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Mission Statement. The Department of Hispanic Studies at Oberlin College is committed to offering its students an outstanding liberal-arts education in the literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, based on a solid and thorough knowledge of the Spanish language. The program offers three levels of study, designed to meet the specific needs of each student. The first of these (Hispanic Studies 101, 102, 202, 203, 204, 304, 305, and 334) focuses mainly on learning Spanish and understanding Hispanic cultures. This stage ranges from one to six semesters depending on the student's entry level. Our language classes use the most sophisticated technology to help develop communicative proficiency in Spanish. Since this is not possible without cultural knowledge, all language classes give ample attention to the diversity of Spanish, Latin American, and Latino cultures as well. Among our language courses is a class especially tailored for "Heritage Speakers" (students who grew up speaking Spanish but have never studied it formally). The second level, consisting of the other classes in the 300 series, include a wide range of courses on topics such as Latino/Latin American Folklore, Film, History, as well as introductory literature classes. The courses at the final or 400 level—all small-group classes taught in Spanish—are designed for Hispanic Studies majors and minors who want to focus on specific works, topics or trends of Hispanic literatures and cultures. Also included among our 400 level courses is a class on Caribbean literatures and cultures. Outstanding Hispanic Studies majors are encouraged to write an honors thesis on a topic of their interest, under the guidance of our faculty. The department's educational goal, then, is not merely the acquisition of knowledge. Rather, our students are offered the opportunity to experience a cultural heritage which is more rich, diverse, and alive than ever. In addition to the many courses on the language, literature, film, culture, and history of the Spanish-speaking world, we offer a wide spectrum of complementary programs and activities through Oberlin's Casa Hispánica. Furthermore, we strongly encourage our students to study abroad. Oberlin has its own, long-standing program in Córdoba, Spain (PRESHCO), and a newly established program in Puebla, Mexico. We also endorse a great variety of other programs in Spain and Latin America. In short, participation in the Hispanic Studies Program at Oberlin will allow you to understand, appreciate, and enjoy the great diversity of human cultures. And, as has been proven by our alumni, it will open up a wide range of personal and professional opportunities. Major. A major in Hispanic Studies consists of at least 30 hours of courses above the 200 level and may include advanced work in composition, grammar and stylistics, and HISP 304. It may include nine hours of transfer credit per semester for study in literature and culture for a total of 18 hours counted toward the major, including summer work. No credit for language courses at the HISP 202/203/204 level or below taken at Oberlin, abroad or at other institutions will count toward the major. Students majoring in Hispanic Studies must take courses in both Peninsular and Latin American literature and culture. All Hispanic Studies majors are strongly encouraged to spend at least one semester in a Spanish-speaking country (see below). Those primarily interested in language and literature should consider a minor in French or Latin. Students may also pursue a double major with Latin American Studies or other related fields such as Sociology, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Art, History, Comparative American Studies and Politics. Studies in Hebrew present a Hispanic Studies major with a rare opportunity for research in the Medieval area, while combining Italian and Spanish is both useful and important for studies in the Renaissance and Golden Age. Recommended fields of study for majors considering graduate school are Latin and French. While no specific courses are required, the major should present a balanced distribution of work taken in Peninsular and Latin American areas; the major should also be based on the study of genres, literary movements, and main historical periods covered in various surveys of the curriculum (HISP 309, 310, 317, 318). Any two 300 level courses taught in Spanish normally serve as a prerequisite for admission to those at the 400 level. At least twelve hours must be taken in advanced work (400 level). No more than two courses taught in English may count toward the major. Students wishing to obtain a high school or elementary teaching certificate should consult the department chairperson for required or recommended courses in other departments. Minor. A minor in Hispanic Studies consists of 18 hours of courses above the 200 level, including two advanced level courses with an expectation of a balance of Peninsular and Latin American Literature and Culture. Six hours of transfer credit are accepted toward the minor from an outside institution. No more than one course taught in English may count toward the minor. Advanced Placement. Students qualifying under this program will