Spanish (SPAN)

How to Read Course Descriptions

SPAN 1A.     Elementary Spanish. 4 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Beginning Spanish language with primary emphasis on the development of audio-lingual skills. Attention will also be given to the interrelatedness of language and civilization and culture. Additional attention will be given to the development of reading and writing. Students will be expected to spend several hours per week in the language laboratory. Not recommended for students with any previous study of Spanish.

SPAN 1B.     Elementary Spanish. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 1A, or instructor permission.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement, Humanities (Area C2)

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Continuation of SPAN 1A with a greater emphasis on the development of speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Cultural knowledge continues to be an important component: elements of Hispanic character, customs, and the way in which the Spanish and Latin American peoples view themselves and others in the world is studied.

SPAN 1C.     Intensive Elementary Spanish. 6 Units

Prerequisite(s): Two years of high school Spanish or equivalent.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This course emphasizes a rapid development of the four language skills--speaking, reading, writing, and listening--covered in the first two semesters of university Spanish. Cultural knowledge is also an important component of this course, and elements of Hispanic character, customs, and the way in which the Spanish and Latin American peoples view themselves and others in the world will be studied. Recommended for students who have had some previous study of Spanish, but need a quick review of the structures covered in the first two years of high school Spanish or the equivalent.

SPAN 2A.     Intermediate Spanish. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): One year of college Spanish, or instructor permission.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Oral, auditory, and written practice based on more advanced dialogue material and on short stories, plays, and the like. Attention to the development of reading fluency and to the extension of both active and passive vocabulary. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement.

SPAN 2B.     Intermediate Spanish. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2A, suitable score on placement exam, or instructor permission.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Continuation of SPAN 2A. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement.

SPAN 6A.     Intermediate Spanish for Professionals I. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): Three years of High School Spanish or instructor permission.

Term Typically Offered: Fall only

Conversational, reading and written practice based on dialogue material, presentations, and the like at the intermediate level of Spanish. The course includes specialized themes related to the professions, such as healthcare and related fields. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement.

SPAN 6B.     Intermediate Spanish for Professionals II. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 6A

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Continuation of SPAN 6A. Students continue to practice conversational, reading and written practice based on dialogue material, presentations, and the like at the intermediate level of Spanish. The course will include specialized themes related to the professions, such as healthcare or related fields. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement.

Note: Students will need to pay a fee to cover for the cost of the Spanish Proficiency Exam, which will be used for Assessment Purposes.

SPAN 7.     Spanish Reading Proficiency. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 1A or two years of high school Spanish.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Designed to improve Spanish reading proficiency. Students will acquire the ability to understand various types of materials written in Spanish (e.g. news items, personal correspondence, technical material, short stories); follow essential points and ideas of special interest or knowledge. Students will demonstrate Spanish reading comprehension by their ability to translate and answer content questions in Spanish as well as English.

SPAN 8A.     Intermediate Spanish for Criminal Justice I. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): Three years of High School Spanish or instructor permission.

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language Graduation Requirement

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Conversational, reading and written practice based on dialogue material, presentations, and other activities at the intermediate level of Spanish. The course includes specialized themes related to the Criminal Justice professions and related fields. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement.

SPAN 8B.     Intermediate Spanish for Criminal Justice II. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 8A

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Continuation of SPAN 8A to develop conversational, reading and written skills based on dialogue material, presentations, and other activities at the intermediate level of Spanish. The course includes specialized themes related to the Criminal Justice professions or related fields. Meets the Foreign Language Graduation Proficiency Requirement. Field Trip(s)

Note: As part of this course, students will pay a fee to take the Spanish Proficiency Exam for assessment purposes.

Field trip(s) may be required.

SPAN 42.     Conversation In Spanish. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2B or equivalent, or instructor permission.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Conducted in Spanish, will further develop the audio-lingual skills that the students have acquired in their early Spanish language training. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining ideas and concepts in actual conversation situations, taken from topics of most interest to students.

