.S. Latinos Studies have long noted, the media plays a key role in the construction of transnational identity. As such, this interdisciplinary course will examine the following: How do Latinos construct identity (and have their identity/ies constructed for them) through the media? How are Latino community practices shaped by the media, and vice versa? What research methodologies best capture the complex relationship between consumer, producer, and media text? Where do issues of consumer agency come into play? Do local and global media provide the possibility for meaningful social change? If so, how? In keeping with Latino Studies' emphasis on collaborative and community-based learning processes, this 4-credit course includes a mandatory 2-credit internship with the St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), an organization aimed at providing access to television and video facilities for area residents engaged in community-oriented projects. During their SPNN internship, student teams will be involved in creating Spanish-language programming serving the Twin Cities Latino population. Course meetings outside of SPNN will be conducted in Spanish (6 credits total). Prerequisite: 308 or permission of the instructor. Not offered 2007–2008.

 

Uncategorized Courses

 

488 CAPSTONE SEMINAR

The capstone seminar is a course that explores in depth a shifting field of topics. It helps students relate the subjects they have studied in their major field and assists students in demonstrating their familiarity with Hispanic cultures and in methods of analysis and presentation, culminating in the preparation and presentation of a major research project. It is primarily a discussion course that relies heavily on individual as well as collective effort. Required for Hispanic Studies majors. Category varies. Prerequisite: 307 plus at least two 400-level courses offered in the department of Hispanic studies or consent of the instructor. Every spring. (4 credits)

 

604 TUTORIAL

Category varies. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. (1–4 credits)

 

614 INDEPENDENT PROJECT

Category varies. Not available to substitute regularly offered courses. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. (1–4 credits)

 

624 INTERNSHIP

Category 3. Prerequisites: four courses in Hispanic studies numbered 204 or above and consultation with the instructor. (1–4 credits)

 

634 PRECEPTORSHIP

Preceptorships give students the opportunity to observe and practice teaching skills. Available to highly accomplished students. Most require some background reading and training in foreign language teaching. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. (1–4 credits)

 

Portuguese Courses

 

111 ACCELERATED ELEMENTARY PORTUGUESE

Intensive instruction in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing Portuguese. Brazilian usage emphasized. This course is appropriate for students who are highly self-motivated and able to learn foreign languages quickly. These students must have high intermediate to advanced skills in Spanish or another Romance language or previous work in Portuguese. Exceptions to these guidelines may be made with the instructor's approval. Successful completion allows enrollment in the Portuguese language course 331. Three class hours a week plus tutorial. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

331 LUSO-BRAZILIAN VOICES: CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION

Contemporary Brazil and Portugal are sites of profound and exciting cultural expression and social change. Luso-Brazilian Voices explores some of the socio-political pressures that have led to a modern renaissance in writing, popular music, cinema, as well as the fusion of genres made possible by today's digital technologies. A systematic review of these cultural expressions provides the context for students to practice and refine their oral and written Portuguese skills. Taught in Portuguese. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Macalester College two-year foreign language requirement and can be applied toward the major/minor in Hispanic Studies. Prerequisite: either 111 or its equivalent and instructor's permission. Three class hours per week plus tutorial. Spring semester. (4 credits)

Macalester College · 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105  USA · 651-696-6000
Comments and questions to webmaster@macalester.edu