The humanities division of the Department of World Languages and Cultural Studies offers major and minor programs that encourage and nurture a productive dialogue between the cultures of the past and the contemporary world. A student may concentrate on art history, music history, or general humanities (a broad survey of all forms of cultural production).
The department offers the BA in art history, music history, and general humanities. All majors require ten courses/38-40 credits of coursework. See the requirements for art history and music history.
4.00
A survey of the art of western civilization from prehistoric caves to the cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers Egyptian, Ancient Near Eastern, Greek, Roman, early Islamic, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A survey of the art of Europe and America from the Renaissance to the present. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop, and Post-Modernism.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from classical Greece through 18th-century China. Normally offered yearly.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt B
4.00
Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from the 19th century to the present.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt A
4.00
Literary masterpieces from ancient times to the Renaissance, including: Homers Odyssey, Sophocles Oedipus, Virgils Aeneid, selections from the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels, and Dantes Divine Comedy. List may vary at the discretion of the instructor.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Literary masterpieces from the 17th century to the 20th, including Don Quixote (Spain), Faust (Germany), Madame Bovary (France), War and Peace (Russia) , One Hundred Years of Solitude (Colombia), The Rouge of the North (China), The Secret Life of Saeed the Pessoptomist (Israel), and So Long a Letter (Senegal). List may vary at the discretion of the instructor. Normally offered yearly.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
The study of philosophical thought from the period of the ancient Greek philosophers through the Medieval thinkers, including such philosophers as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Zeno, Parmenides, Pythagoras, Protagoras, Augustine, Aquinas, Anselm, and Abelard. An introductory course designed to equip the student with a well grounded understanding and appreciation of Philosophy. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of the prominent modern thinkers, such as Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. The course is an historical survey of the key concepts, problems and developments in modern philosophy including rationalism, empiricism, and skepticism. The following themes central to Modern philosophy will be addressed: the nature of reality; the limits of human knowledge; self and self-identity; mind and body; freedom in theory and practice; reason vs. sentiment in ethics. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
Two ARH courses at the 300-level or higher
Two MUH courses
Minors require six courses (24 credits) of coursework and are available in art history, music history, and general humanities. See the art history and music history pages of the catalog for specific requirements.
4.00
A survey of the art of western civilization from prehistoric caves to the cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers Egyptian, Ancient Near Eastern, Greek, Roman, early Islamic, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A survey of the art of Europe and America from the Renaissance to the present. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop, and Post-Modernism.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from classical Greece through 18th-century China. Normally offered yearly.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt B
4.00
Survey of drama and theatre as part of world culture from the 19th century to the present.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt A
4.00
Literary masterpieces from ancient times to the Renaissance, including: Homers Odyssey, Sophocles Oedipus, Virgils Aeneid, selections from the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels, and Dantes Divine Comedy. List may vary at the discretion of the instructor.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Literary masterpieces from the 17th century to the 20th, including Don Quixote (Spain), Faust (Germany), Madame Bovary (France), War and Peace (Russia) , One Hundred Years of Solitude (Colombia), The Rouge of the North (China), The Secret Life of Saeed the Pessoptomist (Israel), and So Long a Letter (Senegal). List may vary at the discretion of the instructor. Normally offered yearly.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
The study of philosophical thought from the period of the ancient Greek philosophers through the Medieval thinkers, including such philosophers as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Zeno, Parmenides, Pythagoras, Protagoras, Augustine, Aquinas, Anselm, and Abelard. An introductory course designed to equip the student with a well grounded understanding and appreciation of Philosophy. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of the prominent modern thinkers, such as Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. The course is an historical survey of the key concepts, problems and developments in modern philosophy including rationalism, empiricism, and skepticism. The following themes central to Modern philosophy will be addressed: the nature of reality; the limits of human knowledge; self and self-identity; mind and body; freedom in theory and practice; reason vs. sentiment in ethics. 1 term - 4 credits. Normally offered every year.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
Two ARH or MUH courses at the 200-level or higher
Students interested in honors should consult with the department chair during the spring semester of their junior year. Qualifying students must have a 3.2 overall GPA as well as a 3.5 GPA in humanities courses.
Honors candidates should register for HUM 502 in the fall semester of the senior year. Under the guidance of a faculty member they will use this course to complete a research paper, which will be evaluated by all the professors in the student’s field of study. If the evaluation is positive, the student will make an oral presentation of the paper in the spring.
