We offer face-to-face classes, Zoom classes, hybrid classes, and asynchronous classes. Asynchronous classes have no meetings on campus or online–you work on your own and are required to complete assignments by due dates.
Fill out the language level assessment so we can help you find the right level of a language course.
Course Sequences
See the Modern Languages Course Sequences (pdf) for assistance selecting your next course. Contact the Modern Languages Department if you have any questions.
Heritage or native speaker courses are for students who learned a language through their families and communities but had no or little formal training. They include Elementary Arabic for heritage speakers (ARB 107), Elementary Chinese for heritage speakers (CHI 107), and an entire heritage track in Spanish (SPN 107-108 for the elementary level, and SPN 207 for the intermediate level). In French, our upper levels (FRN 200, FRN 204, FRN 210, and FRN 300) blend in traditional and heritage learning methodologies.
These courses focus on film, literature and culture rather than the language itself. They include Literature, Culture, and Civilization of China (CHI 170E), French Caribbean Literature in Translation (FRN 280E), French-Speaking Women Writers in Translation (FRN 281E), Literature, Culture and Civilization of Italy (ITL 170E), Italian Cinema in Context (ITL 205E) and Modern Italian Theater (ITL 312E).
We offer courses which are taught completely in Spanish. Learn about our courses taught in Spanish (pdf).
American Sign Language
- American Sign Language 105 is a beginner course designed to develop skill in a form of manual communication used primarily by American-born deaf person in interpersonal (face-to-face) relations. The main objective is develop signed communication skills, comprehension skills, sign literacy and expressive skills, and develop a further awareness of culture of deaf and hard of hearing users of ASL.
- American Sign Language 106 is a second semester language course. The main objective is to improve signed communication skills, expand comprehension skills, increase sign literacy and expressive skills, and develop a further awareness of culture of deaf and hard of hearing users of ASL.
Prerequisite: ASL 105 - American Sign Language 121 is an intensive course combining ASL 105 and ASL 106 into one semester. The main objective is to improve signed communication skills, expand comprehension skills, increase sign literacy and expressive skills, and develop a further awareness of culture of deaf and hard of hearing users of ASL. Materials on basic conversational aspects in ASL will be introduced, such as describing people, things and places; making requests; asking for and giving advice; giving opinions; discussing plans and goals; and storytelling. This course is designed to advance students in the areas of structural accuracy and vocabulary to enable the student to sign effectively in most informal conversations. In addition, students will explore in greater depth the cultural distinctiveness of the Deaf community. To achieve this goal, the instructor will employ the communication-based methodology of instruction. This methodology requires the student's active participation in the observing and signing of the target language from the very beginning.
Arabic
- Elementary Arabic I is a complete beginner-level course for students who have had no previous background in Arabic. Listening, speaking, reading and writing are emphasized with an introduction to Arabic culture.
- Students will continue the study of basic Arabic begun in ARB 105. They will also further their skills in listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing in Arabic. Prerequisite: ARB 105 or departmental placement test
- This is an elementary Arabic course for students who can speak Arabic but have no formal training in the language. Students who have taken ARB 105 and /or ARB 106 will not receive credit for this course. This course is designed to help heritage speakers of Arabic to enhance their reading and writing competence of the target language in the formal and high-level register. The course especially focuses on improving students’ Arabic grammar, usage, and their critical reading and writing strategies in Arabic through project-based assignments. This course is taught in Arabic. Prerequisite: Departmental approval based on language proficiency exam
- This intensive course combines Arabic 105 and 106 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have had not previous background in Arabic. Students develop their skills in listening, comprehension, speaking and writing in Arabic. In addition to building vocabulary on everyday lie, students develop the ability to introduce and describe themselves and others, their environment, preferences and lifestyles in Arabic. In the second half of the semester, students are introduced to the plural, and they will develop their ability to describe people and situations using more advance grammar. The course also exposes students to different forms of Arabic cultures through different topics related to the Arab world.
- This course offers students an opportunity to enhance their Arabic reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills through active class use of vocabulary and grammar. The course's balanced four-skills approach endeavors to prepare students to use the language in a natural way for communication in a variety of situations. It emphasizes the use of language for oral communication without neglecting the other basic language skills. This class will use reading and writing activities to extend student's grasp of vocabulary and grammatical structures and to further their comprehension of and ability to express themselves in Arabic.
Prerequisite: ARB 106 or ARB 107 or departmental approval - This course is designed to advance student proficiency and communication in Modern Standard Arabic. The structural and grammatical usages of Arabic are emphasized, as necessary linguistic tools for the improvement of the learner’s proficiency and fluency. The overall intended learning objective is to enable students to critically analyze Arabic texts and discourses, and express ideas in Arabic at an appropriate level. Advanced Arabic focuses on reading extracts of articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers, while incorporating music, advanced texts, and watching audio/video excerpts from major Arabic outlets.
