Interdisciplinary Studies
Phone: 718.489.5440
Department Mission
The mission of the Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) department is to provide a structured program within which students create their own education pathways. By approaching topics like sustainability, migration, globalization, and gender from the perspectives of disciplines such as biology, business management, literature, foreign languages, digital humanities, philosophy, economics, political science, and communications, students build skills and develop a critical mindset to comprehend and solve multifaceted real-world problems. The department, which places an emphasis on a customizable educational program, includes majors in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS), Global Studies (GLS), Spanish, and Professional Studies. The IDS department includes minors in Music, Fine Arts, Spanish, Italian, and French.
Major in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS)
The IDS major exposes students to interdisciplinary perspectives on national and global issues, fosters fluency in methodologies from across the College’s four divisions, and develops the writing, communication, research, and technical skills necessary to accomplish the goals of each student’s program. IDS builds a multidisciplinary foundation for analysis, critique, policy formation, and public service that prepares graduates for a variety of careers in politics, law, business, education, social work, health care, urban policy, media, and cultural work.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A.)
- PLO 1: Apply the methodologies of multiple disciplines to the research & analysis of topics that defy traditional disciplinary boundaries.
- PLO 2: Engage in intersectional thinking to identify connections between environmental concerns, gender, race, class and nationality.
- PLO 3: Use the city as a platform for identifying researching & analyzing complex inter-, intra-, and cross-disciplinary topics of historical & contemporary significances.
American Studies Track:
- PLO 4: Describe key concepts central to American culture
- PLO 5: Engage in critical thinking, discussion, & writing about the contested nature of those key concepts: freedom, democracy individualism, equality, opportunity & identity.
Environmental Studies Track:
- PLO 4: Describe the basic concepts in ecology and population dynamics
- PLO 5: Articulate the connections and relationships between ecological concepts, population dynamics & resources, pollution, and climate change.
Women's & Gender Studies Track:
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PLO 4: Describe the historical struggles of women and LGBTQIA+ people for independence and equality around the world.
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PLO 5: Engage in critical thinking, discussion, and writing about women, gender, and sexuality as they are reflected in different disciplines.
Digital Humanities Proficiency:
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PLO 6: Learn to use digital tools and technologies to present, archive, locate & evaluate topics in literature, academic scholarship, popular culture, & visual culture
Migration Studies Proficiency:
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PLO 7: Articulate and explain migration patterns in a historical and a cross-cultural perspective
Visual Studies Proficiency:
- PLO 8: Describe and provide examples of how images & representations enact power, create meaning, elicit empathy, & shape social, culture, and political myths.
Major in Spanish
A major in Spanish is an in-depth study and analysis of the Spanish language, both its spoken and written forms. It also focuses on the literature and culture of people of Hispanic descent throughout the world. The major introduces the student to the Spanish-speaking world from a global and multicultural perspective to prepare them for the global, transnational, and trans-linguistic world of the present and the future.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
Spanish (B.A.)
- PLO 1 Master five basic skills of the Spanish Language- comprehension, listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
- PLO 2: Describe the many cultures that constitute Spanish civilization and its contribution to the world.
- PLO 3: interpret visual or written texts related to Spanish cultures and communities and present their interpretations in written form.
- PLO 4: Demonstrate familiarity with major Spanish artistic and literary achievements, past and present, as well as contributions in the humanities and sciences.
- PLO 5: Analyze the historical, linguistic, and social impact of the language and its cultural values.
- PLO 6: Compare and contrast Spanish language in relation to other languages and dialects spoken in all countries where Spanish is the official language or was practiced - including Trindad and Tobago, Taiwan, Cave Verde, and the Southwest, USA.
Major in Global Studies
The major in Global Studies gives the students the tools and knowledge to engage in the contemporary world. From inequality and world hunger to emancipatory social movements, popular culture, far-right extremism, past and present forms of globalization, and inter-state competition, students learn about the interrelated processes that shape governments, societies, and cultures across the globe. The GLS major prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities in the public and private sectors, including careers in international NGOs, cultural foundations and institutes, multi-national corporations, internationally oriented firms, various government agencies, banking, as well as graduate study in related fields such as economics, global history, international business, international relations, or cultural studies.
