Students embark on a journey of linguistic and cultural exploration as they take the first steps towards becoming proficient in Spanish. This course is for students who have not studied Spanish before or who have appropriate NCSSM placement. Students learn to negotiate meaning among individuals, interpret written and spoken meaning, and to present meaning via oral and written messages that focus on the themes of self, family, friends, and everyday activities in the present tense. Students will be able to greet people in Spanish, identify themselves, talk about classes and school life, discuss everyday activities, talk about family and friends, talk about pastimes, and make plans and invitations. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are interwoven throughout the course. Web-based exercises, videos, and songs aid students in their acquisition of grammatical concepts, new vocabulary, and listening skills.

Students embark on a journey of linguistic and cultural exploration as they take the first steps towards becoming proficient in Spanish. This course is for students who have completed Journeys I or who have appropriate NCSSM placement. Students learn to negotiate meaning among individuals, interpret written and spoken meaning, and to present meaning via oral and written messages that focus on the themes of self, family, friends, and everyday activities in the present tense. Students also learn to address the same themes within an introduction to the past tense and begin to develop the ability to tell a story in the past. Students will be able to discuss and plan a vacation, talk about how they feel, talk about and describe clothing, express preferences in a store, negotiate and pay for items they buy, describe their daily routine and personal hygiene, and talk about and describe food and order food in a restaurant. Cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world are interwoven throughout the course. Web-based exercises, videos, and songs aid students in their acquisition of grammatical concepts, new vocabulary, and listening skills. 

Students will enrich their Spanish language knowledge through readings and interpretations of authentic texts in the target language. This course is for students with previous experience in the language and appropriate NCSSM placement. Over the course of the semester, students will reinforce grammar and vocabulary knowledge as well as deepen cultural knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world. By the end of the course, students will be able to decode level appropriate Spanish, read with sufficient accuracy and level appropriate fluency, find and interpret key ideas and details, and make inferences in the target language. Authentic texts, videos, and listening comprehension from the target language are the main modes of instruction. This course not only reviews material from the Journeys series, but stresses emphasis on applied language skills such as reading and speaking. By the end of the course, students will be able to have level-appropriate conversations and will have improved their writing skills in Spanish. 

Students continue to navigate their linguistic and cultural journeys in Spanish. Students begin to read short stories and narratives and to comprehend a wider array of media produced in Spanish. Students also begin to develop understanding of nuances of the language. Students learn to negotiate meaning among individuals, interpret written and spoken meaning, and to present meaning via oral and written messages, primarily in the past tense. Students further develop their proficiency in the language by reading short texts, viewing video programs, and using the language in everyday conversational situations. Students will be able to express congratulations and gratitude and to talk about a variety of topics—including health and medical conditions and technology and electronics. Students continue to explore cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Students have access to web-based exercises and tutorials, video activities, individual and group projects, as well as film and documentaries, to aid them in the acquisition of grammatical concepts and new vocabulary.

Students continue to navigate their linguistic and cultural journeys in Spanish. Students continue to read short stories and narratives and to comprehend a wider array of media produced in Spanish. Students also continue develop understanding of nuances of the language. Students learn to negotiate meaning among individuals, interpret written and spoken meaning, and to present meaning via oral and written messages, primarily in the past tense. Students will also begin to be able to express their wishes, wants, and desires by using the subjunctive mood. Students further develop their proficiency in the language by reading short texts, viewing video programs, and using the language in everyday conversational situations. Students will be able to describe their home or apartment, talk about household chores, give instructions, discuss environmental issues, express beliefs and opinions, give advice to others, and discuss daily errands and city life. Students continue to explore cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. Students have access to web-based exercises and tutorials, video activities, individual and group projects, as well as film and documentaries, to aid them in the acquisition of grammatical concepts and new vocabulary. 

Explorations in Spanish is an intermediate course in which students improve their communication skills while studying a specific topic. In this course, students will study the environment throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Topics of study may include air quality, water access, energy production, food, conservation, and sustainability in Spanish-speaking communities. Through interviews, case studies, projects, and authentic materials in Spanish as well as a review of grammatical structures and vocabulary, students examine an important topic while also improving their communication skills. The course is conducted in Spanish and all work for the course is completed in Spanish. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-low/mid level and can expect to improve their proficiency. The two Explorations courses (4300 and 4300) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take either course.

Explorations in Spanish is an intermediate course in which students improve their communication skills while studying a specific topic. In this course, students study medical Spanish and learn to apply it in a professional setting. This course emphasizes medical vocabulary but also includes a review and introduction of grammatical structures that are useful when communicating in a medical setting. The course also addresses cultural topics such as healthcare systems and healthcare values in various parts of the Spanish-speaking world. This course emphasizes applied language skills. Students are expected to participate in daily conversations, simulated patient interviews, and to complete research on a public health topic, among other assignments. Upon completion, students will have gained the necessary skills to complete intake forms, complete an initial patient interview, and communicate pre- and post-care to patients and family members in a culturally-appropriate way. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-low/mid level and can expect to improve their proficiency. The two Explorations courses (4300 and 4300) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take either course.

