Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature
- Faculty
- Field Description
- The Majors and Courses
- The Minors and Courses
- Special Program
- Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature Web Site
Chair: Elena Martínez
Deputy Chair: Wayne Finke-
Professors:
- Ruth Adler
- Olga Casanova-Burgess
- Gayana Jurkevich
- Meir Lubetski
- Elena Martínez
- Debra Popkin
- Isabel Cid Sirgado
- Franco Zangrilli
-
Associate Professors:
- María Andrade (joint appointment with Black and Hispanic Studies)
- David Cruz de Jesús
- Wayne Finke
- Ping Xu
- Zhiqiang (John) Yu
-
Assistant Professors:
- Esther Allen
- Isolina Ballesteros
- Ali Nematollahy
- Noriko Watanabe
-
Senior College Laboratory Technician:
- Sue Ng
The study of divergent modes of expression and cultures serves to broaden students’ perspectives and deepen their understanding of both themselves and their world. Language students not only develop an oral and written command of the studied language but also gain a comprehensive knowledge of the civilizations and cultures of the countries where the language is spoken. Literary analysis develops the student’s critical faculties and sense of style as well. The department offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish, and literature courses conducted in English.
The Spanish courses of the Department of Modern Languages
and Comparative Literature are designed to give students oral
and written fluency in the language and to impart a knowledge
of the literatures of Spain and Latin America. It is hoped that
literary appreciation and critical methods will be developed
and that the student’s cultural and intellectual vistas will be
broadened.
Required Courses All students who major in Spanish will take a minimum of 24 credits in this field. Students who have had three or more years of Spanish in high school or the equivalent may start their electives immediately. Those who are not sufficiently proficient in the aural-oral use of the language are advised to take SPA 4000 Advanced Oral Communication I early in their programs. All students who major in Spanish are required to take the following courses: |
||
| SPA 4010 | Advanced Written Communication | 4 credits |
| SPA 4150 | Cervantes | 3 credits |
| and | ||
| SPA 4050 | Introduction to Literary Theory |
3 credits |
| or | ||
| SPA 4171 | Civilization and Culture of Spain |
3 credits |
| or | ||
| SPA 4271 | Civilizations and Cultures of Latin America |
3 credits |
As part of the 24-credit requirement, majors will take at least one course from each of the following groups: |
||
| Group 1: Language and Linguistics | ||
| SPA 4001 | Advanced Oral Communication II | 4 credits |
| SPA 4011 | Structures of Modern Spanish | 3 credits |
| SPA 4012 | Phonetics | 3 credits |
| SPA 4013 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics |
3 credits |
| SPA 4014 | Hispanic Bilingualism |
3 credits |
Group 2: Latin American Literature |
||
| SPA 4221 | Contemporary Latin-American Theatre | 3 credits |
| SPA 4222 | Contemporary Latin-American Novel | 3 credits |
| SPA 4226 | Afro-Caribbean Literature | 3 credits |
| SPA 4281 | The Literature of Latin America I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4282 | The Literature of Latin America II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4383 | Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican Literature I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4384 | Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican Literature II | 3 credits |
Group 3: Peninsular Literature |
||
| SPA 4114 | Spanish Medieval Literature | 3 credits |
| SPA 4117 | Spanish Literature of the Golden Age | 3 credits |
| SPA 4123 | The Generation of ’98 | 3 credits |
| SPA 4124 | Twentieth-Century Spanish Literature | 3 credits |
| SPA 4125 | Modern Spanish Short Story | 3 credits |
| SPA 4181 | History of Spanish Literature I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4182 | History of Spanish Literature II | 3 credits |
Group 4: Other |
||
| SPA 4999 | Special Studies in Spanish | 3 credits |
| SPA 5000-5004 | Independent Study | variable |
| SPA 6001-6003 | Honors Seminars | variable |
Electives The remaining 12 credits will be chosen from the following list of advanced course offerings in Spanish: |
||
| SPA 4000 | Advanced Oral Communication I | 4 credits |
| SPA 4001 | Advanced Oral Communication II | 4 credits |
| SPA 4010 | Advanced Written Communication | 4 credits |
| SPA 4011 | Structures of Modern Spanish | 3 credits |
| SPA 4012 | Phonetics | 3 credits |
| SPA 4013 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 credits |
| SPA 4014 | Hispanic Bilingualism | 3 credits |
| SPA 4050 | Introduction to Literary Theory | 3 credits |
| SPA 4114 | Medieval Literature of Spain | 3 credits |
| SPA 4116 | Spanish Literature of the Renaissance | 3 credits |
| SPA 4117 | Spanish Literature of the Golden Age | 3 credits |
| SPA 4118 | Neoclassicism to Romanticism | 3 credits |
| SPA 4120 | Modern Poetry | 3 credits |
| SPA 4121 | Modern Spanish Drama | 3 credits |
| SPA 4122 | The Modern Novel | 3 credits |
| SPA 4123 | The Generation of ’98 | 3 credits |
| SPA 4124 | Twentieth-Century Spanish Literature | 3 credits |
| SPA 4125 | Modern Spanish Short Story | 3 credits |
| SPA 4150 | Cervantes | 3 credits |
| SPA 4171 | Civilization and Culture of Spain | 3 credits |
| SPA 4181 | History of Spanish Literature I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4182 | History of Spanish Literature II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4183 | Spanish Film: Cinematic Representations of the Spanish Artistic Tradition | 3 credits |
| SPA 4219 | Nineteenth-Century Latin-American Literature Prior to Modernismo | 3 credits |
| SPA 4220 | Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Latin-American Poetry | 3 credits |
| SPA 4221 | Contemporary Latin-American Theatre | 3 credits |
| SPA 4222 | Contemporary Latin-American Novel | 3 credits |
| SPA 4223 | Modernismo in Latin-America | 3 credits |
| SPA 4224 | Contemporary Latin-American Short Story | 3 credits |
| SPA 4225 | The Indian in the Novel of Spanish America | 3 credits |
