Spanish and Portuguese
Director, Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Chair, Department of Spanish and Portuguese
Professors
- Thomas E. Lewis, Adriana Méndez Rodenas, Mercedes Niño-Murcia
Associate professors
- Maria José Barbosa, Maria A. Duarte, Denise K. Filios, Brian Gollnick, Paula M. Kempchinsky, Judith E. Liskin-Gasparro, Luis Martin-Estudillo, Ana Merino, Kathleen Newman (Spanish and Portuguese/Cinema and Comparative Literature), Diana Vélez
Associate professor emeritus
Adjunct associate professor
Assistant professors
- Roberto Ampuero, Amber Brian, Horacio Castellanos Moya, Ana Rodríguez, Santiago Vaquera-Vásquez, Sarah Ann Wells
Lecturers
- Gay Allan, Carl Brown, Ozzie Díaz-Duque, Deanna Johnson, Maria Nilsson
Undergraduate majors: Spanish (B.A.); Portuguese (B.A.) Undergraduate minors: Spanish; Portuguese Graduate degrees: M.A. in Spanish; Ph.D. in Spanish Web site: http://clas.uiowa.edu/dwllc/spanish-portuguese
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese provides course work for undergraduate and graduate majors in Spanish or Portuguese and for students in other disciplines. It offers a wide selection of courses in Spanish and Portuguese, languages that are spoken in many cultures around the world and are important in the study of literature, art, film, and many other areas. Spanish and Portuguese language courses are open to any student who has satisfied the course prerequisites.
In addition to language courses, the department offers general interest courses on literature, film, and culture that are taught in English. It also participates in several study abroad programs.
Undergraduate students in all majors may satisfy the World Languages requirement of the General Education Program with courses in Spanish or Portuguese; see "Language for General Education" below. The department offers other courses that are approved for General Education and are taught in English, and entering undergraduates may take its First-Year Seminar.
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese is one of the academic units in the Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.
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Undergraduate Programs
- Major in Spanish (Bachelor of Arts)
- Major in Portuguese (Bachelor of Arts)
- Minor in Spanish
- Minor in Portuguese
Elementary and intermediate courses in Spanish language 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, reading, and writing Brazilian Portuguese. They incorporate cultural material in the form of videos and music.
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Bachelor of Arts: Spanish
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Spanish requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 36 s.h. of work for the major. The program is built on course work in Spanish peninsular and Spanish American literature, Hispanic cultures, Hispanic linguistics, and advanced language skills. The goal of the major is twofold: to study content areas related to the Spanish language, such as literature, culture, and linguistics; and to develop proficiency in the Spanish language in all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
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.
Course work for the major includes a core of one course from each of the four principal academic areas of the department (see "Required Core" below) and eight electives, which may focus on one or more of the four principal areas or may include a broad range of courses (see "Electives" below). Students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.
All courses taken for the Spanish major must be numbered 100 or above. At least three must be Spanish courses [prefix 035 (SPAN)] numbered 170 or above. A maximum of 6 s.h. of course work in Portuguese [prefix 038 (PORT)] may be counted toward the major. Students may count a maximum of 6 s.h. in courses taught in English, offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese or by other departments, toward the major.
A maximum of 15 s.h. of approved transfer credit may be counted toward the major.
Advanced undergraduates preparing to earn a 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 work for the major and whose g.p.a. in the major is 3.75 or higher.
The major in Spanish requires the following course work.
Required Core
One course in Hispanic linguistics chosen from these:
One course in Spanish peninsular literature chosen from these:
One course in Spanish American literature chosen from these:
One course in culture (peninsular or Spanish American) chosen from these:
Electives
The eight electives 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 a maximum of 6 s.h. earned in 100-level Portuguese courses or in related 100-level courses from other departments and programs, such as history, anthropology, comparative literature, international studies, or linguistics. Related courses must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies; for a list of approved related courses, contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
The following Spanish and Portuguese courses do not count toward the major and may not be used as elective credit: 035:116 (SPAN:3095) Spanish Composition and Grammar (if taken after spring 2010), 035:165 (SPAN:4095) Advanced Spanish Grammar, and 038:100 (PORT:3010) Accelerated Elementary Portuguese. A maximum of 3 s.h. earned in 038:101 (PORT:3020) Accelerated Intermediate Portuguese may be counted toward the major.
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Bachelor of Arts: Portuguese
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Portuguese requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 30 s.h. of work for the major. Students must complete the courses listed under "Prerequisites" below (12 s.h.), or their equivalents, before they may begin fulfilling requirements for the major.
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 in Portuguese requires the following courses or their equivalents. All course work in the major must be more advanced than second-year level. Courses listed under "Prerequisites" do not count toward the 30 s.h. of work for the major.
Students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.
Prerequisites to Course Work for the Major
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).
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B.A. with Teacher Licensure
Spanish majors interested in earning licensure to teach at the elementary and/or secondary level must complete the College of Education's Teacher Education Program (TEP) in addition to the requirements for the major and all requirements for graduation. The TEP requires several College of Education courses and student teaching. Contact the Office of Education Services for details.
Students must satisfy all degree requirements and complete Teacher Education Program licensure before degree conferral.
Students who plan to use a major in Portuguese or their work toward a minor in Spanish or in Portuguese as academic background for earning teacher licensure should contact the Office of Education Services about requirements.
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Four-Year Graduation Plan
The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.)
B.A.: 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
B.A.: 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
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Honors in Spanish
Admission to the honors program in Spanish requires a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 and a g.p.a. of at least 3.50 in Spanish (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information about honors study at Iowa). To graduate with honors in Spanish, students must request honors designation for one course they take for the major (3 s.h.), in consultation with the department honors advisor. They also must register for 3 s.h. in 035:198 (SPAN:4998) Honors: Research and Thesis. To complete 035:198 (SPAN:4998) successfully, students must submit an honors thesis they have written in Spanish and must present it orally to a faculty committee in a meeting conducted in Spanish.
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Honors in Portuguese
Admission to the honors program in Portuguese requires a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.33 and a g.p.a. of at least 3.50 in Portuguese (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information about honors study at Iowa). To graduate with honors in Portuguese, students must earn 3 s.h. in 038:198 (PORT:4999) Honors Research and Thesis plus 3 s.h. in a course chosen in consultation with the department honors advisor. Both courses (6 s.h.) count toward the total 30 s.h. required for the major in Portuguese. Students must write an honors thesis and present it orally to a committee of three faculty members.