SPAN 47.     Introduction to Composition and Grammar Review. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2B or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Develops the necessary skills to write with clarity, precision, and style. It emphasizes the proper use of the accents and the correct use of grammar.

SPAN 100.     Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Literature. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Introduction to literary theory and a practical application of the techniques of literary criticism.

SPAN 102.     Spanish Phonetics. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47 or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Study of the sound system of Spanish with some attention to comparison with English and the physiology of sounds. Drills to develop good pronunciation.

SPAN 103.     Advanced Spanish Grammar. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47 or equivalent or a "5" on the Spanish Language AP exam.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Study of the specific components of Spanish grammar with particular emphasis on the Spanish verbal system, the subjunctive, and other problematic aspects of grammar. Will be of particular interest to those planning to teach Spanish as well as to the Spanish-speaking students.

SPAN 106.     Advanced Spanish Composition. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 103 and completion of all lower division requirements.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Increased practice in writing with emphasis on sentence and paragraph structure, and compositions to effectively convey meaning and ideas. Attention will be given to narrative, descriptive, expository prose, and dialogue, as well as to letters and other forms of written communication.

SPAN 110.     Survey of Spanish Literature to 1800. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Fall only

Advanced readings, lectures, and discussions dealing with a panoramic view of Spanish literature from early works through the Golden Age and up to the 1800s.

SPAN 111.     Survey of Spanish Literature from 1800 to the Present. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Continuation of SPAN 110; deals with literature from the Neoclassic period to the contemporary. Readings taken from works and genres of this period.

SPAN 113.     Latin American Literature, Beginnings to Modernism. 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Fall only

Study of the major writers and trends in Latin American literature from beginnings until Modernism.

SPAN 114.     Latin American Literature, Modernism to Present. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Study of the major writers and trends in Latin American literature from Modernism to the present.

SPAN 115.     Magical Realism. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Magic and the wonderful infra-mythical world of major contemporary Latin America writers are explored in this in-depth study of Magical Realism. Short stories and novels are examined as they create a marvelous "other world" or reality. Authors studied include Gortazar, Carpentier, Bombal, Borges, Rulfo, Garcia Marquez, Fuentes, Sainz, Esquivel, and others.

SPAN 121.     Spanish For Professionals. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 2A or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Designed to teach present and future public servants the necessary vocabulary and structures for effective communication in interviews, visits, etc. Some attention to local dialect differences.

SPAN 121J.     Spanish Language For Criminal Justice Professionals. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 8A and 8B, or instructor permission.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Designed to teach present and future professional in criminal justice and related fields, including Social Work and Sociology, the necessary vocabulary and structures for effective communication in interviews, visits, etc. Some attention to local dialect differences. Readings, visuals, and discussion of Latino/Hispanic culture and cross-cultural practices variation within Latin America and Spain as related to conducting interviews and writing reports in the criminal justice fields and other professions.

SPAN 123.     Topics in Spanish Literature. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100

Term Typically Offered: Fall only

Topics in literature from Spain offered as needed. Typical topics are: Spanish novel through the Golden Age; 19th and 20th century Spanish novel; Spanish drama from the Middle Ages to the Golden Age; Spanish Contemporary drama.

Note: May be repeated for credit provided topic is different.

SPAN 125.     Introduction to Spanish-English Translation and Interpreting. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Spanish 47 or Instructor Consent

Term Typically Offered: Fall only

Teaches foundational technical and critical skills that bilingual Spanish-English speakers need to embark on the path to successful written translation and spoken interpreting in fields such as healthcare, law, education, business, and community service. Students engage theoretical readings, authentic case studies, and hands-on practice. By the end of the semester, students develop critical observation skills and build confidence to explore specialization in translation and/or interpreting.

