Spanish
Spanish
courses
Spanish and Portuguese department home page
Director of undergraduate studies: Susan Byrne, Rm. 205, 82–90 Wall St., 432-1162, susan.byrne@yale.edu; language director: Sonia Valle, Rm. 210, 82–90 Wall St., 432-1159, sonia.valle@yale.edu
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE
Professors
Rolena Adorno (Chair), Roberto González Echevarría, Aníbal González Pérez, K. David Jackson, María Rosa Menocal, Noël Valis
Assistant Professors
Susan Byrne, Ernesto Estrella, Paulo Moreira, Kevin Poole
Senior Lectors
Sybil Alexandrov, Marta Almeida, Teresa Carballal, Mercedes Carreras, Sebastián Díaz, Oscar González Barreto, María Jordán, Juliana Ramos-Ruano, Lissette Reymundi, Lourdes Sabé-Colom, Terry Seymour, Margherita Tórtora, Sonia Valle
Lectors
Pilar Asensio, Yovanna Cifuentes, Ame Cividanes, Maripaz García, Rosamaría León, Tania Martuscelli, Bárbara Safille
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese provides instruction in the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian worlds. Courses in Portuguese and the requirements of the major are described under "Portuguese"; the names of faculty teaching Portuguese courses are in the list above.
The major in Spanish is a liberal arts major that offers a wide range of courses in the language, literatures, and cultures of the twenty Spanish-speaking countries in Europe and Latin America. Today Spanish is the second language of the United States and one of the three most important and widely spoken languages in the world. The program in Spanish provides students with the opportunity to acquire thorough linguistic proficiency as well as in-depth knowledge of both cultural and literary topics.
The major in Spanish is complementary to interests in a wide range of other disciplines including anthropology, international studies, history, Latin American studies, comparative literature, economics, environmental studies, humanities, and political science, among others. Students majoring in these or other areas, as well as those considering a career in medicine or law, are encouraged to consider completing the Spanish major as one of two majors.
Among the Spanish offerings, Group A (SPAN 110–199) includes beginning and intermediate language courses designed to help students develop fluency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Group B courses (SPAN 200–299) seek to provide students with a broad but solid introduction to the fields of Hispanic literatures and cultures, and to strengthen their linguistic competence through courses in advanced grammar and composition. Group C (SPAN 300–499) allows students to perfect their linguistic and critical skills with courses organized around a specific problem or issue, e.g., a literary genre, a type of literary or cultural representation, or a specific writer or text. It is strongly recommended that students complete SPAN 243a or b, 244a or b, and at least one other Group B course before enrolling in any Group C courses taught in Spanish. Students desiring more information about either language or literature offerings should consult the director of undergraduate studies.
Beginning students ordinarily enroll in SPAN 110a or 125a or b. Students who take SPAN 110a must continue with 120b in the following term, and no credit is awarded for 110a until 120b has been successfully completed.
Freshmen offering Spanish for admission are placed according to their scores on the Advanced Placement tests in Spanish Language and/or Literature or on the Yale Spanish departmental placement examination, given at the beginning of the fall term. Students with a score of 5 on either of the Spanish Advanced Placement tests, or an appropriate score on the departmental placement examination, may enroll in any Group B or C course or in SPAN 150a or 151b.
Students wishing to take intensive beginning Spanish may, with the instructor's permission, enroll in SPAN 125a or b, which covers the same material as SPAN 110a and 120a or b, but in one term. Students wishing to take intensive intermediate Spanish may, with the instructor's permission, enroll in SPAN 145a or b, which covers the same material as SPAN 130a or b and 140a or b, also in one term. SPAN 132a and 142b are designed for heritage speakers and are available only to them; interested students should contact the instructor.
Regardless of previous Spanish study, students without a score of 5 on either of the Advanced Placement tests must take the departmental placement examination in order to enroll in any course above SPAN 110a or 125a or b.
The standard major, for which the prerequisite is SPAN 140a or b or the equivalent, consists of twelve term courses from Groups B and C, including the senior requirement. Students are required to take SPAN 243a or b, 244a or b, two courses chosen from SPAN 261a, 262b, 266a, or 267b, and at least five courses from Group C. With prior permission of the director of undergraduate studies, two relevant courses from other departments may be applied toward the major. Successful completion of a special examination given at the beginning of each term may exempt Spanish majors from SPAN 243a or b; details about the examination may be obtained from the course instructor.
Juniors and seniors majoring in Spanish may, with the permission of the instructor and the director of graduate studies, enroll in graduate literature courses in Spanish. A list of pertinent graduate courses is available at the office of the director of undergraduate studies.
Senior requirement. Seniors write the senior essay in SPAN 491b in the spring of their senior year under the individual direction of a faculty adviser. Students expecting to complete their degree requirements in December write the senior essay in SPAN 491a in the fall of their senior year. Seniors in SPAN 491b or 491a are expected to submit their completed essay to the director of undergraduate studies at 82–90 Wall Street by 4 P.M. on April 16 in the spring term, or by 4 P.M. on December 4 in the fall term. If the essay is submitted late without an excuse from the student's residential college dean, the penalty is one letter grade, though no essay that would otherwise pass will be failed because it is late. Students in the intensive major both present the essay and take the departmental examination.
Study abroad. Students are encouraged to apply to the eight-week summer language courses offered by Yale Summer Session in New Haven and Bilbao, Spain, and Quito, Ecuador. A five-week Spanish course at the L5 level is also offered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. More information about Yale Summer Session is available on the Summer Session Web site. For information about the Year or Term Abroad program, refer to chapter II of this bulletin.
Departmental placement examination. The placement examination will be given on Sunday, August 30, from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. and from 3.30 to 5.30 P.M. in LC 101 and 102. No preregistration is required. A makeup examination will be given on Tuesday, September 1, from 9 to 11 A.M. All students, including native speakers, who wish to enroll in a Spanish course above SPAN 110a or 125a or b and who have not earned a score of 5 on either of the Spanish Advanced Placement tests must take the placement examination. Students who have already taken one year or more of Spanish instruction before coming to Yale are required to take the placement examination before enrolling in a Spanish course. The results of the placement examination are valid for one year from the date on which it was taken.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisite: SPAN 140a or b, 142b, 145a or b, or equivalent
Number of courses: 12 term courses from Groups B and C (incl senior req)
Specific courses required: SPAN 243a or b, 244a or b; 2 from SPAN 261a, 262b, 266a, 267b
Distribution of courses: At least 5 courses in Group C
Substitution permitted: Up to 2 relevant courses in other depts, with DUS permission
Senior requirement: Senior essay (SPAN 491a or b)
Intensive major: Senior req and dept exam
