Course Descriptions
SPAN 110 Elementary Spanish (5 units)
Basic speaking, reading, and writing skills for students with no prior knowledge of Spanish. Students learn to talk about themselves, their families, studies, occupations, hobbies, and travel, among other topics. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are highlighted, in order to raise cultural awareness and to use the language in a culturally appropriate manner.
SPAN 111 Elementary Spanish I (3 units)
Equivalent to the first half of SPAN 110. Basic speaking, reading, and writing skills for students with no prior knowledge of Spanish. Students learn to talk about themselves, their families, studies and other occupations, among other topics. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are highlighted, in order to raise cultural awareness and to use the language in a culturally appropriate manner.
SPAN 112 Elementary Spanish II (3 units)
Continuation of SPAN 111. Equivalent to the second half of SPAN 110. Basic speaking, writing, and reading skills with which to talk about hobbies, occupations, travel, and other topics. The course compares Spanish-speaking cultures to those of the students and encourages taking advantage of our rich multicultural environment to practice Spanish beyond the classroom. (SPAN 111 and 112 are equivalent to SPAN 110.)
SPAN 120 Advanced Elementary Spanish (5 units)
Further development and practice of oral and written communication skills in many contexts (health, work, travel, art, traditions, environment), for students who can talk about their daily lives and narrate a simple story in the past in Spanish. Spanish-speaking cultures highlighted and compared with students' cultures and students are encouraged to use Spanish outside the classroom. Class conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 121 Advanced Elementary Spanish I (3 units)
Further development and practice of oral and written communication skills in different contexts (such as travel, shopping, health), for students who can talk about their daily lives and narrate a simple story in the past in Spanish. Spanish-speaking cultures highlighted and compared with students' cultures. Class conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 122 Advanced Elementary Spanish II (3 units)
Students who can narrate stories in the past have the opportunity to learn several new verb tenses and become more confident in their oral and written communication, while continuing to expand their vocabulary related to work, traditions and celebrations, the environment, etc. Spanish-speaking cultures highlighted and compared with students' cultures. Class conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 131 Intermediate Spanish I (3 units)
Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are presented through literature, songs, art, videos, newspapers, and social media. Vocabulary includes topics such as current events, familial relationships, and food. Grammar topics include review and advanced usage of the preterit and imperfect, indicative and subjunctive, perfect forms, emotional and affective verbs, and more complex grammatical structures. The class is conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 132 Intermediate Spanish II (3 units)
Vocabulary development in topics include diversity and discrimination, relationships, show business, food and nutrition. Grammatical topics include indicative and subjunctive (present and past), perfect tenses, conditional sentences. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are presented through literature, art, songs, videos, newspapers, and websites. The class is conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 140 Advanced Intermediate Spanish (3 units)
Vocabulary development and composition topics include social and economic issues, work-related and spare-time activities, breakthroughs in technology and medicine. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world related to these topics are presented through literature, art, songs, videos, newspapers, internet. Grammar topics include pluperfect subjunctive, relative pronouns, indirect speech, and passive voice. The class is conducted primarily in Spanish.
SPAN 145 Spanish Conversation through Film (3 units)
Thought-provoking films expose students to authentic Spanish language as well as the culture and history of different regions in the Spanish-speaking world. Analysis and discussion of films with the goal of improving accuracy and fluency in Spanish.
SPAN 150 Spanish for Heritage Speakers I (4 units)
Designed primarily for Spanish speaking students who are comfortable with oral communication. This course includes vocabulary development, spelling and accents, registers, dialectal variation, cultural readings and introduction to Spanish language literature of South America, Spain, and Spanish-speaking cultures in the United States. Students expand on their own experience and values, and develop an appreciation of the diversity of the various Latino cultures and their influence in the US. Class is conducted entirely in Spanish.
SPAN 152 Spanish for Heritage Speakers II (4 units)
Designed primarily for Spanish speaking students who are comfortable with oral communication. This course includes vocabulary development, spelling and accents, registers, dialectal variation, cultural readings and introduction to Spanish language literature of Central America and the Caribbean. Students expand on their own experience and values, and develop an appreciation of the diversity of the various Latino cultures and their influence in the US. Class is conducted entirely in Spanish.
SPAN 162 Latino Literature II (3 units)
Survey of important Latin American novels, poetry, and short stories of the 20th century, contextualized in cultural, sociological, and political frameworks. The course emphasizes the diversity of Latino cultures and explores the influence of those cultures on the United States. Course is conducted entirely in Spanish.
SPAN 220 Spanish for Heritage Speakers I (4 units)
Designed primarily for Spanish speaking students who are comfortable with oral communication. Course includes vocabulary development, grammar, spelling and accents, registers, dialectal variation, cultural readings and introduction to Spanish language literature of South America, Spain, and Latinos in the United States. Emphasis on increasing understanding and appreciation for diverse Spanish speaking cultures. Class conducted entirely in Spanish. Formerly offered as SPAN 150.
SPAN 230 Spanish for Heritage Speakers II (4 units)
Designed primarily for Spanish speaking students who are comfortable with oral communication. Course includes vocabulary development, grammar, spelling and accents, registers, dialectal variation, cultural readings and introduction to Spanish language literature of the Americas. Emphasis on increasing understanding and appreciation for diverse Spanish speaking cultures. Class conducted entirely in Spanish. Formerly offered as SPAN 152.
SPAN 695 Independent Study (0.5- 3 units)
Designed for students who are interested in furthering their knowledge via self-paced, individualized instruction provided in selected areas or directed study to be arranged with instructor and approved by the division dean using the Independent Study Form. Varying modes of instruction can be used -- laboratory, research, skill development, etc. For each unit earned, students are required to devote three hours per week throughout the semester. Students may take only one Independent Study course within a given discipline.