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Hispanic Studies

Professors Fra-Molinero and López; Associate Professor Aburto Guzmán; Assistant Professor Pridgeon; Visiting Assistant Professor Fernández; Senior Lecturer George (chair)

Spanish is a cross-national and global language. It is the second language of the United States, and the first language of over 400 million people in Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It is a vehicle for myriad cultural expressions that find audiences far beyond its traditional trans-Atlantic axis to Asia and the Pacific, and it has given voice to struggles for social justice that have echoed around the world.

The Department of Hispanic Studies responds to the cultural richness and diversity of the people who speak Spanish as well as to the obligations and opportunities of a globalized world through a threefold mission:

1) the department enables students to acquire a strong and useful proficiency in Spanish that allows them to navigate cultural spaces in which over 400 million people interact worldwide;

2) the department fosters the development of interpretative skills and contextual knowledge to engage critically a broad range of cultural productions originating in the Spanish-speaking world;

3) the department contributes to the study of the humanities through a curriculum of courses taught in Spanish that includes studies of Latin American, Spanish, and U.S. Latinx literature, media, and visual arts, covering an array of historical periods and informed by diverse and varied theoretical approaches.

More information on the Hispanic studies department is available on the website (bates.edu/Spanish/).

Learning Goals

The Department of Hispanic Studies has the following goals for majors and minors:

1) to understand spoken and written Spanish in a variety of linguistic registers and social contexts;

2) to communicate in Spanish orally in real-life situations and in interpersonal contexts;

3) to demonstrate presentation skills in Spanish, effectively discussing orally and in writing complex topics related to fields of academic study;

4) to display interpretative skills in Spanish (reading, viewing, and listening), engaging critically a broad range of cultural productions originating in the Spanish-speaking world;

5) to be conversant with Latin American, Spanish, and U.S. Latinx literatures, media, and visual arts, across historical periods, applying diverse theoretical approaches to the study of the Spanish-speaking world.

First-year students as well as continuing students wishing to study Spanish at Bates must take the department placement exam prior to registration in order to determine their entry level course. The exam is available on the department website (bates.edu/spanish/placement-exam/)

Major Requirements

Beginning with the Class of 2024 students major in Hispanic studies. Students in the classes of 2021, 2022, and 2023 major in Spanish. Both majors consist of ten courses above HISP 202, plus a thesis or portfolio, including:

1) HISP 205. Advanced Spanish, which may be waived for heritage speakers or for students who have completed part of their secondary education in a Spanish-speaking country.

2) HISP 210. Writing Spanish.

3) HISP 211. Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis.

4) Four elective courses, which may include a combination of the following:
a) 200-level courses above HISP 211.
b) one Short Term course offered by the Hispanic studies department.
c) courses taken in an approved off-campus study program in a Spanish-speaking country (per study abroad guidelines below).

5) Three 300-level courses on cultural productions of the Spanish-speaking world, taken on campus and offered by taught in Hispanic studies by Bates faculty; these may include courses taught in Spanish or English and cross-listed in Hispanic studies and other departments or interdisciplinary programs (e.g., Africana, Asian studies, American studies, European studies, gender and sexuality studies, Latin American and Latinx studies); the required 200-level courses should be completed prior to taking these courses. Students studying off-campus for two semesters in a Spanish-speaking country need only complete two 300-level courses.

6) A capstone project, thesis, or portfolio that demonstrates proficiency in Spanish and competency in the humanities' approach to textual analysis. This may be a literary or cultural analysis of a topic related to the Spanish-speaking world, a creative project, a translation, or a digital portfolio. Thesis writers register for HISP 457 in the fall, HISP 458 in the winter, and HISP 457 and 458 if completing an honors thesis.

Latin American and Latinx Studies Double Majors

Only one course from the Latin American and Latinx studies major may be applied toward the Hispanic studies or Spanish major.

Minor Requirements

Students beginning with the Class of 2024, minor in Hispanic studies. Students in the classes of 2022 and 2023 minor in Spanish. Both minors require a minimum of seven courses in Hispanic studies above HISP 103. At least one of the seven courses must be a 300-level course offered by Bates faculty on campus; this may be a course taught in Spanish or a cross-listed course taught in English. One Short Term course offered by the Hispanic studies department may be counted toward the minor. Advanced Placement courses may not be counted toward the minor.

Study Abroad

Majors and minors are encouraged to gain proficiency in the language through the experience of studying in a Spanish-speaking country. For the major a maximum of three credits is normally recognized for one semester, and five credits for two semesters of study in an approved program. For a minor the maximum number is two credits for one semester and three credits for two semesters. Students are encouraged to speak with their major advisor regarding course offerings before going abroad, otherwise credit toward the major or minor is not guaranteed.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

The use of the pass/fail option is restricted to one course within the major and the minor but may not be elected for the required 300-level courses.

Credit Transfer

Courses taken at other institutions in languages other than Spanish are not given credit by the department.

Courses
Short Term Courses