Prerequisite: ARB 200 or departmental approval - This intensive course combines Arabic 200 and 210 into a one-semester course. It offers students an opportunity to enhance their Arabic reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills through active class use of vocabulary and grammar. The course’s balanced four-skills approach endeavors to prepare students to use the language in a natural way for communication in a variety of situations. It emphasizes the use of language for oral communication, structural and grammatical usage as necessary linguistic tools for the improvement of the learner’s proficiency and fluency. This class will use reading and writing activities to extend students’ grasp of vocabulary and grammatical structures and to further their comprehension of and ability to express themselves in Arabic. The overall intended learning objective is to enable students to critically analyze Arabic texts and discourses, and express ideas in Arabic at an appropriate level. The second part of the semester focuses on reading extracts of articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers, while incorporating music, advanced texts, and watching audio/video excerpts from major Arabic outlets.
Prerequisite: ARB 106, or ARB 121, or departmental permission based on Language Level Assessment
Chinese
- This course is for students who have no previous background in Modern Chinese (Mandarin). The pronunciation is that of Peking. Skills in comprehension, reading, and writing are developed, but emphasis is on speaking.
- This is the continuation of the study of Chinese, developing and strengthening skills in comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The pronunciation taught is that of Peking. Emphasis is on speaking. Prerequisite: CHI 101 or departmental approval.
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in Mandarin Chinese. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading, and writing are emphasized.
Prerequisite: Departmental Placement - Students will continue the study of basic Chinese grammar begun in CHI 105. They will also further their skills in listening comprehension, reading and writing in Chinese.
Prerequisite: CHI 105 or Departmental Placement - This course is designed for heritage students of Chinese who have some listening and speaking skills in Mandarin or other Chinese dialects. The focus is on reading, writing, and grammar, along with improvement of oral communication skills. Students will be introduced to the Romanized writing system (pinyin). Characters writing and recognition are emphasized. Students who have taken CHI 105 and/or CHI 106 will not receive credit for this course.
Prerequisite: Departmental Approval - This liberal arts elective is an introductory course to the Chinese language and culture through text, discourse, and films. The course is geared to the understanding of present day problems of post-socialist China. Topics include Chinese dialects, literature, arts, gender, food, media, education, etc. Materials are drawn from a mixture of news and scholarly articles, as well as documentaries. All assignments and term papers are in English.
- This course includes a review of grammar plus the study of Chinese civilization and selected readings in Chinese literature. Self-expression through oral and written reports is emphasized.
Prerequisite: CHI 106 or CHI 107 or departmental approval - This course involves intensive oral work consisting of discussions of Chinese popular culture. Drills in pronunciation, intonation and rhythm as well as several oral presentations are included throughout the course. Videos will be screened during lab time and discussed during class sessions. A wide variety of topics ranging from pop culture to major social and political issues will be discussed.
Prerequisite: CHI 200 or departmental approval - This is an intensive writing and reading course in Chinese language. While developing integrated language skills, it emphasizes writing and critical analysis of content materials. The texts concentrate on Chinese contemporary and classical literary writings, as well as texts treating Chinese culture and history.
Prerequisite: CHI 200 or departmental approval - This course reviews advanced grammar and syntax and includes composition exercises, with emphasis on developing advanced reading and written proficiency in Chinese. Through the close analysis of texts with a wide range of cultural and social issues, students will learn strategies for writing organized, compelling essays. Students are expected to read journals, vocabulary logs, short stories, actively participate in discussions in class, and write short essays. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in Chinese.
Prerequisite: CHI 210, placement test or departmental permission - This course will introduce representative Chinese films during the 20th century. This course will examine the social and cultural impact of films from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan over six basic periods: before the 1930s, 1930-40s, 1949-1966, 1966-1976, 1976-90s, 21st century. Students will develop academic competence in critical thinking and literary appreciation from historical and cultural perspectives. Readings, written work and oral reports will be in Chinese. Prerequisite: CHI 210 and/or departmental approval
- A study of 20th century Chinese literary development, this course examines the literary writings, major authors and literary movements in cultural and historical contexts. The course also reviews the development of China's ethnic minority literature, the growth of popular literature, and the evolution of regional literature. Course readings include selected writings from four historical periods: 1900-16, 1917-49, 1949-85 and 1986-2000. Written projects and oral reports are required. Prerequisite: CHI 210 or departmental approval or any other 400-level Chinese course, except CHI 476
- This is a study abroad course that further develops students’ Chinese language skills and expands their knowledge of Chinese culture and social development. The course is offered as the major part of the Study-Abroad-in-China Program, which includes a combination of class meetings, seminars and field trips to places of historic interest and cultural importance. The course provides opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience about contemporary Chinese cultural life. While participating in skill-based language learning activities that improve students’ competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing, the course gives students opportunities to attend lectures that provide information about Chinese cultural patterns, customs, literature, history, social development and traditions of art and music. The course adopts a unique transcultural-linguistic approach to instruction that efficiently facilitates and enhances the learning of Chinese language and culture.
Prerequisite: CHI 106 or above or departmental approval
French
- This is a course for students who have had no previous background in French. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading, and writing are emphasized.
- In this continuation of French I, grammar, composition, oral comprehension of simple literary texts are developed supplemented by readings and analysis of French texts.
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in French. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading, and writing are emphasized.
