University of Sydney Handbooks - 2020 Archive

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Spanish and Latin American Studies Descriptions

Semester 2 2020 unit of study availability

Some Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences units of study originally intended to run in Semester 2, 2020 are no longer available.

A full and up-to-date list of units of study available in Semester 2, 2020 from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, can be found on this webpage.
 

Spanish and Latin American Studies

1000 level units of study

SPAN1621 Spanish Level 1

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 4x1hr tutorials/week Prohibitions: SPAN1601 or SPAN1611 Assessment: 2x275wd language tests (10%), 2x400wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
Note: Students must not have undertaken any substantial prior study of Spanish.
This unit of study is for absolute beginners or for students who have no substantial prior knowledge of Spanish. It focuses on the basic vocabulary and grammar necessary to introduce and talk about yourself and other people, and communicate successfully in simple everyday situations, both by speaking and in writing. It also introduces elements of the history, society and culture of the Spanish-speaking countries.
SPAN1622 Spanish Level 2

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 4x1hr tutorials/week Prerequisites: SPAN1601 or SPAN1611 or SPAN1621 Prohibitions: SPAN 1602 or SPAN 1621 or 65% or above in HSC Beginners Spanish or HSC Continuers or HSC Extension or International Baccalaureate Ab Initio Grade 6 or higher. Assessment: 2x550wd language tests (10%), 2x800wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit of study builds on the skills acquired in SPAN1621. It continues to focus on everyday communication but introduces students to more complex grammatical structures such as the past tenses. It also continues our exploration of the history, society and culture of the Spanish-speaking countries.

2000 level units of study

Language
SPAN2611 Spanish Level 3

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 3x1hr tutorials/week Prerequisites: SPAN1002 or SPAN1602 or SPAN1612 or SPAN1622, or more than 65% in HSC Spanish Beginners. Prohibitions: SPAN2001 or SPAN2601 or HSC Spanish Continuers Minimum Mark 70%. Assessment: 2x550wd language tests (10%), 2x800wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit builds on the basic language skills acquired in SPAN1621 and 1622 or HSC Beginners Spanish. It will introduce you to more complex grammatical structures and expand your vocabulary so that you are able to communicate both in writing and speech in a wider variety of situations than you could previously. Activities used in the classroom will be designed to allow you to further explore the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world as well as improving your Spanish.
SPAN2612 Spanish Level 4

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 3x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN2611 or SPAN2601 Prohibitions: SPAN2002 or SPAN2602 or HSC Spanish Continuers Mark 70% or higher, IB SL 5 or above. Assessment: 2x550wd language tests (10%), 2x800wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit builds on the language skills acquired in SPAN2611. It introduces you to more complex grammatical structures, and expands your vocabulary so that you are able to communicate both in writing and speech in a wider variety of situations, including some more formal or academic uses of the language. Activities used in the classroom are designed to allow you to further explore the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world as well as improving your Spanish.
Culture
SPAN2616 Citizenship in Spain and Latin America

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 Junior credit points in Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: 1400wd written assignment (20%), 1200wd group presentation (20%), individual Essay (2800 words) (40%), 600wd Short reflections on Selected Classes (10%), Seminar participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This Unit provides a platform for the study of Spanish and Latin American societies through a critical examination of the concept of citizenship and its cultural conditionings. The types of rights, duties, claims and symbols that are associated with the notion of citizenship are discussed through a multidisciplinary approach that connects the critical analysis of cultural products (literary, musical, religious and cinematic) with the study of contemporary social movements and political processes in Spain and Latin America.
SPAN2621 Film and Culture in Contemporary Spain

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: (SPAN2601 or SPAN2611) or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: 5x400wd mini-discussions on films (20%), 2x1500wd mini-essays (45%), 1x1000wd final audiovisual presentation (30%), participation (5%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit provides an introduction to basic theoretical questions around how capitalism is represented through literature and film in contemporary Spain. You will study a variety of texts in Spanish, both written and filmic, and will gain an insight into their connection with the socio-political and cultural contexts of contemporary Spain.
SPAN2622 Latin American Popular Culture

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: (SPAN2601 or SPAN2611) or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: 1x3000wd Essay (50%), 1xOral Presentation (equivalent to 1500wds) (20%), 2xshort written tasks (equivalent to 1500wds) (30%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit, taught in Spanish, presents students with a variety of Latin American texts from modern and contemporary popular culture. Students are exposed to a range of different traditions and approaches to reading popular forms in the context of the history and culture of Latin America.
SPAN2631 Cultural and Social Change in Spain

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 Junior credit points from Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: Seminar participation (5%), 1xOral Presentation in a small group (equivalent to 1000wds) and 1x1000wd individual written memorandum on research for the presentation (20%), 1x1hr Mid-semester in-class test (25%), 1x3000wd Research essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
Spanish society has changed dramatically over the last half century. The restrictions on personal freedoms that were part of the Franco regime have been lifted to reveal a liberal, tolerant European society that nevertheless still shows some elements of its conservative heritage. This unit (taught in English) explores contemporary Spanish society and culture to show the reasons for the changes, and their effects. The areas under discussion will be family, sexuality and gender; class, money and consumerism; and mass/popular culture.
SPAN2641 Filmmaking in the Latin American Context

