This post is a continuation of the previous post What’s in a Course: Understanding Spanish Courses I. It covers information about advanced courses. As suggested in the previous post, make sure to read course descriptions offered by your current or prospective program carefully.
Introduction to Literature
The introduction to literature course aims to teach students the basics of literary analysis. Students learn about the main concepts related to narrative, drama, and poetry. They also learn about literary movements in order to understand how a specific text shares some traits with or is different from other texts.
You are expected to speak and write about textual interpretation in Spanish. This course is an introduction and you will keep learning about analyzing a text in advanced courses.
Introduction to Linguistics
The introduction to linguistics course teaches students how to understand and analyze the Spanish language. Students learn about language evolution and the principles of syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, phonetics, and phonology. They also learn about areas of research, such as sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, or neurolinguistics. Keep in mind that this course is not designed to teach you how you can improve your language skills. Instead, it gives you the tools to understand it.
Survey Courses: Spain and Latin America
The survey course is designed to provide an overview of the main literary texts of a country, region, or period. Students learn to identify main literary trends and get a broader perspective of the literature produced in a country. Survey courses related to Spain are usually divided from the Medieval period to the end of the seventeenth century or from the nineteenth century to the contemporary period. Sometimes, these courses cover all periods. Survey courses related to Latin America are usually divided from the colonial period until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The division depends on the program and the interest of the faculty member teaching it. Some people like to think of these courses as window shopping: you are offered a lot of different texts, but you do not commit to specializing in any of them.
Advanced Courses or 4000-level Courses
Advanced courses or 4000-level courses are designed to analyze in-depth literary texts or linguistics subdisciplines. Usually, only students doing a Major enroll in these courses. The content of these courses varies according to the program. In fact, these courses are what make Spanish programs unique.
Two Spanish programs can have a faculty member teaching a course on Spanish theater from the seventeenth century. Although both are expected to teach you about theater concepts, historical innovations, and main figures, the selection of plays is going to be determined by the instructor’s preference. For example, if one of the instructors wrote a dissertation about the representation of women, and the other published a book about how some plays call into question the power of the king, you can expect that they will select plays related to these particular topics.
Business Spanish
Business Spanish is a course designed to familiarize students with vocabulary related to business. The course provides an opportunity to expose the student to real-life situations in business settings and help them develop cultural awareness. Although this course is usually suitable for students doing a Major in business, any student can benefit from taking it.
Medical Spanish
Medical Spanish is a course designed for students interested in health professions. In the same manner as Business Spanish, it is expected that the student already has a solid background in Spanish with strong oral and written skills. Students learn terminology related to the medical field and might interact in small groups to practice the language in particular settings.
Independent Courses
Independent courses allow the student to work on a topic that is not necessarily part of the curriculum. Usually, the student is supervised by a faculty member who has a degree of expertise on the topic. However, the student has a degree of autonomy over the course and often chooses the selection of texts, frequency of meetings, and assessment.
Usually, students do not receive a letter grade in independent courses. Instead, they can opt for satisfactory or unsatisfactory grades. If you are interested in applying to graduate school, an independent course is highly recommended as it can help you to narrow your interests and build research skills. You can also use your writing to end with a sample writing to submit with your application!
General Considerations
You need to be strategic and be mindful of what courses you take if you have different choices. Some courses are required and must follow a sequence. However, some courses are taught in different semesters to cover a different track.
In programs with several faculty specializing in Latin American literature, you can possibly take a course on Mexican literature in the fall and another on Argentinian detective fiction in the spring. If you are interested in Argentina more than in Mexico, consider taking the advanced Latin America course in the spring.
Despite similarities, every Spanish program in the United States is unique. Each one has something exclusive to offer and you should consider this when applying to do a Minor or Major.
Some programs are departing more from the traditional structure explained in this section and focus on topics or theoretical approaches. In these cases, students can enroll in a course that goes into depth about a particular theory or topic and applies it to different texts regardless of period or region.
Again, read the course description carefully. Although some faculty members can embellish them to attract students to their courses, they must include essential details, such as period, approach, and, more importantly, learning outcomes.
Have you taken one of these courses? What were your favorites? What do you wish you knew before enrolling in these courses?
Disclaimer: Information shared and advice offered in this post does not substitute academic advising at your institution. As a student, it is your responsibility to carefully read degree requirements, understand the sequence of courses, and communicate effectively with faculty members and administrators.