Course Descriptions

HISP 100-600 Courses

Important: Before pre-enrolling in any course, please read carefully the section on Course Placement in Hispanic Studies above.

HISP100: BASIC SPANISH

Fast-paced course for beginners. Course stresses acquisition of skills including speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing, as well as cultural awareness. Placement: students who have never taken Spanish before, or have scored below 390 in SAT II, or below 200 in the Brown Placement Exam. Students who have taken Spanish before and those with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP200: BASIC SPANISH I

A continuation of HISP100. This course continues to focus on acquisition of communicative skills (speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing) as well as cultural awareness. With successful completion of the course students will be able to understand simple texts, carry on short spontaneous conversations involving everyday topics (such as modern day life and its pressures, health, art and culture, nature and the environment, relationships) and write simple texts with good command of grammar and sentence structure. Prerequisite: HISP 100 or placement: SAT II scores between 400 and 450; Brown Placement Exam scores between 201 and 323. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP300: INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I

This course continues to develop and strengthen students' proficiency in the Spanish language, as well as to help them increase their cultural understanding. It seeks to develop both fluency and accuracy and to teach students to express, interpret, and negotiate meaning in context. Through the exploration of themes such as the individual and the community, health issues, traveling, multiculturalism and human rights, students focus on communication and learn to appreciate cultural differences. Pre-requisite: HISP 200 or placement: SAT II scores between 460 and 510, or Brown Placement Exam scores between 324 and 373. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP 0310: Spanish for Social Service Applications

This course is offered in the summer. It provides unique language skills for students interested in health care, social service, and community action. It develops speaking skills and cultural awareness through discussions, readings, interviews, oral presentations, and internships. Topics include case management, substance abuse, HIV and STD prevention, sexual abuse, domestic violence, mental health issues, anger management, and medical treatment. Some advanced grammar points reviewed. Pre-requisite: HISP300 or HISP400.

HISP400: INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II

This course offers an exploration of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures through a variety of thematic foci: the world of work, the arts, globalization and technology, leisure, and celebrations. It focuses on vocabulary building, the examination of some of the more difficult points of grammar, and moving students towards a more sophisticated level of comprehension and expression. Students work with readings, including literary texts; songs; film; and the visual arts. Pre-requisite: HISP 300 or placement: SAT II scores between 520 and 590 or Brown Placement Exam scores between 374 and 423. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP500: ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION / HISPANIC CULTURES AND CIVILIZATION

This course focuses on the development of speaking and listening skills, with particular attention to fluency and accuracy. Students work with a variety of readings (news, literature, etc.), videos, movies and music and participate in daily classroom discussions that engage critical thinking skills and encourage in-depth exploration of issues relevant to the Hispanic world. There is also ample opportunity for students to explore topics of their own interest through student-led activities and presentations. Grammar is reviewed and writing skills continue to be developed. Pre-requisite: HISP 400 or placement: SAT II scores between 600 and 660, Brown Placement Exam scores between 424 and 490, or AP score of 4 in language or literature. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP600 ADVANCED COMPOSITION

This course focuses on development and improvement of writing skills across genres and with particular emphasis on the academic essay. Writer's workshop format emphasizes peer and instructor feedback as well as multiple revisions of written assignments. Readings and films promote advanced level linguistic and cultural analysis centered on topics including identity, media and communications, human rights, and relations between the U.S. and the Hispanic world. It offers individualized grammar review. Pre-requisite: SP500 or placement: SAT II scores between 670 and 740, Brown Placement Exam scores between 491 and 550, or AP score of 5 in language. Note: Note: Students with scores of 750 and above on the SAT II, 551 on the Brown Placement Exam, or 5 in AP Literature should consider offerings in the SP730-740-750 range. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP 700-level Courses

Courses with numbers in the 700 range have different missions. You can choose the course that specializes in just what you want at this advanced level. Please consult the information provided in the Banner Course Catalog and Class Schedule.

