Program Overview

Spanish (SPAN)

Course Fees

Some courses may carry fees beyond the standard tuition costs to cover additional support or materials. Program-, subject- and course-specific fee information can be found on the Office of the Bursar website.

Course Offerings

• SPAN 500. Spanish Study Abroad
  • Units: 1-15
  • Prerequisite(s): Membership in a University of Louisville Language Study Abroad Program or a program approved by the department.
  • Description: Credit awarded upon demonstration of successful completion of program undertaken with prior approval of the department, including a paper or project and an oral or written examination in the language and culture, administered under the supervision of a faculty member.
• SPAN 511. Studies in Spanish Medieval Literature
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311, SPAN 321, SPAN 400.
  • Description: Special studies in the original language of selected works from the medieval period.
• SPAN 513. Studies in Spanish Golden Age Literature
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311, SPAN 321, SPAN 400.
  • Description: Intensive study of significant works of the Spanish Golden Age.
• SPAN 516. Literary Influences in Nineteenth-Century Spanish
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311, SPAN 321, SPAN 400.
  • Description: Study of significant writers of the Spanish Romantic, Realistic, and Naturalistic periods.
• SPAN 518. Studies in Twentieth-Century Literature of Spain
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311, SPAN 321, SPAN 400.
  • Description: Study in depth of significant works of the Post-Civil War period.
• SPAN 524. Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
  • Units: 3
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311 and SPAN 321; or SPAN 325 and SPAN 335; or score of 400 on the Spanish Heritage Language Test.
  • Description: Introduction to basic linguistic concepts, exploration of communicative strategies, and investigation of Hispanic culture and dialectology.
• SPAN 527. Latin American Literature: Colonial Period through 19th Century
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 355, SPAN 403, or SPAN 404, or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Study of significant literary works from the Colonial Period through 19th century.
• SPAN 528. Contemporary Spanish-American Theatre
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 355, SPAN 403, or SPAN 404, or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Major trends and authors in Spanish-American theatre since c. 1950. Critical methodology for theatre.
• SPAN 529. Spanish-American Poetry
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 355, SPAN 403, or SPAN 404, or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Selected Spanish-American poets, movements and national traditions. Critical methodological theory.
• SPAN 530. Spanish-American Narrative
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 355, SPAN 403 or SPAN 404 or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Selected Spanish-American novelists and short story writers, movements and national traditions. Critical methodological theory.
• SPAN 544. Advanced Grammar and Stylistics
  • Units: 3
  • Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311 and SPAN 321 (or SPAN 325 and SPAN 335); and 6 hours at the 400 level; or consent of instructor.
  • Description: An intensive review of the more problematic aspects of Spanish grammar (including prepositions, subjunctive, conditional sentences, relative clauses, spelling, punctuation); a reflection on the nature and functions of written language; and a hands-on-workshop on achieving clarity and grace in written texts.
• SPAN 554. Hispanic Culture through Film and Media
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 401, SPAN 402, SPAN 403, or SPAN 404; or consent of instructor; admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Study of specific/selected issues focusing on the Hispanic cultural milieu; its multiracial values and means of communication as manifested in the visual and print media (film, television, newspapers, documentaries, etc.).
• SPAN 561. Independent Study
  • Units: 1-3
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of department.
  • Description: Independent study in areas not covered in the regular curriculum.
• SPAN 570. Intro to Interpreting
  • Units: 3
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 311 and SPAN 321 (or SPAN 325 and SPAN 335); and 6 hours at the 400 level; or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Provides an overview of the theoretical and practical foundations of Interpreting in community settings, including legal, health, education and social settings; intensive practice in consecutive interpreting, sight translation and basic simultaneous interpreting.
• SPAN 599. Special Topics
  • Units: 3
  • Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
  • Description: Topics of a unique or specialized nature in Spanish language, literature or culture.
• SPAN 611. Introduction to Methods and Research in Hispanic Studies
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to Spanish MA program.
  • Description: An introduction to graduate studies in Spanish. Emphasis on critical approaches to Hispanic studies, scholarly writing in Spanish, and research methods using print and electronic resources.
• SPAN 620. Teaching College Spanish
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and permission of the graduate director; SPAN 524.
  • Description: An introduction to the teaching of Spanish at the college level. Limited to Graduate Teaching Assistants in Spanish.
• SPAN 621. History of the Spanish Language
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Evolution of the Spanish language from earliest times to present. Linguistic analysis of representative literary and non-literary texts.
• SPAN 624. Special Topics in Hispanic Linguistics
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Intensive study of a particular topic relating to language use and/or interaction (e.g., Semiotics, sociopragmatics, discourse analysis, classroom interaction, language pedagogy).
• SPAN 634. Spanish for the Workplace and the Community
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Development of skills and vocabulary necessary for the workplace. Emphasis on Spanish for special purposes/professions.
• SPAN 644. Approaches to Hispanic Literature
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Practice in literary criticism through intensive study of a particular genre, period, or national tradition.
• SPAN 648. Hispanic Cultural Studies
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Study of the social construction of values, ideas, and belief systems in the Hispanic world.
• SPAN 661. Foundations of Translation and Interpreting
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program or Graduate Certificate in Translation program.
  • Description: Provides a theoretical background to the field of intercultural communication in its written and oral modalities. Introduces skills necessary for active practice in the main subfields of the profession. Requires reflection on ethical and cultural implication in the field.
• SPAN 662. Education and Social Service Interpreting
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 661/TRPR 661 or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Explores the educational and social service interpreting settings; provides intensive practice in consecutive interpreting and sight translation at the intermediate-advanced level.
• SPAN 663. Legal Translation and Interpreting
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 661/TRPR 661 or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Covers the fundamentals of legal translation and court interpretation in English and Spanish. Specific topics include legal language and terminology; legal text genres (birth certificates, academic transcripts, court proceedings and testimony); and translation and interpreting theories.
• SPAN 664. Literary and Cultural Translation
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 661 or TRPR 661; and SPAN 662 or TRPR 662; or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Exploration of the theoretical underpinnings of translation and culture, followed by work on practical matters of literary translation in a workshop setting.
• SPAN 665. Medical Translation and Interpreting
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 661/TRPR 661 or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Covers the fundamentals of medical translation and interpreting. Specific topics include scientific language and terminology; basic medical concepts; technical and medical text genres (informed consent, clinical studies, instruction manuals, clinical interviews in various settings); and translation and interpreting theories.
• SPAN 667. Computers in Translation
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): SPAN 661/TRPR 661 or consent of instructor.
  • Description: Provides intensive practice in applying tools and techniques of computer-assisted translation (localization; terminology, translation memory and project management) to the translation of a variety of text types (video games, medical texts, technical documentation, etc.).
• SPAN 668. Directed Study Project
  • Units: 3
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and approval of the chair or graduate advisor.
  • Description: A directed study project involving investigations, interpretation, and application culminating in a non-thesis alternative.
• SPAN 669. Final Translation and Interpreting Project
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Completion of at least 9 graduate hours in the translation and interpreting curriculum.
  • Description: The student will work on an extensive translation of interpreting project in order to demonstrate mastery of the basic linguistic and technical skills in the field.
• SPAN 670. Special Topics
  • Units: 3
  • Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Spanish MA program.
  • Description: Selected topics in Spanish language, literature, or culture. Topics chosen will reflect the needs of the students and the background of the instructor.
• SPAN 680. Independent Study
  • Units: 1-3
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of the department.
  • Description: Independent study in areas not covered in the regular graduate curriculum.
• SPAN 690. Thesis
  • Units: 3-6
  • Description: Thesis research and writing under the direction of a faculty advisor.