Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Spanish and Hispanic Studies

Core Faculty
May Farnsworth, Professor of Spanish and Chair
Fernando Rodríguez-Mansilla, Associate Professor of Spanish
Caroline Travalia, Professor of Spanish

The Spanish and Hispanic Studies Department (SHS) supports students on their path toward successful bilingual communication, cultural literacy, and global citizenship. The ability to navigate between at least two languages is an increasingly important life skill and an integral part of a liberal arts education. Acquiring a second language and maintaining bilingualism are linked to diverse academic and personal benefits, including superior cognitive control, empathy, spatial abilities, memory retrieval, and problem-solving skills. SHS offers courses for students seeking to use Spanish in personal, professional, and academic settings, including beginning and intermediate students, advanced language learners, and heritage speakers. The program follows the communicative approach with a curricular emphasis on meaningful learning contexts, cultural understanding, authentic materials, creative expression, and language immersion.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Spanish and Hispanic Studies Department (SHS) at Hobart and William Smith is to prepare students to express themselves effectively in diverse Spanish-speaking contexts at the local and national level, while also preparing students for international travel, intercultural exchange, graduate school and careers using the language. Currently, there are more than 550 million Spanish-speakers around the globe. The United States is home to the world’s largest Spanish-speaking population, second only to Mexico. More than 18% of the residents of New York State speak Spanish. The Hispanic population in the city of Geneva has reached 14% and continues to grow. SHS fulfills its mission in multiple ways: our courses prepare students through critical thinking, literary analysis, linguistics, translation, intercultural awareness, and community engagement.

Offerings

SHS offers a disciplinary major, a disciplinary minor, and a Spanish for Bilingual Education interdisciplinary minor. Only courses completed with a grade of C- or better may count toward the major or minors. No more than two CR courses may count towards any one of the Spanish and Hispanic Studies degrees.

Study Abroad. All Spanish and Hispanic Studies students are strongly encouraged to study abroad for one semester. The department sponsors two off-campus immersion programs: one in Seville, Spain, and one in Valparaíso, Chile. In these programs students live with Spanish-speaking host families and take all of their courses in the target language. Up to four courses taken in the Spain and Chile programs will count for the major, or up to three for the minor. Courses from other off-campus programs must be pre-approved by the department. For Spain and Chile, the language requirement is five semesters of Spanish or the equivalent (the completion of at least one course at level II).

Curriculum. Spanish and Hispanic Studies courses are organized into four sequential levels: I, II, III, and IV. Courses at level I (100s) focus on fundamental language skills and must be taken in sequence. Courses at level II (200s) focus on communication and culture. Courses at level III (300-349) establish foundations of literature, culture and linguistics, and courses at level IV (350 and above) are advanced seminars on literature, culture, and linguistics. Two courses at level II are required to move to level III, and two at level III, to move up to level IV. The department also offers SPNE courses, which are courses taught in English with Hispanic content.

A Note for Heritage Speakers. Our faculty takes care to place students who have extensive familiarity with the Spanish language at home or in their community in appropriate language courses. These include, but are not limited to SPN 204 Bilingual Realities, SPN 225 Hispanic Media, SPN 231 Spanish for the Professions, and SPN 260 Spanish Writing Workshop. These classes support students in refining their use of Spanish for professional and academic purposes, given their focus on writing, grammar review, cross-cultural dialogue, and career development.

Spanish and Hispanic Studies Major (B.A.)

disciplinary, 11 courses
Learning Objectives:

• Present ideas and arguments, read, and write in Spanish at the Advanced Proficiency level, with enough accuracy that Spanish speakers, including those unfamiliar with language teaching, will be able to understand.
• Exhibit comprehension of essential meaning when listening to native speakers from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries in authentic contexts.
• Describe cultural products and practices, analyze literary materials and explain fundamental features of the language.
• Demonstrate cultural competency related to the Spanish-speaking world.
• Apply language and cross-cultural skills to graduate study and/or other professional settings.

