Department of Spanish
Spanish 340: Spanish Civilization
Fall 2014
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Magdalena Altamirano, Ph.D.
Office: East Faculty 105 (Calexico)
Office hours: Mondays and Thursdays 3:00-4:00 pm
Phone: (760) 768-5614
Email: altamira@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: www.ivcampus.sdsu.edu/faculty/maltamirano
Section and Enrollment Information
Class meeting: Mondays 4:10-6:50 pm
Class location: FOBE-124B
Schedule number: 60079
Course prerequisites: Spanish 301, 302, or 381 or 382; and completion of the General Education
requirement in Foundations of Learning II.C., Humanities required for non-majors.
Course Overview
General Catalog description: “Spanish culture of the past and present, with emphasis on
literature, philosophy, and the arts” (434).
The aim of this course is to examine the development of the civilization of Spain, from its origins
to contemporary times. Spanish 340 is organized chronologically and will follow an
interdisciplinary approach. The course readings will be enriched with information from other
sources, such as art, film, music, journalism.
Student Learning Outcomes

Increase knowledge about the civilization of Spain.

Recognize the characteristics of the main periods of Spanish civilization.
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
Analyze cultural aspects of past and present Spain.

Produce papers and oral presentations that illustrate critical thinking.
Course Materials
Required Reading
Pereira-Muro, Carmen. Culturas de España. Boston-New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2003. ISBN:
0618063129. Each student must bring his/her own textbook to the classroom (all sessions).
No photocopies are allowed.
Recommended Readings and Materials

A good Spanish-Spanish dictionary. You can access the online version of the Diccionario de
la lengua española through the Real Academia Española website: Real Academia Española:
Diccionarios, Diccionario de la Lengua Española.

