Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures

This course focuses on the use and study of American Sign Language (ASL), the language that is widely used by Americans with deafness. This course will include basic ASL vocabulary, grammatical structures, and conversational basics. Students will also be introduced to the values, beliefs and behavioral norms shared by members of the deaf culture..

This is a second level course that focuses on the use and study of American Sign Language (ASL). This course continues to increase ASL vocabulary and grammatical structures. In this course the student will also continue the exploration of the deaf culture including developing culturally appropriate relationships with individuals who are deaf. 

This course considers some of the great themes of the West as they are played out in literature. The course concentrates on questions raised by the texts about the role of heroes and their relationship with their communities, about honor, authority, obedience, rebellion, and the place of the gods or God in the lives of human beings. 

This beginning course offers students the opportunity to acquire communicative skills in French and to develop an awareness and appreciation of Francophone cultures. The course provides an integrated approach in which listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed. Basic thematic vocabulary and grammatical structures are covered. The course is intended for students with no prior coursework in French.

This course is the second part of the beginning sequence offering students the opportunity to expand their knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures. The course provides an integrated approach in which listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed. The course fosters awareness of Francophone cultures through short readings and a variety of oral and written activities. 

Continued development of communicative competency in the French language. The course will stress a review of French grammar, and correct pronunciation and comprehension of the spoken language. 

A continuation of French III with an introduction to more advanced aspects of French grammar, as well as readings, skits, videos, and conversation practice. French films will be used to promote discussion and as a basis for written assignments. 

This course is designed for students who wish to enhance their proficiency in French. It will develop students’ oral skills while providing a review of grammatical structures. Literary and cultural texts and film will be used to promote discussion and as a basis for written assignments. 

This beginning course offers students the opportunity to acquire communicative skills in Italian and to develop an awareness and appreciation of Italian culture. The course provides an integrated approach in which listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed. Basic thematic vocabulary and grammatical structures are covered. This course is intended for students with no prior coursework in Italian. Can be taken through the Rome program. 

This course is designed for students who wish to enhance their proficiency in Italian. The main points of Italian grammar will be reviewed and expanded through traditional exercises and conversations on current topics. Italian news as well as magazine articles and literary excerpts will be used.

An introduction to Latin language, literature, and culture. Emphasis on the grammatical structures and vocabulary which will enable the student to read Latin texts with understanding and facility. 

A continuation of Latin I with increased reading of narrative passages and an introduction to cultural material.

For the student who wishes to increase the facility and accuracy with which he/she reads classical Latin. The class will consist of review of grammar and readings which focus on the daily lives of Romans of the first centuries B.C. and A.D. Readings will be drawn from the prose letters of Cicero and Pliny, and the poetry of Catullus, Horace, and Martial.

The class will read selections from the poetry of the Golden Period of Latin literature. Readings will be drawn primarily from the epics of Lucretius and Vergil, and will focus on the themes of creation and foundations. 

This beginning course offers students the opportunity to acquire communicative skills in Spanish and to develop an awareness and appreciation of Hispanic cultures. The course provides an integrated approach in which listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed. Basic thematic vocabulary and grammatical structures are covered. This course is intended for students with no prior coursework in Spanish. 

This course is the second part of the beginning sequence offering students the opportunity to expand their knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures. The course provides an integrated approach in which listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed. The course fosters awareness of Hispanic cultures through short readings and a variety of oral and written activities. 

Continued development of communicative competency in Spanish language and Hispanic culture including a variety of media.

Integration of all skills. Reading skills using contemporary selections are developed through a process approach. Cultural topics present insights into the characteristics of Hispanic people, art, and literature. 

This course helps develop oral language competency in Spanish, while increasing vocabulary and reviewing grammatical structures. The main objective is to enable students to understand lectures in the language, converse on everyday topics, read material of average difficulty, and express points of view on current issues with acceptable correctness.

Designed to develop skills in descriptive, narrative, argumentative, and expository, and creative writing in Spanish, this course emphasizes the process of writing. Students will learn and practice strategies for generating and organizing ideas through pre-writing, composing, writing, revision, and editing. Writing activities help expand and refine grammatically correct expression, vocabulary, and rhetorical techniques. Students will have the opportunity to explore the art of translation and many modalities of personal expression, which may include original poetry, fiction, and non-fiction in the form of short stories, blog entries, travel narratives, memoirs, and autobiographical essays. Faculty may choose to teach the course with a central theme, such as identity and self-discovery, migration and immigration, and other areas of interest, and may include community service-learning. May be taken at the same time as SPA 204 with permission from department chair. 

This course focuses on food in its cultural, historical, political, economic, and social dimensions as a way to gain insights into the Spanish-speaking world and also develop students’ competencies in the Spanish language. Topics will include traditional foods and food-related customs, contemporary culinary trends, popular culture, agriculture practices, and national food policies. We will examine how food and culinary practices express, shape, and revise regional and national identities in countries where Spanish is spoken, and form part of a global world. A selection will be made from among the diversity of culinary traditions and food-related topics in the more than twenty countries in which Spanish is spoken. 

Understanding sport culture through literature, film and essays is one of the finest ways to gain insights into the Spanish-speaking world. Sports, like family, are considered “safe” topics with which to initiate conversation and contact in diverse settings. This course looks not only at soccer, but also at numerous other sports -- such as cliff diving, baseball, polo, wrestling, cycling, swimming, jai alai, tennis, and bullfighting. It explores sports which are unique to specific countries and those which are popular across the Spanish-speaking world.