SPANISH MAJOR AND MINOR REQUIREMENTS
Course Descriptions: Spanish (SPA)

Major

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers programs of study leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts with majors in French and Spanish.  Students wishing to major or minor in Spanish should consult the department chair, who will assign a departmental advisor to assist in working out an individual program of study.  The major consists of 30 semester hours above 199, of which 18 semester hours must be taken above 299, including at least 6 semester hours above 399. No course in which a grade below C has been earned may be counted toward the major requirement. The courses should be distributed according to the particular needs of the individual student and in agreement with an assigned advisor from the modern foreign language faculty.

Minor

Twelve semester hours above 199 are required for the minor. No course in which a grade below C has been earned may be counted toward the minor requirement.
 

SPANISH (SPA)

Beginning Level (SPA 101, 102 and 106 include a one-hour lab requirement)

SPA 101.  Introductory Spanish I.—Essentials of language and culture needed for proficient communication.  Includes listening comprehension, speaking, writing and reading.  4 hours.

SPA 102.  Introductory Spanish II.—Continuation of SPA 101.  Prerequisite: SPA 101.  4 hours.

SPA 180.  Spanish for Health Professionals.—Intensive conversation to acquaint health professionals with basic structures of Spanish.  Focus on practical vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, medical terminology and cultural patterns of Spanish-speaking patients. Prerequisite: SPA 102 or equivalent.  3 hours.

SPA 190.  Study Abroad.—First-year level of approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.  Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  1 to 6 hours.
 

Minor Level:

Prerequisites: Eight hours of Spanish at the beginning level or equivalent.

SPA 201.  Intermediate Spanish I.—Comprehensive review of grammar through written exercises and readings.  Prerequisite: SPA 102 or equivalent.  3 hours.

SPA 202.  Intermediate Spanish II.—Continuation of SPA 201.  Prerequisite: SPA 201 or equivalent.  3 hours.

SPA 206. Intermediate Spanish for the Professions. This course puts emphasis on intensive conversation and the acquisition of vocabulary pertinent to the professions while focussing on the Spanish-speaking professionsal culture. 3 hours. Prerequisite: SPA 102or equivalent.

SPA 210.  Conversation and Culture.—Development of oral expression within the context of contemporary Spanish-speaking cultures.  Prerequisite: SPA 201 and 202 or equivalent.  3 hours.

SPA 290.  Study Abroad.—Second-year level of approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.  Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  1 to 6 hours.
 
 

Major Level:

Prerequisites: Nine hours of Spanish at the minor level or permission of department chair.

SPA 300.  Advanced Grammar and Composition.—Thorough review of principles of Spanish grammar, vocabulary and idioms.  Also comparative linguistics and phonetics. 3 hours.

SPA 304.  Phonetics and phonemics.— Spanish phonology and oral drills  conducive to acquiring authentic accent.  3 hours.

SPA 310.  Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World.—Historical overview of the heritage of Spain, Latin America and the Hispanic U.S. with emphasis on social, political, and economic institutions.  3 hours.

SPA 311.  Survey of Spanish Peninsular Literature.—Overview of Spanish civilization and literature from the Medieval to the contemporary periods.  Representative works of various authors with emphasis on fundamental literary concepts and distinctive stylistic features of Spanish discourse.  3 hours.

SPA 312.  Survey of Latin American Literature.—Overview of Latin American civilization and literature from the Pre-Colombian era to the contemporary period. Representative works of various authors with emphasis on fundamental literary concepts and distinctive stylistic features of Latin American discourse.  3 hours.

SPA 313.  Business Spanish.—Vocabulary, idioms, protocol, and style characteristic of speaking and writing commercial Spanish.  Concentration on writing letters, job descriptions, advertisements and import-export documents.  3 hours.

SPA 314.  Spanish Translation and Interpretation.—History, theory, and principles of translation and interpretation, including a systematic study of and contrastive exercises in Spanish-English structures.  Emphasis on building vocabulary.  3 hours.

SPA 390.  Study Abroad.—Third-year level of approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.  Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  1 to 6 hours.

SPA 399.  Special Readings in Spanish.—Prerequisite: Permission of department chair. 3 hours.

Advanced Undergraduate:

Prerequisite: 12 semester hours of Spanish at the major level or permission of  department chair.

SPA 401.  Discourse of Imperial Spain, 1492-1898.—Civilization of Imperial Spain from the end of the Reconquest to the late-nineteenth century.  Includes art, history, music, oral traditions and literature of the Spanish people.  3 hours.

SPA 402.  Discourse of Colonial Latin America, 1492-1920.—Civilization of Colonial Latin America from the advent of European dominance to the decades following the  Spanish-American War and Mexican Revolution.  Focus on the blending of Spanish, Amerindian and African cultural forms and their diverse literary expressions.  3 hours.

SPA 403.  Discourse of Contemporary Spain, 1898-Present.—Cultural  and literary trends of Spain from the transformation of Spanish society in the late-nineteenth century to the post-Franco era.  Focus on impact of the Spanish Civil War.  3 hours.

SPA 405.  U.S. Latino Writers.—Literary trends of the Spanish-speaking cultures within the borders of the United States.  Focus on discourse of exile, migration, bilingualism, and hybridity.  3 hours.

SPA 407.  Indigenous and Indigenist Latin America.—Cultural and literary forms of  Amerindian, Hispanic or mixed-descent writers of Latin America.  Focus on the concepts of hybridity, syncretism and mestizaje.  3 hours.

