Spanish
Professor M. Docter
Associate Professor L. Elías (chair)
Description of the Major. The Spanish major at Westmont develops advanced proficiency in Spanish and provides students with intercultural sophistication to function comfortably and effectively in a Spanish-speaking environment. At the elementary, intermediate, and upper-division levels, professors teach Spanish communicatively (so that grammar is mastered but not at the expense of oral proficiency). The emphasis is on the culture, civilization, and literature of the people who speak this language.
Distinctive Features. The Spanish major combines the perspective of a liberal arts background, cross-cultural experience, and advanced competency in the language. Students achieve these goals through classroom instruction and residence in a culture where Spanish is the native language. Spanish majors complete one semester (14-16 units) abroad at an approved university in Spain or Latin America. Students are eligible to study abroad (in either fall or spring semester) after having completed at least four units of upper-division work in Spanish and SP 150 (Cross-Cultural Studies). The courses offered vary from year to year and from program to program, but always include language, literature, and civilization and culture classes. Students may choose from the following programs and locations in Spain and Latin America: Barcelona (Brethren Colleges Abroad, spring semester only), San Sebastián or Bilbao (University Studies Abroad Consortium), Santiago de Compostela (University of Kansas), Sevilla (Trinity Christian College), Heredia, Costa Rica (University Studies Abroad Consortium), San José, Costa Rica (University of Kansas), Quito, Ecuador (Brethren Colleges Abroad), Santiago, Chile (University Studies Abroad Consortium), or Querétaro, Mexico (Westmont in Mexico).
Students benefit from small class sizes, close student-faculty relationships, a flexible curriculum, and first-hand experience in a Spanish-speaking environment. The curriculum for the Spanish major develops an understanding of Spanish and provides the training which prepares students for professional pursuits or advanced study in Spanish at the graduate level.
As our society becomes more bilingual, all graduates entering careers in education, ministry, business, and public services would benefit from fluency in Spanish. The major lends itself well to doubling with majors in religious studies, education, economics and business, and sociology, among others.
Career Choices. Proficiency in another language and understanding of other peoples and cultures are essential tools in many careers. These include primary, secondary and bilingual education; international journalism; foreign and home missions; foreign service; international business and law; medicine; social work; translation and interpretation.
Requirements for a Major: 38-44 units
A. Language and Literature Track: 38-40 units
Majors are required to take 38-40 upper-division units in Spanish, including one semester of 14-16 units at an approved university in Spain or Latin America. The department recommends that the semester abroad be taken in the junior year; in any case, the student must first have completed four semesters of college-level Spanish (or the equivalent), and SP 150 (Cross-Cultural Studies).
Core Courses: (8)
SP 100 Advanced Spanish (4)
SP 150 Cross-Cultural Studies (4)
Two of the following: (8)
SP 101 Survey of Spanish Literature to 1700 (4)
SP 102 Survey of Spanish Literature, 1700 to the Present (4)
SP 103 Survey of Latin American Literature to 1885 (4)
SP 104 Survey of Latin American Literature, 1885 to the Present (4)
Two of the following advanced literature courses: (8)
SP 172 Golden Age Literature (4)
SP 176 Post-Cival War Spanish Literature (4)
SP 183 Twentieth-Century Latin American Poetry (4)
SP 184 Twentieth-Century Latin American Short Story (4)
SP 185 Twentieth-Century Latin American Novel (4)
SP 195 Seminar (2-4)
(or approved literature courses taken abroad)
Four of the following elective courses: (16)
SP 110 Hispanic Cultures: Spain (4)
SP 111 Hispanic Cultures: Latin America (4)
SP 130 Hispanic Film and Literature (4)
SP 190 Practicum (2-4)
(or other courses not taken above, including approved courses taken abroad)
The following courses are also recommended for the Spanish major:
ENG 90 Literary Analysis (4)
ENG 106 Language Acquisition (4)
AN/SOC 150 Cross-Cultural Communication (4)
B. Hispanic Studies Track: 42-44 units
Majors are required to take 42-44 upper-division units, including 20 units of upper-division Spanish courses taken at Westmont. Students will work closely with their major advisor, choosing a geographical area of specialization (Spain or Latin America) and related courses outside the Modern Languages Department. Students will complete one semester (14-16 units) abroad in a Westmont-approved program.
Core Courses: 12 units
SP 100 Advanced Spanish (4)
SP 150 Cross-Cultural Studies (4)
One of the following: (4)
SP 110 Hispanic Cultures: Spain (4)
SP 111 Hispanic Cultures: Latin America (4)
Literature: 12 units
12 units in area of specialization, at least 4 of which must be at the advanced level (170 and above).
Related Courses: 12 units
12 units in related social science fields or art history. Possible examples:
AN 115 Peoples and Cultures of Latin America (4)
AN 150/SOC 150 Cross-Cultural Communication (4)
AN 155/SOC 155 Modernization and the Third World (4)
ART 126 Art of Early Modern Europe (1600-1700) (4)
ART 128 Twentieth-Century Art (4)
EB 104 World Poverty and Economic Development (4)
EB 161 International Marketing (4)
EB 188 Global Capital Markets (4)
ENG 106 Language Acquisition (4)
HIS 161 Latin America to Independence (4)
HIS 162 Modern and Contemporary Latin America (4)
POL 124 Comparative Politics: Developing Nations (4)
Electives: 8 units
8 units in Spanish or related fields (not taken above)
Requirements for a Minor: 20 units
20 units, 12 of which must be upper-division.
