Spanish Language & Hispanic Studies Minor

Introduction to the Spanish language with no prior knowledge. You will get training in listening, speaking, reading and writing Spanish in its cultural context.

Develop basic communicative skills, as well as, further develop skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking Spanish.

Builds on basic knowledge and skills. Further develop your communication skills in Spanish, as well as, the study of some cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world.

Familiarize yourself with business terminology in Spanish, and improve your ability to understand and produce business-related texts.

Develop oral and writing skills through an analysis of cultural readings taken from journalistic, scientific and literary texts. You will learn oral and written strategies to further develop your communicative ability. Various styles will be explored, including dialogues, summaries, narrations and short essays.

Develop an understanding of societies and communities in Latin America, through the exploration of their art, music, religious practices, folklore, literature and film. You will critically examine how the encounter of European and Indigenous cultures originated unique, multicultural and diverse societies in Latin America.

Discover contemporary Spanish culture and society, from the economic modernization in the 1960s to modern times. You will explore topics ranging from race, nationalism and identity, to gender and faith. You will also learn about the importance of place, home life, schooling and the workplace.

Study the language, literature and culture of the Hispanic World. Select topics may include Latino culture and literature in the USA, Spanish American Foundational novels, transatlantic texts, bilingualism, Spanish for specific courses, among others.

Survey the history, growth, singularity, and cultural impact of Iberian and Latin American cinemas in the world. Several films, documentaries, and/or short films will be analyzed. Specific Hispanic cinema terminology will be employed in order to understand the New Latin American Cinema movement and the “Latino-Spanishness” through film.

Attain a high-intermediate level of language proficiency and gain a more in-depth understanding of Hispanic cultures. You will explore and analyze oral and written contemporary texts from the Spanish-speaking world. A strong emphasis is placed on vocabulary enrichment, grammatical accuracy and improvement of oral and written discourse.