Prerequisite: Departmental Placement - Students will continue the study of basic French grammar begun in FRN 105. They will also further their skills in listening comprehension, reading and writing in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 105 or Departmental Placement - This intensive course combines French 105 and 106 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have had no previous background in French. Students develop their skills in listening, comprehension, speaking and writing in French, supplemented by readings and analysis of simple French texts. In addition to building vocabulary on everyday life, students develop the ability to make questions and to describe themselves and others, their environment, preferences and lifestyles in French. In the second half of the semester, students are introduced to past tenses, and develop their ability to narrating events and describing people and situations in the past. The course also exposes students to different forms of French and Francophone cultures through music and short film clips. Since the goal is to enhance students’ speaking and writing abilities in French, French will be the main language spoken in class.
- This course for non-native students having mastered two semesters of French is designed to build confidence and competence in conversing in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 106 or FRN 121 or departmental permission - This course includes a review of grammar plus the study of French civilization and selected readings in French literature.
- This course involves intensive oral work consisting of discussions of French/Francophone films. Communicative activities and drills in pronunciation, intonation and rhythm are included as well as several oral presentations throughout the course. A wide variety of topics ranging from everyday life problems to major social and cultural issues will be discussed. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in French. Prerequisite: FRN 200 or departmental approval
- While reviewing advanced grammar, students are trained in literary analysis through the works of modern French authors.
Prerequisite: FRN 200 or departmental approval - This intensive course combines French 200 and 210 into a one-semester course. While reviewing and practicing advanced grammar, students will be trained to write a variety of texts as well as short essays. Since the goal is to enhance students’ speaking and writing abilities in French, French will be the main language spoken in class.
Prerequisite: FRN 106 or FRN 121 or departmental approval - In this course we will read, analyze, and discuss selected Children and Young Adult texts of the 21st century. The goal is to smoothly transition students from textbooks written for French as a second language learners to authentic pieces of literature. This course will address topics chosen to promote cultural understanding, responsible global citizenship and effective intercultural communication. The list of texts may include authors from various countries where French is spoken such as Morocco, Mauritius, Senegal, France. Texts will represent different literary genres (novel, drama, short stories, autofiction, fantasy). Readings, written work, and discussions will be in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 200 or placement test or departmental approval - This course covers literature of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti as well as their respective diasporas across the globe, in English translation, with a focus on ideas and literary movements developed in connection to the colonial and post-colonial contexts. Readings, discussions and written work are conducted in English, but students who wish to read and write in French will be encouraged to do so.
Prerequisite: ENG 101 - This course examines the literary works of prominent French-speaking women writers, from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, with an emphasis on fiction, poetry and essays on the question of women’s condition in different periods and geographical locations. While key female authors from continental France are included, the course also explores writings by women from various French-speaking locations across the globe. Readings and classwork conducted in English.
Prerequisite: ENG 101 - The course reviews advanced grammar and syntax and includes composition exercises, with emphasis on developing advanced oral and written proficiency in French. Through the close analysis of texts on a wide range of cultural and social issues, students will learn strategies for writing organized, compelling essays. Students are expected to complete extensive grammar exercises, participate in discussions in class, and write short essays. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 210 or departmental approval - The main aspects of French life and culture as expressed in social, intellectual, and philosophical history are studied in this course. Emphasis is given to the geographic situation, economic, and social changes; the main trends of thought in French tradition, and their impact on modern France. Readings are in French, discussion in English and French.
Prerequisite: FRN 210 or departmental approval - This course explores literature written in French from countries outside of France. Works from French Canada, the Caribbean islands (Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Haiti) as well as North and West Africa will be included. Themes highlighting cultural and social differences with France will be discussed. Readings, written work, and oral reports will be in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - The chronological evolution of French literature and its relation to French culture, history, and ideas are studied. Major works by representative authors from the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries are read and discussed with emphasis on ideas and style. Written and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - This course concentrates on the literature of the Enlightenment and the 19th century as reflected in the poetry, fiction, and essays of a variety of authors in connection with ideas and styles developed during this period and/or with France’s historical relations across the globe. Written and oral reports are required. This course may be taken before French V.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - In this study of major 20th-century and contemporary thinkers, writers and literary movements, emphasis is placed on contributions that help define what it means to be French. Main authors from continental France are included, but attention is also given to writers from the Maghreb, Sub-Saharan Africa and/or the Caribbean.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - This course introduces students to literature and cinema from French speaking West African countries. We will study various works from the 1950’s up to the present through five major themes: oral tradition, cultural alienation, social and political criticism, women's condition and the old/new generation conflict. Documents studied will include novels, documentaries, fiction, films and songs. Some of the authors to be considered include: D.T. Niane, Camara Laye, Ahmadou Kourouma, Sembene Ousmane, Djirbril Diop Mambety, Maraima Ba and Safi Faye. This course is taught in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - The objective of this course is to continue developing advanced oral and written proficiency in French through critical analysis of different texts covering a wide range of contemporary cultural and social issues. Emphasis is placed on writing persuasive and argumentative essays. Students are expected to keep a journal, a vocabulary log, actively participate in discussions in class, and write
short essays. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in French.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - The course brings to life the essentials of existentialist philosophy in plays and novels of French authors such as Sartre and Camus, with modern insights into the age-old question of free choice and predestination, the relevancy or irrelevancy of God, commitment or alienation, and the meaning or the absurdity of life. Readings are in French; class discussions and written work in English/ French.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - In this course students will read major French authors of the nineteenth century to analyze the relationship between the individual and a society undergoing critical changes in the wake of political revolutions. Special attention will be given to how individual and collective identities such as class, sex, and race are being defined and reshaped in an age that proclaims Liberté, égalité, fraternité. Readings are in French; discussion and written work in English or French.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - This is a history survey of the theories of French Theater evolved from the Greek Tragedy through Medieval, Classical, Romantic, Realistic, Symbolist and Surrealist Theater up to Avant-garde Theater and the Theater of the Absurd. Readings are in French, discussion in English.