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Spanish and Latin American Studies or Film Studies Assessment: 1x1500wd research journal (30%), 1x10 minute Oral Presentation (15%), 1x2500wd Essay (40%), 1xacademic article review (10%), class participation (5%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit, taught in English, will introduce you to Latin American film studies, comprising history, theory and criticism through the exploration of 'national' cinema industries. We will examine the history of film production of Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Brazil, looking at the cultural and socio-political context in which filmmaking should be placed. Apart from tracing the history of film production in such countries, we will be focusing on recent developments in this field from the 1990's to the present day.

3000 level units of study

Language
SPAN3001 Spanish Level 5

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x1hr tutorial/week, 1x2hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN2612 or SPAN2602, or HSC Spanish Continuers Minimum 70%. At least 5/7 in IB 'Spanish B'. Prohibitions: SPAN2613 or SPAN2614 or SPAN3601 or SPAN3602 Assessment: 2x 225wds language tests (10%), 2x 400wds culture tests (15%), 1x 1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x 800wd oral task (15%), 1x 550wd final online test (10%), 1x 800wd final in-class test (25%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit builds on the language skills acquired in SPAN2612 or HSC Continuers Spanish. It will consolidate your previous knowledge of Spanish and extend it into more complex areas of grammar, vocabulary and expression, so that you are able to communicate in a wide variety of formal and informal situations. Activities used in the classroom are designed to allow you to further explore the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world as well as improving your Spanish.
SPAN3002 Spanish Level 6

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x1hr tutorial/week, 1x2hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN2613 or SPAN3001 or SPAN2602 Prohibitions: SPAN2614 or SPAN3602 Assessment: 2x 225wds language tests (10%), 2x 400wds culture tests (15%), 1x 1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x 800wd oral task (15%), 1x 550wd final online test (10%), 1x 800wd final in-class test (25%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit builds on the language skills acquired in SPAN3001. By the end of this unit students should be competent and independent users of spoken and written Spanish in most general situations. Activities used in the classroom are designed to allow students to further explore the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world as well as improving their Spanish. All activities, in which students are expected to participate actively, are designed to improve their analytical and critical abilities, written and oral communication skills, awareness of cross-cultural issues and teamwork skills.
SPAN3611 Spanish Level 7

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 3x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN3002 Prohibitions: SPAN3601 Assessment: 2x275wd language tests (10%), 2x400wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit is for students who wish to extend their knowledge of Spanish beyond the level of general competence achieved in SPAN3002. It focuses on the use of Spanish in a variety of formal and informal contexts, using authentic materials in order to help you deepen and perfect your Spanish. Class discussion and written tasks will allow you to improve your oral and written competence in Spanish as well as your analytical and communication skills.
SPAN3612 Spanish Level 8

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 3x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN3611 or SPAN3601 Prohibitions: SPAN3602 Assessment: 2x275wd language tests (10%), 2x400wd culture tests (15%), 1x1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x800wd oral task (15%), 1x550wd final online test (10%), 1x800wd final in-class test (25%), participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit is for students who wish to extend their knowledge of Spanish to an advanced level of proficiency in all kinds of communicative situations. It focuses on the use of Spanish in a variety of formal and informal contexts, using authentic materials in order to help you deepen and perfect your Spanish. Class discussion and written tasks will allow you to improve your oral and written competence in Spanish as well as your analytical and communication skills.
SPAN3613 Spanish Level 9 (C1)

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 3x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN3612 Assessment: 2x 550wds language tests (10%), 2x 800wds culture tests (15%), 1x 1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x 800wd oral task (15%), 1x 550wd final online test (10%), 1x 800wd final in-class test (25%), 1x participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
Building on the linguistics skills acquired in Level 8, this unit emphasizes cultural and linguistic competence in academic, professional, and business-oriented settings, as well as an understanding of the status of Spanish as a global language in our contemporary world. The unit will grant students practice and communicative techniques for effective use of advanced Spanish language skills. The unit will assist students to fulfill their academic needs and give them an advantage in their future lives and careers tailoring content and assignments to different professional sectors such as education, business, law, health, etc.
SPAN3614 Spanish Level 10 (C2)

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 3x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: SPAN3613 Assessment: 2x 550wds language tests (10%), 2x 800wds culture tests (15%), 1x 1000wd written reflective project (15%), 1x 800wd oral task (15%), 1x 550wd final online test (10%), 1x 800wd final in-class test (25%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit builds on the linguistic abilities developed in Level 9. The unit expands on grammar and structures to consolidate linguistic competence in academic, professional, and business-oriented settings, as well as in-depth reflections on the status of Spanish as a global language. The unit will assist students to gain practice in linguistic structures and acquire vocabulary in specific areas. All of the skill areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening as well as in-depth knowledge of the cultural, academic and professional context of language use are emphasised.
Culture
SPAN3615 Indigenous Movements in Latin America

