Mar 28, 2024  
Course Catalog 2008-2009 
    
Course Catalog 2008-2009 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Hispanic Studies


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Sebastiaan Faber, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies; Department Chair
Ana Cara,  Professor of Hispanic Studies
Alicia Martínez Marco, Instructor in Hispanic Studies
Esmeralda Martínez-Tapia, Lecturer in Hispanic Studies
Patrick O’Connor, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies
Vicente Pérez de León, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies
Barbara Sawhill, Lecturer in Hispanic Studies
Kim Tungseth-Faber,
Instructor in Hispanic Studies

 

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, 205, 304, and 334) focuses mainly on learning Spanish and understanding Hispanic cultures.  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/a cultures as well. Among our language courses is a class especially tailored for “Heritage Speakers” (students who grew up speaking Spanish but have not had the chance to study it formally).
The second level, consisting of the other classes in the 300 series, includes a wide range of courses on topics such as Latino/Latin American Folklore, Film, and History, as well as introductory literature classes.
The courses at the final or 400 level—mostly small-group classes taught in Spanish—focus on specific works, topics or trends.  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 that 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 two programs of its own, one in  Córdoba, Spain (PRESHCO), and one in Puebla, Mexico (PMCSP).  We also endorse a great variety of other programs in Spain and Latin America, including the Border Studies Program in El Paso/Ciudad Juárez.  Language students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of our Winter Term program in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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 33 hours of courses above the 200 level and may include advanced work in composition, grammar and stylistics, and HISP 304. The major may include up to nine hours of transfer credit per semester for study in literature and culture for a total of 15 hours counted toward the major, including summer work and study- abroad credit. (Up to 18 credits may be transferred from Oberlin’s own study-abroad programs, PRESHCO and PMCSP. In that case, all other major credit will have to be taken at Oberlin, with the exception of AP credit).  No credit for language courses at the HISP 202/203/204/205 level or below taken at Oberlin, abroad or at other institutions will count toward the major.  No course in which the student has earned a grade lower than a C-/CR/P can be used to fulfill the requirements of  the major. Courses in the First-Year Seminar Program (FYSP) taught by Hispanic Studies faculty on topics related to the Spanish-speaking world may count toward the major, as may any other course taught at Oberlin whose central focus falls within Latin American, Latino/a, and Iberian Studies (see below for a list of suggested courses). No more than three courses taught in English may count toward the major.

Students majoring in Hispanic Studies must take courses in both Iberian 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).  Students may pursue a double major with Latin American Studies or other related fields such as Classics and the other modern languages, Sociology, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Art, History, Comparative American Studies or 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.

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 include the study of various 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 12 hours must be taken in advanced work (400 level or equivalent).

 

Minor


A minor in Hispanic Studies consists of 18 hours of courses above the 200 level, including two advanced (400) 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, including study abroad. (Up to 9 credits may be transferred from PRESHCO and PMCSP. In that case, all other minor credit will have to be taken at Oberlin).  No more than one course taught in English may count toward the minor, including first-year seminars (see above).

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.  First-and second-year 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.  Please see the department’s web site at  http://www.oberlin.edu/hispanic/language_placement.html

 

 

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 the quality of the proposal, faculty recommendations and grade-point averages. 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 the Honors Program 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


Oberlin has two study abroad programs of its own, one in Córdoba, Spain (PRESHCO), and one in Puebla, Mexico (PMCSP). Participants in these 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 five-college consortium (Oberlin, Smith, Trinity, Wellesley, Wheaton MA, and Wooster). All PRESHCO courses are taught by Córdoba faculty from the University of Córdoba; in addition, students may directly enroll in regular university courses. Courses recently taught 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.” For more information, see www.wooster.edu/preshco/preshco.

Study Abroad in Puebla, México


The Program for Mexican Culture and Society in Puebla (PMCSP) is a residential direct-matriculation 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 four-college consortium including Oberlin, Smith, Wellesley,  and Wheaton 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. For more information, see www.wellesley.edu/Spanish/Puebla.

First-Year Seminars


I. Language Courses (Offered Every Year)


IV. Advanced Courses


Cross-Referenced Course


The following courses may be taken for Hispanic Studies major crecit.  Please see the full course description under the department in which the course is listed. (Keep in mind only three courses taught in English may count toward the major).

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