Spring Semester Course Offerings
SPANISH LANGUAGE: PRONUNCIATION AND PHONETICS
This course offers the opportunity for students to learn and practice the correct pronunciation of Spanish with the aim of obtaining greater security and confidence in interacting on a daily basis with Spanish-speakers. More specifically, the course focuses on teaching students basic concepts of phonetics, spelling and intonation of Spanish with the aim for them to be able to identify and reproduce both oral and written versions of all the phonemes of the Spanish language.In the Spring Semester this course is offered in Block B.
SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION: CONTEMPORARY SPAIN
This course is a political, social, and cultural journey through authentic Spain up to the twentieth century. Students familiarize themselves with the Spanish idiosyncrasies and the special and original characteristics of this country, and its people. The students get to know the concerns of the Spaniards (terrorism, unemployment and immigration, CIS, June 2004) and understand their causes.
The objectives for this course are to understand the historical evolution of Spanish society during the 19th and 20th centuries, to tell the different political, social and cultural main characteristics of the Spanish society during the 19th and 20th centuries, to understand and describe historical concepts, and understand, analyze and discuss present social, cultural and political characteristics through the artistic/cultural expressions of the era.
SPANISH LITERATURE: SPAIN IN CRISIS: THE DISASTER OF 1898 TO DEMOCRACY
This course studies Spanish literature around 1898. This was a time of crisis in Spanish society from which a group of writers surfaced that made up the Silver Age of Hispanic arts. The period studied is after the civil war of 1936 with the censor limitations of Franco. Lastly, the authors of the restored democracy are read and studied.
The objectives of this course are to analyze and critique the most significant works of writers from the “Generation of 1898,” to recognize the movements and literary styles, their characteristics and authors, to understand Spain´s relationship with the United States and Cuba in 1898, to read and analyze literary texts after the Spanish Civil War until the arrival of democracy, and to analyze and comment on the works read that include novels, poetry, short stories and drama.
ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION AND COMPOSITION
This course has been designed for students who have already acquired a high level of Spanish and want to move up to mastery level. Specifically they will practice advanced grammar structures, the use of idiomatic words and phrases to improve both their written and oral skills, by means of grammar and vocabulary exercises, oral debates and weekly writing assignments. The students’ active participation on a daily basis is essential.
The main objective of this course is to increase the students’ communication fluency and accuracy in order to prepare them for real life situations. They will have access to the language in a real context as well as cultural knowledge that will help them understand the Spanish-speaking world.
INDEPENDENT INTERNSHIP (+ PLACEMENTS)
Internships integrate theory and practice through planned, supervised work experience. A key component of a student’s professional development is the ability to apply what has been learned as a university student, to the world of work. This course offers students individualized, applied learning opportunities to explore and clarify career goals, apply theory, acquire new skills, gain experience, network with professionals, and improve Spanish language proficiency. The GEO instructor supervisor will assist each student in developing individualized learning goals that serve as the specific learning objectives for his/her internship. In collaboration with their internship placement supervisor, students outline tasks and responsibilities that support their learning goals. As a result, students who achieve their learning goals acquire a set of transferable skills and real-world experience that prepares them for professional positions, fellowships, or further academic study.
The objectives for this course include assessing achievement of individualized learning goals through task completion and supervisor feedback, and articulating the achievement of individual learning goals clearly and concisely in the form of a final internship report that will include a description of the organization, its mission statement and the clientele it serves, a description of the student’s specific duties, including what the student actually did on a day-to-day basis, an explanation of how the student’s academic major and study abroad experience prepared him/her for this work, and how any previous courses helped in preparation for this experience as well as personal reflections on the experience with regard to what was learned from this internship and how he/she anticipates this internship will contribute toward future goals and career aspirations.
SPAIN AND ITS ROLE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
This course gives a broad vision of the present situation of Spain and the countries that at this time make up the European Union. At the same time, the institutions and the government agencies of the European Union are studied to understand the reach and the future possibilities that this supranational organization offers as a united block immersed in the today´s world. Lastly, the unique coin, the EURO, and its consequences for the economic future of the “EURO ZONE” and the rest of the world economic powers are analyzed in detail.
The objectives are to know the geographic, historical, social, political and economic situation of the European Union, to understand the present situation of the European Union countries, and to recognize and appreciate the repercussions of Spain belonging to the European Union.
SPANISH CONVERSATION AND GRAMMAR
This course is designed as an intermediate level course to
consolidate the student’s prior knowledge of the Spanish language acquired in
their homeland, gaining confidence, not only in understanding the language, but
also in using the target language properly. Moreover, they will not only have
access to the language in a real context, but they will also get cultural
knowledge (traditions and social etiquette) which will help them understand the
Spanish speaking world. The interaction between the students and teacher will
be ongoing in class.
The main objective is to increase the students´ communication fluency and precision in order to prepare them for real life situations. This way they will achieve the necessary fluency that they are expected to achieve in each stage of the learning process.