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
Global Studies (B.A.)
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PLO 1: Analyze how culture and language intersect broader social and political structures to shape individual and collective identities (including racial, gender, class, and national identities).
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PLO 2: Identify major issues and events in world history and their relevance to the contemporary world.
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PLO 3: Analyze different theoretical perspectives in both the history of economic thought and current economic policy debates on globalization.
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PLO 4: Compare and contrast how politics is organized in different countries and the role of the various actors involved in international politics.
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PLO 5: Examine the continuing impact of colonization, slavery, and underdevelopment on the contemporary world.
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PLO 6: Articulate how political, cultural, socio-economic, and technological disparities between the Global North and Global South differently impact particular regions in the contemporary world.
Program Requirements
Minor in Foreign Languages
Foreign languages give students skills (speaking, understanding, reading, and writing) that serve as an excellent supplement to the student’s general education and increase the student’s academic credibility when he or she applies for positions in a chosen career.
Fine Arts
FA-1102 Topic: Meditation Through the Arts Neon in Art (3 Credits)
TOPIC: The aim of this class is to explore art practice as a form of mediation. After studying various meditative approaches such as breathing and visioning, students will apply contemplative methods to art creation. This includes journaling, collaging, chanting, sound and doodling. This course is a full body experience and allows students reflective engagement with both art methodology and media. The aim is to build introspective strategies to navigate multiple responsibilities as students.
Typically offered: All Sessions
FA-1200 Introduction to the Keyboard Contemporary (3 Credits)
This class is designed for the student with no prior music reading experience. It also is taught with the presumption that the student has never played the keyboard. Thus students will be introduced to basic concepts of notation, hand placement, keyboard technique, and musicianship. Every music student needs familiarity with the keyboard, particularly with regard to effectively participating in the music theory class. The course provides students with an additional class with which to fulfill credits in the music minor.
FA-1401 Music of the Western World (3 Credits)
A survey of important music and musicians of the Western World from the beginning of the Christian era to the present. Lectures are supplemented by recordings, films, slides, and concerts.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
Typically offered: All Sessions
FA-1402 Orientation in Art (3 Credits)
This class introduces students to global art from ancient times to the present. Students study examples of different art objects and art making techniques in their social, cultural, and political context and learn to conduct formal analysis of art works in different media. Students also learn about topics and debates in art world practice (such as censorship, restoration, and iconoclasm) to forge connections between the study of art history and the contemporary world in which we live.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
Typically offered: All Sessions
FA-1403 Music of Many Cultures (3 Credits)
An introduction to the music of cultures such as those of India, Indonesia, Japan, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The music of African-Americans and Native Americans will also be studied. Lectures are supplemented by recordings, films, slides, and concerts.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
FA-1404 American Music (3 Credits)
The course is an introductory, one-semester survey of American music, presented as three distinct yet parallel streams--folk, popular, and classical--that reflect the diverse character of the United States. Comparing and contrasting musical styles across regions and time that arise out of the history and musical traditions of the many immigrants to America will lead to a better understanding of both the diversity and the inter-relationships of the cultures that are a part of the American experience. This will be accomplished through a combination of reading, lecture, guided listening, projects, assignments, and class discussion.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
FA-1405 Fundamentals of Music Theory (3 Credits)
Fundamentals of Music Theory is a general course in learning to read and write musical notation, incorporating elementary work in writing melodies, rhythms, scales, and harmony
FA-1408 Italian Fine Arts (3 Credits)
This survey of art and architecture in Italy since 1200 focuses on major styles and movements as well as on principal figures and personalities in the arts. Outstanding cities that served as centers for artists are also studied. Lectures, slide presentations, films, and museum visits. Oral and written reports.
