College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Courses

Spanish and Portuguese

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese provides course work for undergraduate and graduate majors in Spanish or Portuguese and for the satisfaction of foreign language requirements for baccalaureate and advanced degrees in other fields.

Undergraduate Programs

Elementary and intermediate courses in Spanish interrelate five performance goals--listening, reading, speaking, writing, and cultural knowledge--in a staged progression whose overall goal is to develop proficiency. The curriculum emphasizes acquisition of Spanish language skills in communicative contexts, enrichment of vocabulary through an introduction to Hispanic culture, and development of grammatical accuracy in speaking and writing.

The beginning course in Portuguese is for students without previous study or experience with the language. There also is a special Portuguese course for students who already know Spanish. Portuguese classes provide a great deal of individual attention in an informal language-learning environment. Courses emphasize speaking, comprehending, and reading Brazilian Portuguese. They also incorporate cultural material in the form of videos and music.

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish

Students who major in Spanish may go on to graduate study in areas such as Spanish and Spanish American literature, Hispanic linguistics, or comparative literature. They also may combine their Spanish studies with other areas to prepare for career opportunities in international business, government, travel, journalism, or communications, where knowledge of another language and other cultures is essential.

The required 36 s.h. in the major (12 courses) must be earned in work beyond the level of the General Education Program. The core requirements are one course each from the principal academic areas of the department (see "Required Courses"). The remaining eight courses may focus on one or more of these areas or may include a broad range of courses within the department. These eight elective courses may include course work in Spanish language skills as well as more advanced language courses that focus on specialized language functions and purposes. They also may include courses in Portuguese or in related areas from other departments, such as history, anthropology, comparative literature, international studies, or linguistics, subject to restrictions (see "Restrictions"). Spanish majors are required to take at least three courses numbered 035:170 or above. Senior Seminar (035:195) is recommended for all Spanish majors.

Required Courses

For lists of courses in each of these four areas, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Elective courses in Spanish

24 s.h.

Total

36 s.h.

RESTRICTIONS

No more than five of the following courses or equivalent transfer or study abroad courses (as determined by the department's study abroad advisor) may be applied toward the major.

035:103 Writing in Spanish

3 s.h.

035:104 Hispanic Institute: Language

3 s.h.

035:107 Journalistic Writing in Spanish

3 s.h.

035:108 Taller de Escritura Creativa

3 s.h.

035:116 Advanced Composition

3 s.h.

035:118 Business Spanish

3 s.h.

035:170 Advanced Grammar Review

3 s.h.

038:103 Composition and Conversation (Portuguese)

3 s.h.

No credit from 038:100 Accelerated Elementary Portuguese may be applied toward the Spanish major. Of the 5 s.h. earned in 038:101 Accelerated Intermediate Portuguese, 3 s.h. may be applied toward the Spanish major. A maximum of 6 s.h. of course work in Portuguese may be applied toward the Spanish major.

A maximum of 6 s.h. of related course work from outside the department may be applied toward the Spanish major. Related courses must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies and must be 100-level courses. For a list of approved related courses, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

A maximum of 6 s.h. in courses taught in English, either in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese or in other departments, may be applied toward the Spanish major.

A maximum of 15 s.h. of credit in approved courses may be transferred from other institutions toward the requirements for the major in Spanish.

Advanced undergraduates preparing to earn the B.A. with honors may enroll in graduate courses with the permission of their advisor and the department chair. Ordinarily, permission is granted only to students who have completed a minimum of 30 s.h. of course work in the major and whose g.p.a. in the major is 3.75 or higher.

Teaching Licensure in Spanish

Four-Year Graduation Plan in Spanish

Before the third semester begins: Intermediate Spanish I (or equivalent second-year, first-semester competence in Spanish) and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: two courses in Spanish beyond Intermediate Spanish II (or equivalent second-year, second-semester competence) and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: four more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: a total of nine courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors in Spanish

Minor in Spanish

All courses applied toward the minor must be taught in Spanish. Courses elected for the minor may not be taken pass/fail.

International Study Programs in Spanish

Included in the department's semester or year-long programs are the CIEE Language and Area Studies Program (Alicante, Spain), the CIEE Language and Society Program (Seville, Spain), the CIEE Liberal Arts Program (Alcalá de Henares, Alicante, and Seville, Spain), the CIEE Humanities and Regional Studies Program (Barcelona, Spain), the CIEE Business and Society Program (Seville, Spain), and the University Studies Abroad Consortium (San Sebastián, Alicante, Madrid, and Bilbao, Spain; Santiago, Chile; Heredia and Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Puebla, Mexico). Also included are CIEE programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santigo, Chile. For information about other foreign study programs in Spanish, contact the Office for Study Abroad.

Participation in a number of different programs allows the department to offer study abroad opportunities that take into account a variety of student interests and needs. Credit earned in these or other study abroad programs may be applied toward the requirements for the Spanish major or minor. The amount of credit that may be accepted varies according to the program.

Interested students should contact the department's study abroad advisor. Credit earned in study abroad programs other than those listed above counts as transfer credit and is subject to the 15 s.h. maximum allowed for the major and the 3 s.h. maximum allowed for the minor.

Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese

Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Guine-Bissau. There are more speakers of Portuguese in South America than there are of Spanish. Knowledge of Portuguese and of Luso-Brazilian culture is extremely helpful for students interested in career opportunities in international business, government, or related fields.

The major requires the following courses or their equivalents. All course work in the major must be beyond the second-year level. Courses listed under "Prerequisites" may not be counted toward the 30 s.h.

PREREQUISITES

One of these:

038:101 Accelerated Intermediate Portuguese

5 s.h.

038:102 Portuguese for Spanish Speakers

3 s.h.

REQUIRED COURSES

ELECTIVES

A maximum of 6 s.h. may be taken in approved courses in related areas (e.g., art, anthropology, comparative literature, geography, history, Latin American studies, linguistics, sociology, Spanish).

Four-Year Graduation Plan in Portuguese

Before the third semester begins: competence in first-year Portuguese and at least one-quarter of the semester hours needed for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: competence in intermediate Portuguese and at least one-half of the semester hours needed for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: three or four additional courses for the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours needed for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: a total of seven courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in remaining major course work, any remaining General Education courses, and sufficient semester hours to graduate

Honors in Portuguese

Minor in Portuguese

International Study Programs in Portuguese

Language for Nonmajors

All new students--including transfer students--who have previous course work or other experience with Spanish should take the Spanish Foreign Language Placement Test, offered at no charge during summer orientation programs and monthly by Evaluation and Examination Service. The test helps determine the level at which a student should begin Spanish language study at The University of Iowa. Students should take the test before they register for their first University of Iowa Spanish course.

Students with experience in Portuguese may receive individual evaluations from the department.

The department's language courses are open to any student who has satisfied the specified prerequisites.

General Education Foreign Language Component

The first course in the Spanish sequence, 035:001, is most appropriate for students who have had no previous experience in Spanish. The Spanish Foreign Language Placement Test can help determine where other students should begin study. Entering students who have completed two years of secondary-level Spanish study typically begin with 035:005. Upon completion of elementary Spanish (either 035:002 or 035:005), students take intermediate Spanish (035:011 and 035:012). The accelerated course 035:013 combines 035:011 and 035:012 into one semester and may be appropriate for some students.

The Portuguese sequence 038:100 and 038:101 provides a full two-year course in two semesters. The sequence is open to any student with an interest in the language.

Other Courses for Nonmajors

International Business Certificate

The wide range of electives in the program permits students to tailor areas of specialization to their interests and to complement majors in both liberal arts and sciences and business administration.

For more information, see International Business in the Catalog and contact CLAS Academic Programs & Services in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the Undergraduate Program Office in the Tippie College of Business.

Latin American Studies Certificate

To receive the Certificate in Latin American Studies, students must have sufficient competence in Spanish or Portuguese to do background readings in the language before enrolling in the required senior seminar. See Latin American Studies in the Catalog.

Graduate Programs

Master of Arts in Spanish

The M.A. requires the following 10 courses.

Literature Emphasis

At least eight of the 10 courses must be taken in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and must be numbered above 035:170. The remaining two may be taken either in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (numbered above 035:170) or in related departments, subject to approval by the director of graduate studies.

Linguistics Emphasis

Of these 10 courses, at least six must be offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and numbered above 035:170. The remaining four may be offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (numbered above 035:170) or the Department of Linguistics.

Language Tool Requirement

Maximum Study Loads

Transfer Credit

Examinations

Students in the literature emphasis may choose to be examined in three literature areas or in two literature areas and one linguistics area. At least one literature area must be in Spanish literature and at least one must be in Spanish American literature. If three literature areas are chosen, at least one must represent literature written before 1700 (peninsular and/or Spanish American).

Students in the linguistics emphasis may choose to be examined in three linguistics areas or in two linguistics areas and one literature area. At least one of the linguistics areas must be in syntax or phonology. For students in both emphases, the third examination area may be a film area.

For reading lists, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish

Both the literature and linguistics tracks require a minimum of 57 s.h. of course work (19 courses), of which 30 s.h. may have been earned for an M.A. in Spanish at The University of Iowa or at another institution, as approved by the director of graduate studies. The Ph.D. also requires 3-15 s.h. earned in 035:299 Thesis, to fill the 72 s.h. required for the degree. Course requirements for each track are as follows.

Program I: Literature Track

Two courses in literary theory

Three courses in Spanish literature, at least

one of which must be pre-1700 literature

Three courses in Spanish American literature

One course in cinema

Two 300-level seminars in literary studies

One literature course in another Romance language

(see "Language and Literature Tool Requirements")

035:299 Thesis

3-15 s.h.

Each student's plan of study is tailored to his or her area of emphasis and must be approved by the student's advisory committee. Ph.D. course work in Spanish (taken after the M.A.) must be at the 200 and 300 levels, except the Romance literature course taken for the language tool requirement.

LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE TOOL REQUIREMENTS

The equivalent of one year of college-level study of another approved foreign language also is required. If Portuguese is not the language chosen to fulfill the Romance literature requirement, it must be used for this requirement. Students who choose to write dissertations on topics in Spanish or Portuguese literature before 1700 must have one year of college-level Latin or the equivalent.

Students may satisfy the language tool requirement by examination or by course work at The University of Iowa or at another accredited university; language tool course work does not count toward the 72 s.h. required for the degree.

Program II: Linguistics Track

035:207 Topics in Comparative Romance Linguistics

3 s.h.

035:209 Spanish Phonology

3 s.h.

035:210 Spanish Syntax

3 s.h.

103:110 Articulatory and Acoustic Phonetics

3 s.h.

103:201 Introduction to Syntax

3 s.h.

103:202 Syntactic Theory

3 s.h.

103:203 Introduction to Phonology

3 s.h.

One of these:

103:204 Phonological Theory

3 s.h.

103:212 Advanced Syntactic Theory

3 s.h.

Two courses from one or more of these:

historical linguistics, language variation,

language acquisition/psycholinguistics

Two 300-level seminars in Hispanic linguistics

035:299 Thesis

3-15 s.h.

Each student's plan of study is tailored to his or her area of emphasis and must be approved by the student's advisory committee. Ph.D. course work in Spanish (taken after the M.A.) must be at the 200 and 300 levels, except some courses offered by the Department of Linguistics and the required third-year-level course in Portuguese (see "Language Tool Requirements").

LANGUAGE TOOL REQUIREMENTS

Students may satisfy the language tool requirement by examination or by course work at The University of Iowa or at another accredited university. The language tool course work does not count toward the 57 s.h. of pre-thesis course work required for the degree, except the third-year-level course work in Portuguese, which may be counted with the faculty advisor's approval.

Comprehensive Examination

The Ph.D. comprehensive examination includes written and oral components. The written portion consists of a three-hour examination in each of four areas; an oral examination follows, usually lasting two hours.

The four examination areas for each track are as follows.

LITERATURE TRACK

The two specialized areas of the student's choice might involve further exploration of particular periods, genres, or movements within Spanish, Spanish American, and/or Luso-Brazilian literary and cultural history; or they might involve in-depth study of specific problems in Hispanic literary criticism or in literary theory. Areas involving cinema also may be included.

The reading lists for the broad areas are based on the departmental core reading lists for each genre and time period, with a supplemental list for each of the broad areas prepared by the student in consultation with the faculty member(s) directing the exam area. The student compiles the reading lists for each of the specialized areas in consultation with the faculty member(s) directing the area.

At least one of these specialized areas must be related to the dissertation topic. The student must submit a three-page preprospectus abstract to the examining committee before the exam in the specialized area that relates to the dissertation topic. The abstract is discussed during the oral doctoral exam.

LINGUISTICS TRACK

The reading lists for the three required areas are based on the departmental core reading lists, with a supplemental list for each area prepared by the student in consultation with the faculty member(s) directing the area. The student compiles the reading list for the specialized area in consultation with the faculty member(s) directing that area. Of the four exam areas, two should be broad, and two--including the specialized topic--should be focused.

At least one of these specialized areas must be related to the dissertation topic. The student must submit a three-page preprospectus abstract to the examining committee before the exam in the specialized area that relates to the dissertation topic. The abstract is discussed during the oral doctoral exam.

Dissertation Prospectus

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