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Course Descriptions

HISP 100-600 Courses

Important: Before pre-enrolling in any course, please read carefully the section on Course Placement in Hispanic Studies above. **Please note: All Spanish Language courses are independent courses and there are no requirements to take subsequent courses in order to receive credit.

HISP100: Basic Spanish I

Fast-paced course for beginners. Course stresses acquisition of skills including speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing, as well as cultural awareness. Placement: students who have never taken Spanish before, or have scored below 390 in SAT II, or below 240 in the Brown Placement Exam. Students who have taken Spanish before and those with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP 110: Intensive Basic Spanish

This course is a highly-intensive, two-semester sequence in one semester that carries 10 contact hours per week and double credit. Primarily for students with knowledge of Spanish, who have scored below 450 in SATII or below 340 in Brown Placement Exam. Students with little or no preparation in Spanish should consult with the Course Supervisor. Focused on acquisition of communicative skills (speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing), and development of cultural awareness. With successful completion of the course students will be able to understand simple texts, carry on short spontaneous conversations involving everyday topics (such as modern daily life, health, art and culture, nature and the environment, and relationships) and write simple texts with good command of grammar and sentence structure. Ideal for students interested in fast-tracking their language learning to meet study abroad requirements. Instructor permission required. Enrollment limited to 18.

HISP200: Basic Spanish II

A continuation of HISP100. This course continues to focus on acquisition of communicative skills (speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing) as well as cultural awareness. With successful completion of the course students will be able to understand simple texts, carry on short spontaneous conversations involving everyday topics (such as modern day life and its pressures, health, art and culture, nature and the environment, relationships) and write simple texts with good command of grammar and sentence structure. Prerequisite: HISP 100 or placement: SAT II scores between 400 and 450; Brown Placement Exam scores between 241 and 340. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP300: Intermediate Spanish I

This course continues to develop and strengthen students' proficiency in the Spanish language, as well as to help them increase their cultural understanding. It seeks to develop both fluency and accuracy and to teach students to express, interpret, and negotiate meaning in context. Through the exploration of themes such as the individual and the community, health issues, traveling, multiculturalism and human rights, students focus on communication and learn to appreciate cultural differences. Pre-requisite: HISP 200 or placement: SAT II scores between 460 and 510, or Brown Placement Exam scores between 341 and 410. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP 0310: Spanish for Social Service Applications

This course is offered in the summer. It provides unique language skills for students interested in health care, social service, and community action. It develops speaking skills and cultural awareness through discussions, readings, interviews, oral presentations, and internships. Topics include case management, substance abuse, HIV and STD prevention, sexual abuse, domestic violence, mental health issues, anger management, and medical treatment. Some advanced grammar points reviewed. Pre-requisite: HISP300 or HISP400.

HISP400: Intermediate Spanish II

This course offers an exploration of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures through a variety of thematic foci: the world of work, the arts, globalization and technology, leisure, and celebrations. It focuses on vocabulary building, the examination of some of the more difficult points of grammar, and moving students towards a more sophisticated level of comprehension and expression. Students work with readings, including literary texts; songs; film; and the visual arts. Pre-requisite: HISP 300 or placement: SAT II scores between 520 and 590 or Brown Placement Exam scores between 411 and 490. Students with an AP score of 3 or below must take the Brown Placement Exam. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP500: Advanced Spanish I

This course offers comprehensive work in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with targeted grammar review. Students work with a variety of readings (literature, newspaper articles, etc.) and with art forms such as film and music, in order to develop oral and written expression and to explore issues relevant to the Hispanic world. Students explore topics of their own interest through student-led activities and presentations. Prerequisite: HISP0400 or placement: SAT II scores between 600 and 660, Brown Placement Exam scores between 491 and 570, or AP score of 4 in language or literature. Enrollment is limited to 18.

HISP600: Advanced SPANISH II

This course offers continued, advanced-level work in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, with focused review of challenging aspects of Spanish grammar. Course materials include films, music, art works, and a variety of written texts (articles, stories, plays, a novella, etc.) chosen to promote class discussion and in-depth written analysis. There will be individual and group activities, including in-class presentations and creative writing projects. Prerequisite: HISP0500 or placement: SATII scores between 670 and 740, Brown Placement Exam scores between 571 and 650, or AP score of 5 in language. Enrollment is limited to 18.

Important information to guide you in the process of registering for Spanish language courses: Brown University has taken a revolutionary step towards electronic management of student information through the software system Banner. The information you find here is also in the Banner course catalogue. For specific semester offerings go to the Banner Class Schedule. In addition, to get a complete listing of classes taught during this coming academic year as well as more information on each course please consult the Brown Course Preview Page Directory (select Hispanic Studies under Departments).

Regarding registration: There is an enrollment limit of 18 students per section in HISP100-600; 15 spaces will be open at pre-registration, with 3 more spaces available in the fall. When the limit is reached, registration for that section will be blocked. If you try to pre-register in a full section, you will be prompted to request a registration override by the instructor. Note that we will not grant overrides once sections are full. Since many students change their plans during the first few days of class, you should attend the section in which you are interested on the first day of class, when the instructor will explain the steps to follow during the few days until class lists are closed. On the 4th class, instructors will finalize the composition of the language courses and will provide the registration overrides if needed. It is of utmost importance that you attend those classes if you intend to be placed in that section.

Important advice: Please, be aware that you will not be admitted to any course, nor will you be able to keep your pre-registered or registered status if you are not correctly placed. Therefore, please follow the instructions outlined above carefully.

Language Program Faculty members are available for any questions on placement and to supplement the foregoing information:

HISP 700-level Courses

Courses with numbers in the 700 range have different missions. You can choose the course that specializes in just what you want at this advanced level. Please consult the information provided in the Banner Course Catalog and Class Schedule.

 

HISP 1000-level Courses

All 1000-level courses at Brown have prerequisites. The 1000-level courses in Hispanic Studies at Brown are intended for students who have taken either HISP730 or HISP740. This rule generally applies to native speakers of Spanish as well, since our 1000-level courses are predicated on literary and cultural rather than purely linguistic knowledge. In consultation with the instructor, a student who has taken university-level coursework in another discipline equivalent to the pre-requisite may take a 1000-level course. Thus, first year students should not sign up for 1000-level courses in their first semester unless they have approval by the professor. Please consult the information provided in the Banner Course Catalog and Class Schedule.