Spain Madrid Spanish & European Studies

• CAS LS 111 First-Semester Spanish (4 credits)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Individual in Community
  • For students who have never studied Spanish, or by placement test results. Introduction to grammatical structures. Emphasis on aural comprehension, speaking, and pronunciation. Introduction to Hispanic culture.
  • Garcia's Syllabus
  • Samudio's Syllabus
• CAS LS 112 Second-Semester Spanish (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Individual in Community
  • Prerequisite: one semester of college-level Spanish or the equivalent
  • Completes study of basic grammatical structures. Emphasis on speaking and aural comprehension with readings on contemporary Hispanic culture and writing assignments.
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 211 Third-Semester Spanish (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Individual in Community
  • Prerequisite: two semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent
  • Completes study of grammatical structures of Spanish. Use of spoken language in conversation. Reading in Hispanic civilization and of contemporary short stories. Writing exercises involving more complex grammatical and syntactical patterns.
  • Campelo's Syllabus
  • Samudio's Syllabus
• CAS LS 212 Fourth-Semester Spanish (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Prerequisite: three semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent
  • Review of the structures of Spanish. Intensive practice of spoken language. More advanced readings from Hispanic culture with frequent compositions.
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 306 Spanish Through Translation* (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Prerequisite: four semesters of college-level Spanish or the equivalent
  • Advanced study of the Spanish language through the translation of written texts. Analysis of the theory and practice of translation as a catalyst of cultural transfer. Taught in Spanish.
  • Syllabus
  • Calendar
• CAS LS 312Fiestas, tradiciones y costumbres de la España contemporánea
  • fall only
  • Discovering the customs and traditions of Spain. The course will analyze significant historical events and current issues in Spanish society. There will be in-class discussions and debates about current news articles as well as grammatical comprehension exercises (reading/listening).
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 312Spanish Through Cultural Destinations: Madrid en Vivo
  • Students will further develop their oral and written skills allowing them to flourish within the Spanish-speaking world. They will become familiar with the city of Madrid through immersion in its history, neighborhoods, at, literature, and its cultural and social peculiarities.
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 449Contemporary Spanish Novel: From “La Movida” to 15-­‐M
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • An overview of contemporary Spanish novels from the time of Franco’s death in 1975 to the present day. This class explores cultural issues within the literary, political, and social contexts of contemporary Spain.
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 450Contemporary Spanish Literature
  • This course focuses on literary texts and contemporary Spanish and Latin American cultural phenomena through analysis and critical essays. Students will explore various literary genres in order to develop reading comprehension strategies and become familiar with basic critical reading concepts.
  • Syllabus

*No more than two 300-level Spanish language courses (LS 306, LS 311, LS312) may be taken for credit at Boston University. All students should confirm in advance with their academic advisors which courses may be taken for major, minor, and departmental requirements, and which courses may be taken for elective credit.

• Spanish Economics within the European Union (4 credits)
  • fall only
  • The course will explore not only the economic and financial pillars of Spain, but also the major challenges of its economic structure in light of the European economic integration process and the role Spain plays within it. The course will focus on Spain’s modernization efforts after regaining democracy in 1975, the main economic drivers behind its growth and its role in the European economic and monetary union. It will cover the productive structure, main industries, foreign trade -inside and outside the European Union- and international expansion, particularly in South America. The course will then focus on the particularities of Spain’s labor market, the importance of the public sector (welfare state) and the prelude and impact of the financial crisis of 2008.
  • Syllabus
• CAS LS 241 Cultures of Spain: Past and Present  (4 credits)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Historical Consciousness
  • fall only
  • An introduction to Spanish civilization with special emphasis on history, art, and literature. Instruction begins in English and shifts gradually into Spanish as students’ fluency increases. Course content is enriched by visits to the Prado Museum, Segovia, Toledo, and others.
  • Syllabus
• CAS AH 364 Art and Architecture in Madrid: 1561–Today (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Aesthetic Exploration
    • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
    • Creativity and Innovation
  • An introduction to Spanish art history (1561-Present) that examines the most representative works and movements. Students explore the visual representation (painting, sculpture, architecture and street art) and the associated social values (power, gender, ethnicity, and “otherness”) in both historical and current global contexts.
  •  Syllabus
• CAS AR 200 Heritage Matters: Introduction to Heritage Management (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Research and Information Literacy
    • Social Inquiry I
  • fall only
  • Protection and management of archaeological heritage, including sites, artifacts, and monuments. Survey of heritage values and stakeholders. Issues covered include cultural policy and legislation, international efforts, indigenous perspectives, looting, repatriation, underwater heritage, and heritage at war.
  • Syllabus
• CAS HI 256 History of Spain 711–1898 (4)
  • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy
  • spring only
  • This course offers an overview of Spanish History from the year 711, with the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, through 1898, when the last territories of the Spanish Empire were finally lost. These two points mark the beginning of the era in which the Iberian Peninsula came to be known as al-Andalus, and the fall of the Spanish Empire with the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
  • Syllabus
• CAS PO 245 Nationalism in Spain in a European Context (4)
  • Examines Spanish national identity alongside minority national identities within Spain such as the Basque and Catalonian peoples. Compares the case of Spain with other national minorities across Europe. Examines non-state nationalisms from historical and contemporary perspectives.
  • Syllabus
• SHA HF 320 Food in Spain: Culinary History and Sociocultural Context (4)
  • Spring Only
  • Overview of the historical, cultural, and sociological importance of food in Spain since the pre-agricultural era. Examines the relations between food and national and regional identity, social stratification, religion, economics, tourism, and public health. Includes guest lectures and visits to markets and wineries in and around Madrid.
  • Syllabus