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in the Spanish and Latin American Studies or Anthropology majors Prohibitions: SPAN2615 Assessment: Active seminar participation (10%), 1x1500wd group presentation (20%), 1x2000wd literature review (30%), 1x2500wd essay (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This course approaches the study of Latin American societies through an interdisciplinary approach to studying indigenous movements. These movements have been pivotal actors in the shaping of contemporary conceptions of democracy, citizenship and statecraft in the continent, and have also drawn attention globally. Students will gain insight into cultural diversity of Latin American societies and acquire analytical tools for studying and understanding a wide variety of topics associated with political structure and agency in the continent.
SPAN3621 Latin American Film and Literature

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: SPAN2602 or SPAN2612 Prohibitions: SPAN3006 Assessment: Seminar participation (10%), short written tasks (1500wds) (20%), 1xpresentation (equivalent to 1500wds) (20%), 1x3000wd final Essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
In this unit (taught in Spanish) students are exposed to a range of literary and filmic works from Latin America. The unit examines how these two modes of cultural production have interacted and reshaped one another. Literary narratives have changed formally, stylistically and thematically due to the influence of several genres of Mexican, Brazilian and Argentinean cinema, as well as those of Hollywood and European cinema. The unit provides grounding in literary and film theory and familiarises students with debates around industry, audience reception and reading codes.
SPAN3622 Spanish Translation

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: SPAN3601 or SPAN2613 Assessment: Translation tasks (equivalent to 2000wds) (20%), participation and group work in class (10%), 1xpresentation (equivalent to 1500wds) (20%), 1x1500wd translation analysis (30%), 1xfinal in-class test (equivalent to 1000wds) (20%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit presents an introduction to various aspects of translation and provides practical work in both English and Spanish, translating from a wide range of materials. It will explore modes, techniques and genres in a variety of texts.
SPAN3624 Spain: A Nation of Nations?

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 Senior credit points in Spanish and Latin American Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Spanish and Latin American Studies or European Studies Assessment: 1xOral Presentation (equivalent to 1500wd) (30%), 1x500wd Essay plan (10%), 1x4000wd Research essay (50%), class participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
Contemporary Spain is a very diverse country with several distinct cultural and linguistic groups. In some cases, this has given rise to minority nationalisms that challenge the sovereignty and hegemony of the Spanish state. This unit introduces students to the advantages and challenges of such diversity, including some of its political aspects. Specific topics include language planning, regional cultures, ethnicity, minority nationalism, and independence movements. No knowledge of Spanish is required to take this unit.
SPAN3625 New Latin American Geopolitics of Power

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Prerequisites: 12 Senior credit points in Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: 1xOral Presentation (equivalent to 1500wds) (25%), 1x1000wd test (20%), 1x500wd Essay plan (5%), 1x3000wd Essay (40%), Tutorial participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
If the 20th century was "America's century", to whom does the 21st belong? Much is touted in the name of the new global economic, cultural, political and technological alliances signalled by the acronym, BRIC, among Brazil, Russia, India and China. This unit presupposes that, beyond a mere focus on economics, important global political shifts towards and in Latin America are in evidence. Who and which powers are driving this change? What do these tendencies mean regionally and globally?
SPAN3671 The Stories of Spain: Texts and Contexts

This unit of study is not available in 2020

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 Senior credit points in Spanish and Latin American Studies Assessment: 1x3000wd Essay (50%), 1xin-Class presentation (equivalent to 1500wd) (25%), 1xin-class written analysis (equivalent to 1500wd) (25%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit, open to specialists and non-specialists, looks specifically at the types of stories being told in Contemporary Spain and investigates why they are of interest now. It also looks at the developmental nature of narrative. A selection of filmic and literary texts will be studied from different eras though the main focus will be on late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The texts will be supported with outside readings to make the stories told relevant to a present-day student.

Interdisciplinary project unit of study

SPAN3998 Industry and Community Project

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive February,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Corequisites: Interdisciplinary Impact in any major. Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
This unit is designed for third year students to undertake a project that allows them to work with one of the University's industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the partner. This experience will allow students to apply their academic skills and disciplinary knowledge to a real-world issue in an authentic and meaningful way.
SPAN3999 Interdisciplinary Impact

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive December,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Prerequisites: Completion of at least 90 credit points Prohibitions: Interdisciplinary Impact in another major Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences
Interdisciplinarity is a key skill in fostering agility in life and work. This unit provides learning experiences that build students' skills, knowledge and understanding of the application of their disciplinary background to interdisciplinary contexts. In this unit, students will work in teams and develop interdisciplinarity skills through problem-based learning projects responding to 'real world problems'.