The presence of peoples of Hispanic and Latin American descent in what is now the United States predates the country's founding. Yet, their identities are generally tied to imaginaries of immigration and foreignness. This course examines the history of people of Latin American descent in the United States, how their identity is construed by the media, the state, and how they contest the often-derogatory ideas about themselves through activism and cultural production. Specifically, we will read literary texts, study films and music created by Latino/a/x artists and analyze their ethical implications within their historical context. Throughout the course, we will reflect on the question of what it means for a nation to label a group of people as “others” and, by contrasting how that minoritized group thinks about itself, consider ways to fight discrimination within a multicultural society. The course will be taught in English with some material in Spanglish.

This is the first course in the Intermediate Spanish sequence (second year). Intermediate Spanish I is a course in Conversation, along with grammar review and culture study. Emphasis is on tourist survival situation dialogues, various forms of conversation, and registers of formality. The basic skills learned in the first year courses are now put into practice. Students must take the placement exam if this is their first RIT Spanish class, and they have some prior study of Spanish.

This is the second course in the Intermediate Spanish sequence (second year). Intermediate Spanish II is a Composition course, emphasizing grammar review, composition, business-letter writing, Spanish for the Professions, and culture, while also including work in speaking and listening. The basic skills learned in the first year courses are now put into practice. In addition to the language work, there is significant work on cultural topics of Spanish-speaking countries at the intermediate level: both formal and informal culture (the arts and daily behavior). Students must take the placement exam if this is their first RIT Spanish class, and they have some prior study of Spanish.

The course gives students an opportunity to study professional language and culture as well as to practice presentation and negotiation skills, especially in professional and formal contexts. Students will improve speaking, listening, reading and writing skills developed in the elementary/intermediate sequence to master formal interactions in Spanish. They will learn professional vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical structures through readings, conversation, and discussion. They will cultivate expressive skills through discussion, writing assignments, and a video tutorial project. This course will be useful for students who are planning to seek employment in international companies or in companies doing business abroad, and also for students who want to learn more about business in Spanish-speaking cultures. This is a language class; proficiency equivalent to Intermediate Spanish II is required.