Requirements:
Eleven Spanish and Hispanic Studies courses, including three SPN courses from level II (200s), three SPN courses from level III (300 to 349), three SPN courses from level IV (350 and above), and two more courses which can be either SPN courses at levels II, III or IV, or SPNE courses. Students may apply up to four courses in department-sponsored programs in Spain and Chile towards this major. Courses in non-departmental programs must be pre-approved by SHS. With the department's approval, a course at a higher level can replace a course at a lower level. In addition to completing courses, students must produce a senior portfolio before graduating. Students must consult with their major advisor or the chair of the department for more information about the senior portfolio requirement.

Spanish and Hispanic Studies Minor – Disciplinary

6 courses
Requirements:
Six Spanish and Hispanic Studies courses, including three courses from level II, and three courses from level III or IV, only one of which can be replaced with an SPNE course. Students may apply up to three courses in department-sponsored programs in Spain and Chile towards this minor. Courses in non-departmental programs must be pre-approved by the SHS Department. With the department's approval a course at a higher level may replace a course at a lower level.

SPANISH FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION MINOR

6 courses
Requirements:
Spanish for Bilingual Education offers students an exploration of Spanish-English bilingual education in the United States. Students will develop a critical understanding of cultural competency, increase their Spanish proficiency, and gain experience in the areas of teaching and research through courses in linguistics and culture, pedagogy, and language. Spanish for Bilingual Education is comprised of three courses in Spanish and Hispanic Studies, two courses in Education and one interdisciplinary elective. Coursework for the minor prepares students for careers and/or graduate study in Spanish/English bilingual education and related fields that serve the Spanish/English bilingual community in the US. Students seeking teaching careers in public schools will require separate state teacher certification and additional coursework.

Course Levels

Level I: Fundamental Language Skills
SPN 101 Beginning Spanish I
SPN 102 Beginning Spanish II

Level II: Communication and Culture
SPN 201 Intermediate Spanish I
SPN 202 Intermediate Spanish II
SPN 203 Spanish for Conversation and Debate
SPN204 Bilingual Realities
SPN 225 Hispanic Media: Contemporary Issues
SPN 231 Spanish for the Professions
SPN 260 Spanish Writing Workshop

Level III: Foundations: Literature, Culture and Linguistics
SPN 304 Latinx-Latin American Literature
SPN 306 ¡Cómo mola! Introducción a la lingüística española
SPN 308 Culture and Identity in Spanish America
SPN 316 Voces de Mujeres
SPN 318 La España del Siglo de Oro
SPN319 Animals in the Hispanic World
SPN 332 Literatura infantil
SPN 340 Spanish Cinema
SPN 344 Rutas literarias de España

Level IV: Seminars: Literature, Culture and Linguistics
SPN 355 Teatro: Innovations in Hispanic Drama
SPN 360 Special Topics: Hispanic Studies
SPN 385 Sounds of Spanish
SPN 392 Dramaturgas
SPN 420 Contemporary Latin American Novel
SPN 450 Independent Study
SPN 490 Cervantes: Don Quixote
SPN 495/496 Honors

Courses Taught in English with Hispanic Content: BIDS and SPNE
BIDS 286 Gender, Nation, Literature
SPNE 210 Topics in Bilingual Education
SPNE 325 Special Topics: Hispanic Studies
SPNE 450 Independent Study

Courses Taught in Spanish (SPN)

SPN 101 Beginning Spanish I  Designed for students who have not taken Spanish before, this course develops the basic skills in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing the language, and introduces the student to a variety of cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Beginning Spanish I, as well as the other courses in the beginning and intermediate levels, use a combination of three weekly master classes with the regular instructor and an additional hour of laboratory practice or the equivalent, using the multimedia materials accompanying the text. This course is the first part of the beginning sequence; students who take SPN 101 in the Fall are highly advised to take SPN 102 in the Spring of the same academic year. (Offered Fall semesters)