Prerequisite: FRN 300, or any FRN 400 level course (except FRN 476), or departmental approval - This is a study abroad course that will further develop students' four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French. Students will consolidate their knowledge of grammar through contextualized analysis. Students will also do further work on selected contemporary themes related to French society and institutions (e.g., the press in France, cinema, food, etc.)
Prerequisite: FRN 106 or FRN 121 or departmental approval
German
- This is a course for students who have had no previous background in German. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Skills in comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing are developed.
- In this continuation of German I, grammar, composition, conversation, reading and analysis of simple literary texts are covered. Prerequisite: GER 101 or departmental approval
Italian
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in Italian. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Skills in comprehension, speaking, reading and writing are developed.
- In this continuation of Italian I, grammar, composition, conversation, and reading of Italian texts are covered. Prerequisite: ITL 101 or departmental approval
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in Italian. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading, and writing are emphasized.
Prerequisite: Departmental Placement - Students will continue the study of basic Italian grammar begun in ITL 105. They will also further their skills in listening comprehension reading and writing in Italian.
Prerequisite: ITL 105 or Departmental Placement - This intensive course combines Italian 105 and 106 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have had no previous background in Italian. Students develop their skills in listening, comprehension, speaking and writing in Italian, supplemented by readings and analysis of simple Italian texts. In addition to building vocabulary on everyday life, students develop the ability to make questions and to describe themselves and others, their environment, preferences and lifestyles in Italian. In the second half of the semester, students are introduced to past tenses, and develop their ability to narrate events and describe people and situations in the past. The course also exposes students to different forms of Italian and Italian culture through music and short film clips. Since the goal is to enhance students' speaking and writing abilities in Italian, Italian will be the main language spoken in class.
- This liberal arts elective is an introduction to the evolution and development of Italian culture and civilization through the literary and artistic features, geared to the understanding of present day problems of modern European Italy and the Italian-American people. Readings are in English, and term papers are in English.
- This course will explore the history of Italian fashion by focusing on its social, cultural, economic and political aspects beginning with the Renaissance. In so doing students will acquire the skills to evaluate how fashion over time reflects the complexities of society.
- Study in this course includes a review of grammar and of composition. Modern prose is read, discussed and analyzed.
- This course involves intensive oral and written work consisting of discussions of Italian films in context. Several essays will be written in Italian. Drills in pronunciation, intonation and rhythm are included as well as several oral presentations throughout the course. Films will be screened during lab time and discussed during class sessions. A wide variety of topics ranging from everyday life problems to major social and political issues will be discussed. Prerequisite: ITL 200 or departmental approval
- Taught in English, this course provides a historical introduction to Italian cinema, first concentrating on examples of iconic genres and movements, such as the classics of neorealism, and auteurs of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. For the contemporary strand, we will focus on situating the films in the historical and cultural contexts that have shaped the past several decades of Italian social life. We will examine issues of representation and production of societal values, e.g., gender, family relations, and national identity vs. local cultures. No knowledge of Italian is required.
- This intensive writing course emphasizes comprehension, writing, and analysis of Italian contemporary and classical texts.
Prerequisite: ITL 200 or departmental approval - This intensive course combines Italian 200 and 210 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have been placed in ITL 200 or who already had two semesters of introductory Italian as a second language and want to continue studying it at the intermediate level.
Prerequisite: ITL 102 or ITL 106 or departmental placement - This course involves intensive written and oral work consisting of discussions of Italian short stories. Drills in advanced grammar are included as well as several oral presentations throughout the course. Readings will be assigned for homework and discussed during class sessions. Students are expected to write a journal for weekly submission and discussion, keep a vocabulary log,actively participate in discussions in class, and prepare one paper and one oral presentation on the literature covered. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in Italian. Prerequisite: ITL 200 or department approval
- In this course students will read, analyze, and discuss selected Italian fairy tales from the 187h to the 21st century, focusing on plot structure and symbolic meaning of the narrative. Authors, such as Giovan Battista Basile, Dino Buzzati, Italo Calvino, Carlo Collodi, and Gianni Rodari will be discussed as writers of fairy tales with a particular focus on the allegorical meaning of their texts and the relevance of these stories in Italian society. The course will address issues of gender construction in historical context, with attention to the changes made to traditional stories adapted for contemporary film and television series. The objective of this analysis is to inspire students to develop their own creative narrative in the Italian language.