Language and culture courses are offered at the 300-level. Literature courses are offered at the 400-level.

• • Anthropology of Spain (4 credits)
    • spring only
    • The objective of this course is to offer students an understanding of anthropology through the presentation of studies related to Spanish culture and society. Main topics (urban anthropology, familial anthropology, cultural diversity, and immigration) are studied from a social and cultural anthropological perspective with an emphasis on the cultural diversity that characterizes Spain in order to better understand its society today.
    • Syllabus
  • CAS LS 449Contemporary Spanish Novel: From “La Movida” to 15-­‐M
    • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
      • Aesthetic Exploration
      • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
      • Research and Information Literacy
    • An overview of contemporary Spanish novels from the time of Franco’s death in 1975 to the present day. This class explores cultural issues within the literary, political, and social contexts of contemporary Spain.
    • Syllabus
    • Contemporary Spain: Political and Social Topics (4)
      • The course examines the Spanish Political System and takes a comparative approach while also focusing on current political reality and its influence on the daily life of Spaniards and vice versa. The course will look at Spanish political institutions in the context of Spain’s membership in the European Union and will also examine social movements and current challenges: unemployment, public policies, migration, historical memory, etc.
      • Syllabus
    • CAS LS 450Contemporary Spanish Literature
      • This course focuses on literary texts and contemporary Spanish and Latin American cultural phenomena through analysis and critical essays. Students will explore various literary genres in order to develop reading comprehension strategies and become familiar with basic critical reading concepts.
      • Syllabus
    • CAS HI 255/LS 340 History of Spain: 711-1898 (4)
      • A survey of Spanish history from 711 to 1898, examining the political, social, economic, and cultural events that shaped Spain in its modern form. Aims to improve students’ understanding of Spain in a European context. Includes field trips around Madrid.
      • Syllabus
    • CAS CI/LS 477/COM CI 477 Contemporary Spanish Cinema (4)
      • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
        • Aesthetic Exploration
        • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
        • Research and Information Literacy
      • An overview of Spanish contemporary cinema and the variety of genres that have emerged in the last decades. Using different resources from films and literature, students will be able to better understand the diversity of Spanish society, which they will experience for themselves on the streets of Madrid. This course also explores how the technical elements of film (camera shots, angles, etc.) can express emotions as well as cultural and social values.
      • Syllabus
    • CAS AN 367 Migrations and Cultural Diversity (4)
      • Analysis of migratory flows and their implications for Spain and the European Union. Study of conceptual and theoretical frameworks through which to examine the diversity and complexity of migrations and their impact on Spanish society and culture.
      • Syllabus
    • CAS AH 258 The Spaces of Art: from Velazquez to the Private Gallery in Spain (4)
      • This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:
        • Aesthetic Exploration
        • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
      • An overview of the use of space in Spanish art and architecture from the early 17th century Baroque style to contemporary art. A journey from the aerial perspective of Velazquez's paintings to urban street art, installation art, and modern galleries.
      • Syllabus
    • Women in Spanish Society (4)
      • Aims to help students understand the role of women in Spanish society from the Middle Ages until the present. The course traces the historical, social, political, economic, religious, and psychological evolution of Spanish women, paying special attention to the conflicts they suffered and the accomplishments they achieved throughout the process.
      • Syllabus

• • • HUB SA 220  Cultures in Context: A BU Hub Study Abroad Experience 
      • This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area :
        • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
      • Co-requisites: CAS LS 241 and a Spanish Language Course
      • Cultures in Context is an optional, non-credit, ungraded course that allows students to earn one additional Hub unit of Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy (GCI) while abroad. Students undertake an enhanced immersion experience that includes reflective assignments and participation in a series of class meetings and discussions, and which requires enrollment in CAS LS 241 and one Spanish language course at any level.