Course offerings and content are subject to change.
All students are required to register for the 2-credit workshop Spain
Through Its Culture and Language. View the NEW Fast-tack Spanish for
Beginners program . For a complete description of a specific course, click on course number.
All students must take a language course unless they have already
complete V95.0100. You should consult the NYU Registrar's web site for the scheduled class times and days.
Elementary Spanish
All content courses conducted in English carry 4 points. Elementary and Intermediate Spanish carry 6 points. All students are required to take a Spanish language course.
Open to students with no previous training in Spanish and to others on
assignment by placement test. NYU students: After completing this course,
students who wish to continue studying Spanish must take a qualifying exam.
Students who pass the exam may go into A95.0020. Students who do not pass the
qualifying exam go into A95.0018. (Not offered in Madrid.) Completes the
equivalent of a year's elementary course in one semester.
Completes the MAP language requirement for NYU students. Prerequisite for NYU students: V95.0002 or V95.0010 and passing grade on qualifying exam.
Promotes proficiency in reading and writing as well as oral performance.
Completes the equivalent of a year's intermediate course in one semester.
Content Courses Taught in Spanish at the Intermediate Level
To be taken concurrently with Intensive Intermediate Spanish (V95.9020)
Only for students concurrently registered in V95.9020.
The course is designed for students in V95.9020.001 that would like to perfect their Spanish, as they expand their knowledge regarding literature, cinema, and social and political problems that exist today within modern Spanish society. The reading of different dramatic texts and viewing of various films throughout the semester will serve to expand lexicon, strengthen grammar and improve the student's style. The objective of this course is that the students familiarize themselves with everyday language of current newspapers and magazines, at the same time as they enter into the world of Spanish literature.
The most important goal of the course is to offer a methodologically simple approximation that helps the student to develop a greater verbal and communicative dexterity. To this end, every week the students will analyze and debate the cultural and literary content texts that are to be studied and every two weeks the students will present a written composition of the topics covered in class. In the classroom linguistic correction will be emphasized along with auditory practice through the use of a wide range of materials and resources: theoretical explanations, comprehension and vocabulary exercises, film viewing, as well as exercises that highlight certain morphological aspects or grammatical usage of Spanish.
Only for students concurrently registered in V95.9020.
This course is directed to students in V95.9020.001 that would like to perfect their Spanish and acquire knowledge about Hispanic language and culture in the United States. The study and debate in class on a variety of materials (literary texts and periodicals, advertisements, radio programs from the Internet, movies) will permit us to take on current topics related to the Hispanic presence in American society, for example, emigration, border culture, Hispanic media, "Latin" identity, problems of gender and ethnicity, the political importance of Hispanic communities and bilingualism.
The principal objective of the course is the development of the student's communicative capacity through written and oral presentations, debates, and commentaries on each week's materials, as well as listening comprehension and vocabulary exercises. As a secondary objective, the student should acquire a consciousness of the reality of the United States as a place of encounter and transformation of different cultures, including Hispanic cultures that today play a predominant role.
Content Courses Taught in English
A gallery course focusing on the baroque schools of Rubens and Rembrandt, "tenebrist"
painting, Velázquez, and the etchings and paintings of Goya. Ends with a survey
of the painters of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Fascism as a political, social, and cultural phenomenon in the 20th century. The nature and appeals of fascist movements in individual European countries from the First through the Second World War, including fascist regimes in Italy and Germany. Attention given to the role of leadership, economic conditions, class conflicts, ethnic hatreds, foreign relations, and social and cultural regimentation.
Studies the principal poetry and dramatic works in relation to the historical
period culminating in the Spanish Civil War and contemporary literary movements
from impressionism to surrealism.
Introduces the basic concepts used in the study of social change by examining
the ethnographic diversity of the various regions of Spain and Portugal.
Knowledge of this underlying diversity is essential in comprehending the
importance that regionalism has played in Iberian history and its relevance to
the understanding of the acceptance or rejection of change by the different
regions in contemporary Spain and Portugal. The course specifically examines the
rapidly changing role of women in both countries.
Provides students with the necessary tools in order to understand the global
economic environment, world economics and integration trends. The first part of
the course focuses on the European Union's institutions, policies and economics.
The rest of the term is devoted to the economic analysis of other important
world regions and international institutions from the globalization perspective.
Basic macroeconomic knowledge will be provided when necessary.
Introduces students to the modern study of the Bible from historical, literary, and archeological points of view. Reading and analysis of texts in translation.
Courses for Students of Advanced Spanish
All courses are conducted in Spanish. Language courses are offered every semester.
Prerequisites: V95.0020 or V95.0004; permission of the department; or a satisfactory score on the SAT II, AP or NYU language placement exam. For non-native speakers only.
Advanced course designed to expand and consolidate lexical and grammatical understanding of the language and to introduce fundamental principles of expository writing as they apply to Spanish, through exercises, readings, and intensive practice of various expository prose techniques and styles. For nonnative speakers only. Prerequisite for NYU students: V95.0020, V95.0004, or permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
Courses Instructed in Spanish
Prerequisite of V95.0100 or to be taken concurrently with V95.9100
with permission of the director.
Prerequisite for NYU students: V95.0030 or permission of the director of undergraduate studies. For nonnative Spanish speakers only.
Intensive course in spoken Spanish, designed to give the student fluency in
the use of idiomatic, everyday language as well as a comprehensive, practical
vocabulary.
This course is designed for students who wish to attain a command of Spanish
in relation to the worlds of business and international relations. Special
emphasis on the development of oral expression through activities that focus on
business practices.
The objective of this course is to familiarize the student with the reading and production of different journalistic genres (news, interviews, profiles, chronicles, reports, and criticism). On a daily basis, the students will read sections of printed and digital newspapers in Spanish to present and comment on in class. The discussions, together with the assigned readings, will serve as a basis for realizing grammatical review, vocabulary exercises, and compositions. Special attention will be paid to the distinct phases of the writing process, working individually as well as in groups. This course counts toward the minor/major as a language course requirement for Spanish speakers.
A gallery course focusing on the baroque schools of Rubens and Rembrandt, "tenebrist"
painting, Velázquez, and the etchings and paintings of Goya. Ends with a survey
of the painters of the 18th and 19th centuries.
This course is designed to provide an interdisciplinary introduction to major
aspects of Latin American Cultures, from the Independence to the present. Since
this course is primarily intended for undergraduate students, it does not aim at
examining systematically all of the issues and countries of the region&which is
not possible in one semester, anyway. The course will analyze some important
aspects of the following topics: economic and political patterns, social issues,
ethnicity, national identity, religion, gender, literature, and the arts, —from
a historical perspective.
Drawing on literature, film, visual arts, music and mass media, the course
explores the culture of Spain, placing special emphasis on the present time.
Introduction to literary analysis through close readings of texts from the early to modern periods of peninsular Spanish and Spanish American literatures. Engages students in the practice of textual explication, provides basic critical skills, and encourages reflection on literature as a system.
In this course, we will read both the first and second part of the Don Quijote
and analyze it's significance from literary, philosophical, political and social
perspectives.
Analyzes the encounter of diverse cultures and civilizations in Hispanic America from a historico-anthropological perspective, as well as the processes of synthesis and 'mestizaje' among these cultures. Special emphasis will be placed on the ethnic and racial criteria used as markers in the formation of Iberoamerican societies and their current repercussions. Texts used will be both anthropological and literary, including works by Alejo Carpentier, Nicolás Guillén, Rosario Castellanos, José Luis Gonzáles,
and C. Levi-Strauss.
Development of Spanish American literature from the colonial period to the
present. Representative works of various genres are examined in their cultural
contexts.
A study of Spain and its integration into the European Common Market. The
historical background examines Europe in the aftermath of World War II, Spain
under Franco's dictatorship and its relationship to other European countries, as
well as the events leading up to the actual foundation of the European Economic
Community (EEC). Emphasis is on the negotiations leading to Spain's
incorporation into the EEC, and a detailed analysis is given of the present-day
European Common Market and its goals for the future.
An introduction to Islam, with reference to both the Islamic religion as well as
to the evolution of the Arab world. Special attention is given to the history of
Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain) and its important contribution to Europe and America.
This course includes a Morocco Study Tour. In the past students visited
culturally exciting cities of Morocco, including Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Ouarzazate.
Please click here to
view photos of the Spring 2008 Morocco Study Tour.
Explores topics in realism, modernism, and postmodernism. Works by Perez Galdos, Unamuno, Valle-Inclan, Perez de Ayala, Goytisolo,
and others.
A survey of Spanish cinema from the early beginnings of the silent movie to the present day. Important figures, such as Luis Buñuel, Luis García Berlanga, Edgar Neville, Juan Antonio Bardem, Fernando Fernán Gómez, Carlos Saura,
and others are studied, as well as the phenomenon of cinema as a reflection of
the political, social, and cultural development of the country and its people. A
selection of the most representative films is shown in class.
Required Courses for the Fast-track Spanish for
Beginners Program
Prerequisite: Only Spanish I (V95.0001) or a score of 400 - 460 on the NYU placement test.
This course has two separate components.
Intensive Language
This section is designed to offer the student basic communicative skills in Spanish in an efficient and concentrated way. The student will be exposed to linguistic—functional, grammatical, and lexical— objectives which are clearly defined. Moreover, cultural topics related to the Spanish speaking world will be examined in each unit. Oral and written competence are the primary focus, thus ensuring a communicative ability at all levels.
Practicum
This section focuses on the practice of the contents previously introduced in the grammar class. Consequently, the linguistic (grammar, lexicon, functions, orthography, and pronunciation), sociolinguistic (social conventions, courtesy, customs, etc…), and pragmatic (cultural surroundings, etc…) competencies, adequate for this level, will be worked on. This practice will especially focus on oral expression, including some written exercises with the aim of getting the student to communicate in real life.
This course has two separate components.
Intensive Language
For the first four weeks this language class is focused on furthering the students` knowledge of Spanish by means of a series of units in which the functional linguistic, grammatical, and lexical objectives are well defined. In these units, more complex language topics will be covered such as the correct selection of past tenses or the modal selection in complex sentences. Moreover, cultural topics related to the Spanish-speaking world will be examined in each of these units. Then, during these last four weeks of the immersion program, the students will strengthen the foundations of Spanish by means of a detailed review of the most conflictive points for English speakers in the process of learning Spanish.
Module on Spanish through Different Linguistic Tasks: Projects
This section of activities allows the student to complete a series of tasks or projects. From a perspective that views learning as a process, this module makes the student participate and be responsible for his/her work, cooperating with others as well as working independently. All of this will be carried out inside the classroom as well as outside, with the constant supervision of the professor.
This course has three separate components.
Module on Real life Situations through Drama Representation
This section uses theatrical exercises to improve knowledge and drill both written and oral Spanish skills.
This module will help reduce inhibition by means of games and theatrical exercises, with the final aim to improve expression in Spanish. Students will receive feedback on pronunciation by means of dramatic readings, tongue twisters, and small representations in class. Students will have to create their own theatrical texts, supervised and corrected by the professor.
Module on Spain Today: Pair Group Student Project
The module aims to perfect the students’ Spanish while increasing their knowledge of literature, cinema, as well as the social and political problems that exist today in modern Spanish society. Through the reading of different texts as well as the projection of films, the students’ lexicon, grammar, and written and oral style will be expanded and improved. The definitive objective of this course is to achieve that the student become familiarized with the direct and everyday language of current newspapers and magazines, meanwhile initiating the student in the world of Spanish literature.
Module on the Creation of a Journal: An Overview of Hispanic Literature, Film, and Art
The purpose of this module is to introduce the student to various aspects of Spanish and Latin American culture by means of reading as well as producing journalistic texts. The students will become familiar with the distinct genres of written press—news, reviews, interviews, chronicles, report, and opinion articles—based on the reading and in-class commentary of magazine and newspaper articles in Spanish. The analysis and discussion of the assigned articles will allow the integration of grammatical aspects, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions common in journalistic language.
