Mar 29, 2024  
2020-2021 Interim Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Interim Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Spanish, B.A.


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Spanish

   Member of the Division of Humanities

Chair(s):

Mirzam Pérez

Faculty:

Yvette Aparicio
Valérie Benoist
John Petrus
Nick Phillips
Carmen Valentín

Courses in Spanish examine the diverse cultural achievements of Latin America, Latinx America and Spain and enable students to respond with intelligence and sensitivity to other cultures. The department seeks to develop in students from all disciplines the critical ability to identify problems and view them from multiple perspectives: cultural, historical, literary, and linguistic. The growing importance of bilingual areas in urban America underscores the advisability of Spanish-language study for careers in health care, bilingual education, community development, and social services.

Students with training in Spanish receive a recommendation as to the appropriate course level (100, 200, 300) for continued language study. Those beginning the language take SPN 105 . The first two years of study in the department follows the sequence SPN 105 , SPN 106 , SPN 217 , and SPN 285 . All courses are conducted in Spanish.

The program for majors provides essential skills for communication in the language, a sound and comprehensive introduction to literature, and an exploration of various aspects of Latin American, Latinx American, and Spanish cultures. Students should balance their Spanish program with a broad selection of interdepartmental courses and study in all three major divisions in order to ensure breadth of learning. The department encourages participation in one of the approved off-campus programs in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, or Spain.

Major Requirements: A minimum of 32 credits


Courses numbered SPN 105 , SPN 106 , SPN 204 , and SPN 205  do not count toward the major.

Core Requirements: 20 credits


Core requirements must be taken on campus.

  • One of the following courses:
    • SPN 285 - Introduction to Textual Analysis 4 credits

One course coded as SPN from the electives section below, except SPN 217

     Majors may select two seminars from the following groups:

Latin America

US Latinx

      Spain

Spanish Linguistics

After completing any of the seminar courses (except SPN 384 or SPN 395 on Spanish Linguistics) mentioned above, students cannot enroll in SPN 311, SPN 312, SPN 314, SPN 315, SPN 317 or SPN 295 on literature.  SPN 343 may be taken concurrently with any seminar (except SPN 384 and SPN 395 on Spanish Linguistics).

Electives: 12 credits


Courses below as needed to count toward the minimum of 32 credits.  Any course counted above as a core requirement may not count as an elective.  A maximum of 8 credits of classes taught in English may count towards the major as elective credit; this includes courses taught at Grinnell and courses taught off-campus.

  • SPN 217 - Intermediate Spanish 4 credits (this course cannot count towards the core requirements)
  • SPN 311, SPN 312, SPN 314, SPN 315, SPN 317, SPN 295
  • SPN 320 - Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World 4 or 8 credits.  SPN 320 may be repeated for credit when content changes.  A maximum of 8 credits may count toward the major.  SPN 320 may be taken concurrently with any seminar.
  • SPN 377, SPN 379, SPN 383, SPN 384, SPN 385, SPN 386, SPN 395.
  • With the approval of the department, up to 8 credits can be taken in courses taught in English.  These courses are LAS 111, LAS 221, or any course taught outside of the Spanish Department, with content solely on Latin America, Latinx America or Spain.  These courses can be counted toward the Spanish major as elective credit.  The maximum of 8 credits in English towards the major can be earned through one of the following combinations:
    • LAS 111 and LAS 221
    • LAS 111 or LAS 221 an up to 4 credits of course work at Grinnell with content solely on Latin America, Latinx American or Spain
    • LAS 111 or LAS 221 and up to 4 credits of course work off-campus with content solely on Latin America, Latinx America or Spain
    • Up to 8 credits of English courses taken off-campus with content solely on Latin America, Latinx America or Spain, as per the OCS policy listed below
  • Off-campus study credits toward the major are approved according to the following guidelines:
    • A maximum of 12 credits from courses taken at study abroad programs approved by the Spanish Department can be applied toward the Spanish major as elective credit;
    • Courses from study abroad programs cannot fulfill the following major requirements: 343, at least one low-300 literature course, and any seminar;
    • A maximum of 8 credits of courses taught in English may count towards the major, this includes courses taught at Grinnell and courses taught off-campus;
    • Students may not receive major credit for a class that replicates content offered by the department, subject to review by the professor that teaches the course at Grinnell;
    • The Department will accept any courses that fit the following description:
      • Spanish Language courses (for example, conversation, composition, stylistics, phonetics, semantics, history of the language, etc.), including the language and culture courses taught entirely in Spanish in programs where all the other courses are taught in English.  There is no limit on credits from this type of course within the 12 maximum from OCS.
      • Literature courses on Latin America, Latinx America and Spain that do not cover material taught in regularly offered Spanish courses at Grinnell.  There is no limit on credits from this type of course within the 12 maximum from OCS.
      • A maximum of 8 credits of coursework in areas other than language and literature with content solely on Latin America, Latinx America or Spain.  Courses cannot cover material taught in regularly offered Spanish courses at Grinnell.
      • A maximum of 4 credits of internships undertaken in Grinnell-approved study abroad programs.

We adhere to the same guidelines for Grinnell approved off-campus programs in the US. For study abroad programs that are not approved by Grinnell, the department must approve the courses after reviewing the course syllabi.  Courses must follow the same guidelines as listed above.

For study abroad programs approved by Grinnell, but not recommended by the Spanish Department, only credits from language courses would count toward the major.  For any additional credits towards the major, students can request that the Spanish Department consider the approval of other courses by submitting course syllabi.  Courses must follow the same guidelines as listed above.

For off-campus programs in the US that are not approved by Grinnell, the department must approve courses in order to have their credit count toward the major.  For any additional credits towards the major, students can request that the Spanish Department consider syllabi and other relevant information.  Courses must follow the same guidelines as listed above.

 

 

 

 

Additional Information


SPN courses that students place out of do not count towards the major requirements.  Upon declaration of a Spanish major, students will consult with the department concerning their objectives in order to plan an approved program of courses.  Off-campus study courses or transfer courses are not allowed to fulfill the core requirements listed above.

Honors


To be considered for honors in Spanish, graduating seniors, in addition to meeting the College’s general requirements for honors, must complete a third seminar in any area of study offered by the department.