PDF reflects print version of the catalogue (beginning to East Asian Languages and Cultures)Courses of Instruction
Spanish and Portuguese
Spanish (SPAN)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.
SPAN 020x Spanish for Reading Knowledge (0) Preparation for the ETS standardized examination, with readings related to the student’s major area. Offered upon sufficient demand. Not available for degree credit. Graded CR/NC.
SPAN 120 Spanish I (4) For students with limited proficiency in Spanish. Practice in listening comprehension, oral communication, elementary reading and writing. Prerequisite: Spanish placement exam.
SPAN 150 Spanish II (4) Continuation of SPAN 120; increased emphasis on listening comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing. Prerequisite: SPAN 120.
SPAN 220 Spanish III (4) Continuation of SPAN 150; intensive work in listening comprehension, oral communication, reading and writing, with emphasis on free expression; readings related to Hispanic culture and civilization. Prerequisite: SPAN 150.
SPAN 240 Spanish IV (4, FaSp) Intensive review of Spanish grammar with emphasis on four skills. Audiovisual materials and readings related to Hispanic culture and civilization. Prerequisite: SPAN 220.
SPAN 245 Spanish Through Social Issues in Costa Rica (4, Sm) (Costa Rica Summer Program only). Intensive review of Spanish grammar with emphasis on four skills. Audiovisual materials, guest speakers, and readings related to the history and culture of Costa Rica. Concurrent enrollment: SPAN 220.
SPAN 250x Spanish for Business Communication (4) Four-skills language and culture course for intermediate-high Spanish students interested in Business/Communications. Prepares students to communicate in the Spanish-speaking commercial market in a linguistically sensitive manner. Not available for credit to Spanish majors and minors. Prerequisite: SPAN 240.
SPAN 265 Spanish for Communication: Society and the Media (4, FaSp) Writing-intensive course designed to develop students’ communicative skills through grammar review, readings on current issues and exposure to media. Prerequisite: SPAN 220; recommended preparation: SPAN 266.
SPAN 266 Spanish for Communication: Arts and Sciences (4, FaSp) Writing-intensive course designed to develop students’ communicative skills through extensive reading of literary and scientific materials. Prerequisite: SPAN 220.
SPAN 280x Conversational Spanish (2, FaSp) Discussions of short films, cultural and literary texts and other activities designed to improve conversational skills. Not for credit for Spanish majors. Recommended preparation: SPAN 220.
SPAN 304 Survey of Fiction (4, FaSp) A survey of Spanish and Latin American fiction from the Middle Ages to the present, acquainting students with various critical and theoretical approaches to narrative. Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 306 Survey of Drama (4, FaSp) A survey of Spanish and Latin American plays from the Middle Ages to the present, acquainting students with various critical and theoretical approaches to drama. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 305.) Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 308 Survey of Poetry (4, FaSp) A survey of Spanish and Latin American poetry from the Middle Ages to the present, acquainting students with various critical and theoretical approaches to verse. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 305.) Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 310 Structure of Spanish (4, FaSp) A systematic study of the structure of Spanish. Topics include fundamental aspects of the sound system; word classes; sentences and their meaning; linguistic change and variation; standard and colloquial usage. Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 311 Advanced Spanish Through Contemporary Issues: Oral Emphasis (4, Sm) (Summer sessions abroad) Advanced Spanish with emphasis on grammar and oral communication. Recommended preparation: SPAN 265 or SPAN 266.
SPAN 315 Advanced Grammar and Translation (4, FaSp) Contrastive study of Spanish and English structures designed to explore the similarities and differences between the two languages and to familiarize students with translation techniques. Emphasis on a variety of text types with the aim of increasing linguistic and cultural appreciation of the Spanish language. Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 316x Spanish for the Professions (4, max 8, FaSp) The language and culture of a particular area of study or profession, such as medicine and healthcare, political and social sciences, business and the law. Limited to 4 units for major or minor credit. Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 320 Iberian and Latin American Cultures: Readings on Society (4, FaSp) Introduction to the study of Iberian and Latin American cultural patterns through readings on such topics as history, gender, ethnicity, and politics. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 360 and former SPAN 370.) Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 321 Iberian and Latin American Cultures: Readings on the Arts (4, FaSp) Introduction to the study of Iberian and Latin American cultural forms through readings on the visual arts, cinema, architecture and music. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 360 and former SPAN 370.) Prerequisite: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266.
SPAN 341 Advanced Conversation and Culture (4) (Madrid Summer Program) Conversation based on study of Spanish art and architecture. Field trips.