SPN 102 Beginning Spanish II  The second part of the beginning sequence, this course increases the level of proficiency in the areas of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing, and it provides students with more ample knowledge of the multiple cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Beginning Spanish II, as well as the other courses in the beginning and intermediate levels, use a combination of three weekly master classes with the regular instructor and an additional hour of laboratory practice or the equivalent, using the multimedia materials accompanying the text. Completion of the beginning sequence or its equivalent is necessary for students who wish to advance to the intermediate level. Prerequisite: SPN 101 or equivalent. (Offered Spring semesters)

SPN 201 Intermediate Spanish I  This course is designed for students who have been placed in SPN 201, or students who have completed SPN 102. The course further develops the basic language skills acquired in the beginning sequence including grammar review, conversation, writing, and reading. Cultural awareness is emphasized through an exposure to authentic materials from the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students who complete the intermediate course will meet the language criteria to apply for the department's off-campus programs in Spain and Chile. Prerequisite: SPN 102 or placement in SPN 201. (offered annually)

SPN 202 Intermediate Spanish II  The second part of the intermediate level, this course introduces the student to the more complex aspects of grammar, continues vocabulary build up, and emphasizes oral and written communication through discussion of authentic materials, situation dialogues, and the writing of short essays. Reading materials increase the students' ability to make connections between their own environment and the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students who complete the intermediate course will meet the language criteria to apply for the department's off-campus programs in Spain and Chile. Prerequisite: SPN 201 or placement in SPN 202. (offered annually)

SPN 203 Spanish for Conversation and Debate  This course focuses on the Spanish grammar acquisition process with particular emphasis on speaking and listening comprehension. Short films are used each week to introduce a grammatical topic, cultural aspects, and vocabulary. Examples of classroom activities include debates, skits, and other creative and interactive uses of the language. Idiomatic usage, fluency, correct grammar, and appropriate vocabulary in everyday situations will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Completion of SPAN 201, or the equivalent. (Travalia, offered annually)

SPN 204 Bilingual Realities  This course will appeal to students who use Spanish in every-day life and bilingual contexts. We will study dynamic bilingual communication practices in academics, popular culture, creative writing, and public speaking. Through memoirs, manifestos, novels, music, film, and podcasts, we will explore diverse bilingual/bi-cultural life experiences and forms of expression. Topics of discussion include, but are not limited to, migration, education, social media, art, and activism. We will practice conversational fluency, grammatical precision, persuasive writing, and vocabulary building. Readings may include the following: De cómo las muchachas García perdieron el acento by Julia Alvarez, Spanglish by Ilan Stavans and Poet X by Elizabeth Azevedo. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, or the equivalent. (Farnsworth, offered annually)

SPN 225 Hispanic Media: Contemporary Issues  This course will develop students' cultural awareness through a series of written assignments organized around major journalistic and academic genres. We will investigate contemporary issues as presented in the media of Spain, Latin America and U.S. Latino communities. More specifically the course will explore such topics as immigration and multiculturalism, gender and sexuality, linguistic variety of the Spanish language, and issues of cultural identity among others. The internet, printed, audio and visual media material will provide the foundation for class discussions, oral presentations, cultural projects and other activities. Critical readings will complement the material and provide a broader understanding of contemporary cultural realities on both sides of the Atlantic. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, or the equivalent. (Rodriguez-Mansilla, offered annually)

SPN 231 Spanish for the Professions  This course focuses on the use of Spanish in a variety of professional careers. Students explore the vocabulary and cultural implications of using Spanish in fields such as business, health care, the legal system, social services, and education. Class activities include role-playing, skits, translations, a video newscast project and a mock trial. Emphasis is placed on acquiring vocabulary, increasing cultural competence, and improving oral fluency. This course is recommended for students who intend to use Spanish in a professional field, students who intend to teach Spanish to English-speakers or English to Spanish-speakers, as well as bilingual students. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, or the equivalent. (Travalia, offered annually)

SPN 260 Spanish Writing Workshop  This course focuses on grammar review through diverse activities, such as writing, reading and speaking about films, campus events, and authentic cultural materials from the Spanish speaking world. Class activities will examine challenging aspects of Spanish, while emphasizing the importance of context and grammar structures. Students will refine their language skills by composing different types of texts. Prerequisite: Completion of SPN 201, another course at Level II (203-299), or direct placement. (Rodriguez-Mansilla, offered annually)

