Spanish (SPAN)
The Department of Spanish
The Department of Spanish at Bucknell University is committed to providing excellent instruction and learning opportunities that challenge majors and minors and other interested students to develop their Spanish language proficiency to the maximum, as well as to know and understand the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples of the world. We encourage our students to think critically, to question their cultural assumptions about the Hispanic world, and to immerse themselves as much as possible in a Spanish-speaking community.
The major in Spanish is designed to cultivate our students’ understanding and appreciation of the rich literary, linguistic and cultural traditions of Spanish-speaking peoples; to provide a sound foundation for graduate study related to the Hispanic worlds; and to develop our students’ ability to critically analyze literary and cultural works in Spanish. Coursework in the Spanish major will help students meet the goals of the College of Arts & Sciences and of the University as a whole, with regard to writing, information literacy and public presentation.
Through their coursework in the major, students are introduced to the discipline of Hispanic letters and linguistics. They also explore connections between Spanish and other disciplines in the humanities or in the social sciences. To achieve a high level of language proficiency and cultural understanding, it is strongly recommended that students majoring in Spanish study at least one semester in Spain with Bucknell en España, or in Latin America with one of the approved programs in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic or Ecuador. The language proficiency attained by our students, along with the cultural understanding they gain through their studies at Bucknell and abroad, will allow them to interact effectively with Spanish-speaking peoples throughout the world. By relating to Hispanic cultures, our students increase their self-awareness and their sense of connection to a diverse world.
Sequence and Description of Courses
The academic program in Spanish offers coursework in the areas of language, literature, culture and linguistics of the Hispanic world, including Spain, Latin America and the United States. The curriculum takes into account a wide variety of student needs and interests, including those of heritage students, students who plan to pursue graduate study and careers in Spanish/Hispanic studies, and those who hope to apply their language skills and cultural understanding to their chosen profession. The curriculum in Spanish encompasses three levels: 1.) courses that focus on language acquisition and cultural competency (100 and 200 level), 2.) courses that introduce students to the breadth and diversity of literature, culture and linguistics of the Spanish-speaking world (200 level), 3.) courses that provide an in-depth study of an author, period, genre or issue in Hispanic literature, culture and linguistics (300 level).
After gaining an understanding of Hispanic literary and cultural traditions in coursework at the 200 level, students complete the major with at least two 300-level courses (seminars) offering an in-depth study of particular aspects of Hispanic literature, culture or linguistics. These courses are related to the professor’s area of expertise and normally require that students participate actively in class discussion, make formal presentations in class and write a research paper in Spanish. As part of the learning activities in this seminar, students will carry out a research project related to Hispanic literature, culture or linguistics under the supervision of the course instructor, and will present the critical essay in its final written form at the end of the semester as evidence of their fulfillment of the Spanish department’s learning objectives for writing and information literacy. In addition, senior Spanish majors will present a scholarly paper based on their research as evidence of their fulfillment of the department’s objectives regarding public presentation.
Planning Ahead
Students are strongly encouraged to continue their study of Spanish as early in their undergraduate career as possible. Doing so will ensure that they can complete the major or minor, will make them eligible for the best study abroad programs in the Hispanic world, and will help them to reach a high level of language proficiency.
Online Placement Exam
Students who 1.) have studied Spanish in secondary school, 2.) are heritage speakers of Spanish or 3.) have no prior experience with Spanish must take the online placement test to determine the level at which they may register for a Spanish course. Information on accessing the test is included in the first-year student registration information; it is recommended that students take the exam as early as possible. Current students may access the placement test from the Spanish department webpage. Any questions regarding placement should be directed to the Spanish department chairperson.
Summary of Spanish Major Requirements
A major in Spanish requires at least eight credits above SPAN 105 Intermediate Spanish, four of which must be taken at Bucknell.
Students usually begin by enrolling in language courses. The language course students take is determined by the placement exam. SPAN 207 Toward Advanced Spanish and SPAN 208 Advanced Conversation and Composition are the only language courses that may be counted toward the major. Students must complete SPAN 208 Advanced Conversation and Composition or test out of it to enroll in 200-level literature, culture and linguistics courses.