| SPA 4226 | Afro-Caribbean Literature | 3 credits |
| SPA 4228 | Twentieth-Century Women’s Writing in Latin America | 3 credits |
| SPA 4271 | Civilizations and Cultures of Latin America | 3 credits |
| SPA 4281 | The Literature of Latin America I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4282 | The Literature of Latin America II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4381 | Survey of Puerto Rican Literature I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4382 | Survey of Puerto Rican Literature II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4383 | Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican Literature I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4384 | Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican Literature II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4501 | Spanish for Global Markets I | 3 credits |
| SPA 4502 | Spanish for Global Markets II | 3 credits |
| SPA 4999 | Special Studies in Spanish | 3 credits |
| SPA 5000-5004 | Independent Study | variable |
| SPA 6001-6003 | Honors Seminars | variable |
Arts and Sciences Ad Hoc Major
When a student’s educational objectives cannot be fully
attained solely by study within an existing department,
program, or school, he or she is given the option of devising
an ad hoc pattern of courses in an area of concentration of
his or her own choosing. A student may embark upon an ad
hoc major following preparation and acceptance of a proposal
outlining the area of study, the desired outcomes, and the
educational values of the program. The program must be
approved by the chairpersons of the appropriate departments
and the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Students interested in including courses in French, Spanish, or Italian as part of an arts and sciences ad hoc major should contact the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature at 646-312-4210.
The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences ad hoc major requires 30–33 credits.
A minor consists of a minimum of 9 credits as described below, not including courses taken toward the fulfillment of the base curriculum.
Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in Chinese may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the Chinese section of the department’s course offerings. Any 4000-level course in Chinese may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Advanced training in francophone language and literature is increasingly necessary for business, teaching, translation, and other professional careers. Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in these areas may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the French section of the department’s offering. To complete their minors, students must enroll in an appropriate capstone course. Any 4000- or 5000-level course in French may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in Hebrew language and literature may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the Hebrew section of the department’s course offerings. To complete their minors, they must enroll in an appropriate capstone course. All 4000-level offerings in the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature or an independent studies course in Hebrew may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in Italian language, literature, and culture may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the Italian section of the department. To complete their minors, students must enroll in an appropriate capstone course. Any 4000- or 5000-level course in Italian may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in Japanese may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the Japanese section of the department’s course offerings. Any 4000-level course in Japanese may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Advanced training in Spanish language and literature is increasingly necessary for business, teaching, translation, and other professional careers. Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in these areas may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the Spanish section of the department. To complete their minors, students must enroll in an appropriate capstone course. Any 4000- or 5000-level course in Spanish may serve as the capstone course for the Tier III requirement.
Students who choose to develop their intellectual abilities in literature in translation may select two courses at the 3000 level or above from the literature in translation section of the department’s course offerings. To complete their minors, students must enroll in an appropriate capstone course. Any 4000- or 5000-level course in literature in translation may serve as capstone for the Tier III requirement. All courses are taught in English.
Majors in the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature will be admitted to the honors program in their junior and senior years with the following provisions: that a letter of recommendation from the student’s sponsor be written and reviewed by an Honors Program Committee consisting of three members chosen by the chairperson of the department, that the student has at least 12 credits in modern languages, and that the student has at least a 3.4 average in his or her major and that his or her overall record is good.
Structure: Students must take courses 6001 and 6002 either consecutively or simultaneously. Course 6002 can be a continuation of 6001, or it can be in a related field. In this context, a related field may be construed as comparative literature or linguistics.
Honors Paper 6003—2 credits: The final outcome of courses 6001 and 6002 will be an honors paper written by the student and supervised by a sponsor. The honors paper, after being approved by the sponsor, will be read by two other members of the department who are to be appointed by an Honors Program Committee. The degree with honors will be awarded by the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences upon recom - mendation of the department, whose minimum standards for such recommendation will be the grade of A in all three courses.
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