be assigned advanced standing on the basis of results in the qualifying examinations administered by the College Board and credit will be awarded for HISP 300. Scores of 4 and 5 on the Spanish language exam automatically receive three hours of college credit as Hispanic Studies 300, qualifying students to work at the 300 level. Students having taken the AP exams are encouraged to take HISP 306 before taking HISP 309, 310, 317, or 318. HISP 300 counts toward the total number of academic credits required for the major. Initial Placement. Students who begin Hispanic Studies at Oberlin will take HISP 101 (five hours). Beyond HISP 101 the particular entry point within the sequence of language courses depends upon a student's background in Spanish and upon the results of a placement test, administered at the beginning of each semester for those beginning HISP 102, 202, 203, and 304. The placement test is required of every student with a prior knowledge of Spanish who wishes to enroll, except for students who have taken the AP exam (see above) or the SAT II exam in Spanish. Students who have taken the SAT II exam in Spanish should enroll in courses according to their score: 800-675 HISP 300 level 675-625 HISP 304 520-625 HISP 202 or 204 The placement exam will be available online one week before registration. Honors. The Honors Program in Hispanic Studies is a two-semester sequence of six hours of independent study, in consultation with a faculty sponsor, culminating in either an honors thesis or a special project, e.g., a translation, creative writing, or video project. Qualified students are invited to participate in the program during their junior year. Admission is determined on the basis of faculty recommendations and grade-point averages (when available). Further information on the Honors Program, stipulating guidelines for the research and writing of an Honors thesis, may be obtained from the departmental office or web site. See also the general statement on Honors in the General Information section of this catalog. La Casa Hispánica. Since 1962, the department has sponsored La Casa Hispánica. The purpose of La Casa is to provide an environment where students speak Spanish and benefit from activities related to the culture of the Hispanic world. The director is a native speaker of Spanish and is assisted by two graduate assistants, who are also native speakers. There are rooming accommodations for 28 men and women. Tables at which Spanish is spoken are maintained in El Rincón Latino at Stevenson Dining Hall. Oberlin in Spain and Mexico. Participants in these two Oberlin College Study Away Programs (see for details below) may receive 15 hours per semester of academic credit toward graduation. Nine hours each semester, for a total of 18 hours per year, may be counted toward the Hispanic Studies major. Before planning to participate in these programs, students on financial aid should consult the Director of Financial Aid. Although the specific courses offered vary each semester, they will normally cover topics in Spanish language, and Spanish and Mexican literature, history, art history, and social sciences, as well as different courses on the European Union (Córdoba) and the relationship between Mexico and the United States (Puebla). Both programs have a strong curriculum in the humanities (art, history, performing arts, including dance, music, and theater, philosophy, language and literature) and the social sciences (anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology). In both programs students will have the opportunity to take regular undergraduate courses with Mexican and Spanish students. See the PRESHCO/PMCSP campus coordinator for an updated list of courses and equivalent Oberlin course numbers. Study Abroad in Córdoba, Spain. The Programa de Estudios Hispánicos en Córdoba (PRESHCO) is an interdisciplinary course of study at the University of Córdoba sponsored by a consortium made up of the following institutions: Oberlin College, Smith College, Trinity College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College MA, and the College of Wooster. Courses recently taught in Córdoba include: "The Colonization of America," "The Novel of the 19th Century," "Women's Voices in 20th Century Spain," "The Spanish Middle Ages: Christians, Moslems, and Jews," "Methods and Techniques in Andalusian Art Restoration," "The Semitic Legacy in Hispanic Societies," "Political Structures and Institutions of the European Union," and "Spanish Art: From Velázquez to Picasso." Study Abroad in Puebla, México. The Program for Mexican Culture and Society in Puebla (PMCSP) is a residential study program in Puebla, Mexico, in collaboration with the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP)—one of Mexico's leading public teaching and research universities—sponsored by a consortium made up of the following institutions: Oberlin College, Smith College, Wellesley College and Wheaton College MA. Courses offered in Puebla include: "Mesoamérica," "Culture and Society in Contemporary México," "Folkloric Mexican Music," "Mexican Drama," "The Economy of Mexico," "Agriculture and Sustainability," "Octavio Paz," "Cultural Journalism," "The History of Latin America," and "The Mexican Revolution," among many others.
FYSP 152. The Making of a Martyr: The Life, Work and Afterlives of Federico García Lorca 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. For description, please see " First-Year Seminar Program" in this catalog. Enrollment Limit: 14. Mr. Faber FYSP 150. Questioning Reality: The North and South American Fantastic 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. For description, please see " First-Year Seminar Program" in this catalog. Enrollment Limit: 14. Mr. O'Connor I. Language Courses (Offered Every Year) 101. Elementary Spanish 5 hours 5HU, CD First and Second Semester. Taught in Spanish. Strong emphasis on communicative tasks to show students how Spanish is used across the Spanish-speaking world in real-life situations. Culture is an important thread that is tightly woven throughout the course. Basic grammar and vocabulary will be introduced and practiced through intensive oral and written practice. Weekly compositions and meetings with language tutors. Enrollment Limit: 20. Ms. Tungseth-Faber 102. Elementary Spanish 5 hours 5HU, CD First and Second Semester. Taught in Spanish, this course is a continuation of HISP 101, complemented by additional readings to enhance written and oral skills. Grammar will continue to be introduced through more intensive oral and written practice. Students with any previous knowledge of Spanish other than from Oberlin College must first take the placement exam before enrolling in this course. Enrollment Limit: 20. Ms. Martínez-Tapia 202. Intermediate Spanish I 4 hours 4HU, CD First and Second Semester. Taught in Spanish. This course is a continuation of HISP 102. It adopts a format integrating grammar, oral and written practice in exercises, conversation and readings which evolve within a cultural context. Students have to attend two mandatory conversation classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays which meet 9:00-9:50 a.m. or 10:00-10:50 a.m. Prerequisite: HISP 102 or consent of instructor. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Faber 203. Intermediate Spanish II 4 hours 4HU, CD First and Second Semester. This course is a continuation of HISP 202. It adopts a format integrating grammar, oral and written practice in exercises, conversation and readings which evolve within a cultural context. Students have to attend two mandatory conversation classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays which meet 9:00-9:50 a.m. or 10:00-10:50 a.m. Prerequisite: HISP 202 or consent of instructor. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Pérez de León 204. Intensive Intermediate Spanish 5 hours 5HU, CD First Semester. Taught in Spanish. This course is a continuation of HISP 102 that covers all of the material of HISP 202 and 203 in a single semester, and presumes a greater commitment from the student. Meeting five times a week, the course adopts a format integrating grammar, oral and written practice in exercises, conversations, and readings, which evolve within a cultural context. Students will have to attend two mandatory conversation sections weekly, as well as attending some meals regularly at El Rincón Latino. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. O'Connor 304. Advanced Grammar and Composition 3 hours 3HU, CD First and Second Semester. It is strongly recommended that students complete HISP 203 or equivalent before taking this course, which offers an in-depth review of Spanish grammar and the opportunity to study closely the different steps involved in the writing process. Students will develop and improve their writing skills by practicing descriptive, narrative, argumentative and expository writing in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 18. Ms. Martínez-Marco 305. Spanish for Oral Communication 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. This course's target is the development of speaking skills in Spanish through the study of Spanish/Hispanic culture, and Spanish and Spanish-American current affairs. The materials used in the course will include contemporary articles, short texts, TV news, documentaries, and web materials. Special attention will be given to different registers of spoken Spanish, and the development of effective strategies for oral communication. Prerequisite: HISP 203 or appropriate placement test score. Enrollment Limit: 18. Ms. Martínez-Marco 311. Linguistics for Language Students 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. This course addresses the questions of what human language is and what it means to know a language. Of central concern is how the scientific study of language helps to reveal the unconscious knowledge that enables speakers to understand their language and use it creatively. The class will touch briefly on each of the primary linguistic fields while covering in detail the theory and practice of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Taught in English. Enrollment Limit: 25. Ms. Tungseth-Faber 334. Spanish for Heritage Speakers 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. Were you raised speaking Spanish but never studied it formally? This course is designed for students who speak Spanish at home and want to improve their formal knowledge of the language. The course addresses all four skills—understanding, speaking, reading and writing—but aims especially to expand vocabulary, correct common grammatical mistakes, and give students writing proficiency. No instructor consent required but you must be a "heritage" speaker. Conducted in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 12. Ms. Cara
