Modern Languages and Literatures—Spanish

College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Dean: Andrew Harris

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Humanities Building, Room 475
Phone: (415) 338-1421
Website: mll.sfsu.edu/spanish-program

Chair: Mohammad Salama
Program Coordinator: Michael Hammer
Undergraduate Advisors: Gustavo Calderón (A–H), Michael Hammer (I–P), Fermin Rodriguez (Q–Z)
Graduate Advisor: Fermin Rodriguez

Program Scope

The Spanish program offers a Bachelor of Arts, a minor, and a Master of Arts in Spanish. At the undergraduate level, the classes in linguistics, culture, and civilization are aimed at improving one’s understanding of the language and the people who speak it.

An ever increasing Spanish-speaking population has made Spanish the second most spoken language in the state of California and other states of the Union. The study and knowledge of this language, therefore, offers career alternatives in practically all fields of work and is an asset when seeking employment.

Professor

Calderón

Associate Professor

Hammer

Assistant Professor

Palomino

Major

Minor

Masters

Explanation of Course Descriptions, Symbols, and Terms

SPAN 101 First Semester Spanish (Units: 4)

Introduction to understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish.

Course Attributes:

  • C2: Humanities

SPAN 102 Second Semester Spanish (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: SPAN 101 or equivalent.

Understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish; Spanish.

Course Attributes:

  • C2: Humanities

SPAN 205 Intermediate Spanish I (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 102, placement by advisor, or consent of instructor.

Intermediate course that reinforces and builds on four skills (listening, understanding, reading, and writing) learned in SPAN 101/SPAN 102.

SPAN 206 Intermediate Spanish II (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: SPAN 205, placement by advisor, or consent of instructor.

Continuation of SPAN 205 which reinforces and builds on four skills (listening, understanding, reading, and writing) learned in SPAN 101 and SPAN 102.

SPAN 215 Spanish for Heritage Speakers (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Spanish heritage learner and consent of instructor.

Designed for heritage language learners. Emphasis on conversation, writing styles, and specific grammatical problems. Additional focus on short stories, essays, poems, plays, newspaper articles, films, all in Spanish.

SPAN 216 Accelerated Grammar, Conversation, and Reading (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 102 or placement by advisor or instructor.

Second-year Spanish at an accelerated pace. This course is also appropriate for students, including heritage speakers, whose prior experience with the language places them at a high-intermediate level.

SPAN 301 Advanced Grammar and Composition (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Four semesters of lower-division Spanish or equivalent.

Problematic aspects of Spanish grammar; practice in expository writing.

SPAN 305 Advanced Composition (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 301 or consent of instructor.

Practice in expository writing: forms, development, and organization of the short essay including the study of style.

SPAN 306 Advanced Reading and Conversation (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 216 or consent of instructor; concurrent enrollment in SPAN 305.

Oral presentations/group discussions based on readings from novels, plays, and poetry. Not designed for native-level speakers.

SPAN 326 Applied Spanish Linguistics: Morphology and Syntax (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: SPAN 216, SPAN 301 or equivalent.

Application of modern descriptive linguistics to the study of morphology and syntax.

SPAN 341 Introduction to the Reading of Literary Texts (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 216 or consent of instructor.

Introduction to the reading and analysis of literary texts.

SPAN 350 Practical and Literary Translation (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Native fluency in English and moderate competency in understanding, speaking, and reading Spanish.

Theoretical and practical aspects of translation. Exercises in translating Spanish to English. Conducted in both Spanish and English.

SPAN 401GW Culture and Civilization of Spain-GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: ENG 214 with a grade of C- or better; at least 2 years of college-level Spanish or equivalent.

Culture and civilization of Spain from the Middle Ages to the present. (ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

  • Graduation Writing Assessment

SPAN 405 Culture and Civilization of Spanish America (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: SPAN 305, SPAN 306, or equivalents.

Background for Spanish American literature.

SPAN 492 Early Transatlantic Literature and Culture (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Four semesters of lower-division Spanish or consent of instructor.

Renaissance and Baroque literature with emphasis on love, mysticism, and Neo-Platonism; review of recent literary theories. Readings and class discussion in Spanish and English.

SPAN 500 Introduction to Literary Criticism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Four semesters of lower-division Spanish or consent of instructor.

Techniques in literary interpretation using Spanish prose and poetry.

SPAN 521 Spanish Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent or consent of instructor.

Exploration of one or more topics relevant to medieval and early modern Spanish literature. Topics to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 523 19th Century Spanish Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

Romanticism, realism, naturalism, and modernism in Spain.

SPAN 525 The Contemporary Spanish Novel (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

The contemporary Spanish novel through five of its most representative authors in a selection of novels covering the last decade.

SPAN 543 Spanish American Literature: Romanticism to Modernism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

A study of the most representative works of the leading Spanish American writers of the second part of the 20th century in poetry, essay, short story, and novel.

SPAN 545 20th Century Spanish American Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

Exploration of one or more topics of 20th-century and contemporary Latin American literature. Topics to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 562 Cervantes: The Quijote (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

Reading and analysis of Don Quijote.

SPAN 571 History and Development of the Spanish Language (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 301.

Examination of the historical, social, political, cultural forces that shaped the development of the Spanish language from its Indo-European prehistory to its modern worldwide diffusion.

SPAN 580 Hispanic Women Writers (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

An exploration of Peninsular and Latin American literature, mainly written by women, that focuses on gender and femininity.

SPAN 595 Senior Survey in Spanish or Spanish American Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: SPAN 500 or equivalent.

Advanced survey of Spanish or Latin American literature. Topics to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Consent of department chair and instructor.

Special topics in Spanish. Written projects requiring critical analysis and interpretation of linguistic or literary problems. May be repeated for a total of 9 units.

SPAN 821 Seminar in Spanish Literary Genres (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Admission to Spanish M.A. program or consent of instructor.

Focus on a specific literary genre in Spanish or Latin American literature. Topics to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 831 Seminar in Literary Movements or Periods (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Admission to Spanish M.A. program or consent of instructor.

Focus on a particular literary movement or period in Spanish or Latin American literature. Topics to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 850 Seminar-Spanish and Latin American Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Master of Arts in Spanish program or consent of instructor.

Focus on a topic, theme, or problem specific to Spanish or Latin American literature. Topics covered may include, but are not limited to, questions of class, gender, race, national identity, etc. Topics to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated as topics vary.

SPAN 880 Seminar in Individual Authors or Works (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Admission to Spanish program or consent of instructor.

Focus on topics having to do with individual authors and works in Spanish or Latin American literature. Topics to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

SPAN 896EXM Culminating Experience Examination (Units: 0-3)

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor, committee chair, and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.

Enrollment in 896EXAM required for students whose culminating experience consists of an examination only. (CR/NC, RP)

SPAN 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisites: Consent of graduate major adviser and supervising faculty member; admission to Spanish program or consent of instructor.

Study is planned, developed, and completed under the direction of a member of the department faculty. Open only to graduate students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition.