Spanish

This course studies images, topics, and cultural and historical issues related to modern Latin America and the Caribbean through Latin American and Caribbean films and other media sources. Within the context and influence of the New Latin American Cinema and within the context of the World Wide Web, radio, newspapers, and television, the course teaches students to recognize cinematographic or media strategies of persuasion and to understand the images and symbols utilized in the development of national/regional identity. Through film screenings, readings, discussions, and critical analyses, students will explore the unique cinematic styles, narrative techniques, and aesthetics that characterize Latin American film. Students will engage in research projects, presentations, and written critiques to enhance their understanding of the role of cinema as a tool for cultural expression and social change in Latin America. The topics to be studied are immigration, gender identity, national identity, political issues, and cultural hegemonies. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish. 

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers. 

This course explores the diverse business environments across Latin America and its political environment, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the region's unique economic, political, social, and cultural landscapes. The basis of this course is a comparative study and analysis of specific Latin American and Caribbean business practices and environments, as well as the customs informing those practices. ID 3526/SP 3526 focuses on countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica. The course's main objective is to study communication strategies, business protocol, and negotiation practices in the above-mentioned countries. Through oral presentations and written essays, students can explore other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish. 

This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers. 

Conducted entirely in Spanish, SP 3527 Spanish for Business: Enhancing Global Communication is an upper-level course most appropriate for students who have completed SP 3522 (Advanced Spanish II). This course provides specialized training in language and culture for students interested in business and international relations. A portion of the course will be spent introducing the vocabulary and concepts related to commerce, trade, and business in general. The cultural component of the course examines topics such as how individuals from Spanish American countries negotiate their sense of identity, how outsiders adapt to Spanish American societies to negotiate their place in a new cultural context, how different groups in Spanish America perceive business and the complex history of trade. Readings include selections from literature, history, journalism, social analysis, and popular culture. Theoretical presentations by the instructor and theoretical readings will help students develop skills for analyzing cultural texts and dilemmas. The course will explore Latin American history and Spanish American perceptions of foreigners conducting business in a Spanish American context. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spanish-speaking countries. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.

A survey of Caribbean literature and arts takes a multimedia approach to examine the different voices that resonate from the Spanish Caribbean and what appears to be a constant search for identity. By studying the works of prominent literary authors, films, music, and the plastic arts, we will study this region's socio-cultural context and traditions in a constant search for self-definition. Special attention will be given to the influential role ethnicity, colonialism, gender, and socio-economic development play in interpreting works from Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Spanish Caribbean basin, and those of the Caribbean diaspora. By the end of the course, students will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and literary contributions of the Spanish Caribbean, developing skills in literary analysis, cultural interpretation, and critical thinking. Assignments will include essays, presentations, creative projects, and class discussions that foster a nuanced appreciation of the region's literary heritage. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish. 

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.

This course explores Spanish cinema, tracing its evolution from the early 20th century to contemporary works. Students will study a range of films that reflect Spain's rich cultural, political, and social landscapes, analyzing themes such as identity, history, gender, and memory. Through Spanish cinema and other media sources, this course studies images, topics, and cultural and historical issues that have impacted the creation of a modern Spanish nation. This course focuses on current political and ideological issues (after 1936), the importance of the Spanish Civil War, gender identity, and class, cultural, and power relationships. Through screenings, discussions, and critical analysis, students will learn to interpret film as a medium of artistic expression and cultural commentary, developing an understanding of Spain's cinematic heritage. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spain. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers. 

Contemporary U.S. Latino Literature and Culture aims to introduce you to the field of Latino Studies, which emerged around the 1990s. We'll pay particular attention to the English-language cultural production - literature, autobiography, film, music, and criticism - of Latinos linked to four main territories: Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. While our transnational framework will help us understand the continuum between U.S. Latinos and Latin American/Caribbean communities. Indeed, part of our challenge will be to define what the label "Latino" even means. What is Latino literature? In what language do Latinos write? What makes a work Latino? We will thus examine the ways in which U.S. Latinos have manufactured identities within dominant as well as counter-cultural registers. Using identity as a base, we will grapple with collective concerns regarding race, gender, place, exile, immigration, and language. Our readings and discussions will be in English and Spanglish. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers. 