Students must take one of the following literature courses: SPAN 220 Introduction to Spanish Literature or SPAN 222 Introduction to Latin American Literature. Students must take one of the following culture courses: SPAN 270 Spanish Cultural Tradition or SPAN 280 Latin American Cultural Traditions. At least one of these courses must deal with Spain and at least one of these courses must deal with Latin America.
Students must take at least two 200-level courses above SPAN 208 Advanced Conversation and Composition before enrolling in a 300-level course. Students must take at least two 300-level courses. At least one of these 300-level courses must focus on Hispanic literature or culture.
Visual Summary of Spanish Major Requirements
| Language Courses | 0-2 | |
| SPAN 207 | Toward Advanced Spanish (depends on placement) | |
| SPAN 208 | Advanced Conversation and Composition (depends on placement) | |
| 200-level Literature, Linguistics or Culture | ||
| SPAN 220 | Introduction to Spanish Literature | 1 |
| or SPAN 222 | Introduction to Latin American Literature | |
| SPAN 270 | Spanish Cultural Tradition | 1 |
| or SPAN 280 | Latin American Cultural Traditions | |
| 200-level Literature, Linguistics or Culture Electives (as necessary or desired) | 0-4 | |
| 300-level Seminars | 2 | |
| Total | 8 | |
Additional Information
- A link to the placement exam can be found on the Department of Spanish website.
- All courses are taught in Spanish unless otherwise indicated.
- Students whose language proficiency places them higher than SPAN 208 may substitute another course in advanced language, literature or culture (SPAN 220-SPAN 295) to reach the total number of eight required courses.
- If studying abroad, one of either SPAN 220, SPAN 222, SPAN 270 or SPAN 280 must be taken on campus. At least one of the courses taken abroad for credit toward the Spanish major must deal with literature.
- A student may request permission from the Department of Spanish to count an Integrated Perspectives (IP) course for a 200-level Spanish credit provided that it is co-taught by a faculty member of the Department of Spanish and the subject relates to Hispanic cultures.
- A 300-level course may be used to count toward a 200-level course, with approval of an adviser, but the student must still take two additional 300-level courses to complete the major.
- All 300-level courses fulfill the culminating experience.
- All 300-level courses must be taken at Bucknell.
- One course from the Department of Spanish offerings taught in English may be counted toward the major.
- Students seeking certification to teach Spanish in elementary or secondary school must complete the major in Spanish as well as the requirements formulated by Bucknell’s education department, in accordance with the guidelines of the Commonwealth of PA.
Study Abroad
Residence abroad in a Spanish-speaking country is the best way to gain the language proficiency and the knowledge of Hispanic literature and cultures expected for the major. Students are strongly urged to study abroad on a program approved by the Spanish department for its majors and minors. Only courses taken on these programs may count toward the major and minor. At least one of the courses taken abroad for credit toward the Spanish major must deal with literature. Students who have taken two courses in Hispanic literature at Bucknell may present to the Spanish department chairperson a petition to have this requirement waived. Approved study abroad programs may change from year to year.
Study in Spain
The University’s Bucknell en España provides a study abroad experience designed to meet the educational needs of Spanish majors, minors and other Bucknell students who have taken SPAN 105 Intermediate Spanish, or can demonstrate the equivalent level and who wish to study in Spain. The program is centered at the Universidad de Granada in Granada, Spain.
Study in Latin America
For majors and minors, the Spanish department has approved study abroad programs in, for example, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Students should consult with their advisers in Spanish, the Spanish department chair, or the Office of International Education regarding these programs.
Honors
Majors who are interested in writing an honors thesis and who meet the requirements established by the Honors Council should speak with a faculty member in Spanish during the junior year to discuss this possibility.
Minor in Spanish
The minor in Spanish consists of five courses beyond SPAN 103 Toward Intermediate Spanish. At least two of the courses for the minor must deal with literature or civilization and at least three of the courses counted for the minor must be taken at Bucknell. Students who go on the Bucknell en España program and plan to minor in Spanish need to take two courses on campus.