SPAN 350 Cultural Cross-Currents of the Iberian Middle Ages (4, FaSp) Selected readings from 1040 to 1499 examining the rich cultural diversity of the Iberian Middle Ages in the symbiosis of Christian, Moslem and Jewish traditions. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 377 and former SPAN 450.) Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 352 The Transatlantic Golden Age: New Worlds Real and Imagined (4, FaSp) Selected readings from 1500 to 1700 exploring Renaissance and baroque visions of the classical and new worlds. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 372 Modern and Contemporary Latin American Fiction (4, FaSp) Study of major trends in Latin American fiction from the 1930s to the present with a focus on narrative experimentation. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 373 Modern and Postmodern Spanish Fiction (4, FaSp) An exploration of the literary and filmic narratives of contemporary Spain focusing on the major historical and cultural movements of the 20th century. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 378.) Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 375 Latin American Cultural and Literary Theory (4) (Enroll in COLT 375)
SPAN 380 Literature of Mexico (4) Principal writers and their works from Colonial times to the present. Non-majors may write assignments in English. Recommended preparation: advanced comprehension of oral and written Spanish.
SPAN 390 Special Problems (1-4) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
SPAN 391 Introduction to Contemporary Spanish Literature (USC Madrid Center) (4) Readings in contemporary Spanish literature. Includes lectures by recognized Spanish writers and scholars.
SPAN 405 History of the Spanish and Portuguese Languages (4) Development of sounds, forms, words, meanings and structures from their origins to modern Spanish and Portuguese. Prerequisite: SPAN 310 or SPAN 315.
SPAN 412 Spanish Rhetoric and Style (4, FaSp) Close grammatical and rhetorical analysis of a variety of text types (general, literary, technical, journalistic) as the basis for practice in advanced written and oral expression as well as translation. Prerequisite: SPAN 310 or SPAN 315.
SPAN 413m Social and Geographic Varieties of Spanish (4, Fa) Historical, social, and cultural elements represented in the dialectal diversity of the Spanish language; fieldwork in bilingual communities in the United States. Majors prepare assignments in Spanish, non-majors in English. Conducted in Spanish and English. Prerequisite: reading knowledge of Spanish.
SPAN 420 Spanish Language Acquisition (4, FaSp) A study of the bilingual acquisition of Spanish and English by children, and of Spanish as a second language by adults; focus on linguistic, psychological and social factors. Prerequisite: SPAN 310 or SPAN 315.
SPAN 442 Advanced Reporting in Spanish (4) (Enroll in JOUR 442)
SPAN 455 Picaresque Itineraries: Empire and Its Discontents (4, FaSp) A study of the rise of the picaresque novel in Spain and Latin America as a medium for social, political, and cultural criticism. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 460 Don Quijote (4) A thematic, structural, and stylistic analysis of Cervantes’ masterpiece. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 462 Literary Cartographies of Latin America and Spain, 1810-1898 (4, FaSp) Comparative analysis of Spanish and Latin American literatures with a focus on trans-Atlantic relations and the rise of such movements as romanticism, realism, and modernismo. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 464 Introduction to Contemporary Spanish Theatre (4) (Madrid Center only) Historical evolution of the contemporary Spanish theatre; readings of dramatic texts supported by attendance at live stage performances. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 465 Cultural Perspectives of the Iberian Peninsula: Multiple Groups and Their Interaction (4, Sm) (Madrid Summer Program) Study of cultural plurality in the Iberian Peninsula. Recommended preparation: SPAN 265 or SPAN 266.
SPAN 466 Argentina, Society and the Arts (4, Sm) Study of the arts in the cultural landscape of Argentina and in the context of developments in Europe, Latin America and the United States. Recommended preparation: SPAN 265 or SPAN 266.
SPAN 470 Literature and Media in Latin America (4) (Enroll in COLT 470)
SPAN 481 Literature and Popular Culture (4, FaSp) An examination of popular culture and literary genres with an emphasis on the evolving canons and identities of Latin America and Spain. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 482 Literature and the City (4, FaSp) An examination of the literary representations of urban spaces and cultures within the context of Iberian, Latin American, and U.S. Latino societies. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 483 Literature and Gender (4, FaSp) An examination of gender, sexuality, and power in Iberian and Latin American literatures and cultures. Recommended preparation: SPAN 304 or SPAN 306 or SPAN 308.
SPAN 484 Studies in Visual and Material Culture (4, FaSp) An examination of the role of visual and material culture in cultural and social context in the Hispanic world, focusing on a selected time period and geographical region. Recommended preparation: SPAN 265 and SPAN 266 if taken for Spanish major credit.
SPAN 490x Directed Research (2-8, max 8) Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.
SPAN 495 Seminar for Majors and Minors (4) Two options: (1) Study of a major work or writer, a principal literary theme or movement; or (2) a selected topic in Spanish language and linguistics. Recommended preparation: two courses in the upper division in the same area as the seminar topic (e.g., language or literature).
SPAN 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8)
SPAN 511 Techniques and Procedures of Teaching Spanish as a Second Language (3) Practical classroom application of language teaching methods; evaluation of available textbooks; critique of master classes.
SPAN 513 Spanish Morphology and Phonology (3, FaSp) A survey of research on the interaction between Spanish morphology and phonology in light of critical readings and discussion of selected studies as contributions to the general theory of grammar. (Duplicates credit in former SPAN 512.)
SPAN 514 Spanish Syntax (3, FaSp) A survey of Spanish syntax in the light of critical readings and discussion of selected studies and their comparative contribution to grammatical theory.
SPAN 515 Spanish Grammar in Discourse (3, FaSp) Semantic and pragmatic approaches to the analysis of the structure of Spanish sentences and discourse.
SPAN 516 Historical Aspects of Spanish and Portuguese (3, FaSp) Processes of language change in the development of the Spanish and Portuguese languages from their origin in spoken Latin to their modern stage.
SPAN 517 Spanish Applied Linguistics (3, FaSp) Modern theories of first and second language acquisition and their application to Spanish.
SPAN 518 Spanish Sociolinguistics (3, FaSp) Principles of sociolinguistics and dialectology: sociolinguistic patterns in the Hispanic languages.
SPAN 520 Critical Theory of Literary Genres (3, max 9) Introduction to the theory of modern literary genres (drama, narrative fiction, poetry).
SPAN 523 Studies in Medieval Literature (3, max 6) Representative medieval texts, emphasizing major authors, genres and literary movements, within their historical and critical contexts. Prerequisite: SPAN 450.
SPAN 524 Literature of the Golden Age (3, max 9) Poetry, prose narrative or drama; representative works with their historical, generic and critical contexts; issues of genre and countergenre. Prerequisite: SPAN 352.
SPAN 526 The Hispanic Enlightenment (3) Literary, philosophical and historical writings in the Hispanic world in relation to the general European background of the Enlightenment.
SPAN 529 Studies in 19th Century Spanish Literature (3) Studies of works, historical background and criticism of the major movements of the 19th century in Spain; romanticism, realism, naturalism and spiritualism.
SPAN 530 Modern Spanish Narrative (3) Main currents in Peninsular Spanish fiction from Baroja to Goytisolo, with emphasis on social commentary and its literary premises.
SPAN 531 Studies in 20th Century Spanish Literature (3, max 6) Fiction and essay, or drama and poetry of the generations of 1898, 1915, 1927, 1936 and contemporary Spain.
SPAN 532 20th Century Spanish Poetry (3) Main currents in Peninsular poetry from Post-Romanticism to the present day, including the poetics of Vanguardism and Neorealism.
SPAN 533 Spanish American Colonial Literature (3) Major works of Spanish American literature, from the conquest to the 18th century, with emphasis on the chronicles, epic poetry and baroque literature.
SPAN 534 Studies in 19th Century Spanish American Literature (3) Major works and literary trends in Spanish American literature from independence to the end of the 19th century.
SPAN 535 Studies in Spanish American Modernismo (3) Poetry and prose of Spanish American modernismo; emphasis on both the poetics and literary practice of key figures, including Marti, Dario, and others.
SPAN 536 20th Century Spanish American Poetry (3) Major 20th century poets and poetic movements in Spanish America; emphasis on poets such as Castellanos, Huidobro, Mistral, Neruda, Sabines, Vallejo, and others.
SPAN 537 Spanish American Narrative from Modernismo to the Sixties (3) Representative texts of narrative fiction from modernism to the sixties, emphasizing major authors such as Dario, Quiroga, Borges, Azuela, and Asturias. Prerequisite: SPAN 520 (narrative fiction).
SPAN 538 Literature of the “Boom” (3) Representative texts of major “boom” authors such as Cortazar, Donoso, Fuentes, Garcia Marquez, and Vargas Llosa within their critical, cultural and socio-economic contexts. Prerequisite: SPAN 520 (narrative fiction) or departmental approval.
SPAN 590 Directed Research (1-12) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
SPAN 594abz Master’s Thesis (2-2-0) Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.
SPAN 595 Research Methods and Literary Criticism (3) Form, style, and mechanics of conducting, organizing and presenting research; bibliography; orientation in modern critical theory.
SPAN 596 Research Methods in Spanish Linguistics (3) Examination of various research methods as applied to the study of the Spanish language; mechanics of organizing, conducting and presenting research in Spanish linguistics.
SPAN 600 Seminar on Research in Medieval Spanish Literature (3) Evolution of critical theory and its application to research in medieval Spanish literature. Prerequisite: SPAN 450, SPAN 523, or departmental approval.