Typically offered: As Needed
FA-1410 Popular World Music (3 Credits)
This course is an introductory, one semester survey of popular music genres and artists from around the globe that developed and exist outside the dominant American/Western European popular music mainstream. While some familiar international styles such as Reggae, Salsa, K-Pop, and others will be covered, the student will also be exposed to many lesser-known styles and genres. Each chapter focuses on a specific region and culture, its unique popular music (including its historical-cultural origins), and the best-known representative artists. This will foster a deeper understanding of the way popular music developed and is used by various world cultures, leading to a better understanding of the cultures themselves. We will examine not just the music, but also how music is related to and interacts with literature, dance, art, religion, and culture in general, including gender, race, and socio-economic issues. This will be accomplished through a combination of reading, lecture, guided listening, projects and assignments.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
FA-1420 American Art (3 Credits)
This class introduces students to American art by studying examples of visual art and material culture such as painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, textiles, performance art, and public art, in the context of major social, cultural, and political developments in American history. Students will examine how the meaning of American art is not only a function of its subject or content, but also of where it is produced, where it is displayed and/or how it used, and the identity of the artist.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
FA-1430 Social Justice Art in African Diaspora (3 Credits)
This course seeks to explore Black life (cultural, political, social and spiritual) through the perspective of the Black artist. Students will gain exposure to the visual culture of the African Diaspora, including artists located on the African continent and those of African descent dispersed throughout many nations. Particular focus will be given to North America, Haiti, Senegal, Brazil and the United Kingdom. Students will study artists, art collectives and art movements that use art making to influence an array of social justice topics including civil rights, immigration, and prison reform. An inquiry based learning method will guide student engagement with artists using different media and practices (painting, sculpture, photography and installation). Students will learn how and why African Diasporic identities are formed and maintained along with how visual representation can aid in fueling systemic change.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
Typically offered: All Sessions
FA-2001 Italian Film: From Neorealism to Contemporary (3 Credits)
This course will offer a unique opportunity to explore Italian cinema from the revolution introduced by Neorealism (mid-1940s to the beginning of the 1950s) to the emergence of the great filmmakers, like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, and Luchino Visconti. A view of contemporary cinema will also be offered through the directorial styles of Tornatore, Amelio and Crialese. Some Italian literature will also be presented.
FA-2002 History of Photography (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of the cultural, material, technological, and artistic history of photography from 1839 to the present. It places an emphasis on photography as a technology dependent on social interaction, mediation, and the public sphere. Although students will be expected to gain general knowledge of photographic processes, the main focus will be how photographs convey meanings through their formal elements, historical context, dissemination, and reception. In addition to looking at photographs online and in digital archives, the class will visit the Brooklyn Historical Society to study first hand examples of early photographic formats as well as exhibits of modern and contemporary photography at galleries and museums in New York City.
Typically offered: All Sessions
FA-2100 Beginner Guitar Contemporary (3 Credits)
Students will learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar and how to apply basic music theory. Skills developed will include right- and left-hand technique, strumming patterns, and picking. Students will learn to play and understand chords, scales, and arpeggios; read music notation and guitar tablature; analyze basic song forms; and improvise. By exploring solo and accompaniment work, students will learn how to use their skills in solo and ensemble settings.
Typically offered: Fall Only
FA-2404 Introduction to Studio Art (3 Credits)
The arts are a resource for enlarging students' experiences beyond their immediate surroundings. Instruction in the arts encourages students to take pleasure in creating and performing in the arts, regardless of previous experience. In this course, students will explore the basic elements and principles of art, such as space, form, and color, and use these principles to create original and meaningful pieces of artwork. Can be continued in FA-2405.
FA-2405 Introduction to Studio Art (3 Credits)
A continuation of FA 2404.
FA-2406 ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Take FA-1402;
A study of Ancient Egyptian architecture, sculpture, painting, and crafts from the first through the 22nd dynasties. Factors contributing to the art of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms is analyzed, including ancient Egyptian geography, history, culture, literature, and mythology. Slide lectures, classroom discussions, readings, and museum visits are included.
FA-2407 ART & ARCHEOLOGY IN LAT AMER (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Take FA-1402;
A survey of the art and archeology of the pre-Colombian civilizations in Mesoamerica and the Andean region in South America. The focus is on four cultures: the Olmec, the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inca. The colonial art of a later period and contemporary art are also studied. Field trips to museums.