All courses are taught in Spanish, unless otherwise indicated. SPAN 208 Advanced Conversation and Composition is a prerequisite for courses numbered SPAN 220 through SPAN 295. Two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208 are prerequisites for courses at the 300-level.
The learning outcomes in place for the Spanish major are the following:
-
Speak at the advanced-mid level, in accordance with the criteria of the Association of College Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
-
Write at the advanced-mid level, in accordance with the criteria of the Association of College Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
-
Identify key movements, works and authors in Hispanic literary and cultural production.
-
Write coherent and well-organized critical analyses of literary and cultural works from the Hispanic tradition, including critical language appropriate to the genre or medium, reasoned arguments supported by textual evidence and critical theory, as well as documented research and citation appropriate to the discipline.
-
Make a public presentation of a critical or creative project in Spanish.
Courses
SPAN 101. Elementary Spanish I. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Beginning language skills, with practice of points of grammar, through listening, speaking, reading and writing, in the context of Hispanic cultures. SPAN 101 is prerequisite to SPAN 102.
SPAN 102. Elementary Spanish II. 1 Credit.
Offered Spring Semester Only; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Continues development of basic language skills, with practice of points of grammar, in the context of Hispanic culture. Prerequisite: SPAN 101 or two years of Spanish in high school.
SPAN 103. Toward Intermediate Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Through grammar review and the development of new linguistic skills, in the context of Hispanic cultures, students reach intermediate competency in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 102 or three years of secondary school Spanish.
SPAN 105. Intermediate Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Review of grammar and development of new linguistic skills and cultural competency to reach high-intermediate level in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 103 or four years of secondary school Spanish.
SPAN 207. Toward Advanced Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Students demonstrating high-intermediate skills progress toward advanced language proficiency. Reading, discussion and writing about brief literary or cultural texts advances cultural competency. Prerequisite: SPAN 105 or five years of secondary school Spanish.
SPAN 208. Advanced Conversation and Composition. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3,Recitation:1
Advanced study and practice to enhance oral and written proficiency. A variety of texts and media, including literature, film and internet sources provide a point of departure for class discussion and written assignments. Prerequisite: SPAN 207 or six years of Spanish.
SPAN 220. Introduction to Spanish Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to Spanish literature across major artistic and cultural periods: Middle Ages, Renaissance, Golden Age, Romanticism, Realism, and 20th-century literature in its cultural context. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 222. Introduction to Latin American Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to the authors, topics and genres that constitute the literary tradition of Latin America. Literary works are studied in their historical and cultural context. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 239. Hispanic Linguistics. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and dialects of the Spanish language. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 245. Topics in Spain. 1 Credit.
Offered Both Fall and Spring; Lecture hours:3
Guides students in their experience of life and culture in Spain, and fosters their reflection on the cross-cultural learning experience. Only offered in the Bucknell en España program.
SPAN 264. Hispanic Topics. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Given in English, this course will treat different topics of Spanish and Latin American civilization from year to year. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 266. Black Africans in the Hispanic Black Atlantic: Then and Now. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
Taught in English. This course examines the variety of artistic, cultural, historical, and literary representations of black Africans and their descendants across the Spanish-speaking world, Africa, and the variety of Afro-Latina/o communities of the United States. Prerequisite: SPAN 208. Crosslisted as CBST 266.
SPAN 270. Spanish Cultural Tradition. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
An introduction to the cultural tradition of Spain through the study of art, history, literature, and film. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 275. Structural Analysis of Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
Advanced students/prospective teachers explore the interface between linguistics and actual language use by native Spanish speakers through analysis of morphology, syntax and semantics. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 280. Latin American Cultural Traditions. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3
An introduction to the cultural traditions of Latin America through the study of art, history, literature, and film. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 285. Latinx Literature in the U.S.. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
Taught in English. This course focuses on issues of cultural identity within the literary and some film production of Latinx peoples living in the U.S. Prerequisite: SPAN 208. Crosslisted as LAMS 286.