SPAN 601 Seminar in Golden Age Drama (3, max 6) Dramatic theory and practice in 16th and 17th century Spain; development of comedia from Torres Naharro to Calderon de la Barca.
SPAN 605 Seminar in Spanish Romanticism and Realism (3) Origin and nature of Spanish romanticism and realism in relation to their European counterparts. Prerequisite: SPAN 529.
SPAN 607 Seminar on Literary Movements and Ideologies in Spain (3, max 6) Examination of the arguments for including figures in the generations of 1898, 1915, 1927 and 1936 in Spain and the literary movements included in them. Prerequisite: SPAN 531.
SPAN 631 Seminar in the Spanish American Baroque (3) Analysis of major literary works of the Spanish American baroque in their historical, generic and critical context.
SPAN 632 Seminar in Spanish American Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism (3, max 6) Romantic, realist, or naturalist literary movements in Spanish America; emphasis on theoretical framework, cultural context of each movement and problems in Spanish American literary history. Prerequisite: SPAN 534.
SPAN 635 Seminar in Vanguard and Neo-Vanguard Movements in Spanish America (3) Studies of significant avant-garde movements, groups, literary magazines and texts of the period between the World Wars and recent decades.
SPAN 636 Seminar in Recent Trends in Spanish American Literature (3, max 6) Studies of drama, narrative fiction, poetry, or non-fiction prose, or a combination thereof; representative texts and critical issues raised by literary production after the 1960s. Prerequisite: SPAN 520 (drama, narrative fiction, or poetry).
SPAN 637 Seminar in Spanish American Non-Fictional Prose (3) Discussion of major texts of Spanish American non-fictional prose, including chronicles of discovery and conquest, the modern essay and testimonial literature.
SPAN 638 Seminar in 20th Century Spanish American Fiction (3, max 6) Studies of major authors, texts and trends in 20th century Spanish American narrative fiction; problems in the critical theory of narrative.
SPAN 651 Topics in Hispanic Literature (3, max 9) Seminars on literary movements, themes or problems.
SPAN 652 Seminar on a Major Topic in Hispanic Linguistics (3, max 9, FaSp) Analysis of selected topics of current interest as reflected primarily in the most recent literature.
SPAN 672 Seminar in Spanish Morphophonology (3, max 9, FaSp) Selected topics in Spanish morphology and phonology.
SPAN 674 Seminar on Spanish Syntax and Semantics (3, max 9, FaSp) Detailed analysis of topics in modern Spanish syntax and semantics.
SPAN 676 Seminar in Diachronic Aspects of the Hispanic Languages (3, max 9, FaSp) In-depth analysis of a particular topic in the historical development of the Hispanic languages.
SPAN 677 Seminar in Spanish Applied Linguistics (3, FaSp) Critical study and analysis of major issues related to the teaching and learning of Spanish as a first or a second language.
SPAN 678 Seminar in Hispanic Sociolinguistics (3, max 9, FaSp) Selected topics in Hispanic sociolinguistics: social and geographic language varieties, language contact, discourse analysis, synchronic variation and processes of change in Spanish.
SPAN 700 Colloquium in Hispanic Literature and Linguistics (1, max 3) Discussion and presentation of papers on a variety of topics in the areas of Hispanic language and literature. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: any 600 level Spanish seminar.
SPAN 750 Seminar on a Major Hispanic Author or Work (3, max 9) Specialized topics for small groups of students.
SPAN 790 Directed Research (1-12) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
SPAN 794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.
Portuguese (PORT)
PORT 120 Portuguese I (4, FaSp) For students with no proficiency in Portuguese. Practice in listening comprehension, oral communication, elementary reading and writing.
PORT 150 Portuguese II (4, FaSp) For students with some language proficiency in Portuguese; increased emphasis on listening, comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing. Students will be required to take a Portuguese placement exam in the Spanish and Portuguese Department.
PORT 220 Portuguese III (4, FaSp) Intensive work in listening comprehension, oral communication, reading and writing, with emphasis on free expression; readings related to Portuguese culture and civilization. Prerequisite: PORT 150.
PORT 240 Portuguese IV (4) Four-skills course with review of grammar. Writing and reading intensive. Authentic materials related to Lusobrazilian culture and civilization. Prerequisite: PORT 220.
PORT 250g Cultures of Brazil and Lusophone Africa (4, FaSp) Comparative study of Brazil in the context of the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) world, especially Portugal’s former colonies in Africa. Materials drawn from literature, visual culture, music and cultural theory.
PORT 390 Special Problems (1-4) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
PORT 590 Directed Research (1-12) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.