Online resources listed in Blackboard course site.
Course Structure
Spanish 340 is a lecture course. During the semester students are required to perform individual
and group activities as described below (see “Course Assessment and Grading”). Spanish is the
language of the course (General Catalog 434). Blackboard is the course management system for
Spanish 340.
Assessment and Grading (see “Programa del Curso” for due dates)
Pruebas de Comprobación de Lectura
Students will have several pop quizzes during the semester. These brief quizzes will be based on
the readings of the day. Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the session. At the end of the
semester, if the student took all quizzes, the lowest grade will not count toward his/her final
grade. If a student missed one quiz, it will be considered his/her lowest grade. No make-ups.
Exámenes Parcial y Final
Students will have a mid-term examination and a final examination. Each exam will cover
approximately half of the information studied throughout the semester, including: textbook
readings and activities, plus any extra information discussed in the classroom or reviewed in
course assignments. Exam dates are listed in the course program. Study guides for both exams
will be posted on Blackboard. No make-up exams will be administered.
Presentaciones Orales
Each student will prepare an oral presentation based on one of the course topics listed in the
“Más allá” section of the textbook (see “Programa del curso”). A handout with guidelines for this
presentation will be posted on Blackboard. Students must perform their presentation orally.
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Reading of any type of information during the presentation is not allowed. Presentation dates are
listed in the course program. No make-ups.
Tareas (Cuestionarios)
Homework questionnaires (“Repaso y síntesis”) can be found at the end of each textbook
chapter. Students should post their answers to their questionnaires on Blackboard (Diario de
lectura). The due dates for all questionnaires are listed in the course program. To receive credit,
questionnaires must be submitted to Blackboard before the beginning of the class in which the
given readings will be discussed. Late questionnaires will not receive credit.
Comentarios en línea
Students will use Blackboard (Pizarrón de discusión) to submit comments about readings,
films or specific topics related to course content. Due dates for these submissions are
listed in the course program. Late submissions will not receive credit.
Participation
Student active participation is absolutely essential in this course. Students are expected to attend
classes well prepared. Course readings, homework and special assignments must be completed
before class time. Students must be willing to participate, voluntarily and effectively, in all
classroom activities. Effective participation is participation that contributes to the class by
clarifying a course topic through well-prepared questions, statements or comments. In group
dynamics effective participation also means collaboration in the development of an activity or
project. Please remember: 1) It is impossible to get an A without active participation, and 2)
your participation grade will be seriously affected if you choose to perform activities not
related to our course session or if you leave the classroom to answer calls or messages from
your electronic devices (see “Classroom Etiquette”). Missing classes prevents you from
participating and thus will negatively impact your participation grade (see “Attendance”).
Final Grades
Student final grade will be based on the following percentages:
Calificación final
Porcentajes
Pruebas de comprobación de lectura
6%
Examen parcial
25%
Examen final
25%
Presentaciones orales
8%
Tareas (cuestionarios, comentarios en línea)
16%
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Calificación final
Porcentajes
Participación
20%
Total
100%
Grading scale:
A = 94-100
A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89
B = 84-86
B- = 80-83
C+ = 77-79
C = 74-76
C- = 70-73
D+ = 67-69
D = 64-66
D- = 60-63
F = 59-
Other Course Policies
Attendance
Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis. Attendance is part of student
participation grade (see “Participation”). One unexcused absence is allowed with no penalty. It is
very important that students plan ahead before using their “free” absence. This privilege
does not authorize students to submit late class work (homework, special assignments,
essays, oral presentations, etc.) or to request a make-up examination. Any additional
unexcused absence will lower student final grade by four points (from 83 to 79 = B- to C+). In
order to be excused, an absence has to comply with two requirements: 1) The absence is caused
by compelling reasons (e.g. illness, death in the family, jury duty), and 2) the absence is properly
documented, with an official note that clearly states that it was impossible for the student to
attend classes during the date and the time of his/her absence. Please remember that verbal
explanations are not enough to excuse an absence and neither are medical prescriptions without a
physician’s note that matches requirement number 2. Students are responsible for providing