Typically offered: As Needed
FA-2408 Commemorative Practices in the United States (3 Credits)
This course surveys commemorative practices in the United States from the Revolutionary period to the present, focusing on how individual Americans and the nation as a whole remember the past, honor people and events, and reflect on national tragedies. While this course will place an emphasis on how memories of past events and experiences have been given physical form in monuments, souvenirs, and impromptu shrines, other commemorative arts covered may include music, poetry, and film. The histories and debates surrounding a number of major memorials will be studied in depth. The class will visit several of New York's memorial sites.
Typically offered: Spring Only
FA-2409 Art of Social Change in the US United States (3 Credits)
This course surveys art made in the United States with the purpose of effecting social change. By making the rhetorical visual and the abstract personal, images can be powerful tools of social persuasion. Some have questioned art's political effectiveness, arguing that art is inherently removed from political action. Others have dismissed explicitly socially conscious art as propaganda. This class will investigate such claims by looking at a wide range of fine art and visual media, showing how the boundaries between art and popular media, personal expression and social commentary, and commercial and political motives, are more fluid than not. The class will begin with topics and debates related to current social movements. The class will then go back in time to cover key moments in the history of the art of social change, moving chronologically from the visual culture of abolitionism to late 20th-century and early 21st-century topics such as feminist art and the art of war protest. The class will end with a study of some examples of social practice or dialogical art.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE
FA-2410 Art in New York City United States (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Any 1000 Level FA course
This course offers students the opportunity for in depth study of New York museum and gallery exhibitions. Art works will be the primary sources that students examine onsite first hand, along with the contextual and historical framework provided by the exhibitions' curators. Exhibitions at nearby museums and galleries, such as the Brooklyn Museum, the International Center of Photography on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, BRIC gallery on Fulton Street, Smack Mellon gallery in DUMBO, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, will determine the specific focus of the course. Students will develop an interpretive final project (such as an exhibition tour or public program and/or community outreach proposal). Class meetings will regularly take place off campus at galleries, museums, and at public art installations, and students will be required to take public transportation to sites that are not within walking distance from campus.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE, SEH
FA-3413 AUSTRIAN CULT & FINE ARTS (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): Take FA-1402
Cross-listed with: ICS-5307. An introduction to the culture and arts of Austria, with particular attention to Vienna. Painting, sculpture, architecture, urban planning, and music are examined in historical perspective. Classroom lectures are supplemented by slides, films, and museum visits.
Typically offered: As Needed
FA-3416 Early and Medieval Christian Art (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FA-1402
This course focuses on the development of the arts within the Church from the fourth to the 14th century. It begins with an introduction to common symbols and themes used in the arts of the period and progresses to the study of painting, sculpture, and architecture. Particular emphasis is placed on the evolution of these art forms from the early Christian period through the Gothic. Decorative and functional objects such as stained-glass windows and reliquaries will be examined for their style and purpose.
Typically offered: As Needed
FA-4995 Independent Study in Fine Arts (1-3 Credits)
A project undertaken by the student with the approval of the Department Chairperson. Students develop and pursue a reading and research program resulting in a paper of appropriate length.
Typically offered: On Demand
FA-4996 Choir (1 Credit)
Members of the College Choir may apply for a one-credit Independent Study based on their training, practice, rehearsals, and public performances during one semester. Approval from the Department Chairperson is required and evaluation is conducted by the Department Chairperson in consultation with the Moderator of the Choir. This course may be repeated for a maximum of three credits.
FA-5412 SELECTED READINGS IN HONORS (3 Credits)
An interdisciplinary seminar course in which a variety of text (novels, plays, essays, and criticism) are read. Emphasis is on eliciting from the students a critical reading of the texts. Seminar discussions, written analysis, oral reports, and term papers, are required for participants. Professors from various departments of the College will participate. Honors.