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Related Certificates
Certificate in International Business
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Tippie College of Business offer the Certificate in International Business. The program entails study of international business and economics; international relations and institutions; a language; and the art, literature, culture, and/or politics of a geographic area. For detailed information about the certificate see International Business in the Catalog.
Certificate in Latin American Studies
The department plays an important role in the Latin American Studies Program, which focuses on the history, politics, social organization, economy, art, music, religion, and literature of Latin America. See Latin American Studies in the Catalog for detailed information about the program's undergraduate certificate and minor.
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Minor in Spanish
The minor in Spanish requires a minimum of 18 s.h. in Spanish courses, including 15 s.h. in 100-level courses taken at The University of Iowa or in a University of Iowa study abroad program. At least one of the 100-level courses must be in Spanish or Spanish American literature or culture, or in Hispanic linguistics. Students may not count 035:116 (SPAN:3095) Spanish Composition and Grammar (if taken after spring 2010) or 035:165 (SPAN:4095) Advanced Spanish Grammar toward the Spanish minor. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. All courses for the minor must be taught in Spanish.
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Minor in Portuguese
The minor in Portuguese requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in Portuguese courses, including 12 s.h. in advanced courses taken at The University of Iowa or in a University of Iowa study abroad program. For the minor, courses numbered 038:103 (PORT:3100) Composition and Conversation and above are considered advanced. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.
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Language for General Education
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers course sequences that students in all majors may use to satisfy the World Languages requirement of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.
Students who have previous course work or other experience with Spanish should take the online World Languages Placement Test, which 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.
Spanish
Three course sequences in Spanish satisfy the General Education Program's World Languages requirement. Students without background in Spanish should choose the first sequence. Others should talk with a departmental advisor to determine which sequence is best for them.
Portuguese
Only one course sequence in Portuguese fulfills the General Education Program's World Languages requirement. It consists of two intensive courses that combine two semesters into one, so that the sequence is completed in a total of two semesters rather than four. Both courses are open to any student with an interest in the language, including entering first-year students.
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Study Abroad
Spanish
The department participates in study abroad programs in Spain and Latin America; most of these programs offer both summer and semester or yearlong programs. The programs in Spain include the Board of Regents Hispanic Institute program in Valladolid (summer only); USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium) programs in Alicante, Bilbao, Madrid, and San Sebastián; and CIEE programs in Alcalá de Henares, Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, and Seville.
The programs in Latin America include USAC programs in Chile (Santiago), Costa Rica (Heredia, Puntarenas, and San Ramón), and Mexico (Puebla); CIEE programs in Argentina (Buenos Aires), Chile (Santiago and Valparaíso), Dominican Republic (Santiago), Mexico (Guanajuato), and Peru (Lima). They also include the CIC Latin America Health, Nutrition, and Environmental Issues Program in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and the CIC Summer Program in Guadalajara, Mexico. 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.
Portuguese
The department offers a seven-week program in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil that includes courses in Portuguese language, culture, and literature. Contact International Programs Study Abroad for details.
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Graduate Programs
- Master of Arts in Spanish
- Master of Fine Arts in Spanish creative writing
- Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish
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Master of Arts
The Master of Arts program in Spanish requires 30 s.h. of graduate credit. Students choose one of two emphases: literature, which provides training in literary analysis and broad knowledge of representative works in principal areas of Hispanic literature; or linguistics, which provides training in linguistic analysis and argumentation and broad knowledge of the principal subfields of Hispanic linguistics. Applicants to the M.A. program should have completed the equivalent of the undergraduate Spanish major with a g.p.a. of at least 3.00 in course work for the major.
A maximum of 9 s.h. of graduate credit in approved courses may be transferred from other institutions toward the 30 s.h. required for the M.A.
The M.A. requires the following 10 courses.
Literature Emphasis Courses
One of these:
All of these:
| 3 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. |
| 3 s.h. |
| 9 s.h. |
At least eight of the 10 literature emphasis courses must be taken in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and must be numbered above 035:170 (SPAN:4860) The Spanish Civil War. The remaining two may be taken either in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, numbered above 035:170 (SPAN:4860), or in related departments, subject to approval by the director of graduate studies.
Linguistics Emphasis Courses
One of these:
All of these:
| 3 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. |
| 3 s.h. |
| 3 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. |
At least six of the 10 linguistics emphasis courses must be taken in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and numbered above 035:170 (SPAN:4860) The Spanish Civil War. The remaining four may be taken in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, numbered above 035:170 (SPAN:4860), or the Department of Linguistics.
Language Tool Requirement
M.A. students must complete the equivalent of one year of college-level study of any approved second foreign language; Portuguese is highly recommended. They may satisfy this requirement either by examination or through courses taken at The University of Iowa or another accredited university; such course work does not count toward the 30 s.h. required for the M.A.
Examinations
The M.A. comprehensive examination includes written and oral components. The written portion consists of a two-hour examination in each of three areas; an oral examination follows, usually lasting 90 minutes. The examining committee is composed of four departmental faculty members.
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 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.
Maximum Study Loads
Maximum course registration is 15 s.h. of graduate-level course work during fall or spring semesters and 8 s.h. of graduate-level work during summer sessions. Students with one-quarter-time and one-third-time teaching assistantships are permitted to register for the maximum study loads. The normal full-time registration for students who hold one-half-time assistantships is three graduate courses in fall and spring semesters; one-half-time assistants may register for a maximum of 12 s.h. in fall and spring semesters and 6 s.h. in summer sessions. Additional semester hours may be taken only with Graduate College approval.
Minimum course registration is 2 s.h. Students who fail to register for a period of 36 months must apply for readmission to the Graduate College.
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Master of Fine Arts
The Master of Fine Arts in Spanish creative writing requires 48 s.h. of graduate credit earned over four semesters in residence at The University of Iowa. Students complete courses in writing, including several workshops, and other relevant course work. They also are required to participate in several outreach workshops in the community and to do a final public reading in the spring semester of their second year. Work toward the degree culminates in a creative thesis.
The M.F.A. requires the following 16 courses.