Prerequisite: ITL 200 or placement test and/or departmental approval - This course is for students who can communicate comfortably in sentence-length discourse and who can link sentences into simple paragraphs with some ease. The present, future and past tenses are reviewed and more complex grammar structures are introduced. Authentic literary readings solidify students' communication skills by providing themes for class discussions and written assignments and as a context for the practice of grammar structures. Language laboratory work may be assigned. Prerequisite: ITL 200 or departmental approval
- Taught in English, this course will engage students in reading, analyzing, and discussing selected Italian plays from the 18th to the 20th century, focusing on seminal authors, such as Goldoni, Marinetti, Pirandello, Ginzburg, Maraini and Fo. The aim is to provide an introduction to the history of Italian Theater, spanning from the decline of the Commedia dell’Arte to Naturalism and the questioning of the conventional stage. We will address some crucial cultural issues, such as the rural poetics of Verismo, the crisis of bourgeois values, the artistic avant-garde and the clutches of the Fascist censorship, up to the raise of female authorship and political theater in contemporary Italian theater.
- A survey of Italian literature and its relation to Italian culture and ideas are studied. Selections from major works by representative authors are read and discussed. A wide variety of topics from Dante to contemporary literature will be covered. Written and oral reports are required.
Students are expected to keep a reflection journal, keep a vocabulary log, actively participate in discussions in class, and prepare 3 short papers and one oral presentation on the literature covered. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in Italian.
Prerequisite: ITL 210 or departmental approval
Portuguese
- This is an introductory course to Portuguese language and the cultures where it is spoken. This course aims to develop a communicative competence at a basic level where speaking, writing, reading, and listening are emphasized in varied and contextualized settings. This course is for students who have had no previous background in Portuguese. (If you already know Portuguese or have previously studied the language, please contact the Modern Languages Department to sign up for a class that may be better suited to your proficiency level.) With the goal of meaningful communication, students are expected to interact with each other since day one, acquire and practice new vocabulary, explore strategies for communicating effectively in a variety of academic and social situations, and analyze the structures of language (its pragmatic function in common social discourse structures). Activities will be largely devoted to providing practice through task-based and communicative activities. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading and writing are emphasized.
- In this continuation of PRT105: Elementary Portuguese I, students will enhance their Portuguese reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills through active class use of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural materials. This course offers students an opportunity to work on their grammar, composition and oral comprehension in Portuguese. The course’s balanced, four-skills approach endeavors to prepare students to use the language in a natural way for communication in a variety of situations. It emphasizes the use of language for oral communication, developed and supplemented by readings or Portuguese-language texts, without neglecting the other basic language skills. This class will use reading and writing activities to extend students’ grasp of vocabulary and grammatical structures and to further their comprehension of and ability to express themselves in Portuguese. Activities will be largely devoted to providing practice through form-based and communicative activities.
Prerequisite: PRT 105 or Department Placement
Spanish
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in Spanish. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading and writing are emphasized
- In this continuation of Spanish I, grammar, composition and oral comprehension are developed and supplemented by readings or Spanish texts. Students who have taken SPN 103 will not receive credit for this course. Prerequisite: SPN 101 or departmental approval
- This is an elementary Spanish course for students who can speak Spanish but have no formal training in the language. Students who have taken SPN 101 and/or SPN 102 will not receive credit for this course. Prerequisite: Knowledge of spoken Spanish and departmental approval
- This course is for students who have had no previous background in Spanish. Grammar is taught inductively and simple texts are read. Speaking, reading, and writing are emphasized students who have taken SPN 103 will not receive credit for this course.
Prerequisite: Departmental Placement - In this continuation of Spanish I, grammar, composition and oral comprehension are developed and supplemented by readings or Spanish texts. Students who have taken SPN 107 will not receive credit for this course.
Prerequisite: SPN 105 or Departmental Placement - This is an elementary Spanish course for students who can speak Spanish but have no formal training in the language. Students who have taken SPN 101 and/or SPN 102 will not receive credit for this course.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of spoken Spanish and Departmental Placement - This is the second course in a series of four basic language courses for heritage learners. This group of students can speak Spanish but need to continue formal training in the language. The course aims at reinforcing and expanding on students' familiarity with Hispanic culture, which serves as a context for the development of linguistic skills, such as reading comprehension, lexical expansion, spelling, writing, and grammatical accuracy, among other things. Students who have taken SPN 105 and/or SPN 106 will not receive credit for this course.
Prerequisite: SPN 107 or departmental approval - This intensive course combines Spanish 105 and 106 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have had no previous background in Spanish. Students develop their skills in listening, comprehension, speaking and writing in Spanish, supplemented by readings and analysis of simple Spanish texts. In addition to building vocabulary on everyday life, students develop the ability to make questions and to describe themselves and others, their environment, preferences and lifestyles in Spanish. In the second half of the semester, students are introduced to past tenses, and develop their ability to narrate events and describe people and situations in the past. The course also exposes students to different forms of Spanish and Spanish cultures through music and short film clips. Since the goal is to enhance students’ speaking and writing abilities in Spanish, Spanish will be the main language spoken in class.
- Designed primarily for Health/Medical area students, this course emphasizes the practice of conversation based on medical terminology and useful expressions and idioms. Classes will be assigned according to the student's background in Spanish. Use is made of the language laboratory.