SPAN 126.     Spanish-English Medical Interpreting. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 6B or SPAN 125

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

The proposed course teaches technical and critical skills needed to address the growing demand for qualified Spanish-English medical interpreters. In addition to meeting community needs, the course increases career opportunities for bilingual speakers of Spanish and English by fulfilling the prerequisite for certification through the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters. The course adds an option for students pursuing the Spanish major, Spanish minor, and HEALS certificate (Form B expected Fall 2023) who wish to focus on interpreting.

Note: Teaches the technical and critical skills needed for successful Spanish-English interpreting in the field of medicine. Students engage theoretical readings, glossaries of medical terminology, authentic case studies, and hands-on practice. Includes preparation for certification exams.

SPAN 129.     Spanish Civil War. 3 Units

General Education Area/Graduation Requirement: GE AREA D

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

In-depth examination of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) focusing on its social, political, and cultural contexts. The course also examines the war's historical origins, immediate aftermath and implications for understanding modern Spain.

Cross listed: HIST 136.

SPAN 130.     Contemporary Mexican Literature. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Inquiry into the significance of the individual in contemporary Mexican culture and his greater relationship to the cosmos as seen through his literature. May be of particular interest to the Mexican American.

SPAN 131.     Special Topics in Latin American Literature. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Topics in literature from Latin America offered. Class will focus on marginalized literary genres, places, or peoples. Possible class topics include: Caribbean Literature, Female Writers from Latin America, Afro Latinx Voices, Indigenous Authors from Latin America, Latin American Playwrights, etc.

Note: May be repeated for credit provided topic is different.

SPAN 134.     The Short Story in Latin America. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Development of the short story in Latin America with some introductory study of the North American short story by way of comparison. Selected readings from different countries where the short story has had an important development. Emphasis on the contemporary short story.

SPAN 142.     Advanced Spanish Conversation. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Increases language fluency and acquisition of new vocabulary through intensive conversational practice, based on topics of contemporary interest.

SPAN 151.     Civilization and Culture of Hispanic America. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Readings, visuals, and discussion of the history, geography, anthropology, sociology, politics, economics, folklore, and artistic expression of the nations of Hispanic America.

SPAN 152.     Civilization and Culture of Spain. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Reading and discussion of the history, geography, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, folklore, music, art, and the dance as these areas relate to Modern Spain.

SPAN 153.     Civilization and Culture of Mexico. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 47

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Reading and discussion of the history, geography, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, folklore, music, art, and the dance of Mexico.

SPAN 159.     Cultures of Latin America for the Professions. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 6A, 6B, and SPAN 121 or instructor approval.

Term Typically Offered: Spring only

Readings, visuals, and discussion of Latino/Hispanic culture and cross-cultural practices variation within Latin America as related to healthcare and other professions such as Criminal Justice, Social Work, Sociology, and Psychology.

Note: Students will need to pay a fee to cover for the cost of the Spanish Proficiency Exam, which will be used for Assessment Purposes.

SPAN 159J.     Cultures of Spain and Latin America for the Professions in Criminal Justice. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 8A, 8B, and SPAN 121J or instructor approval.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Readings, visuals, and discussion of Latino/Hispanic culture and cross-cultural practices variation within Latin America and Spain as related to Criminal Justice and other professions, including Social Work and Sociology.

SPAN 194.     Field Experience/Internship. 1 - 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Intermediate competency in Spanish and instructor permission.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Directed fieldwork in a project which uses the language skills developed through previous study of Spanish. The projects may include interpreting and translating for public and/or private agencies in Sacramento, teaching or tutoring in the community, or other projects approved by the faculty supervisor. All work will be monitored by Sacramento State faculty. The student must submit written reports to his/her supervisor. Can be taken more than once for credit.

Credit/No Credit

SPAN 195.     Internship/Field Experience. 1 - 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Intermediate competency in Spanish and instructor permission.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Directed fieldwork in a project which uses the language skills developed through previous study of Spanish. The projects may include internship experiences with agencies in the community that serve the Spanish-speaking population in Sacramento. Field experience sites have to be approved and monitored by the faculty supervisor. The student must submit oral and written reports to supervisor. Can be taken more than once for a total of 3 units of credit.