All of these:
Three workshop courses chosen from these:
All of these:
Related units include the University of Iowa Center for the Book, the Creative Writing Program (Iowa Writer's Workshop), the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature, and the International Writing Program.
Thesis
The thesis is a fiction or poetry manuscript of substantial length, which students submit during their last semester. The thesis committee is composed of at least three members: two faculty members in the Spanish creative writing program and a third Department of Spanish and Portuguese faculty member who is not part of the creative writing program, or a faculty member from one of the related units.
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Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctor of Philosophy program in Spanish requires a total of at least 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Ph.D. students choose from two programs; one is dedicated to Hispanic literatures, the other to Hispanic linguistics. The literature program trains students in textual analysis and literary history, criticism, and theory. The linguistics program provides training in linguistic analysis and theory.
The literature program requires a minimum of 66 s.h. of course work (22 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 linguistics program requires 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.
Both programs also require 6 s.h. earned in 035:299 (SPAN:6999) Thesis, to complete the 72 s.h. required for the Ph.D.
Course requirements for each program are as follows.
Literature Track: Courses
Students must complete at least 36 s.h. (12 courses) beyond the master's degree (or 22 courses beyond the bachelor's degree). The following courses are required; courses taken for the M.A. may be used to meet part of this requirement.
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.
Literature Track: Language and Literature Tool
Before the comprehensive examination, students must complete the equivalent of three years of college-level study in another Romance language and become well acquainted with its literature in limited areas of specialization; the study of Luso-Brazilian literature is highly recommended. This requirement may be satisfied only through course work at The University of Iowa or another accredited university.
Students also must complete the equivalent of one year of college-level study of another approved foreign language. Students who do not fulfill the Romance language requirement with Portuguese must use it to satisfy this requirement. Students who will write dissertations on topics in Spanish or Portuguese literature before 1700 are strongly encouraged to select Latin, Arabic, or an Amerindian language to satisfy this requirement; students should consult specialists in their field to determine which language is most appropriate. Students may take more than two languages, earning more than the 72 s.h. required for the degree, if their literary course work permits.
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. Courses taken to fulfill the language tool requirements may be taken pass/nonpass. If the language tool requirements are satisfied by examination, the exam results must be documented in the student's file. Courses taken to fulfill the second Romance literature requirement must be taken for grades and may be counted toward the degree.
Linguistics Track: Courses
Students must earn at least 27 s.h. (9 courses) beyond the master's degree (or 19 courses beyond the bachelor's degree). The following courses are required; courses taken for the M.A. may be used to meet part of this requirement.
The additional course in the dissertation research area (phonology, syntax, language acquisition, language variation) must be offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese or the Department of Linguistics.
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 for some courses offered by the Department of Linguistics and the required third-year-level course in Portuguese (see "Linguistics Track: Language Tool and Additional Requirements" below).
Linguistics Track: Language Tool and Additional
Students in the linguistics track must complete the equivalent of three years of college-level study of Portuguese, and the equivalent of one year of college-level study of each of two other languages. For students specializing in historical linguistics, one of those two languages must be Latin.
Students may satisfy the language tool requirement by examination or by course work at The University of Iowa or at another accredited university. Courses taken to fulfill the language tool requirements may be taken pass/nonpass. If the language tool requirements are satisfied by examination, the exam results must be documented in the student's file. The language tool course work does not count toward the 57 s.h. of prethesis 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 if the student took it for a grade.
Students in the linguistics track also must write two extended research papers and give two colloquium presentations based on these papers. The first paper must be in an area distinct from the intended dissertation research; it must be approved by the student's advisory committee by the end of fall semester of the second year of Ph.D. course work in order for the student to continue in the program. The second paper must be in the dissertation research area, must be of publishable quality, and must be approved by the student's advisory committee no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student takes the comprehensive exam.
Comprehensive Examination
The purpose of the Ph.D. comprehensive examination is to determine whether the student has gained sufficient breadth and depth of research knowledge in Hispanic literatures or linguistics to enter the profession as a teacher-scholar. The examining committee is composed of five departmental faculty members or four departmental faculty members and a fifth faculty member from a related department.
Literature Track
The literature track's comprehensive exam has written and oral components.
The written component includes four elements: two broad areas, one specialized area, and one article. Each element is supervised by a different committee member.
The two broad areas comprise lists of approximately 40 readings, with each list covering an established historical period that is tied to the student's Ph.D. course work (one Peninsular, the other Spanish American). The lists must be approved by the supervisor before distribution to the rest of the committee. Each area is evaluated with a three-hour written exam, which is discussed during the student's oral exam.
The specialized area's reading list includes 25-40 secondary works that define the area and are related to the dissertation. The area is examined via a 15-20 page position paper, which is a critical synthesis of the secondary readings and normally becomes part of the dissertation introduction. The list and the paper must be written in consultation with a faculty supervisor and must be approved by the supervisor at least one month before the oral exam.
The article is a 20-25 page research essay, usually a revised version of a paper written for one of the two required 300-level seminars. The article should be written in consultation with the professor who taught the seminar and with a faculty supervisor; if the professor who taught the course also supervises the area, the student must consult with at least one more professor. The article must be approved by the supervisor at least one month before the oral exam.
The oral exam lasts two hours, with approximately half devoted to the two broad areas and half to the article and the position paper.
Linguistics Track
The comprehensive exam for the linguistics track includes written and oral components. The written component comprises two weekend take-home exams consisting of linguistic analysis in two subdisciplines distinct from the subdiscipline of the intended dissertation research. The two-hour oral exam consists of one hour devoted to discussion of the second research paper and the other hour devoted to follow-up questions on the written exams.
Dissertation
After the Ph.D. comprehensive examination is completed, the candidate submits a dissertation prospectus for the dissertation committee's approval. The dissertation committee is composed of five faculty members; at least four committee members must be from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
All doctoral dissertations must be submitted to the Graduate College in electronic format.
The dissertation, complete and in final form, must be submitted in the required electronic format at the Graduate College office by the first-deposit deadline date of the session in which the degree is to be conferred. The final deposit of the approved dissertation in electronic format must be deposited at the office by the appropriate deadline in the student's graduation semester.
Students must adhere to the Graduate College regulations regarding preparation of the dissertation copy; consult the Graduate College. For information on the dissertation and final examinations, see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College.
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Financial Support
Teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified graduate students. Usually, two years of support are available for completion of the M.A. and four years beyond the receipt of the M.A. for the Ph.D. Applications for financial support should be made directly to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
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Facilities
The Language Media Center (LMC) provides students and faculty with a broad range of services and facilities that include a state-of-the-art audio language laboratory, individual audio recording carrels, video viewing rooms for small groups, video viewing stations for individuals, and networked microcomputer and interactive multimedia workstations. The LMC maintains a number of instructional technology classrooms that have special video, audio, and computer equipment for in-class presentations. The center's extensive collection of international media resources on audio tape, videotape, computer diskette, videodisc, and CD-ROM serves learners at many levels and in many disciplines.
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Courses
Spanish and Portuguese language courses are open to all students who have satisfied the specified course prerequisites.
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Basic Spanish
Students must have permission from the chair of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese to take an elementary course for credit after having completed a higher-level course for which the elementary course or its equivalent is a prerequisite.
| 035:001 (SPAN:1001) Elementary Spanish I | 5 s.h. |
|
Emphasis on oral and written skills. Taught in Spanish. Recommendations: no previous study of Spanish.
GE: World Languages First Level Proficiency. | | |
| 035:020 (SPAN:1800) Contemporary Spanish American Narrative | 3 s.h. |
|
Themes and narrative techniques in major texts, 1960‑present; overview of cultural, sociopolitical aspects. Taught in English, readings in English. Prerequisites: 08G:001 (ENGL:1200).
GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts. | | |
| 035:029 (SPAN:1000) First-Year Seminar | 1-2 s.h. |
|
Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities, field trips). Requirements: first‑ or second‑semester standing.
| | |
| 035:030 (SPAN:1600) Exploring Latino Culture: Music, Food, and Salsa | 1 s.h. |
|
Exploration of rich diversity of Latino culture in Iowa; may attend cultural celebrations, visit Latino resources on campus, meet Latino student leaders and faculty from the Spanish department, learn about study abroad and careers involving Spanish language skills.
| | |
| 035:060 (SPAN:1700) Latino/a Literature in the U.S. | 3 s.h. |
|
Introduction to growing cultural production of varied Latino communities (e.g., Chicano, Puerto Rican American/Nuyorican, Cuban American) that have a strong presence in the United States; recent cultural production from borderland transcultural spaces with physical, cultural, economic, political, and mythical elements; visions of the United States from contemporary Latin American writers who recently have become U.S. residents. Taught in English.
GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts; Values, Society, and Diversity. | | |
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Spanish Level 1, Primarily for Undergraduates
Students should take these courses at the start of the Spanish major.
| 035:102 (SPAN:2040) Spanish for Heritage Speakers | 3 s.h. |
|
Development of reading and writing skills for bilingual students who have acquired listening and speaking skills in Spanish; review of grammar and registers of use.
| | |
| 035:103 (SPAN:2000) Spanish Language Skills: Writing | 3 s.h. |
|
Bridge from second‑year Spanish to more advanced courses in Spanish language, linguistics, and literature; emphasis on skill development in writing, critical reading in Spanish, and oral communication. Taught in Spanish. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
| | |
| 035:106 (SPAN:2010) Spanish Language Skills: Speaking | 3 s.h. |
|
Development of conversational proficiency and cultural competence through action learning; strategic role playing and creative language use based on everyday situations in Hispanic cultures; composition skills and grammar review. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
| | |
| 035:108 (SPAN:2050) Spanish in the U.S. | 3 s.h. |
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Issues related to Spanish in the United States; aspects of linguistics and sociolinguistics inherent to the existence and proliferation of Spanish in the United States. Taught in English.
| | |
| 035:110 (SPAN:2400) Readings in Spanish Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Tools for improving reading skills; basic concepts for textual understanding; historical overview of literary works, with focus on literature of Spain. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
| | |
| 035:111 (SPAN:2500) Readings in Spanish American Literature | 3 s.h. |
|
Tools for improving reading skills; basic concepts for textual understanding; historical overview of literary works, with focus on Spanish American literature. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
| | |
| 035:112 (SPAN:2300) Introduction to Reading Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Close readings of literary texts from Spain and Spanish America; basic concepts of genre (narrative, poetry, theater, essay); writing about literature. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
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| 035:113 (SPAN:2800) Screening Latin America | 3 s.h. |
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Latin American film; histories of the four major national film industries; aesthetic and political debates surrounding the New Latin American Cinema movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
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| 035:114 (SPAN:2200) Introduction to Spanish American Cultures | 3 s.h. |
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Introduction to study of cultural history of Spanish America; topics range from precolombian times to present; for students who are just starting work on the Spanish major or minor. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
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Spanish Level 2, Primarily for Undergraduates
Students should have at least one Level 1 course before starting these courses. Some courses have additional prerequisites.
Language Skills
| 035:116 (SPAN:3095) Spanish Composition and Grammar | 3 s.h. |
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Development of three types of compositions; selected readings and comprehension activities; vocabulary expansion; grammar review with exercises. Requirements: good proficiency in written and oral Spanish based on several university‑level Spanish courses and study abroad experience in a Hispanic country.
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| 035:117 (SPAN:3030) Introduction to Spanish-English Translation | 3 s.h. |
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Introduction to written and sight translation: translation theory, elements for good translations and effective translation process, cultural aspects; practice in written translation. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:118 (SPAN:3040) Business Spanish | 3 s.h. |
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Clear, concise business writing; emphasis on linguistic and cultural proficiency. Requirements: one Spanish course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:119 (SPAN:3020) Journalistic Writing in Spanish | 3 s.h. |
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Spanish writing skills; introduction to style and practice of journalistic reporting and writing. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:129 (SPAN:3050) Translation Workshop: Spanish to English | 3 s.h. |
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Spanish to English literary translation; meaning, form and equivalence, authenticity; questions of untranslatability. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:139 (SPAN:3000) Advanced Spanish Language Skills: Writing | 3 s.h. |
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Development of writing skills in Spanish, focus on expository writing for academic purposes. Requirements: at least two courses taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:141 (SPAN:3010) Advanced Spanish Speaking and Writing | 3 s.h. |
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Development of oral proficiency; secondary emphasis on continuing development of writing skills; cultural knowledge of several Spanish‑speaking countries. Requirements: two courses taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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Hispanic Linguistics
| 035:121 (SPAN:3100) Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 s.h. |
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Basic linguistic theory as applied to analysis of Spanish language; systematic study of sound patterns, sentence construction, word formation; meanings, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics. Requirements: one Spanish course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:122 (SPAN:3110) Spanish Sound Structure | 3 s.h. |
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Articulation of Spanish sounds—description and practice; how Spanish sounds are organized into classes, relations among the different classes, how they are implemented in context, patterns they exhibit. Requirements: one Spanish course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:123 (SPAN:3120) Foundations in Sociolinguistics | 3 s.h. |
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Dialects, speech communities, variation, choosing a code, solidarity and politeness, language and gender, language planning. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:124 (SPAN:3130) Introduction to Bilingualism | 3 s.h. |
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Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic aspects of bilingualism; language usage, maintenance, attitudes, shift, transfer, loss; code‑switching. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:126 (SPAN:3150) Spanish Applied Linguistics | 3 s.h. |
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Concepts of linguistic analysis applied to Spanish; focus on problematic areas of Spanish grammar, lexicon, semantics; introduction to cross‑cultural pragmatics; connections between language learning and technology and assessment; ideal for future teachers of Spanish. Prerequisites: 035:121 (SPAN:3100).