- This course for non-native speaking students may follow the two semester sequence in Spanish. It is designed to build confidence and competence in conversing in Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 106 or SPN 121 or departmental approval - Study in this course includes a review of grammar and reading plus discussion of selected works by modern authors. Self-expression through oral and written reports is emphasized.
Prerequisite: SPN 106 or SPN 121 or departmental approval - This course involves intensive oral work consisting of discussions of Hispanic films. Drills in pronunciation, intonation and rhythm are included as well as several oral presentations throughout the course. Films will be screened during class sessions or as homework assignments. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 200 or SPN 108 or departmental placement - Spanish 207 is the third course in the heritage speaker sequence. This is an Intermediate I course for speakers of Spanish who are in the process of refining their formal study of standard Spanish. The course is designed to build on the language base students already possess. The primary purpose of the course is to further develop students' reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. This course will use reading and writing activities to extend students' grasp of vocabulary and grammatical structures and to further their comprehension of and ability to express themselves in Spanish. Activities will be largely devoted to providing practice through form-based and communicative activities.
Prerequisite: SPN 108 or departmental permission based on the results of the language proficiency exam - This intensive writing course emphasizes comprehension, writing, and analysis of contemporary and classical texts.
Prerequisite: SPN 200 or departmental approval - This intensive course combines Spanish 200 and 210 into a one-semester course. It is designed for students who have been placed in SPN 200 or who already had two semesters of introductory Spanish as a second language and want to further their abilities in Spanish at the intermediate level. The focus is to broaden students’ abilities to engage in interactions in the language for a variety of purposes and in a variety of contexts, to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics, to continue to explore Spanish speaking cultures via their literatures, art, music, films, and samples of expository writing. This is NOT a course for heritage speakers of Spanish who may have been raised in a Spanish speaking household, environment, or bilingual context. Prerequisite: SPN 106 or SPN 121 or departmental permission
- This course complies with the last semester of Spanish for Heritage Learners who are completing the basic language requirements. In this course, students will improve their writing skills and increase their vocabulary through readings of material written for native speakers of the Spanish language in order to become more confident in their ability to speak Spanish in public, as well as in reading and writing in their heritage language. Students are expected to read, write and discuss in Spanish the reading topics selected for class. The course will pay close attention at reviewing aspects of grammar, spelling and speech which are troublesome for students who do not fully master cultivated Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 210 or SPN 207 or departmental approval - The evolution of Spanish-American civilization is studied through literature to enhance understanding of present-day problems and potentialities. Emphasis falls on the relevance of the topography of the regions, the Spanish conquest and colonization, conflicts among cultures and religions of the indigenous peoples: Hispanic settlers, Africans, and recent immigrants; oral and written transmissions of traditions; the struggle for independence; movements for political, social, and economic reforms; the cultural obstacles, the emergence of linguistic distinctiveness and the quest for self-realization are studied. Readings are in Spanish, discussions are in English or Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 207 or SPN 210 or departmental permission - This course offers a diachronic approach to the evolution of Spain through the examination of its social, political and cultural manifestations. By paying particular attention to its linguistic, regional, economic, and ethnical diversity as well as to the complex relationships held throughout the centuries between Spain and the rest of the world, this course also promotes a richer understanding of some of the current situations faced by this country.
Prerequisite: SPN 207 or SPN 210 or departmental permission - This course introduces students to a representative sampling of Latin American women writers from the colonial period to the twentieth century. The course will disseminate a body of literature, which is represented minimally in Hispanic literature courses. Feminism, machismo, motherhood, sexual and political activism and the role of women as writers are some of the issues that will be explored and discussed during the semester.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course is a survey of major trends in Spanish-American theatre from pre-Columbian times to the present with emphasis on 20th century theatre. Among the authors who will be studied are: González Eslava, Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, Sor Juana Inés De La Cruz, Florencio Sánchez, Rodolfo Usigli, Egon Wolff, Augusto Boal, José Triana, Jorge Díaz, Luis Rafael Sánchez, Griselda Gambaro, and Isadora Aguirre.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course is an introduction to Spanish theatre through the reading and analysis of the major playwrights - Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, Moratín, El Duque de Rivas, Benito Pérez Galdós, and Jacinto Benavente - from the Seventeenth Century to the Generation of 1898.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course is an in-depth study of the poetry of representative Spanish poets with emphasis on the generation of 1927. Poets studied include Góngora, Bécquer, Machado, Alberti, Lorca, León Felipe, and José A. Goytisolo.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course focuses on advanced composition skills and writing techniques. It helps students to fine tune their grammar and develop their own creative voice through the reading of representative and contemporary authors and the writing of a variety of personal narrations, both fictional and non-fictional such as memoirs/mini-autobiographies, short stories and blogs.