Gender and sexuality are two significant identifiers that both define our experiences in the world and are culturally contextualized. In this course, we will explore different conceptualizations, dynamics, celebrations, and tensions of gender and sexuality in the Spanish-speaking world. The intention is that students read widely, think critically, and explore different ways of experiencing the world. The course uses podcasts, film, short stories, poetry, music, videos, and a novel to explore topics such as queer identities, family structures, romantic relationships, friendships, intersectionality, beauty standards, non-binary language, and more. In this advanced level Spanish course, class time is devoted to discussion-based activities that deepen our understanding of issues, strengthen vocabulary, and build confidence with the Spanish language. This course encourages students to synthesize language, ideas, and culture in new and rich ways. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-mid/high proficiency level and can expect to improve their proficiency. While there are supports built into the course as students continue to improve their language proficiency, this is more of a culture studies course taught in Spanish than a traditional language course. The various Advanced Spanish courses (SP4510, SP4520, SP4530, and SP4540) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take any “Advanced Spanish” course.

Fútbol may be known as the most popular sport around the world and in Spanish-speaking countries, but have you ever thought about these questions: What do we know about the original sports of the Americas? What sports are celebrated at the World Indigenous Games? Why did Nike name a running shoe after the Rarámuri people of Northern Mexico? Why have Spaniards like Rafael Nadal been so dominant in tennis? How are sports related to peace, ethics and economic development? What did the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City have to do with student protests there and politics farther afield? Why is baseball so popular in Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries like Cuba and the Dominican Republic? Why are Colombian cyclists so well represented at the Tour de France? What led indigenous women in Bolivia to start skateboarding collective ImillaSkate? Is bullfighting a sport? What about deportes urbanos like skateboarding, roller derby, and break dance? Find out about these and other fascinating questions as you become more proficient in reading, listening, speaking and writing in Spanish. This course encourages students to synthesize language, ideas, and culture in new and rich ways. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-mid/high proficiency level and can expect to improve their proficiency. While there are supports built into the course as students continue to improve their language proficiency, this is more of a culture studies course taught in Spanish than a traditional language course. The various Advanced Spanish courses (SP4510, SP4520, SP4530, and SP4540) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take any “Advanced Spanish” course.

The gothic and supernatural often provide a window into a society's fears. For instance, stories of people vanishing in a house speaks to the disappeared in Argentina’s dictatorship, and a novel about a ghost town evokes the destruction experienced following the Mexican Revolution. With this in mind, this course will study fiction, poetry, film, and visual art from the Spanish-speaking world that feature creatures and worlds beyond our own reality in order to understand the cultures and histories that have produced them. We will examine the political context of these stories as well as their speculative structure. Through textual analysis and classes dedicated to developing grammar and vocabulary, students will improve their language skills while exploring innovative media. This course encourages students to synthesize language, ideas, and culture in new and rich ways. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-mid/high proficiency level and can expect to improve their proficiency. While there are supports built into the course as students continue to improve their language proficiency, this is more of a culture studies course taught in Spanish than a traditional language course. The various Advanced Spanish courses (SP4510, SP4520, SP4530, and SP4540) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take any “Advanced Spanish” course.

This course is an exploration of Afro-Latino and Caribbean Studies that focuses on the experiences, culture, literature, music, art, history, language, and contributions of people of African descent in Latin America and the Caribbean. It explores the rich cultural expressions of Afro-Latino and Caribbean communities through a variety of genres, including short stories, poetry, plays, documentaries, songs, articles, short films, and painting. Students will have the opportunity to read poetry from authors such as Nicolás Guillén and Luis Pales Matos and analyze genres of music like bachata, salsa, merengue, and Afro-Latin jazz that have strong African influences. Understanding the historical background of the transatlantic slave trade is crucial for this course. Thousands of Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas, contributing to the formation of diverse Afro-descendant communities. In this Advanced Spanish class, the students will develop an advanced vocabulary foundation, improved reading comprehension, and strengthen their grammar structure. This course encourages students to synthesize language, ideas, and culture in new and rich ways. Students in this course typically begin at the Intermediate-mid/high proficiency level and can expect to improve their proficiency. While there are supports built into the course as students continue to improve their language proficiency, this is more of a culture studies course taught in Spanish than a traditional language course. The various Advanced Spanish courses (SP4510, SP4520, SP4530, and SP4540) are NOT sequential, so students who place into this level may take any “Advanced Spanish” course.

Are you one of the more than 41 million people in the US who speak Spanish at home? Growing up speaking Spanish in the US is not like speaking it anywhere else! This course provides an opportunity to use your Spanish in an academic setting. Students will build on their existing language proficiency while reading, listening, writing, and speaking about history, linguistics, literature, and contemporary culture in the Spanish-speaking world. Topics may include: origins and evolution of Spanish, accents, dialects and regional varieties of Spanish spoken in more than 22 countries,  language justice, education, art, film, television, podcasts, literature, music, sports, and social media.