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| 035:128 (SPAN:3170) Introduction to Spanish Language Acquisition | 3 s.h. |
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Basic principles of language acquisition theory applied to learning Spanish as a first or second language. Prerequisites: 035:121 (SPAN:3100).
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Spanish American Literature and Culture
| 035:130 (SPAN:3200) Cultures of Spanish America | 3 s.h. |
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Pre‑Columbian, colonial, modern periods; socioeconomic structure, form of government, culture. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:131 (SPAN:3300) Contemporary Spanish American Fiction | 3 s.h. |
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Major 20th‑century short‑story writers and novelists (Borges, Cortázar, Fuentes, García‑Márquez, Rulfo, etc.) through representative works. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:132 (SPAN:3320) Spanish American Poetry | 3 s.h. |
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Poetry as a literary genre, short history of its development, early forms in Spanish America, poets from Modernism to present; readings from writers including Rubén Darío, Pablo Neruda, César Vallejo, Octavio Paz, J.L. Borges. Requirements: one Spanish course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:134 (SPAN:3310) Spanish American Short Story | 3 s.h. |
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Works by 19th‑ and 20th‑century Spanish American writers; emphasis on reading strategies and historical, cultural, literary backgrounds. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:135 (SPAN:3440) Latinos in the United States | 3 s.h. |
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Latina/o cultural practices and products as dynamic expressions that affirm, contest, resist and are shaped in and against the mappings of race, class, nation, gender, sexuality, colonialism. Requirements: one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:137 (SPAN:3400) Introduction to Chicano Literature and Culture | 3 s.h. |
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Recent fiction and poetry by Chicano and Chicana writers; readings in Spanish and English. Taught in Spanish. Requirements: at least one Spanish literature or culture course at the 100 level (2000‑level) or above.
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| 035:138 (SPAN:3230) Modern Mexico | 3 s.h. |
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Twentieth‑century Mexican cultural history, including nationalism, gender relations, indigenous cultures, border issues, and popular culture; materials range from journalistic and literary writing to film, music, images, and television. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:140 (SPAN:3350) Contemporary Spanish American Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Comprehensive view of 20th‑century literature from Spanish‑speaking countries in the Americas, including narrative and poetry; examination of issues related to texts and contexts through written and oral analysis. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:143 (SPAN:3420) Cuban American Literature and Culture | 3 s.h. |
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Experiences of Cuban exiles in the United States; emergence of a literature and culture based on sense of dispossession, marginality, and memory of island past. Taught in English. Prerequisites: 08G:001 (ENGL:1200).
GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. Same as 048:196 (CCL:3396). | | |
| 035:144 (SPAN:3360) Latin American Women Writers | 3 s.h. |
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Focus on 20th century; how Latin American women subjects view themselves through literature; textual practice specific to women; psychoanalytic approaches, contemporary feminist criticism. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
Same as 131:162 (GWSS:3360). | | |
| 035:146 (SPAN:3270) Pan-Caribbean Literary Currents | 3 s.h. |
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Twentieth‑century fiction, film, and cultural practices in the Hispanic, Francophone, and Anglophone Caribbean; cultural essays to complement literary readings; pan‑Caribbean cultural practices—music and carnival celebrations. Taught in English. Requirements: for 048:162 (CCL:3262) — junior or senior standing; for 035:146 (SPAN:3270) — two literature courses.
Same as 048:162 (CCL:3262). | | |
| 035:147 (SPAN:3370) Topics in Literatures and Cultures | 3 s.h. |
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Literature and culture of specific regions, countries, or cities of Latin America. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:148 (SPAN:3290) Topics in Cinema and Society | 3 s.h. |
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Concept of national cultures examined through film history in one Latin American nation. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:149 (SPAN:3220) Visual Culture: Colonial Spanish America | 3 s.h. |
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Intersection between written word and visual culture in colonial Spanish America; imperialism, native culture, violence and race in codices, paintings, maps and illustrations. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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Spanish Literature and Culture
| 035:150 (SPAN:3600) Cultures of Spain | 3 s.h. |
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Political, religious, social, economic background; important cultural, literary movements. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
GE: Values, Society, and Diversity. | | |
| 035:151 (SPAN:3750) Literature in the Time of Cervantes | 3 s.h. |
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Introduction to literary questions of 15th to 17th centuries in Spain; understanding of literary Spanish and cultural issues of the period—end of the feudal mind, beginning of individualism, poetry, emergence of theater, crisis of empire. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:152 (SPAN:3810) Romanticism and Revolution in Spain | 3 s.h. |
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Spanish Romanticism as the cultural expression of social revolution in first half of 19th‑century Spain. Taught in Spanish. Requirements: At least one course taught in Spanish at the 100‑level (2000‑level) or higher.
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| 035:153 (SPAN:3620) Madrid | 3 s.h. |
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Contemporary Madrid as one of the premier capital cities of the European Union; history and present day reality of the city; examination of paintings, descriptions, movies, fashion, and customs from several historical periods. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:154 (SPAN:3610) Hispanic Institute: Culture | 3 s.h. |
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Overview of geography, history (political, economic, social), architecture, painting, music of Spain; readings, slides, video and audio cassettes, visits to local sites of cultural significance. Prerequisites: 035:012 (SPAN:1502).