documentation for the absence to the instructor in a timely manner (i.e. the next class after
the absence). The instructor will not remind students about the documentation. It is the student
responsibility to bring the note and submit it on time.
Late Arrivals
Be on time for class. Late arrivals do not only interfere with your academic success, they also
disrupt the class session and, therefore, affect your classmates. Three late arrivals of 10 minutes
equal one absence. Late arrivals of more than 10 minutes and less than 30 will be counted on a
prorated basis (e.g. two late arrivals of 15 minutes equal one absence). A 30 minute late arrival
equals one absence. Please do not enter the classroom after 30 minutes from the beginning
of the session. There are no make-ups for tests, assignments or presentations missed because of a
late arrival. Attendance will always be taken at the beginning of the session. In case of a late
arrival, it is the student’s responsibility to wait for the next class break or for the end of the
session and, then, ask the instructor to change his/her absence mark to late arrival. Later it will
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not be possible. Leaving the classroom before the end of the session equals a late arrival. The
same criteria will be used with a repeated pattern of leaving the classroom during class time
constantly and/or for long periods of time. If your job or your personal responsibilities conflict
with the course schedule, please enroll in the course at a future time.
Assignments Submission
Due dates. No late assignments, electronic or paper, will be accepted. An assignment not
submitted by the due date indicated in the course program will receive a zero, “0”. The only
exceptions are assignments that were late due to excused absences and extreme compelling
reasons (e.g. medical emergencies). Based on the documentation submitted by the student the
instructor will decide which assignments fall into this category. Not all excused absences qualify
for these exceptions, especially if the student knows in advance that (s)he is going to miss class.
Consult with your instructor beforehand if this is the case for you. Format. Unless indicated
otherwise, all written assignments require a hard copy submission. If an extreme emergency
prevents you from submitting a hard copy of your assignment, you must: 1) request your
instructor’s permission to send her an electronic copy of your assignment by the due date
indicated in the course program, and 2) provide your instructor with a hard copy not later than
one day after the due date of the assignment. Students must make sure their electronic
submissions went through (email attachments, Blackboard activities, etc.).
Student Conduct and Plagiarism
Conduct code. Students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom setting
in accordance with the Standards for Student Conduct stated in the California Code of
Regulations (41301, Title 5). It is your responsibility to become familiar with SDSU policies
regarding student conduct. You can find them in the Center for Students Rights and
Responsibilities web site (Students Affairs: Student Rights and Responsibilities, Student
Conduct Code) or in SDSU General Catalog (477-81). Plagiarism. Students are responsible for
knowing and observing all SDSU rules concerning academic integrity and plagiarism. All
student work must be individual and original. For example, essays can not be corrected, rewritten
or written by a person other than the student. Other people’s ideas or words can only be used in
a paper if they are accompanied by the proper citation style (MLA). Plagiarism is not limited to
the abovementioned examples. SDSU Love Library website includes tools to help students avoid
plagiarism, such as tutorials on “Plagiarism: The Crime of Intellectual Kidnapping” or
“Paraphrasing”, and a guide on citation resources (Library and Information Access: Tutorials,
Plagiarism). Essays and other written assignments have to be checked for plagiarism in Turnitin
(Blackboard). If you need more information about plagiarism, consult with your instructor
before submitting your work. “Recycling” work for which you have received credit, in this or
in other courses, is not acceptable. These and all other cases of academic misconduct (e.g.
cheating) will be sanctioned according to SDSU policies on academic dishonesty (Student
Judiciary, executive order 1006) and cheating and plagiarism (Students Affairs: Student Rights
and Responsibilities, Academic Dishonesty; Student Affairs: Student Rights and
Responsibilities, Student Conduct, Cheating and Plagiarism). See General Catalog (479). The
minimum punitive sanction for plagiarism or cheating in this course is a zero, “0”, on the
assignment or examination involved in the academic misconduct incident. When academic
dishonesty has occurred, resubmissions are not allowed in this course.
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Classroom Etiquette
Cell phones and similar electronic devices must be completely silenced before entering the
classroom (it is not enough to have them in vibrate mode). Put them away, not on your desk or
on your lap. Please remember that the following is prohibited in the classroom:

Texting, messaging, emailing.

Using electronic devices (including personal laptops and SDSU computers) for anything
other than class-related work.

Chatting.

Doing homework for this or any other class.

Finishing readings for this or any other class.

Any activity that is not directly related to the course session.
You will be asked to leave if you choose not to follow our course classroom etiquette.
In every session we will have a 10-15 minutes break. After the break students can continue
eating their snacks but they should finish them soon (within 15 minutes).
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it
is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473.* To avoid any
delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as
soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations
based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an
accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
(*) Imperial Valley campus students, please contact Norma Aguilar at (760) 768-5637, and
Student Affairs at (760) 768-5502.
Programa del Curso (sujeto a cambios)
Nota: la tarea siempre se indica adelantada; es decir, la tarea señalada en la semana 1 se
entrega la clase de la semana 2 y así sucesivamente. “Repaso y síntesis” = diario de lectura
(BB), comentarios en línea = pizarrón de discusión (BB).
Semana 1 (25 de agosto)
Presentación del curso. Cuestionario. Cap. introductorio. ¿Qué es España? La geografía, el
medio ambiente, las comunidades autónomas, las lenguas peninsulares. *Tarea: leer pp. 25-43;
escribir p. 42 (“Repaso y síntesis” 2-6); traer a la clase un artículo periodístico sobre cualquier
aspecto de la civilización española (pasado, presente, historia, política, sociedad, lengua, etc.).
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Semana 2 (1º de septiembre)
Día del Trabajo. No hay clase.
Semana 3 (8 de septiembre)
Prensa. Cap. I. La formación de España. De la prehistoria a los visigodos. Primeros orígenes de
la civilización española, la romanización, el periodo visigodo. *Tarea: leer pp. 44-64, 69-74;
escribir p. 77 (“Repaso y síntesis”1-4, 6); escoger “Más allá” (p. 77, 1-3).
Semana 4 (15 de septiembre)
Cap. 2. La España medieval. Un mosaico político y cultural. La influencia musulmana, los
reinos cristianos, las minorías religiosas, manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones orales.
*Tarea: leer pp. 78-99; escribir p. 98 (“Repaso y síntesis” 1-7); escoger “Más allá” (p. 99, 1-3).
Semana 5 (22 de septiembre)
Cap. 3. Hacia la unidad de España y la formación de un imperio. El reinado de los Reyes
Católicos y el descubrimiento europeo de América. España bajo los Reyes Católicos, la
búsqueda de la unidad nacional, un Nuevo Mundo, manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones
orales. *Tarea: investigación sobre Juana la Loca, heredera de los Reyes Católicos.
Semana 6 (29 de septiembre)
Película: Juana la Loca (Dir. Vicente Aranda). *Tarea: leer pp. 100-124; escribir p. 123
(“Repaso y síntesis” 1-6, 8, 11-12, 15-16); escoger “Más allá” (p. 124, 2, 5, 8-10); comentario en
línea (Juana).
Semana 7 (6 de octubre)
Cap. 4. El imperio español. Carlos I y Felipe II. España bajo los Austrias mayores, corrientes de
pensamiento, consecuencias de la conquista y colonización de América, manifestaciones
culturales. Presentaciones orales. *Tarea: leer pp. 125-150; escribir p. 149 (“Repaso y síntesis”
1-11, 18-19); escoger “Más allá” (p. 150, 1-3).
Semana 8 (13 de octubre)
Cap. 5. El siglo XVII. ¿Un siglo de oro? Los Austrias menores, crisis y decadencia del imperio,
manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones orales. *Tarea: estudiar para el examen parcial.
Semana 9 (20 de octubre)
EXAMEN PARCIAL. *Tarea: leer pp. 151-174; escribir pp. 173-174 (“Repaso y síntesis” 1-2,
4-15); escoger “Más allá” (p. 174, 1, 3).
Semana 10 (27 de octubre)
Cap. 6. El siglo XVIII. Conflictos entre modernidad y tradición. Cambio de dinastía, la
Ilustración, manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones orales. *Tarea: leer pp. 175-200; escribir
pp. 199-200 (“Repaso y síntesis” 1-7); escoger “Más allá” (p. 200, 1-4).
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Semana 11 (3 de noviembre)
Cap. 7. El siglo XIX. Hacia la construcción de una nación moderna. La crisis del siglo XIX, la
pérdida de las colonias americanas, manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones orales. *Tarea:
leer pp. 203-232; escribir pp. 231-232 (“Repaso y síntesis” 1, 3-4, 7-12, 14-15); escoger “Más
allá” (p. 232, 1-7).
Semana 12 (10 de noviembre)
Cap. 8. Del siglo XX al siglo XXI. La España contemporánea. La Segunda República, la Guerra
Civil, el franquismo, la transición democrática, manifestaciones culturales. Presentaciones orales.
*Tarea: leer el cuento “La lengua de las mariposas” de Manuel Rivas.
Semana 13 (17 de noviembre)
Película: La lengua de las mariposas (Dir. José Luis Cuerda). *Tarea: comentario en línea (La
lengua); traer un artículo periodístico sobre las consecuencias de la guerra civil española.
Semana 14 (24 de noviembre)
¿Qué pasó después? Documental: La maleta mexicana (Dir. Trista Ziff). Prensa. *Tarea: leer pp.
285-309; escribir p. 308 (“Repaso y síntesis” 1-5); comentario en línea (La maleta); escoger
“Más allá” (pp. 308-309, 1-2, 4-5).
Semana 15 (1º de diciembre)
Cap. 11. La sociedad española contemporánea. Evolución y tradición. Panorama de la sociedad
española actual: la familia, la juventud, las minorías, la iglesia, la educación. Presentaciones
orales.
Semana 16 (8 de diciembre)
Cap. 11. La sociedad española contemporánea (continuación). Presentaciones orales.
Preparación para el examen final.
Semana 17 (15 de diciembre)
EXAMEN FINAL. ¡Felices vacaciones!
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