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - A chronological study is made of Spanish literature against its cultural and ideological background. Major works by representative writers from the Middle Ages to the end of the Golden Age are read and analyzed. Readings include selections from the "Cantar del Mio Cid", Don Juan Manuel, Jorge Manrique, Fernando de Rojas, Cervantes, Quevedo, and Calderón de la Barca. Written and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course is a survey of the representative authors of the 18th and 19th centuries - Moratín, el Duque de Rivas, Mariano José de Larra, Bécquer, Zorilla and Benito Pérez Galdós - with emphasis on Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism in the novel, theater and poetry of the period. Reading and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course studies the short story as major form of literary expression in the Spanish speaking countries of the Caribbean: Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. It studies the development of the short story beginning with Indian legends recreated by Spaniards during the early Colonial period. Examples of short stories written during the different literary movements are studied and analyzed. The relationship between the writer and society is analyzed as well as the common history, culture, and socio-economic problems which are reflected in each story. Note: This course is taught in Spanish and satisfies the Liberal Arts requirement for Modern Language.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - The major authors and literary movements of the 20th century in Spain are studied with emphasis on representative genres. Works of Miguel de Unamuno, Ortega, Antonio Machado, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Salinas, García Lorca, Cela and others are analyzed. Written and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - Spanish-American Literature This course involves a chronological history of Spanish- American literature from the Colonial period to the 19th century. Readings include selections from Inca Garcilaso, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Sarmiento, José Hernández, Palma, Martí, Darío, and others. Written and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - The major authors and literary movements of the late 19th and 20th centuries are studied. Works of Horacio Quiroga, Alfonso Reyes, Neruda, César Vallejo, Alejo Carpentier, Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes, Gabriel García Márquez and others are analyzed. Written and oral reports are required.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - The course reviews advanced grammar and syntax and includes composition exercises, with emphasis on developing advanced oral and written proficiency in Spanish. Through the close analysis of texts on a wide range of cultural and social issues, students will learn strategies for writing organized, compelling essays. Students are expected to complete extensive grammar exercises, participate in discussions in class, and write short essays.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - The objective of this course is to continue developing advanced oral and written proficiency in Spanish through critical analysis of different texts covering a wide range of contemporary cultural and social issues. Emphasis is placed on writing persuasive and argumentative essays. Readings, written work, and discussions will be in Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course studies the concept of masculinities and its representation in Latin American literature. It introduces students to the field of men studies and its intersections with feminist, postcolonial and queer theories. It examines hegemonic and alternative masculinities and their representation in literature taking into consideration race, nationalism, colonialism, and homosexuality. We will focus our study on the following questions: What does it mean to be a man? How has the conceptualization of masculinity developed and changed over time? What can literature tell us about gender, representation, and social construction in América Latina? What is hegemonic masculinity? How is it depicted and challenged by other gender constructions? Readings include novels, short stories, poems, films as well as theoretical readings of different disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology. Class will be conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPN 211 or Department Placement
- This course introduces students to some of the most relevant LGBTQ+ literary works in Spanish from the last century. These readings will be presented within the historical context of Spanish and Latin American LGBTQ+ social and antidiscrimination movements as well as within the theoretical frame of queer theory and sexual and gender diversity. This course includes an audiovisual component, as students will be required to analyze movies and short films in connection with the readings and class discussions. All readings, written work, and discussions will be in Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 211 or SPN 300 or departmental approval or any 400-level course except SPN 476 - This course is a survey of the literature, culture and civilization of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, and Jamaica) geared to the understanding of their heritage as it is preserved by their languages and their artistic achievements. Readings are mainly in English; class discussions are in English, Spanish, and any other modern language.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This is a study abroad course in which students will enhance their language skills and knowledge of a foreign culture through class meetings, seminars, and on-site visits to places of historic and cultural importance. They will be immersed in the language of the country and attend language and literature courses.
Prerequisite: SPN 106 or SPN 121 or SPN 108 or departmental approval - This course will introduce students to film adaptations of Spanish and Latin American novels, short stories, diaries and theater plays in the context of the literary and film debate: how does film "translate" text? Should the film be "faithful" to the text? If so, faithful to what aspects, plot dialogue, chronology, social and psychological and socioeconomic backgrounds will be included. Special attention will be given to the study of nationality, gender and sexual differences within Spanish and Latin American societies. Students will examine the connections between text and film, as well as the fundamentals of written and visual identification with the cinematic and textual apparatus.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - This course consist of a survey of all literary production in Spanish created in New York from the 19th century to the present, mainly focusing on those authors who have lived and written here, whose work was influenced by the circumstance of coming and staying in this city and who are weaving the unique history of literature written in Spanish in New York. Readings and classwork will be conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite: SPN 300 or any SPN 400 level course (except SPN 476) or departmental approval - In this introductory course students learn about the processes and strategies of translation and interpretation as well as available resources. This course includes translation and interpretation ethics, types of translation and interpretation and the history of the profession. Students are introduced to the use of interpretation and translation in law, the health professions, and financial businesses. It also introduces terminology and resources that can be used in computer aided interpretation and translation. Students explore how computer-assisted interpretation and translation has affected the industry as they learn to use interpretation and translation tools and create lists of commonly used terminology. There is emphasis on interpretation and translation into the native language with some practice in the opposite direction.