This intensive course, through a communicative approach, introduces students to the structures, essential vocabulary, and knowledge of the language and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Using the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication modes at a basic level, students will start to build their Spanish language proficiency and their intercultural communicative competence by completing simple tasks in speaking, writing, reading, and listening using basic level content and contexts. By the end of this course, students will be able to ask questions and communicate short messages to describe themselves and their immediate environment. 

This course is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish and is closed to native and heritage speakers of Spanish. To enroll in this course, you must obtain written permission from one of the Spanish professors. Students with previous knowledge of Spanish are encouraged to take the Spanish Placement Test offered by a WPI Spanish faculty member via CANVAS. 

This course is designed to further develop basic Spanish language proficiency at the sentence level in meaningful real-life contexts. It will introduce new forms of Spanish grammar, vocabulary, and different aspects of Hispanic culture in the U.S. and Spanish-speaking countries while emphasizing language skills in the interpersonal, interpretative, and presentational communicative modes. Upon completing this course, students will be able to communicate with short sentences to describe present and past experiences. This course is closed to native speakers and heritage speakers of Spanish, except with written permission from the instructor. 

Intermediate I will expand students' acquisition of new vocabulary and linguistic structures in a cultural and communicative context. Students will also continue expanding their intercultural awareness and language skills by interpreting different kinds of texts and authentic materials (short readings, audio, videos) about broad topics related to society, such as health, transportation, art and technology. Students will be able to have basic conversations and write and present about these topics to improve their language proficiency in the different modes of communication; interpretative, interpersonal, and presentational, as well as to increase their awareness of the cultural diversity of Spanish-speaking countries. This course is closed to native speakers of Spanish and heritage speakers except with written permission from the instructor. 

Intermediate Spanish II will provide students with the structures, vocabulary, and cultural context to help them elevate their communication skills in Spanish from the intermediate to advanced levels. By interacting with authentic materials, students will be prepared to perform more complex and diverse linguistic tasks, such as interpreting and discussing literary and cultural readings, and short films to recognize and celebrate the contributions of artists, writers, and filmmakers to the cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. Students will be able to use the language creatively in longer sentences to express preferences and opinions and exchange information in conversations and presentations. This course is closed to native speakers of Spanish and heritage speakers except with written permission from the instructor. 

Students at the Advanced level will explore a wider variety of literature (poetry, biographies, short stories), cultural readings, and short films produced in Spanish-speaking contexts to study critical historical, cultural, and social events related to the Hispanic world. Students will also review advanced vocabulary and grammar structures to connect and express ideas into a paragraph length in both oral and written discourses. At the end of the course, students will be able to produce basic academic texts and presentations to summarize, narrate, describe, and express their opinions about different topics and social issues. This course is closed to native speakers of Spanish and heritage speakers except with written permission from the instructor.

Advanced Spanish II will continue expanding students' interaction with sophisticated and complex texts such as literature, films, news, and reports about social, political, and historical events related to the Spanish-speaking world. Students will practice advanced grammar structures, vocabulary, and critical thinking to discuss, write, and present in academic and professional settings in the target language. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spanish-speaking countries. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish. This course is closed to native speakers of Spanish and heritage speakers except with written permission from the instructor. 

An introduction to various aspects of life in Latin American countries from early times to the present. Focusing on Latin America's social and political development, the course will reveal the unity and diversity that characterize contemporary Latin American culture. Typical topics for study include the Pre-Columbian civilizations and their cultural legacy, the conquistadores and the colonial period, the independence movements, the search for and the definition of American identity, the twentieth-century dictatorships, the move toward democracy, gender and race identities, religious practices, etc. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers. 

This course offers a comprehensive overview of Latin American literature from the pre-Columbian period to the contemporary era. Students will explore diverse literary genres, including poetry, short stories, novels, and essays, focusing on the historical, cultural, and political contexts that have shaped the region's literature. Key themes will include colonialism and its legacies, nation-building, identity, gender, race, social justice, magical realism, and the role of literature in political resistance and cultural affirmation. Readings will cover major authors such as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, and Mario Vargas Llosa, among others. The course will also examine the works of Indigenous, Afro-Latin American, and other underrepresented voices in Latin American literature. Through lectures, discussions, and critical essays, students will develop an understanding of the literary movements, historical events, and cultural dynamics that have influenced the development of Latin American literature. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.