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| 035:155 (SPAN:3790) Hispanic Institute: Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Introduction to poetry, narrative, and theater in Spanish literature; textural commentary and critical interpretations of major representative works of selected historical periods. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:156 (SPAN:3830) Spanish Literature of the Transition | 3 s.h. |
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Literary production of the transition in post‑Franco Spain; works by Carmen Martin Gaite, Luis Garcia Montero, Pedro Almodovar, others. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:157 (SPAN:3840) Contemporary Spanish Short Story | 3 s.h. |
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Contemporary short stories from 20th‑ and 21st‑century Spain; emphasis on reading strategies and interpretation skills; focus on historical and social contexts. Requirements: one Spanish course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:160 (SPAN:3700) The Cid in History and Legend | 3 s.h. |
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Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, el Cid, in history and legend; changing perceptions of the Cid from the 13th century to the present. Requirements: one Spanish literature course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:161 (SPAN:3820) Modern and Contemporary Spanish Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Works of the last 30 years of the 19th century, up to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War; Realism, Naturalism, generation of 1898, generation of 1913, generation of 1927. Requirements: at least one course taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:163 (SPAN:3690) Iowa Global Internship in Madrid | 3 s.h. |
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Intensive language and eight‑week internship in Madrid through the Tippie College of Business Madrid Internship Program; writing an extensive report in Spanish. Requirements: at least two courses taught in Spanish at the 100 level (2000 level) or above.
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| 035:164 (SPAN:3500) Topics in Culture of the Hispanic World | 3 s.h. |
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Specific topics; culture of different parts of Spanish‑speaking world, or cross‑regional or cross‑national cultural phenomenon. Requirements: at least one course numbered above 035:100.
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| 035:165 (SPAN:4095) Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 s.h. |
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Deep and broad high‑level grammar review featuring textbook analysis and examples, instructor's commentary, and relevant written exercises on problematic areas of vocabulary and grammar in written international standard Spanish. Requirements: high communicative proficiency in written and oral Spanish based on extensive experience in classroom and the real world (e.g., completion of major in Spanish, and study or residence abroad in Hispanic countries or equivalent).
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| 035:168 (SPAN:3080) Advanced Business Spanish | 3 s.h. |
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Tools for effective business communication, building on concepts learned in 035:118 (SPAN:3040); linguistic, sociolinguistic, practical skills for effective oral and written communication developed through discussion of business case studies, presentations, meetings; selected Spanish and Latin American companies examined through varied media, including news and Internet; role of transaction intermediaries in international trade. Prerequisites: 035:118 (SPAN:3040).
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| 035:169 (SPAN:4940) Writing Narrative Journalism in Spanish | 3 s.h. |
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In‑depth interpretative journalistic writing on a range of topics and forms, including profiles, social and political issues and controversy, cultural affairs, education. Prerequisites: 035:119 (SPAN:3020).
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Spanish Level 3 for Undergraduates
Undergraduates should take the following courses during their last semesters of enrollment. These courses are also open to M.A. students. All of these courses require a research paper. Prerequisites vary.
| 035:170 (SPAN:4860) The Spanish Civil War | 3 s.h. |
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Exploration of literature, history, and art of the Spanish Civil War (1936‑1939); ideological debates and aesthetic achievements of the period; relationships among art, politics, and propaganda. Requirements: one Spanish literature or culture course numbered 035:130 (SPAN:3200) or above.
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| 035:171 (SPAN:4350) Twentieth-Century Spanish American Theater and Performance | 3 s.h. |
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Introduction to 20th‑century Spanish American theater; study of five major playwrights; readings of plays with analysis of performances. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:173 (SPAN:4330) Colonial Spanish American Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Readings from the formative period of Spanish American culture; may include discovery and conquest, ethnicity and gender, dissent and popular resistance. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:174 (SPAN:4820) Latino/a Popular Culture | 3 s.h. |
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Role of Latino/a popular culture as a site of contemporary social practice and cultural politics in both local and global contexts; specific attention to notions of citizenship, identity, and culture. Requirements: two Spanish literature or culture courses; at least one must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:175 (SPAN:4310) Cultural Identity in Caribbean Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Main currents in Caribbean literature; primary focus on Hispanic Caribbean; may include americanismo literario, poesia negra, testimonial narrative; Caribbean cultural context in music, humor, Afro‑Caribbean rituals. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:177 (SPAN:4370) Literature and Mass Culture in Latin America | 3 s.h. |
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Examination of literature in relation to other media in Latin America in the 20th century; close readings of novels, short stories, and essays analyzed in combination with film clips, photographs, music, and blogs. Requirements: two Spanish literature courses; at least one must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:180 (SPAN:4620) Spanish Golden Age Fiction | 3 s.h. |
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Literature and society in first centuries of Spanish Modernity, Renaissance and Baroque periods, love and the self, alienation, utopias, the body and morals, cultural dimensions of genres. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:182 (SPAN:4630) Society and Poetry: Spanish Lyric | 3 s.h. |
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Twentieth‑century Spanish lyric poetry in its sociocultural context. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:183 (SPAN:4650) Don Quijote | 3 s.h. |
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Exploration of Cervantes' Don Quijote; sociohistorical context, questions of human existence, literary tradition, metafiction, influence of Don Quijote on novelists and filmmakers, critical reception of the text. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:184 (SPAN:4170) Linguistic Aspects of Second Language Acquisition | 3 s.h. |
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Theoretical linguistic approaches to acquisition of Spanish as a second language. Prerequisites: 035:121 (SPAN:3100).
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| 035:187 (SPAN:4120) Spanish Word Formation | 3 s.h. |
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Basic principles of morphology (derivational and inflectional) applied to analysis of Spanish complex word formation; extensive practice in morphological analysis. Prerequisites: 035:121 (SPAN:3100).
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| 035:188 (SPAN:4140) History of the Spanish Language | 3 s.h. |
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Development of phonetic, morphological, syntactical properties of the Spanish language from its Latin roots; emphasis on internal history and process of expansion from a minor dialect (Castilian) to a significant world language. Prerequisites: 035:121 (SPAN:3100).
