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Course Catalog 2005-2006 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Hispanic Studies
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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 and 305. It may include up to 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 12 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 chair 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 (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. 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. Please see the department’s web site at www.oberlin.edu/hispanic/requirements.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 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 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
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. I. Language Courses (Offered Every Year)
III. Freshman/Sophomore Colloquia and 300-level
Cross-Referenced Course
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. |
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