SPN 304 Latinx-Latin American Literature  This course studies representations of identity in Latin-American and Latinx arts and literature. We will consider the ways in which writers/artists in different parts of the Hispanic world (and on different sides of the US national border) confirm, question, and/or transgress social norms. Through plays, documentaries, narrative fiction, podcasts, and essays, we will study the role that literature, language, and culture play in reflecting and reshaping social identities and attitudes in Latin American and Latinx communities. (Farnsworth, offered occasionally)

SPN 306 Como mola! Introduction a la Linguistica Espanola  This course is an introduction to Spanish linguistics as applied to current, colloquial language. Students will be introduced to basic concepts of phonetics, syntax, morphology and pragmatics in Spanish. They will analyze examples of these concepts from the Spanish children's book series, Manolito Gafotas. This popular series is written in modern, idiomatic, Castillian Spanish. It also presents invaluable cultural information about Spain, therefore serving as an authentic, yet accessible corpus of study. One important objective of this course is to enable students to improve their own speaking and writing by enhancing their knowledge of linguistics, as well as its practical applications and cultural implications in everyday Spanish. (Travalia, offered occasionally)

SPN 308 Culture and Identity in Latin America  This course is a panoramic introduction to the cultures of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. We will investigate the ways in which communities and collective identities have been formed and maintained in Latin America from the time of independence from Spain to the present day. We will also look at the ways in which individuals form their own sense of self within the group context. Topics of discussion will include race, religion, gender, and politics. Course materials will come from current events, historical documents, popular culture, and artwork. Particular attention will be paid to Latin American cinema. (Staff, offered occasionally)

SPN 316 Voces de Mujeres  Voces de mujeres explores the strategies used by modern female writers and artists to express themselves, comment on the condition of women, and foster feminist social change in Spain and Latin America. Class discussions will include issues of race, class, gender, and nation building. Additionally, the course will consider the ways in which female authors challenge traditional literary criticism and re-define terms like "woman," "gender," and "feminist." Prerequisite: two courses from level II, or equivalent. (Farnsworth, offered ocassionally)

SPN 319 Animals in the Hispanic World  This course studies representations of animals in Hispanic literature and other cultural productions. We study how writers and artists in different places and cultural periods of the Hispanic world explore the relationship between humans and animals in a myriad of ways: animals can be depicted as symbols, literary characters (as friends, enemies, leaders, etc.), human behavior metaphors, etc. Through fables, short stories, poems, and literary essays, we will reflect on animal ethics as well as how diverse animal representations unfold relevant Hispanic cultural issues (such as race, class, and gender) (Rodríguez-Mansilla, offered occasionally)

SPN 332 Literatura infantil  This course is an introduction to the rich tradition of children's literature in Spanish. Students will examine literary works from various Spanish-speaking countries - including Latino writers from the US - and time periods, paying particular attention to the colloquial language and cultural elements of each text. Consideration will be given to the young characters' view of the world and how issues like class, gender, and identity influence that view. In addition to analyzing literary works, students will teach Spanish through literature to local elementary school children on a weekly basis. They will also write their own children's story in Spanish as a final project. This course is highly recommended for students interested in education, community outreach, and/or creative writing. (Travalia, offered occasionally)

SPN 340 Spanish Cinema  In this course we will study the production of a selected group of Spanish filmmakers from Buñuel to the present. Through film screenings, class discussions, and readings on film theory, film history, and Spanish culture, we will trace the evolution of Spanish cinema through Franco's military dictatorship and under the new democratic system. Themes of exile and censorship, gender and sexuality, religion and nationality, among others, will be explored in the context of film history, Spanish society, and in relation to other artistic manifestations of Spanish culture. By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of contemporary Spanish history as represented in its cinema, as well as an understanding of a variety of themes that are both unique to Spanish society and universal to the human condition. (Staff, offered occasionally)