Lower-Division Course Descriptions
Courses with a “SS” suffix (e.g., SP 4SS) in the course schedule are not listed separately in the catalog. The “SS” suffix indicates the course being offered also meets the Serving Society, Enacting Justice General Education requirement in addition to the Modern/Foreign Language General Education requirement.
SP 1 Elementary Spanish I (4) Pronunciation, conversation, essentials of grammar and composition. This course includes laboratory work and weekly conversation group sessions (times arranged). For students who have had no Spanish or less than two years of high school Spanish.
SP 2 Elementary Spanish II (4) Prerequisite: SP 1 or Language Placement Test. A continuation of Spanish 1. Course includes laboratory work and weekly conversation group sessions (times arranged).
SP 3 Intermediate Spanish I (4) Prerequisite: SP 2 or Language Placement Test. Review and reinforcement of pronunciation, grammar, and composition. Reading of selected materials for discussion in Spanish and an introduction to Spanish literature and culture. This course includes field work and weekly conversation group sessions (times arranged).
SP 4 Intermediate Spanish II (4) Prerequisite: SP 3 or Language Placement Test. Continuation of SP 3. Course includes field work and weekly conversation group sessions (times arranged).
Upper-Division Course Descriptions
All upper-division courses are conducted in Spanish. Texts read and discussed in Spanish; all papers and examinations written in Spanish.
SP 100 Advanced Spanish (4) Prerequisite: SP 4 or Language Placement Test. An intensive course designed to reinforce students’ reading, oral, and written skills in Spanish. Emphasis on skills such as composition and advanced reading comprehension to develop students’ vocabulary and familiarity with the finer points of Spanish grammar and syntax.
SP 101 Survey of Spanish Literature to 1700 (4) Prerequisite: SP 100. Historical overview of major authors, genres, and developments in Spain from the Middle Ages through the 17th century.
SP 102 Survey of Spanish Literature, 1700 to the Present (4) Prerequisite: SP 100. Historical overview of major authors, genres, and developments in Spain from the 18th through the 20th centuries.
SP 103 Survey of Latin American Literature to 1885 (4) Prerequisite: SP 100. Historical overview of major authors, genres, and developments in Latin America from the Colonial era to the late 19th century.
SP 104 Survey of Latin American Literature, 1885 to the Present (4) Prerequisite: SP 100. Historical overview of major authors, genres, and developments in Latin America from modernismo (1885) through the present.
SP 110 Hispanic Cultures: Spain (4) Prerequisite: SP 4 or 100. A survey of the leading social, political, religious, and artistic issues in Spain from the Middle Ages to the present.
SP 111 Hispanic Cultures: Latin America (4) Prerequisite: SP 4 or 100. A survey of the leading social, political, religious, and artistic issues in Latin America, from pre-Columbian times to the present, with emphasis on the twentieth-century.
SP 130 Hispanic Film and Literature (4) Prerequisite: SP 4 or SP 100. Study of Hispanic film as a narrative and visual medium, and introduction of basic concepts of film analysis. Through journals and papers, students will develop their “visual literacy” and their analytical abilities in “reading” a film.
SP 150 Cross-Cultural Studies (4) A course designed to help you get the most out of your study abroad experience by preparing you for it intellectually, culturally, emotionally, and spiritually. Taught each Spring for students planning to study abroad the following academic year. Note: This course is taught in English and does not count for the Spanish minor.
SP 172 Golden Age Literature (4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Study of the historical context and literary movements that comprise Spanish Golden Age Literature (16th and 17th centuries) through readings and discussions of works of poetry, prose, and drama by major writers including Cervantes, Quevedo, Góngora, Lope de Vega, and Calderón de la Barca.
SP 176 Post-Civil War Spanish Literature (4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Study of the history and literature of the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship of Franco. Readings and discussions of works by major twentieth-century Spanish novelists and playwrights, including Cela, Delibes, Laforet, Buero-Vallejo and Sastre. In addition films by Camus, Cuerda, and Erice will be viewed and discussed.
SP 183 Twentieth-Century Latin American Poetry (4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Study of the historical context and literary movements that comprise 20th century Latin American poetry through readings and discussions of major poets, including César Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, and Octavio Paz, with some works by more recent poets.
SP 184 Twentieth-Century Latin American Short Story (4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Readings and discussions of 20th century works by such major writers as Quiroga, Borges, Rulfo, García Márquez, and recent women writers such as Isabel Allende and Luisa Valenzuela.
SP 185 Twentieth-Century Latin American Novel (4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Readings and discussions of 20th century novels by such major writers as Rulfo, Fuentes, García Márquez, and Allende.
SP 190 Practicum (2,4) Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Supervised field work in the Santa Barbara area in which the student has the opportunity to use his or her Spanish. Field work may be in hospitals, clinics, schools, businesses, churches, social service agencies, etc. Weekly sessions held with supervisor and an ongoing personal log required.
SP 195 Seminar: Special Topics (2, 4) Prerequisites: One upper-division course and SP 101, SP 102, SP 103 or SP 104. Advanced study of a single author or topic in Spanish or Latin American literature. Course may be repeated as topics vary.