309. Survey of Spanish Literature I: Humor and Horror 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. This course is a survey of some of the most representative works that have shaped the canon of early modern literature in Spanish. Special attention will be paid to Humor and Horror as two topics that are part of Hispanic literature from its origins. Drama plays, novels and short stories to be read include Lazarillo de Tormes, La Celestina, Cervantes and Zayas´s exemplary novels, and Noches Lúgubres. The frame of the course will be established through different theoretical approaches to humor and laughter, and an in-depth study of horror—a generic term that will include fantasy, witchcraft, necrophilia, etc. Offered every year. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Pérez de León 310. Survey of Spanish Literature II: The Struggle for Modernity 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. Progressive Spanish writers and intellectuals have consistently felt out of place in Spain, whose traditional power structures for centuries resisted the advent of modernity. Still, Spaniards managed to produce texts, images and films of astounding quality and innovation. This course studies a selection of outstanding Spanish plays, novels, poems, and short stories from the late 18th century to the present. Authors studied include García Lorca, Sender, Bécquer, Moratín, Pérez Galdós, Rosalía de Castro, Gómez de Avellaneda, Unamuno, Larra, García Morales, and others. Taught in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Faber 317. Survey of Latin American Literature I: Defining Latin America 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. After Columbus' discovery of America a "new world" emerged. This course looks at the early writings from the colonies by both Spaniards and "Americans" and traces through the following centuries the emergence of new regional and national literatures. Although broad in scope, the course focuses on three key questions: How did Latin America differentiate itself culturally from Europe? What characterizes a New World criollo tradition? How are national literary canons constructed during the period of independence? Conducted in Spanish. Offered every year. Enrollment Limit: 20. Ms. Cara 318. Survey of Latin American Literature II: Nature vs. Culture 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. This course reviews the key literary and cultural movements of Latin America from 19th century. Modernismo to present-day poetry, essay, narrative and drama. Texts are selected to focus on natural environments that are considered "typical" or "national" in a given period (e.g. the tropical forest, the pampas, the island, etc.), and also on the cultural discourses that are developed to represent them. Authors include Darío, Quiroga, Vallejo, Guillén, Neruda, Ferré, Paz. Taught in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Scholz
306. Primer Encuentro: Colloquium on Hispanic Literature and Film 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. This course is a first encounter with the main ideas and literary currents that have contributed to create the field of Hispanic Studies. Students will closely study poems, short stories, essays, plays, and films by authors like Almodóvar, Neruda, Borges, and Cervantes, among others. Studying different research techniques and current literary theories is central to the course as well as learning how to write literary essays in Spanish. This colloquium is designed particularly for freshmen and sophomores and serves as a bridge to the upper level courses of the Hispanic Studies Department. Offered every year. Enrollment Limit: 15. Mr. Pérez de León 312. Latino and Latin American Folklore 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. Conducted in English, this course examines the traditional, expressive dimensions of culture to gain a greater understanding of Latin America. Folklore methods and theories are employed in the study of, for example, folk music, dance, drama, foodways, carnival, belief systems, art and dress. Examples are drawn from various regions, including the Caribbean and the United States. Slides, videotapes, and recordings support the readings. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable but not required. Identical to ANTH 312. Enrollment Limit: 25. Ms. Cara 322. Visions of Mexican Women 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. Mexico's colorful 20th century of Revolution, murals, mass media, and magical realism is threaded through with the works of great women writers and artists, dealing with the reality of machismo and some of the ghosts of men's images of them. After a backward glance to icons of Colonial women, we jump to: stories by Mexican women of the Revolution; the artwork of the women of Mexico's 1930s and '40s; the film star in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema; indigenism, feminism, and political activism in the '60s and '70s; and, in contemporary fiction and film, realism, both magical and ironic. Conducted in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. O'Connor 323. Return to Macondo: García Márquez's Fiction 2 hours 2HU, CD First Semester. First Module. Welcome to our trip to Macondo! To get there first we will review a few short stories, essays, and a short novel by Gabriel García Márquez. Then we will enter the world of Macondo, the setting of this Colombian writer's Nobel-winning novel, Cien años de soledad. All reading and writing in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Scholz 324. Four Hundred Years of Don Quixote 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. This course is a close reading of Don Quixote and a re-evaluation of the novel, four hundred years after its publication. Students will learn about its literary and historical context and of its main critical approaches. In this course you will enjoy reading one of the most beautiful, imaginative and creative works of art of all times. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. Pérez de León 328. From Page to Screen: Cinematic Adaptation in Latin America 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. Conducted in Spanish. We know that a novel is different from a movie; now let's take a close look how. This course will examine a series of film adaptations of diverse genres of Latin American literature—a true-crime novel, a play, two novellas, conquistador's tales—that will compare the techniques of film theory and close readings in literature. The films studied will be: García Márquez/Guerra, Eréndira; Cabeza de Vaca/Echevarría, Cabeza de Vaca; Donoso/Ripstein, El lugar sin límites; Berman/Berman, Entre Pancho Villa y una mujer desnuda; and Piglia/Piñeyro, Plata quemada. Enrollment Limit: 20. Mr. O'Connor
406. Nobel Poets of Latin America 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. An in-depth study of three Nobel laureates from Latin America: Gabriela Mistral (Chile), Pablo Neruda (Chile) and Octavio Paz (Mexico). This seminar-style course examines the art and lives of these twentieth century figures and the literary contexts and impact of their work on Hispanic letters. Conducted in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 15. Ms. Cara 430. New Narrative in Latin America 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. This course studies the major trends of recent Latin American fiction within the general framework of the New Narrative ("the boom"). Five outstanding—and by now canonized—novels and twelve short stories form the core texts for class discussion. Authors include Vargas Llosa, Rulfo, Carpentier, Arguedas, Asturias, Fuentes, Onetti, and Donoso, among others. Emphasis is given to the analysis of major themes, formal and stylistic innovations, and also to the contemporary socio-historical circumstances as represented in fiction. Enrollment Limit: 15. Mr. Scholz 445. Crime, Sex and Ghosts of the Past: Contemporary Spanish Fiction and Film 3 hours 3HU, CD First Semester. Spain's transition to democracy following Franco's death in 1975 was characterized by two contradictory phenomena: a sudden moral, sexual, and political liberation, and a collective "pact of oblivion" that indefinitely postponed any reckoning with the dictatorial past. This course studies the film and fiction of post-Franco Spain, rife with sex and crime but also haunted by the ghosts of history. Includes works by Martín Gaite, Vázquez Montalbán, Llamazares, Almodóvar, Medem, and Saura. Taught in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 15. Mr. Faber 452. After Boom and Bust: Latin American Narrative Since 1987 3 hours 3HU, CD Second Semester. What happens in Latin American literature after the Boom of the '60s and the "bust" of the dictatorships, roughly since 1987? This course examines the twilight of the Boom novelists (García Márquez); feminist revisions of traditional genres (Mastretta); the long-term effects of the dictatorships, either in exile (Valenzuela) or at home (Piglia); sex, politics, and nostalgia in Cuba's período especial (Estévez); and the "postmodern," in indigenous politics (Subcomandante Marcos) or gender-bending slapstick (Aira). Conducted in Spanish. Enrollment Limit: 15. Mr. O'Connor 505. Honors 2-6 hours 2-6HU Consent of instructor required. Projects sponsored by Ms. Cara, Mr. Faber, Mr. O'Connor, Mr. Pérez de León, and Mr. Scholz. 995. Private Reading 1-3 hours 1-3HU, CD Consent of instructor required. Projects sponsored by Ms. Cara, Mr. Faber, Ms. Martínez-Marco, Ms. Martínez-Tapia, Mr. O'Connor, Mr. Pérez de León, Mr. Scholz, and Ms. Tungseth-Faber.
The following course is cross-referenced and may be taken for Hispanic Studies major credit. Please see the full course description under the department in which the course is listed. History (HIST) 227 The Spanish Civil War |
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