Typically offered: Spring Only
FA-5414 Art in New York City (Honors) (3 Credits)
This seminar will generally survey contemporary art and the New York area scene. It will help students to discover new artists, to be knowledgeable about different media, and to put recent work in historical context. Guest lectures may include working artists, art dealers, curators, arts administrators, and collectors. Class meetings may take place off campus at galleries, artist studios, and museums.
FA-5415 Hon Seminar: Opera in Ny City (3 Credits)
This seminar generally surveys contemporary art and the New York area scene. It helps students discover new artists, be knowledgeable about different media, and to put recent work in historical context. Guest lecturers may include working artists, art dealers, curators, arts administrators, and collectors. Class meetings may take place off campus at galleries, artist studios, and museums.
FA-5416 Hon Seminar: Public Art (3 Credits)
This course covers traditional public monuments and memorials, as well as performance art, social practice art, sound art, digital art, temporary public art installations, and public art interventions. Students will learn about the commissioning process, audience reception, and policies developed to negotiate the removal and relocation of public art no longer in sync with contemporary values. Site visits to public art projects in New York City will be made as a class and individually.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: SEH, HCE
Typically offered: Fall Only
FA-5417 Blues, Jazz, and the Harlem Renaissance (3 Credits)
An exploration of blues, jazz, and the literature of the Harlem Renaissance. In the process of developing a stronger, more critical appreciation of these art forms, students study such legendary figures as Alain Lock, WEB duBois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neal Hurston, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington. Lectures are supplemented with film, slides, and recorded examples. Students will attend live jazz performances.
French
FRE-1101 Beginning Year French I (3 Credits)
The attainment of audio-lingual skills. For students who are beginning French and for those who have studied French for no more than two years in high school.
Typically offered: Fall Only
FRE-1102 Beginning Year French II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-1101
Continuation of FRE 1101.
Typically offered: Spring Only
FRE-2103 Lower Intermediate French (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-1102
The control of elementary audio-lingual skills and their further development; emphasis on developing reading skills. This course is not for native or fluent speakers.
FRE-2200 Global French Cinema (3 Credits)
This course explores French and Francophone cinema from several regions and countries including France, Belgium, North Africa, Senegal, the Caribbean, Canada, and Southeast Asia. Students are introduced to the social, historical, economic, and political issues confronting these diverse societies through the analysis and discussion of key cinematographic works and short essays and literary texts. Taught in English.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-3201 Masterpieces of French Literature I (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-2104
Reading and discussion of major works from the medieval period to the 20th century, these works are read in modern versions of the original language.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-3202 Masterpieces of French Literature II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-3201
Continuation of FRE-201.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-3300 Global French Cinema (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-1101
This course explores French and Francophone cinema from several regions and countries including France, Belgium, North Africa, Senegal, the Caribbean, Canada, and Southeast Asia. Students are introduced to the social, historical, economic, and political issues confronting these diverse societies through the analysis and discussion of key cinematographic works and short essays and literary texts.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-4100 Studies in French (3 Credits)
Liberal arts credit; does not fulfill a language requirement. Conducted entirely in English and dealing with an aspect of French literature or civilization. Specific topic to be announced each semester.
FRE-4303 Advanced French Conversation (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-3202
Designed to develop the technique and vocabulary of discussion as a supplement to expression in the areas of experience.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-4304 Nineteenth-Century French Literature (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-3202
A study of the principal authors and literary movements of this period, exclusive of the poets.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-4403 Twentieth-Century French Literature (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-3202
A study of the development of French literature from 1900 to the present.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-4408 Eighteenth-Century French Literature (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): FRE-3202
A study of 18th-century literature as a reflection of the historical, social, and cultural development of France.
Typically offered: As Needed
FRE-4995 Independent Study in French (1-3 Credits)
A research and reading project, agreed upon by professor and student, is carried out under the professor's supervision. The student's progress is monitored by regular meetings and reports. Evaluation by means of any of several methods--examinations, written assignments, term paper, oral reports.