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| 035:190 (SPAN:4800) Chicano Cinema | 3 s.h. |
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History of Chicano independent and industry film and television production since the Chicano political and cultural movement began in the 1960s. Taught in English. Requirements: one Spanish literature or culture course numbered 035:130 (SPAN:3200) or above, or one film studies course numbered above 048:050 (CCL:2113).
Same as 048:190 (CCL:4690). | | |
| 035:193 (SPAN:4380) Narratives of Underdevelopment | 3 s.h. |
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Works of Spanish American narrative and essay that illuminate questions of geo‑political inequality and national consolidation; readings examined in relationship to Latin American social theory in a historical context. Requirements: two literature courses in Spanish, at least one of which must be numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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| 035:196 (SPAN:4950) Taller Avanzado de Escritura Creativa | 3 s.h. |
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In‑depth consideration of characters, dialog, conflict, setting, point of view, other fundamentals of fiction; experience writing short stories and other pieces, with class discussion; fictional texts by renowned writers, authors' essays on their own creative process; narrative strategies of short stories, songs, painting, films. Requirements: one creative writing course in Spanish and one literature course in Spanish numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above, or two literature courses in Spanish numbered 035:131 (SPAN:3300) or above.
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Spanish, Primarily for Graduate Students
| 035:200 (SPAN:6000) Foreign Language Teaching Methods | 3 s.h. |
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Readings in pedagogical theory and practice and second language acquisition; experience designing activities for teaching and assessment, with critiques based on current theories and approaches; development of reflective practices toward one's own language teaching.
Same as 164:260 (SLA:6300). | | |
| 035:206 (SPAN:6150) Topics in Spanish Language Acquisition | 3 s.h. |
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Theoretical linguistic approaches to monolingual, bilingual, and second language acquisition of Spanish and Portuguese; varied topics. Requirements: at least one course in linguistics (e.g., general introduction to linguistics).
Same as 164:261 (SLA:6301). | | |
| 035:208 (SPAN:5001) Introduction to Graduate Study | 2 s.h. |
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Expectations, resources, and opportunities of graduate study; introduction to course work, development of preprofessional competencies.
Same as 009:208 (FREN:5001). | | |
| 035:209 (SPAN:6110) Spanish Phonology | 3 s.h. |
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Modern approaches to synchronic phonology as applied to Spanish; focus on traditional descriptive problems, recent generative analyses. Requirements: phonology or linguistics course.
Same as 164:263 (SLA:6303). | | |
| 035:210 (SPAN:6120) Spanish Syntax | 3 s.h. |
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Spanish syntactic constructions examined in framework of selected syntactic theory; emphasis on development of syntactic argumentation. Requirements: one course in syntax.
Same as 164:264 (SLA:6304). | | |
| 035:212 (SPAN:6920) Multimedia and Second Language Acquisition | 3 s.h. |
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Foreign language multimedia in context of current second language acquisition theories and research; readings on interactivity, interface design, feedback, learner control; acquisition of vocabulary, grammar, and culture. Requirements: foreign language teaching methodology course.
Same as 164:211 (SLA:6920), 009:238 (FREN:6920), 013:253 (GRMN:6920). | | |
| 035:230 (SPAN:6310) Spanish American Narrative: Nineteenth Century | 3 s.h. |
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Review of narrative, with emphasis on Romanticism.
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| 035:236 (SPAN:6320) Contemporary Spanish American Narrative | 3 s.h. |
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Narrative from mid‑20th century to present; emphasis on the Boom, post‑Boom.
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| 035:250 (SPAN:6600) Medieval Spanish Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Critical reading of canonical medieval texts in their cultural context; application of modern theory to medieval texts; works such as El Poema del Cid, El Romancero Viejo, Milagros de Nuestra Señora, El Conde Lucanor, El Libro de Buen Amor.
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| 035:255 (SPAN:6620) Spanish Renaissance and Baroque Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Critical analysis of social, moral, political function of literature in early modern Spain; Renaissance and Baroque poetry; La Celestina; pastoral literature; Don Quijote; narratives of the court; modern subjectivity; the question of genre.
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| 035:258 (SPAN:6650) Nineteenth-Century Spanish Novel | 3 s.h. |
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Development of the novel in Spain, from Romanticism to the Generation of 1898; novel's role in helping to consolidate ideologies and structures of 19th‑century bourgeois society.
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| 035:259 (SPAN:6660) Contemporary Spanish Fiction | 3 s.h. |
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The post‑Franco novel in Spain; literary "postmodernism" and relationships between Spanish literature, politics, and society since 1975; representative significant works.
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| 035:260 (SPAN:6680) Contemporary Non-Castilian Narrative Spain | 3 s.h. |
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Readings in Spanish of novels and short stories written in another language of the Spanish state or by a member of one of Spain's non‑Castilian historic nationalities.
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| 035:264 (SPAN:6670) Contemporary Spanish Poetry | 3 s.h. |
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Poetry on the Spanish literary scene circa 1968; authors' reactions to predecessors, their connections with foreign traditions, metapoetry, the aesthetics of culturalism.
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| 035:273 (SPAN:6904) Crossing Borders Seminar | 2-3 s.h. |
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Same as 016:247 (HIST:6635), 008:231 (ENGL:6635), 01H:247 (ARTH:6635), 030:242 (POLI:6635), 044:286 (GEOG:6635), 048:247 (CCL:6635), 113:247 (ANTH:6635), 129:231 (AFAM:6635), 013:262 (GRMN:6635), 160:247 (PORO:6635), 181:247 (IWP:6635), 009:262 (FREN:6142), 173:206 (EPID:6060). | | |
| 035:281 (SPAN:6905) Introduction to Contemporary Literary Theory | 3 s.h. |
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How major theories construct literary text; structuralist, semiotic, psychoanalytic, Marxist, reader response, Derridian criticism. Taught in English.
Same as 048:217 (CCL:6105). | | |
| 035:282 (SPAN:6815) Marxist Literary Criticism | 3 s.h. |
|
Contemporary Western Marxist literary and cultural theory; major thinkers in the Marxist tradition—Georg Lukacs, Louis Althusser, Terry Eagleton, Fredric Jameson, Juan Carlos Rodriguez; readings on topics in Marxist literary and cultural criticism—Marxism and the media, dialectics, Lenin. Taught in Spanish and English.