Prerequisite: ENG 101 (or equivalent) and Spanish at the intermediate-high level (SPN 210/SPN 221/SPN 207 or above) or departmental approval - TRS 232 invites the student to continue her/his development as a Spanish-English and/or English-Spanish translator and interpreter to complement the theoretical and practical techniques developed in TRS 231 into the professional ambit; namely, healthcare, business/finance, and law. Aside from honing technique across languages as both an art and a science, students are introduced to crosscultural considerations, ethics and best practices of both translation and interpretation.
Prerequisite: (ENG 101 or equivalent) and Spanish at the intermediate-high level (SPN 210/SPN 221/SPN 207 or above) or departmental approval - This course provides students with a comprehensive overview and understanding of the grammatical components of the Spanish Language and sentence structure. The focus will include the morphological and syntactical structures of the Spanish Language. Building upon the fundamental grammatical features of Spanish, students will analyze, identify, and describe the standard structures of Spanish in a variety of texts. Further synthesizing and developing analytical skills, students will evaluate the grammaticality of the written work they produce, recognizing the importance of conveying messages with clarity and coherence of word choice and syntactic structure.
Prerequisite: SPN 207 or SPN 210 or SPN 221 or departmental approval - This is a theory based fully online course dealing with English-Spanish translation and interpretation for health care. As such, it addresses the communication needs in settings such as hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, dental offices, outpatient facilities, pharmacies, etc. Among the topics or scenarios to be covered are: Spanish-speaking clients and their health; specialized terminology (e.g., anatomic, physiological, neurological, cardiovascular, oncological, obstetrical, orthopedic, medical instruments and devices); communication with administrative personnel (e.g., admission, payment, insurance); patient’s medical history (present illness and past history); personal, social and family history; the physical examination; emergency room; labor and delivery; surgery; medication and prescriptions; diet; treatments; drug overdose; patient instructions; dental visit and treatment; authorizations, consents and signature forms; and visits with different types of specialists (e.g., neurologist, orthopedist, cardiologist, psychiatrist).
Prerequisite: TRS 201 and [either TRS 206 or LIN 110] or departmental permission - This is a theory-based course dealing with English-Spanish translation and interpretation for legal domain. The course will help students to translate and interpret legal texts and arguments, to write documents and to express themselves using legal vocabulary. The class will be taught in Spanish and will cover a broad mix of practical legal terminology, vocabulary and conversational skills. Special attention will be placed on the practice of writing to be used in law offices, courtrooms and similar settings. Translation and interpretation skills will be developed through forum discussions, reports and asynchronously activities using Voice Thread. In addition, the emphasis will be also placed on cultural issues that may affect successful interaction with Spanish-Speaking individuals and families faced with matters concerning the law.
Prerequisite: TRS 201 and [either TRS 206 or LIN 110] or departmental permission - This is a theory-based course dealing with English-Spanish translation and interpretation for financial/business domain. It will prepare students for successful communication in the Hispanic commercial world by building up on their existing knowledge and emphasizing practical, real-life use of oral and written Spanish. This course is designed to introduce students to essential business interpretation and translation using terminology and language situations in common business contexts, reinforcing strategies for understanding, interpreting, translating and responding to new information. This course will also help the student to be alert to the importance of cultural awareness in doing business in Spanish-speaking countries or with Hispanics in the United States.
Prerequisite: TRS 201 and [either TRS 206 or LIN 110] or departmental permission - This course deepens students’ writing skills in Spanish so that they can become fully equipped to revise, edit, and proofread any text in Spanish, including translations prepared by themselves and by others. Texts used as sources to revise include material covering a wide range of social and cultural topics, encouraging the development of cross-cultural analytical and critical skills and refining their linguistic choices according to the target audience of a translated text and its social, cultural, and regional variations. Students will be able to develop knowledge and understanding of arts, humanities, and global perspectives via exposure to second-semester level readings in literature, culture, and history. As they pay close attention to punctuation, word choice, syntax, structure, style, tone, and register, students will develop their editing skills and polish all types of texts in order to make them clear, logical, and precise while ensuring that the full sense and spirit of the source text is rendered into the target text.
Prerequisite: TRS 201 and [either TRS 206 or LIN 110] or departmental permission - This course deepens students’ oral and written skills in Spanish, including listening comprehension and speaking proficiency. As consecutive interpretation is a communicative activity that shapes, and is shaped by, the dynamics of cross-cultural mediation and encounters, this course enhances students’ exposure to and knowledge of global, cross-cultural communications. Further details: As students are introduced to the various techniques of consecutive interpretation, they engage in critical discourse analysis of ideas and semantics, organize meaning, and interpret idiomatic expressions while also expanding their knowledge of vocabulary belonging to a variety of social, cultural, regional, and professional linguistic contexts.
Prerequisite: [TRS 201 and (TRS 206 or LIN 110)] or departmental approval - This capstone project in translation is designed, developed, and documented using an e-portfolio. The capstone project is done under instructor supervision and realized on a specialized area of translation according to the student's area of interest and language pair. The possible specializations include commercial, legal, or medical. Students need to combine the project with an internship or apprenticeship in an appropriate organization, such as a health center, courthouse, international corporation, governmental or non-governmental organization. Students must complete a project contract with the instructor prior to initiating the project and must keep a weekly journal on their e-portfolio.
Prerequisite: Two TRS 23x courses or departmental permission