Typically offered: On Demand
Spanish
SPA-1101 Spanish for Global Communication (3 Credits)
A beginning course in spoken and written Spanish with emphasis on oral expression. Students learn basic language skills while learning about Spanish culture. Oral practice in the classroom combined with a solid foundation of grammar and vocabulary prepare students for advanced training in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. For students who are beginning Spanish and for those who have studied Spanish for no more than two years in high school. Bilingual students will not receive credit for this course. A placement exam in Spanish is available to students who have taken 3 years of high school Spanish or beyond.
Typically offered: All Sessions
SPA-1102 Upper Beginning Spanish (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-1101
Continaution of SPA-1101.
Typically offered: All Sessions
SPA-1105 Spanish for Bilingual Students (3 Credits)
An in-depth study of Spanish grammar with emphasis on reading and writing for students proficient in spoken Spanish whose formal education has been in English. Vocabulary and critical thinking are developed through literary and cultural readings and put into practice in class discussions and compositions.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-1117 Basic Conversational Spanish for Education I (3 Credits)
A course designed for majors in education programs to promote the attainment of audio-lingual skills in the Spanish language; specifically, speaking and understanding the language at a level apropriate for daily conversation in and around the classroom. Bilingual students and those with more than two years of high school Spanish will not receive credit for this course. They should seek placement in the appropriate advanced Spanish courses by the Foreign Language department.
SPA-1118 Basic Conversational Spanish for Education II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-1117
Continuation of SPA-1117.
SPA-1119 Spanish for Business I (3 Credits)
Intended to promote speaking, understanding, and reading skills in the Spanish language used in daily communications within the business world. Also an exploration of the cultural practices, customs, and traditions of the Latin American business and social world. A comparison will be made with the same practices in the U.S.
SPA-1120 Spanish for Business II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-1119
Continuation of SPA-1119.
Typically offered: As Needed
SPA-1129 Spanish for Health Professionals I (3 Credits)
Spanish for Health Professionals I is an introductory course designed for students in medical fields. This is the first of two courses needed to complete the health professional language program. These courses must be taken in sequence. This course will help students to develop the skills necessary to understand and communicate in Spanish (at the beginning level) in a health care environment. A relevant and precise vocabulary will be introduced as well as cultural innuendos related to Hispanic patients.
Typically offered: As Needed
SPA-1130 Spanish for Health Professionals II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-1129
Spanish for Health Professionals II is a continuation of Spanish for Health Professionals I. These courses are designed for students in medical fields. Students must complete Spanish for Health Professionals I. If the student is of Spanish heritage and has basic knowledge of the language, he or she will be placed in this course only after taking and passing a placement exam. This exam is administered by the Language Coordinator. Spanish for Health Professionals II will help students to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to understand and communicate in Spanish at an intermediate level in a health care environment. A relevant and precise vocabulary will be introduced as well as cultural innuendos related to Hispanic patients. The course offers health professionals the practical vocabulary and medical terminology to gather patient's medical information, to be able to explain medical conditions, body parts that are affected, the illness that is 2 diagnosed, and the process to be followed: surgery, rehabilitation, and other treatments. The main emphasis of the course is communication and a relation between health professionals and patients that leads to excellence in treatment, comfort and positive patient outcomes.
