Hispanic Studies

Major

Major

For students declaring a Hispanic Studies major, the core requirements are the following:
• at least 11 courses;
• these should include at least 8 courses above the 200 level taught in Spanish, including two 400- level courses taken at Oberlin.

Further requirements:
• The major should present a balanced distribution of work taken in Peninsular and Latin American areas, and include the study of various genres, literary movements, and historical periods.
• Before taking a 400-level course, students are encouraged to take at least two of the four survey courses combining one Spanish and one Latin American survey, as well as one pre-19th century and one post-19th century survey
  (i.e., HISP 309 and 318, or HISP 310 and 317).
• All majors will designate one 400-level course taken in their senior year as their capstone course. In addition to the normal coursework, the capstone includes a substantive individual project and a public presentation.

Additional stipulations:
• Language courses at the beginning or intermediate levels (taken at Oberlin, abroad, or at other institutions) will not count toward the major.
• Up to 1 full course may be counted toward the major at the 300-level for a score of 5 on the Spanish language or literature exams.
• 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
  (e.g. in History, Politics, Anthropology, Comparative American Studies, etc.) whose central focus falls within Latin American, Latino/a, and Iberian Studies.
• Up to 6 courses from Oberlin’s PRESHCO program may be counted toward the major.
• Up to 3 courses of transfer credit per semester, including coursework done abroad, may be counted toward the major, for a total of 5 courses. For Oberlin’s program in Puebla, México, up to 6 courses may be counted if a student enrolls in a full year program.
• Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C- or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.
• Courses taken abroad or at other institutions cannot be counted as 400-level credit.

The major portfolio
Students declaring a Hispanic Studies major will be assigned an online portfolio in which they record and reflect on their progress through the major. The online portfolio should be updated at least once a semester, in preparation for class registration. In addition to students’ reflections, the portfolio may serve to upload academic work or other related activities and accomplishments.

Study abroad and double majors
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, or a major/minor combination 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.

Minor

Minor

For students declaring a Hispanic Studies minor the core requirements are the following:
• at least 6 courses;
• these should include at least 5 courses above the 200 level taught in Spanish, including at least one course
  at the 400 level taken at Oberlin.

Further information about the minor:
• Language courses at the beginning or intermediate levels (taken at Oberlin, abroad or at other institutions) will not count toward the minor.
• Up to 3 AP credits may be counted toward the minor at the 300-level for a score of 5 on the Spanish language or literature exams.
• 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 minor, as may any other course taught at Oberlin
  (e.g. in History, Politics, Anthropology, Comparative American Studies, etc.) whose central focus falls within Latin American, Latino/a, and Iberian Studies.
• Up to 3 courses from Oberlin’s PRESHCO program may be counted toward the minor.
• Up to 2 courses of transfer credit, including coursework done abroad, may be counted toward the minor. For Oberlin’s program in Puebla, México, up to 3 courses may be counted.
• The minor should present a balanced distribution of work taken in Peninsular and Latin American areas, and include the study of various genres, literary movements, and historical periods.
• Before taking a 400-level course, students are encouraged to take at least two of the four survey courses combining one Spanish and one Latin American survey, as well as one pre-19th century and
  one post-19th century survey (i.e., HISP 309 and 318, or HISP 310 and 317).
• Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C- or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.

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. A score of 5 on the Spanish language or literature exam automatically receives credit for 1 full academic course as Hispanic Studies 300, qualifying students to work at the 300 level.  Students who have scored a 6 or 7 on the Spanish (Advanced) exam of the IB curriculum will also receive 1 course credit, as HISP 300.

First and second-year students having obtained a score of 5 on the AP exams or a 6 or 7 on the IB Spanish (Advanced) 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. 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 and scored a 5 (see above).

The placement exam will be available online during registration.  Please see the department’s web site at http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic_studies/language_placement.dot

Honors

The Honors Program in Hispanic Studies is a two-semester sequence of two courses 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.  Students may be invited to participate in the program, but are also encouraged to express their interest to the faculty.  For more information see: http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic_studies/capstonehonors.dot

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 and her two graduate assistants are native Spanish speakers from Latin America and Spain. 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 México

Oberlin has two study abroad programs of its own, one in Córdoba, Spain (PRESHCO), and one in Puebla, México (PMCSP). Participants in these programs (see for details below) may receive 5 courses per semester of academic credit toward graduation. 3 courses each semester, for a total of 6 courses 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 México 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 four-college consortium (Oberlin, Smith, Trinity, and Wellesley). 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: http://sophia.smith.edu/blog/preshco/

First-Year Seminars

I. Language Courses (Offered Every Year)

• HISP 101 - Elementary Spanish I
• HISP 102 - Elementary Spanish II
• HISP 202 - Intermediate Spanish I
• HISP 203 - Intermediate Spanish II
• HISP 304 - Advanced Grammar and Composition

II. Survey Courses

• HISP 309 - Survey of Spanish Literature I:
• HISP 310 - Survey of Spanish Literature II: The Struggle for Modernity
• HISP 317 - Survey of Latin American Literature I: Encuentros y Desencuentros
• HISP 318 - Survey of Latin American Literature II: Utopía y Autenticidad

III. 300-Level Courses

• HISP 303 - Conversation and Communication in Spanish
• HISP 304 - Advanced Grammar and Composition
• HISP 306 - Introduction to Literary Analysis
• HISP 324 - Popular Culture in Latin America
• HISP 332 - Imagining Havana
• HISP 333 - Imagining Havana LxC
• HISP 339 - Latin American Cityscapes

IV. Advanced Courses

• HISP 414 - Borges the Singer
• HISP 421 - Julio Cortazar’s Rayuela
• HISP 423 - Reading Books like Don Quixote
• HISP 445 - Crime, Sex and Ghosts of the Past: Contemporary Spanish Fiction and Film
• HISP 505H - Honors - Half
• HISP 505F - Honors - Full
• HISP 995H - Private Reading - Half
• HISP 995F - Private Reading - Full

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).

• CAST 201 - Latinas/os in Comparative Perspective
• HIST 110 - Latin American History: State and Nation Since Independence
• POLT 210 - Latin American Politics
• PORT 330 - The Sounds of Brazil: from Samba to Bossa Nova

Portuguese Language and Brazilian Studies

• PORT 101 - Elementary Portuguese I
• PORT 102 - Elementary Portuguese II