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Spanish

Professors Fra-Molinero and López; Associate Professor Aburto Guzmán; Visiting Assistant Professor Pridgeon; 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 Spanish 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. Latino literature, media and visual arts, covering an array of historical periods, and informed by diverse and varied theoretical approaches;

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

Learning Goals

The Department of Spanish has the following goals for Spanish 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. Latino 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

The major consists of ten courses above SPAN 202, plus a thesis or portfolio, including:

1) SPAN 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) SPAN 210. Writing Spanish.

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

4) Four elective courses, which may include a combination of the following:
a) 200-level courses above SPAN 211.
b) one Short Term course offered by the Spanish department.
c) one course taught in English and cross-listed in Spanish and another department or program (e.g., African American studies, American studies, European studies, gender and sexuality studies, Latin American studies).
d) 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 the literatures or cultures of Spain or Latin America taught in Spanish by Bates faculty; the required 200-level courses must be completed prior to taking these courses. Students studying 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 SPAN 457 in the fall, and for SPAN 457 and 458 if completing an honors thesis.

Spanish and Latin American Studies Double Majors

Students double-majoring in Spanish and Latin American studies may apply only one course to both the Spanish major and Latin American studies major.

Minor in Spanish

A minor requires a minimum of seven courses in Spanish above SPAN 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 Spanish department may be counted toward the minor. Advanced Placement courses may not be counted toward the minor.

Study Abroad

Spanish majors 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 Spanish 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 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