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| 035:286 (SPAN:6300) Colonial Spanish American Literature | 3 s.h. |
|
Chronicles of the conquest: close reading with focus on role of writing and operations of "othering"; balance between critical secondary sources and primary sources.
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| 035:302 (SPAN:7200) Seminar: Literary Studies | 3 s.h. |
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Specific topics on aspects of Spanish and/or Spanish American literature.
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| 035:303 (SPAN:7300) Seminar: Cultural Studies | 3 s.h. |
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Specific topics in Spanish and/or Spanish American cultural studies.
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| 035:310 (SPAN:6210) Introductory Workshop: Short Story | 3 s.h. |
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Craft of writing short stories; underlying principles examined through lectures, readings, craft analysis, discussions, exercises, and workshops; activities linked with International Writing Program. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:311 (SPAN:6260) Detective Narrative Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Basic elements of narrative used by authors of detective novels; acclaimed short stories, novels, and theoretical essays related to the genre; write three short stories of detective fiction; written critique of classmates' work. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:312 (SPAN:6230) Graphic Novel/Comic Script Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Basic steps to develop a comic book or a graphic novel; different styles and ways to develop scripts and characters; read main authors and their graphic works; student work on possible script or group of characters. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:313 (SPAN:6240) Advanced Narrative Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Short stories written by internationally published authors; meetings with international authors; reading and discussion of students' short stories or sequential chapters of a novel; for students who have previously completed at least one workshop on narrative in the M.F.A. program. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. in Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:314 (SPAN:6250) Advanced Poetry Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Analysis and discussion of students' poetic manuscript; work of other poets in context with personal creative experience; meetings with visiting poets and International Writing Programs. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program and at least one workshop on poetry in the M.F.A. program.
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| 035:315 (SPAN:6280) Nonfiction Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Practice of self narrative and the construction of the self in literature; readings of self‑narrated texts in different literary forms and cultural traditions (from autobiography to testimonial narratives); various ways in which the narrating self is formed and deformed by literary conventions that define him/her; readings as springboards for thinking on ways to write the self; series of autobiographical sketches. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:316 (SPAN:6270) Children, Youth Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Practice of writing literature for children and youth; reading literary texts in different cultural traditions; how narratives and poems for children or youth are created; using readings as springboards for thinking about ways to write for children and youth; texts for this group of readers. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:317 (SPAN:6235) Film Script/Theater Workshop | 3 s.h. |
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Basic steps to developing plays; different styles and ways to develop plays and characters; reading main authors and their plays; student work on a possible play. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. in Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:318 (SPAN:6220) Introductory Workshop: Writing Poetry | 3 s.h. |
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Construction and recognition of poetic voice through readings, analysis, and exercises from different poets and by students; poetic voice in three spaces (diary of poetic prose, collection of poems, object poem). Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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| 035:399 (SPAN:6299) Thesis: Creative Writing | 3 s.h. |
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Continuation of work on student manuscript. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. Spanish Creative Writing program.
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Portuguese for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
| 038:020 (PORT:1800) Contemporary Brazilian Narrative | 3 s.h. |
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Novels, short stories, other narrative forms, beginning with neorealists of 1930s; cultural background of different periods, innovative literary approaches of writers through films, other media. Prerequisites: 08G:001 (ENGL:1200).
GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts. | | |
| 038:077 (PORT:1810) Brazil: The Erotic/Exotic Lure | 3 s.h. |
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Popular culture (carnaval, soccer, lay and religious festivities), the land, and the people. Taught in English.
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| 038:100 (PORT:3010) Accelerated Elementary Portuguese | 6 s.h. |
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First‑year course in one semester; comprehending, speaking, reading, writing modern Portuguese; emphasis on speaking.
GE: World Languages Second Level Proficiency. | | |
| 038:101 (PORT:3020) Accelerated Intermediate Portuguese | 6 s.h. |
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Second‑year course in one semester; reading comprehension, oral and writing skills; grammar review. Prerequisites: 038:100 (PORT:3010).
GE: World Languages Fourth Level Proficiency. | | |
| 038:102 (PORT:3050) Portuguese for Spanish Speakers | 3 s.h. |
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Systematic differences and similarities between Spanish and Portuguese; emphasis on reading, writing. Requirements: seven courses numbered above 035:100.
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| 038:103 (PORT:3100) Composition and Conversation | 3 s.h. |
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Speaking, writing skills through discussion and oral presentations, grammar and vocabulary review, composition; materials from current Brazilian newspapers, magazines, short fiction, telenovelas and films. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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| 038:104 (PORT:3200) Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3 s.h. |
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Basic concepts of genre, literary periods, narrative and literary analysis; close reading of literary texts in Portuguese; tools for improving reading and writing skills. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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| 038:105 (PORT:3350) Brazilian Literature Before 1900 | 3 s.h. |
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Beginnings through end of 19th century; representative readings from all periods and genres; focus on works of major Brazilian authors such as Gonzaga, Alencar, Castro Alves, Machado de Assis, Cruz e Sousa. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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| 038:106 (PORT:3400) Brazilian Literature After 1900 | 3 s.h. |
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Twentieth‑century poetry, novels, short stories; modernism, regionalism, generation of '45, concretism; works of principal figures behind these movements; focus on major writers of modern period, such as Lima Barreto, Mário de Andrade, Drummond, Jorge Amado, Cabral de Melo Neto, Guimarães Rosa, Lispector, and contemporary writers. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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| 038:107 (PORT:3500) Introduction to Portuguese Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Representative readings including Portuguese lyric and epic poetry, Renaissance theater, romantic and realist novels, 20th‑century symbolist verse, neorealist prose. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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| 038:112 (PORT:4000) Topics in Luso-Brazilian Literature | 3 s.h. |
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Genres, themes, movements. Taught in Portuguese. Requirements: one Portuguese or Brazilian literature course.
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| 038:115 (PORT:2800) Writing Brazil in the U.S. | 3 s.h. |
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Representation of the Amazon region and Rio de Janerio in travel narratives, novels, diaries, journals, letters, poems, and essays by American authors published in the United States. Taught in English.
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| 038:120 (PORT:4100) Topics in Luso-Brazilian Culture | 3 s.h. |
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Comparative analysis of Brazil and Portuguese‑speaking countries in Africa; colonization, independence, religion, music, language. Taught in Portuguese. Prerequisites: 038:101 (PORT:3020).
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