Language Courses at UW-Stout
SPAN-103, Elementary Spanish I. This is a standard beginning level Spanish course. It meets four days a
week, for four credits. This course will be appropriate for you if your Language Placement Test score is
between 0 and 424. However, if your score is 400-424, you could also consider SPAN-122.
SPAN-104 Elementary Spanish II. This course continues the introduction to Spanish with lessons on
various verb tenses and continued conversational practice. SPAN-104 is a good choice if your placement
test score is 425-500.
SPAN-121, Practical Spanish I. This course is a two-credit Beginning Spanish course that meets two days a
week. You will learn elementary phrases, the first topics of Spanish grammar, which are conjugating verbs
and making adjectives agree with nouns, sentence structure, and a significant amount of essential
vocabulary. This course is appropriate for you if your Language Placement score is under 400. Students
who have successfully completed 2 years of high school instruction in Spanish are encouraged to register
for SPAN-122(Practical Spanish II).
SPAN-122, Practical Spanish II. This course is like the second half of Elementary Spanish I (SPAN-103),
but meets throughout the semester, two days a week. This course is appropriate for you if your Placement
Test score is 400-424. You learn common verbs with tricky conjugations (poder, querer, dormir, etc.).
You learn about the difference between “ser” and “estar,” and you learn to use verbs in the “present
progressive” tense (“estamos hablando”). You also learn about direct and indirect object pronouns. You
begin to learn the past tense of verbs.
SPAN-201, Intermediate Spanish I. This course is for people who have completed a full year of Elementary
Spanish, or who have a score of at least 500 on the Placement Test. In this course, you concentrate on
learning the vocabulary that you might find in newspaper or magazine articles, and you work on readings
about art, music, history, economics, and other topics related to the Spanish-speaking world. This is a
vocabulary and culture course, not a grammar course. It may be better to take SPAN-202 before SPAN-201
if you are not ready to read college-level material in Spanish.
SPAN-202, Intermediate Spanish II. If you have a score of at least 500 and at least three good years of high
school Spanish, you may register for SPAN-202, Intermediate Spanish II, which is a rapid review of
Spanish grammar, including everything from the present tense to the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctives.
Most people who enroll in this course already know about the present subjunctive verbs, but may want a
complete review.
SPAN-227, Conversation and Composition. This course is appropriate for people with a placement score of
at least 600, SPAN-201 and SPAN-202 completed, or at least four successful years of high school Spanish.
Students who have completed AP Spanish may register for this class. You will read standard journalistic
prose, practice speaking during class time on subjects suitable for educated speakers, and you will write
original compositions from a selection of educated and personal topics. Students who register for this class
should have enough previous instruction to allow them to understand native speakers.
SPAN-229 Hispanic Literature in America. In this course, you will read various kinds of literature written
in Spanish and reflecting Latino culture in the United States. It is a good option for students with a
placement test score over 600 or for native speakers of Spanish.
SPAN-304, Latin American Short Story (Spring Semester). This course is appropriate for students who
have a Placement Test score of at least 600 and who enjoy reading literature. The class will read about 12
short stories written by famous modern writers. The vocabulary is quite challenging, but the stories are
extremely interesting, and the course counts in the Humanities category for General Education.
FREN-101, Elementary French I. This is a standard four-credit Beginning French course. This course is
appropriate for you if you have not studied French before or if you have fewer than 400 points on the
Placement Test.
This course teaches you about the present tense verbs, basic adjectives, common expressions, and the past
tense. You also learn about French customs.
FREN-121, Practical French I. This course is equivalent to the first half of FREN-101. It meets in
September and October along with the Elementary French I course. It is a course for people who have not
had French before or who have fewer than 400 points on the Placement Test.
FREN-122, Practical French II. This course begins meeting in October, along with the Elementary French I
course. This course is appropriate for people who have a Placement Test score of 400-424.
FREN-102 Elementary French II (Spring Semester).If your French Placement Test score is between 425
and 500, you may want to wait until the spring semester and sign up for FREN-102, Elementary French II.
In this course, you learn about several verb tenses, direct and indirect object pronouns, and customs of
France and other French-speaking countries, for example, countries in Africa. Students who have studied or
or plan to study in Pontlevoy, France, may consider taking FREN-123 or FREN-124. See the department
for more information.
FREN-201, Intermediate French I. This course is appropriate for students who have a score of at least 500
on the French Placement Test. This course counts as a Humanities course, because you learn about French
art, music, and history. You learn a lot of vocabulary so that you can talk about cultural topics in French.
This is not a grammar course. There is a good amount of conversation in French in this course.
FREN-202, Intermediate French II (Spring Semester). With a score of at least 500, you may also wait until
spring semester and take FREN-202, Intermediate French II, which is a grammar review course. You also
learn some interesting vocabulary about modern life, travel, technology, and universities. Students at this
level should be able to speak French moderately well.