This course aims to introduce you to Spain as a critical concept: how can we understand Spanish identity as we know it today through past cultural processes, productions, and moments? Through an interdisciplinary panoramic of Spain's most famous and contentious moments and figures, we will piece together a broad cultural history of a nation that has tended to identify itself as "Las Espanas" - in other words, a plurality of identities that reflect regional nationalism, ethnicities, religions, languages, and social structures that then feed into an ethos of what it means to be a "Spaniard." Part of our task will be to assess how Spaniards define themselves and how others define them; more broadly, these discussions will enrich how we think about nationality and culture. The students will examine diverse artifacts - literature, films, art, and the history of different moments in the development of Spanish culture and civilization, including the Convivencia, the Reconquista, the Spanish monarchy, and the so-called Conquista de last Americas, the Spanish Civil War, Franco's subsequent dictatorship, and the transition to democracy. Our readings will be in Spanish and English, but coursework will be exclusively in Spanish. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spain. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish. 

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers. 

This course introduces students to the study of Spanish literature through analytical readings of essays, poetry, drama, and fiction of representative Spanish writers from medieval to contemporary times. The selected authors to be studied reflect Spanish society's cultural and political efforts conducive to a nation-building process. Among the topics to be covered are literary and artistic movements, nationalist and religious discourses, cultural miscegenation, gender issues, regional, political, and class conflicts, the role of the intellectual, and strategies for constructing identities. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spain. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers. 

This upper-level Spanish course explores how Latin American authors, artists, filmmakers, photographers, and thinkers have responded to environmental concerns from colonial times to the present day. Starting with Europeans' first impressions of the New World, we will grapple with the interplay between local cultures and the expansion of global capitalism in Latin America by analyzing literary and cultural representations of, for instance, resource extraction of rubber, wood, and petroleum in the Amazon (Brazil, Per, Ecuador); maquiladora contamination and environmental migration in the borderlands (U.S.-Mexico); water defenders and neoliberalism (Chile, Bolivia); Indigenous social movements in defense of land; nature (Ecuador); eco-feminist parallels between oppression of women and nature (Honduras, Colombia); and natural disasters, especially in the age of the Anthropocene (Mexico, Puerto Rico). We will explore these issues and more to unearth the role of Latin American cultural production in bearing witness to and generating awareness of environmental crises, While consistently accounting for the region's complex and interwoven history of coloniality, inequality, and dependency, we will look for ecological justice solutions proposed at the intersection of art and activism. Several questions will guide our interpretations grounded in ecocritical theory: What do the studied works aim to achieve by appealing to harmony between the human and the non-human? What similarities or differences exist across countries, contexts, and genres? How does Latin America's ecological consciousness differ from other peripheries and centers? This course satisfied the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers.

This course explores past and present intersections between the arts and sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean through a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach. The purpose of this course is to examine areas or interaction between the arts, films, and literature with selected areas of knowledge related to STEM. In this manner, Latin America and the Caribbean are represented as in a creative and critical dialogue with aspects of Modernity and Modernization. This course is especially appropriate for students who expect to complete their IQP and MQP at WPI project centers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.

The content of the course will change from year to year. This course offers a dynamic and flexible exploration of selected topics related to the Spanish-speaking world, encompassing areas such as literature, culture, film, history, society, and the arts. Each semester, the topics will change and focus on a different theme or set of themes, allowing students to engage with a wide range of materials and perspectives from Spain, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In this course, students will examine current issues, emerging trends, and cultural movements while developing critical thinking skills through discussions, presentations, and research projects. The course will also emphasize language proficiency, fostering advanced skills in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish. By the end of the course, students will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and diversity of the Spanish-speaking world and the ability to analyze and interpret its cultural texts and contexts. Assignments will include essays, presentations, group work, and creative projects encouraging cross-cultural awareness and engagement. This course may be repeated for credit. This course satisfies the Inquiry Seminar to complete the HUA requirement in Spanish and would also count toward International and Global Studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies. In addition, this course would benefit students interested in WPI's Project Centers in Spanish-speaking countries. This course is taught at an advanced level of Spanish.