Typically offered: As Needed
SPA-2103 Lower Intermediate Spanish (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-1102
The control of elementary audio-lingual skills and their further development; emphasis on developing reading skills. Students should have three years of language reading and conversation in high school, a passing score on a placement test, or SPA-1102 before enrolling in this course.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-2104 Upper Intermediate Spanish (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2103
Continuation of SPA-2103.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-2115 Conversation in Spanish (3 Credits)
A conversation course based on everyday topics and readings from a wide range of literary and non-literary sources.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-2201 Contemporary Readings of Spain and Latin America I (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2104
Reading and discussion of major works of Spanish and Latin American literature.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-2202 Contemporary Readings of Spain and Latin America II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2201
Continuation of SPA-2201.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-3302 Contemporary Spanish Literature 1898 to Present (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2202
A study of the outstanding authors of the 20th century and their works.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-3305 History of Spanish-American Literature I (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2104
Selections from principal Spanish-American writers from the 16th century to the present.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-3306 History of Spanish-American Literature II (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-3305
Continuation of SPA-3305
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-3402 Spanish Civilization and Culture (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): ICS-1240,ICS-1241
A study of the characteristics of Spanish culture based upon anthropological and sociological studies; humanistic and scientific contributions to civilization; reading and reports.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-3411 Latin American Nobel Laureates in Literature (3 Credits)
In 1945, Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean poet, was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Laureate for literature. Subsequently, several Latin American authors have been recognized internationally for their literary accomplishments. In this course we will read, listen to, and view works of prose, poetry, and drama from Latin American Nobel Laureates.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-3414 Hispanic Caribbean Culture and Literature (3 Credits)
A study and analysis of the culture and literature of the Hispanic ethnic groups living in metropolitan New York, the West Coast, Southwest, and South Florida, including Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Mexicans, Central and South Americans. The course will explore their contributions to literature, art, music, and film.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-4308 Advanced Spanish Conversation (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2202
A course to develop the technique and vocabulary of discussion as a supplement to expression in the areas of expertise.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-4407 Cervantes (3 Credits)
Requisite(s): SPA-2103
An analysis of Cervantes' works and their importance in the literature of the Siglo de Oro; readings and discussions; reports.
Typically offered: Spring Only
SPA-4415 Puerto Rican Literature: Ethnicity and National Identity in Poetry, Fiction, And Essays (3 Credits)
Readings and discussions on the culture and history of Puerto Rico and its development in contemporary times. Topics on the relations between national identity, literature, and politics will be presented for discussion.
Typically offered: Fall Only
SPA-4417 Visual Arts in Latin American Culture (3 Credits)
A study of Latin American painting and film in relation to the emergence of national identities and values. This course is devoted to the works of the most important Latin American artists, writers, and directors.
Typically offered: As Needed
SPA-4419 Travel and Study in Spain, Latin America, or the Caribbean (3 Credits)
Offered in conjunction with a trip to Spain, Latin America, or the Caribbean conducted by the department. Travel experience is supplemented by lectures before and during the trip. Each student also prepares a research paper on a topic approved by the instructor: (a) Spain and/or Portugal; (b) the Caribbean and/or Central America; and (c) South America.
Typically offered: As Needed
SPA-4995 Independent Study in Spanish (1-3 Credits)
A research and reading project, agreed upon by professor and student, is carried out under the professor's supervision. The student's progress is monitored by regular meetings and reports. Evaluation by means of any of several methods: examinations, written assignments, term papers, oral reports.
Typically offered: On Demand
SPA-4998 Senior Thesis in Spanish (4 Credits)
Requisite(s): Senior standing
This thesis course is designed to lead the student through the entire process of preparing a senior thesis on a topic in Spanish culture or language resulting in the completion of a paper of at least 35 pages. The thesis will not be accepted unless correct form is used throughout, following the guidelines of the _MLA Handbook_. High standards of grammar, punctuation, and spelling will apply. The student will choose his/her topic and mentor with the approval of the chairperson of the department. The student will meet regularly with the mentor throughout the semester. The thesis may be written in either English or Spanish per the agreement of the student, mentor, and chairperson.
Typically offered: On Demand
SPA-5401 Latino Culture and Literature (3 Credits)
Cross-listed with: ICS-5341. This course explores cultural and literary expressions of Latinos in the United States. It analyzes the artistic, cultural, social and economic impact of the immigrant experience and the incorporation of Latinos into United States society. Various genres will be studied from a social and cultural context: autobiographical essays, poetry, novels, stories, documentaries, film, music and art. Topics include: identity in relation to ethnicity, nationality and race and their impact on cultural expression; struggle for self-determination; class and gender struggle; and being bilingual/bicultural or living within a margin. Representative authors and artists to be studied: Julia Alvarez, Cherie Moraga, Cristina Garca, Achy Obeja, Rosario Ferr, Gloria Anzalda and James de la Vega. Open to students in the Honors Program only.
Fulfills General Education Requirement: HCE, WHG
Typically offered: Spring Only