SPA 409.  Spanish-Speaking Nobel Laureates.—Literary masterpieces of the Spanish-speaking world.  3 hours.

SPA 411.  Cervantine Discourse.—Civilization of Golden Age Spain as reflected in  Miguel Cervantes’s El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha.  Development of modern novel and importance of Don Quixote as national hero and recurring figure in international art, music, film and literature.  3 hours.

SPA 412.  Discourse of Contemporary Latin America, 1920-Present.—Cultural and  literary trends of Latin America from la nueva narrativa through the Boom and post- Boom periods.  Focus on Mexico, Northern Latin America, and the Southern Cone. 3 hours.

SPA 414.  Afro-Hispanic Discourse.—Cultural and literary forms of African-descended writers in the Spanish-speaking world.  Focus on African presence in Medieval and Golden Age Spain, contemporary Spain, Ecuatorial Guinea, Latin America and the Caribbean.  3 hours.

SPA 416.  Special Topics in Spanish.—Seminar on individual authors, specific genres, literary movements, literary discourse/theory, or transatlantic studies.  May be repeated for credit.  3 hours.

SPA 490.  Study Abroad.—Fourth-year level of approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.  Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  1 to 6 hours.

SPA 499.  Directed Studies.—Prerequisite.  Permission of department chair.  3 hours.

Graduate-Level Instruction

Spanish (SPA)

Although at present a Master's Degree is not available in Spanish, interested students can take graduate courses
in Spanish through the Masters' of Education Program (Spanish Teaching Emphasis) or continue coursework in
the non-traditional 5th year certification program. See the UAB Graduate School Catalog for updated descriptions of graduate courses.

SPA 501.  Discourse of Imperial Spain, 1492-1898.—Civilization of Imperial Spain from the end of the Reconquest to the late-nineteenth century.  Includes art, history, music, oral traditions and literature of the Spanish people.  3 hours.

SPA 502.Discourse of Colonial Latin America, 1492-1920.—Civilization of Colonial Latin America from the advent of European dominance to the decades following the Spanish-America War and Mexican Revolution.  Focus on the blending of Spanish, Amerindian and African cultural forms and their diverse literary expressions.  3 hours.

SPA 503.  Discourse of Contemporary Spain, 1898-Present.—Cultural and literary trends of Spain from the transformation of Spanish society in the late-nineteenth century to the post-Franco era.  Focus on impact of the Spanish Civil War.  3 hours.

SPA 505.  U.S. Latino Writers.—Literary trends of the Spanish-speaking cultures within the borders of the United States.  Focus on discourse of exile, migration, bilingualism, and hybridity.  3 hours.

SPA 507.  Indigenous and Indigenist Latin America.—Cultural and literary forms of Amerindian, Hispanic or mixed descent writers of Latin America.  Focus on the concepts of hybridity, syncretism and mestizaje.  3  hours.

SPA 509.  Spanish-Speaking Nobel Laureates.—Literary masterpieces of the Spanish-speaking world.  3 hours.

SPA 511.  Cervantine Discourse.—Civilization of Golden Age Spain as reflected in Miguel de Cervantes’s El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha.  Development of the modern novel and importance of Don Quixote as national hero and recurring figure in international art, music, film and literature.  3 hours.

SPA 512.  Discourse of Contemporary Latin America, 1920-Present.—Cultural and literary trends of Latin America from la nueva narrativa through the Boom and post-Boom periods.  Focus on Mexico, Northern Latin America, and the Southern Cone.  3 hours.

SPA 514.  Afro-Hispanic Discourse.—Cultural and literary forms of African-descended writers in the Spanish-speaking world.  Focus on the African presence in Medieval and Golden Age Spain, contemporary Spain, Ecuatorial Guinea, Latin America and/or the Caribbean.  3 hours.

SPA 516.  Special Topics in Spanish.—Seminar on individual authors, specific genres, literary movements, literary discourse/theory, or transatlantic studies.  May be repeated for credit.  3 hours.

SPA 590.  Study Abroad.—Fifth-year level of approved program in a Spanish-speaking country.  Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  1 to 6 hours.

SPA 599.  Independent Studies.—Prerequisite: Permission of department chair.  3 hours.

Language Placement

To assure that students taking foreign language courses are properly placed, students who have had one or more years of a foreign language in high school within the last two years must take a placement test in that language before enrolling in the 101-104 sequence. Group placement tests are given in French and Spanish prior to the summer orientation sessions in July and August. Individual placement tests in French, Spanish, German, and Latin are administered year-round by appointment at the 1-STEP Office (934-5503). A student
will be permitted to repeat the placement test once.

Native speakers of French, German, and Spanish will not be permitted to take for credit courses in their native language on the elementary level. The level at which they may begin will be determined by the appropriate foreign language advisor. Exceptions to this ruling will be considered.

Students may apply for CBE (Credit by Examination) in Latin as there is no CLEP examination. CLEP examinations are available in French, German, and Spanish. (See CLEP and CBE, page 000.) However, native speakers of French, German, or Spanish will not be permitted to take CLEP exams for credit in those languages in order to satisfy the language requirement.

For information on studying languages at UAB contact:

Dr. Sheri Long
Chair, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures
934-4652 or 934-1834
Email: espanol@uab.edu *

*Dr. Long will be on sabbatical 07/01/2006-06/30/2007.  For departmental information, please contact Interim Chair Catherine Danielou (danielou@uab.edu) August 2006-June 2007.