SPN 344 Rutas literarias de Espana  This course focuses on key moments in the development of Spanish Peninsular Literature from the Middle Ages to the (post) modern period. Through the analysis of poems, short stories, essays and other historical and experimental genres, this class seeks to explain and exemplify essential themes of the Spanish literary tradition: race and ethnicity; nation, Empire, and foreign influence; cultural customs and the appraisal of modernity; gender issues and the reflection on literature, individuality and artistic language. (Rodriguez-Mansilla, offered alternate years)

SPN 355 Contemporary Theater: Innovations in Hispanic Drama  This class will examine theater from Latin America, Spain, and the Latino population in the US. We will study the diverse methods that playwrights in these regions have developed to reflect and to critique the political and social climates in which they live; we will also discuss the role that theater plays in community-building, identity politics, and political activism. Dramatic practices such as metatheater, theater of cruelty, Brechtian techniques, and feminist drama will be discussed throughout the semester. Prerequisite: two courses from level III or equivalent. (Farnsworth, offered occasionally)

SPN 360 Topics: Hispanic Studies 

SPN 385 Sounds of Spanish  This course takes students one step further in their mastery of the Spanish language with an introduction to the mechanics of native sound production. Students will study the basic concepts of Spanish phonology and phonetics. Likewise, they will learn how to represent and interpret speech using the International Phonetic Alphabet. Non-native speakers will work with native speakers toward achieving a native-like pronunciation. Both groups of students will develop an awareness of the phonetic variation that exists in the Spanish-speaking world today. Emphasis will be placed on historical factors involved in the development of different phonetic variants, as well as the social advantages and disadvantages that characterize them. Other differences between varieties of Spanish will also be examined, such as morphosyntactic, semantic and pragmatic aspects. Prerequisite: two SPAN courses from level III, or equivalent. (Travalia, offered occasionally)

SPN 392 Dramaturgas  This course examines plays written by women in Latin America and Spain. Feminist theory, cultural studies, and critical histories will inform our analyses. Class themes and discussions will cover feminist theatre practices, women's performative voices/bodies, and gender in dramatic space. Readings may include El amo del mundo by Alfonsina Storni, La malasangre by Griselda Gambaro, La llamada de Lauren by Paloma Pedrero, and Entre Villa y una mujer desnuda by Sabina Berman. Prerequisite: two courses from level III, or the equivalent. (Farnsworth, offered occasionally)

SPN 450 Independent Study

SPN 456 1/2 Credit Independent Study

SPN 489 Capstone Experience  Each student pursuing a major in SHS must present a portfolio project prior to graduation. The portfolio includes a self-evaluation, writing samples, a reflection paper, and a formal presentation (in Spanish). This is not a course for credit, but rather an experience that is required of all majors in their final year; the creation and presentation of the portfolio project take place outside of class time. Students should ask their SHS advisors for specific details, including a timeline for submitting materials and an up-to-date project description.

SPN 490 Cervantes: Don Quijote  This course offers careful analysis of the style, characterization, theme, and structure of Spain's greatest literary masterpiece, and study of the work's relationship to major social and intellectual currents of the 16th and 17th centuries. Prerequisite: Two courses from level III or the equivalent (Rodríguez-Mansilla, offered occasionally)

SPN 495 Honors 

Courses Taught in English (SPNE)

SPNE 210 Topics in Bilingual Education  Bilingual education is a rapidly growing field in this country. Successful bilingual programs are intellectually stimulating, empowering, and culturally enriching and draw from diverse methodologies and practices. This course explores the philosophies, approaches, and practical applications of foreign language pedagogy in general and Spanish-English bilingual education in particular. Through study, service, and community engagement, students will consider what constitutes success in Spanish-English bilingual education, how bilingualism and biculturalism contribute to our national culture and local community, and how practices and policies in bilingual education are continually evolving. (Farnsworth, offered occasionally)

SPNE 450 Independent Study

SPNE 456 1/2 Credit Independent Study