Credit/No Credit

SPAN 199.     Special Problems. 1 - 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor supervising work, the advisor, and the Department Chair.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Individual projects or directed reading.

Note: Open only to students who appear competent to carry on individual work, and enrollment will be limited to hardship cases.

Credit/No Credit

SPAN 201A.     General Spanish Linguistics. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 102 and SPAN 103; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Depending upon the interest of the group, one topic of Spanish Linguistics will be chosen. The emphasis may be Comparative, Popular Spanish divergencies, or psycho- or socio-linguistics, especially the development of Mexican-American Spanish and the learning problems of bilinguals.

SPAN 201B.     History of the Spanish Language. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 102 and SPAN 103; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Historical evolution of the Spanish language from Vulgar Latin to the present day with special emphasis on the phonetic and morphological changes involved in this evolution. Some attention will be devoted to Old Spanish readings as well as the differences between Old and Modern Spanish. Knowledge of Latin is helpful, but not required.

SPAN 201C.     Contrastive Grammatical Structures of Spanish and English. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 102 and SPAN 103; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Analyzes the major differences between the grammatical system of Spanish and English, with particular emphasis on those areas of contrast which are vital to the teacher.

SPAN 201D.     Applied Spanish Linguistics. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 102 and SPAN 103; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Application of linguistic theory, principally to the areas of language teaching and learning acquisition. Occasionally the application of linguistics to other fields may be examined.

SPAN 220A.     Spanish Literature in the Middle Ages. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Peninsular Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 220B.     Spanish Literature in the Golden Age. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Peninsular Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 220C.     Spanish Literature in the 18th and 19th Centuries. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Peninsular Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 220D.     Contemporary Spanish Literature. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Peninsular Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 224A.     Spanish-American Literature to 1825. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Latin American Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Beginnings of Spanish American Literature from the period of discovery and conquest through the colonial period until the end of the Wars of Independence in 1825. Covers the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo-Classical Periods.

SPAN 224B.     Spanish-American Literature, 1825 to 1880. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Latin American Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Independence (1825) through 1880. Covers the following movements: Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism and deals with selected authors.

SPAN 224C.     Spanish-American Literature, 1880 to 1945. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Spanish American Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 224D.     Spanish-American Literature, 1945 to Present. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): SPAN 100 and an upper division course in Spanish American Literature; or equivalent.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specific topic from this period will be chosen for intensive study as announced.

SPAN 250A.     Civilization and Culture of Spain. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Graduate status with fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing contemporary Spanish.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Seminar examining aspects of the national character and personality of Spain as revealed through Hispanic social and literary studies from prehistory to 1700.

SPAN 250B.     Civilization and Culture of Modern Spain. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Graduate status with fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing contemporary Spanish.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Seminar examining aspects of the character and personality of the various political, geographical, and cultural groups of Spain as revealed through the social and literary studies of Spain from 1700 to the present.

SPAN 250C.     Civilization and Culture of Hispanic America. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Graduate status with fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing contemporary Spanish.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Seminar examining aspects of the character and personality of the various nations of Hispanic America as revealed through Hispanic-American social and literary studies. Attention will be given to the various ethnic groups found in Hispanic America.

SPAN 250D.     Civilization and Culture of Mexico. 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Graduate status with fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing contemporary Spanish.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Seminar examining aspects of the national character and personality of Mexico as revealed through Mexican social and literary studies.

SPAN 299.     Special Problems. 1 - 3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor supervising work, the advisor, and the Department chair.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Individual projects or directed reading.

Note: Open only to students who have the required number of units in residence and who appear competent to carry on individual work. Enrollment will be limited to hardship cases. Only 3 units of upper division or 3 units of graduate division credit will be accepted for any one degree in Spanish.

Credit/No Credit

SPAN 500.     Culminating Experience. 1 - 4 Units

Prerequisite(s): Advanced to candidacy and permission of the graduate coordinator.

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Completion of a thesis, project or comprehensive examination.