HISP 730

An introduction to the major works and literary movements of Spanish American Literature from the Discovery to the present. This course also aims to develop students' written and oral expression in Spanish. It is the preparatory course for 1000-level courses for students who achieve the highest placement in Spanish. Pre-requisite: HISP600 or placement: SAT II scores over 750; 5 in AP Literature or 551 and over in the Brown Placement Exam.

HISP 740

An introduction to the major authors and literary movements of Spanish literature from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. It is suitable for students with both an exceptional language preparation and interest in literature, such as potential concentrators in Hispanic Studies It focuses on building critical vocabulary and aims to develop students' written and oral expression in Spanish. It is the preparatory course for 1000-level courses for students who achieve the highest placement in Spanish. Pre-requisite: HISP600 or placement: SAT II scores over 750; 5 in AP Literature or 551 and over in the Brown Placement Exam.

HISP 750

Addresses the interdisciplinary study of Hispanic Cultures as manifested in history, literature, and the arts as well as in the every day discourses of a culture such as film, television, and journalism. It continues to develop studentâ€™s written and oral expression. It is the preparatory course for 100-level courses for students who achieve the highest placement in Spanish. See the Banner Course Catalog for descriptions of each course's precise field. Pre-requisite: HISP600 [formerly SP0060] or placement: SAT II scores over 750; 5 in AP Literature or 551 and over in the Brown Placement Exam.

HISP 1000-level Courses

All 1000-level courses at Brown have prerequisites. The 1000-level courses in Hispanic Studies at Brown are intended for students who have taken either HISP740 or both HISP730 and HISP750. This rule generally applies to native speakers of Spanish as well, since our 1000-level courses are predicated on literary and cultural rather than purely linguistic knowledge. In consultation with the instructor, a student who has taken university-level coursework in another discipline equivalent to the pre-requisite may take a 1000-level course. Thus, first year students should not sign up for 1000-level courses in their first semester unless they have approval by the professor.

Beginning Spring Semester 2009, students will be able to count either HISP 740 or HISP 730 as sole pre-requisites for 1000-level courses.

Important information to guide you in the process of registering for Spanish language courses

Brown University has taken a revolutionary step towards electronic management of student information through the software system Banner. The information you find here is also in the Banner course catalogue. For specific semester offerings go to the Banner Class Schedule. In addition, to get a complete listing of classes taught during this coming academic year as well as more information on each course please consult the Brown Course Preview Page Directory (select Hispanic Studies under Departments).

Regarding registration: There is an enrollment limit of 18 students per section in HISP100-600; 15 spaces will be open at pre-registration, with 3 more spaces available in the fall. When the limit is reached, registration for that section will be blocked. If you try to pre-register in a full section, you will be prompted to request a registration override by the instructor. Note that we will not grant overrides once sections are full. Since many students change their plans during the first few days of class, you should attend the section in which you are interested on the first day of class, when the instructor will explain the steps to follow during the few days until class lists are closed. On the 4th class, instructors will finalize the composition of the language courses and will provide the registration overrides if needed. It is of utmost importance that you attend those classes if you intend to be placed in that section.

IMPORTANT ADVICE: Please, be aware that you will not be admitted to any course, nor will you be able to keep your pre-registered or registered status if you are not correctly placed. Therefore, please follow the instructions outlined above carefully.

Faculty members are available for any questions on placement and to supplement the foregoing information:

Prof. Beth Bauer, and Prof. Victoria Smith, Study Abroad and Transfer Credit Advisor
Prof. Nidia Schuhmacher, Director of the Language Program; general placement matters
Prof. Silvia Sobral, general placement matters
Prof. Nicolás Wey-Gómez, concentration advisor

COURSES FALL 2008

*Couse ID*	*CRN#*	*Description*	*Instructor*	*Time*
HISP 1290H	15591	In Your Face: Buñuel and Almodóvar	Bou
HISP 1330O	15809	La esclavitud en América Latina	Ortega
HISP 1370O	15598	Private Life and Literature in Latin America	Mazzucchelli
HISP 1370P	15599	Contemporary Cuban Literature and Visual Culture	Price
HISP 1500C	15593	Images of the City: Barcelona through Literature and Art	Bou