CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY HAYWARD
DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
SPANISH DIVISION
Revised March, 2002
Mission Statement
A Bachelors degree in Spanish at CSU, Hayward focuses on the study of language,
literature and culture. Every graduate student will have attained proficiency in all
language skills--speaking, comprehension, reading and writing. Graduates will benefit
from the acquisition of Spanish, profiting from the inherent growth that accompanies
learning a new language, as well as acquiring knowledge of the intellectual and cultural
contributions of Spanish speaking world through the study of its language, literature, and
culture.
The bachelor's degree in Spanish provides the student with varied course offerings at the
upper division level: Introduction to literary analysis, Spanish composition and syntax,
linguistics, phonetics, Spanish film, culture and civilization courses, Spanish literature
and Latin American literature (all genres and periods of the literary history of Spain and
Latin America). The literature and culture courses have an interdisciplinary approach;
therefore, the student will have learned notions of anthropology, politics, history,
geography, and the arts. The graduate student will posses the knowledge to interpret
literary works, adding to his/her intellectual depth and critical thinking. The student will
also have developed critical insights into the philosophy and values of the Spanish world
and acquired sensitivity toward literatures reflecting the multicultural and multiethnic
experiences of Spanish speaking authors.
The degree in Spanish will offer the student multiple choices after graduation. It can lead
to advanced study in the fields of linguistics or the literature of Spain and Latin America.
It will also lead to career opportunities in teaching and will enhance opportunities in other
professions in which a knowledge of Spanish is important: International business,
Government studies, nursing, criminal justice, etc.
Program Goals
1. To enable students to learn the Spanish language with proficiency, while developing
the speaking, writing, critical, and analytical tools necessary to achieve an understanding
of the literature they study and to prepare them for graduate schools and teaching careers.
2. To instill in students an appreciation for the multicultural literary and artistic
manifestations in the Spanish world, while developing awareness for the way in which
these expressions expand our understanding of the human experience.
3. To prepare students with the academic knowledge and cultural understanding
necessary for future pursuits in a variety of career options while increasing awareness of
the international nature of the world in which we live.
4. To foster an appreciation of the many languages and cultures of different peoples and
to encourage students to participate in international programs (enabling them to get firsthand experience with the people in foreign countries, their culture, attitudes, habits,
customs, way-of-life etc.).
Outcomes
After completing undergraduate studies in the language of their choice, students should:
1. Feel comfortable listening to conversations, presentations, film, dialogues, music, etc.
in the Spanish language.
2. Should be able to express with sufficient accuracy and clarity to communicate in the
target language with others.
3. Be able to read material in Spanish on a variety of topics and comprehend the majority
of the ideas presented.
4. Be able to express in the written language of their choice with a fair amount of
sophistication.
5. Develop understanding of phonological, morphological and syntactic structures of the
target language.
6. Know how to use reference resources in the target language to supplement knowledge
acquired in upper division courses and to expand readings, sources and bibliographical
resources for written essays and oral presentations in the target language.
7. Develop an appreciation of the culture represented by the literature, art, music, cinema,
etc. of the Spanish speaking world and an awareness of the significant contributions to
the body of international culture made by the speakers of that language throughout the
world.
8. Acquire knowledge of the cultural diversity of written texts and other cultural
manifestations in the Spanish language, and an awareness of the diversity among
speakers of the target language.
9. Realize the importance of being exposed to present day culture, ideas and values of
native speakers of Spanish, through reading and by having spent time in a foreign country
where the target language is spoken.
Performance Indicators
1) I will know that students have mastered correctness of pronunciation and intonation
when their oral presentations are clearly understood by professor and other students with
native or near native knowledge of the target language.
2) I will know that students have understanding of basic phonological, morphological,
and syntactic structures of the target language when they communicate --orally and in a
written manner--with sufficient accuracy and clarity when presenting written works or
oral presentations on a variety of literary and cultural subjects.
3) I will know that students have developed the necessary ability to understand main
topics of presentations when they ask relevant questions and engage in lively discussions
about materials presented in the target language.
4) I will know students have gained knowledge of the literature of Spain and Latin
America when they have attained successful results in survey, and detailed, exams
designed to test their critical reading ability and the multiple contexts that enrich literary
works: biographical, historical, social, political etc.
5) I will know the students have expanded their research abilities when they show
familiarity with the use of dictionaries, library journals, newspapers and electronic
sources in the target language and have successfully integrated research information into
oral and written assignments while giving adequate credit to the source of information
used.
6) I will know the students have gained an appreciation of the multicultural Hispanic
contributions when they have made the learned information a part of their knowledge
base and value system, as demonstrated in lectures and written works about topics related
to the literature, art, and other cultural manifestations of the Hispanic world.
7) I will know students have acquired familiarity with a sufficient number of written and
spoken texts related to the diverse spectrum represented by speakers of different regions
of the Spanish speaking world when they have successfully incorporated in their works
notions of sensitivity for the diverse contributions and backgrounds of the multiple
authors of the Hispanic world.
8) I will know students will have gain the ability to develop original thinking in the target
language by presenting, orally or in writing, ideas and concepts that show deeper
understanding of important issues relevant for the culture, literature, art and media of the
target language.
9) I will know students have realized the importance of being exposed to every day
culture, ideas, and values of native speakers of Spanish when they have successfully
completed a study program abroad and demonstrated an understanding of the importance
of being prepared to meet the challenges of both, a linguistically rich world and a diverse
international community.