SPAN 290. Independent Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:Varies; Repeatable
Subject to be selected by student in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 295. Topics in Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Either Fall or Spring; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Deals with a different aspect of the literature or culture of Spanish-speaking peoples each time it is given. Prerequisite: SPAN 208.
SPAN 2NT. Spanish Non-traditional Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Fall, Spring, Summer; Lecture hours:Varies,Other:3
Non-traditional study in Spanish. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
SPAN 315. Structure of Modern Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
Introduction to morphology, syntax, semantics and discourse analysis with particular attention to the problems faced by the non-native learner of Spanish. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 322. Modern Spanish Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Spanish literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. Course will be devoted to a different major author, movement, or genre each time it is given. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 323. Latin American Short Story. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Art and theory of the short story in Latin America. Topics include Colombian Short Stories, Stories by Women Writers, Children's Stories. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 325. The Spanish Civil War. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course examines the memory of the Spanish Civil War in the narrative and film from the 1940s to the present. Prerequisites: two courses at the 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 326. Spanish Literature and Society of the 19th Century. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Devoted to major authors of the 19th century -- Galdos, Clarin, Pardo Bazan. Topics include science and literature, gender and sexuality, and class relations. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 329. Pirates of the Golden Age. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course examines the portrayal of pirates and piracy in texts from a variety of genres from the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Hispanic world. Drawing on theoretical and historical readings, the course reflects on the philosophical, sociological, legal, scientific and religious premises of piracy. Prerequisite: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 339. Topics in Hispanic Linguistics. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
Advanced study of topics or issues in Hispanic Linguistics. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 346. Utopia/Dystopia in Urban Latin America. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This interdisciplinary course explores cities of Latin America through the lens of utopia and dystopia. Sources of inquiry include film, architecture, art, fiction, poetry, and readings in history, politics, economics, and environmental studies. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond 208.
SPAN 349. Spain Today: Literature & Film. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course examines key works of fiction and film at the light of cultural, social and political changes undergone in Spain since 1975. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 350. Latin American Cities. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
A study of cities in Latin America. We will explore issues that include the environment, cultural production, socio-political concerns and historical contexts for the cities we study. Prerequisites: two courses at 200-level beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 356. Trauma and Memory. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This class explores contemporary canonical and non-canonical Latin American narratives whose aesthetics deal with traumatic/violent experiences. Holocaust Studies, Trauma Theory and Psychoanalysis inform the readings and discussions focusing on the ways literature responds to certain social and cultural crisis in the region. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 360. Literature and Film of the Hispanic World. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course will deal with the interrelationship of literature and film in the Hispanic World. In Spanish. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 361. Topics in Hispanic Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
These courses will deal with topics in Spanish literature on an advanced level. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 362. Topics in Latin American Literature. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
These courses will deal with topics in Latin American literature on an advanced level. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 364. Topics in Spanish Civilization. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
This course will deal with different topics in the civilization of Spain on an advanced level. In Spanish. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 365. Topics in Latin American Civilization. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3; Repeatable
This course will deal with different topics in the civilization of Latin America on an advanced level. In Spanish. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 366. Mexican Revolution: Literature and Art. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
Charts the creation of a national identity, exploring literature and visual arts that depict the massive social changes brought about by the Mexican Revolution. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 368. Spanish Civilization and Popular Culture. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:3
This course will deal with Spanish civilization and examines a variety of topics--politics, gender, regional identities, etc.--through the lens of popular culture. Possible course themes include Spanish soccer, comics and graphic novels, and food. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208.
SPAN 390. Independent Study. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:Varies
Subject to be selected by student in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisites: two 200-level courses beyond SPAN 208 and permission of the instructor.
SPAN 399. Honors Course in Spanish. 1 Credit.
Offered Occasionally; Lecture hours:Varies
For selected seniors, who will be supervised in individual work. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
Faculty
Professors: Fernando Blanco, M. Isabel Cuñado, Elisabeth Guerrero, Collin McKinney
Associate Professors: Jason Aaron McCloskey (Co-chair), Ana M. Patiño (Co-chair), Hiram L. Smith
Visiting Assistant Professors: Víctor García Ramírez, Ana Álvarez Guillén