4.00
Mastery of the Arabic alphabet and phonetics. Elementary formal grammar and the development of reading and writing skills. Conversation in the formal non-colloquial style. One language laboratory session per week. For students with no previous knowledge. .
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
ARAB 101 or Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills development from Arabic 101. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
ARAB 102 or permission of instructor.
4.00
This course will apply the communicative approach to further develop proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking in Modern Standard Arabic. The class will also stress comprehension listening drills. Material will include authentic Arabic texts, print media, audios, and videos. Activities include conversation practice and brief discussions of topics related to Arab society and culture.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
ARAB 201 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Continuation of skills development from ARAB 201.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
REQUIRES INSTRUCTORS CONSENT
4.00
The subject of this course is the Arab Cultural History. The approach will be one which sees Arab culture as the system of shared ideas, attitudes, values, perceptions and meanings, explicit and implicit, which Arabs use to interpret the world and which serve to pattern their behavior. This approach of Arab cultural history encompasses a range of facets reaching from the most mundane aspects of their lives to the most transcendent of thoughts and aspirations. It includes an understanding of their art, literature, and history of a society, but also less tangible aspects such as attitudes, prejudices, folklore and so forth. This endeavor seeks to embrace and comprehend the complexity of Arab culture and to recount its history - from its pre-Islamic genesis (roughly the 520s A. D.) until the present - through a broad and wide-ranging presentation of Arab literature.
Occasional
An independent study form must be submitted to the CAS Deans Office.
4.00
The subject of this course is the Arab Cultural History. The approach will be one which sees Arab culture as the system of shared ideas, attitudes, values, perceptions and meanings, explicit and implicit, which Arabs use to interpret the world and which serve to pattern their behavior. This approach of Arab cultural history encompasses a range of facets reaching from the most mundane aspects of their lives to the most transcendent of thoughts and aspirations. It includes an understanding of their art, literature, and history of a society, but also less tangible aspects such as attitudes, prejudices, folklore and so forth. This endeavor seeks to embrace and comprehend the complexity of Arab culture and to recount its history - from its pre-Islamic genesis (roughly the 520s A. D.) until the present - through a broad and wide-ranging presentation of Arab literature.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
4.00
A survey of the art of western civilization from prehistoric caves to the cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers Egyptian, Ancient Near Eastern, Greek, Roman, early Islamic, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A survey of the art of Europe and America from the Renaissance to the present. Works of painting, sculpture, and architecture are presented in their historical context. Course covers the Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop, and Post-Modernism.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
An examination of the civic, religious, and domestic art and architecture of the Ancient Mediterranean cultures of Greece and Rome. Temples, forums, basilicas, city planning, sculpture, pottery, wall painting, mosaics, and engineering achievements will be examined in their cultural contexts.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Religious and secular painting, sculpture and architecture and the minor arts in the context of medieval civilization. Examples of mosaic, ivory carvings, manuscript illumination, enamel work, stained glass, altarpieces, fresco painting, basilica churches, monasteries, and cathedrals from early Christian, Byzantine, Barbarian, Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque, and Gothic periods included.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Painting, sculpture and architecture of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries in Italy viewed in their cultural context. Issues covered include the search for ideal form, the tools of realism, changes in patronage, and the development of portraiture. Artists include Giotto, Masaccio, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of 17th and 18th century painting, sculpture and architecture in Italy, Spain and Northern Europe. Artists include Rembrandt, Rubens, Caravaggio, Bernini, Poussin, Velasquez, Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard, Chardin, and Hogarth.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Landscape painting and Impressionism in European painting. Artists include David, Ingres, Friedrich , Constable, Delacroix, Goya, Courbet, Millet, Daumier, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Cassatt.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of European painting and sculpture from around 1880 to 1940, including Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Suprematism, Constructivism, De Stijl, The Bauhaus, Dada and Surrealism. Artists include Gauguin, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Matisse, Kandinsky, Picasso, Braque, Malevich, Mondrian, Duchamp, Masson, Magritte, Dali and Ernst. Normally offered alternate years.
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A study of American painting, sculpture, photography and architecture from the colonial period through WWII. Artists include the Freake limner, Smibert, Copley, West, Stuart, Jefferson, Whistler, Sargent, Eakins, Homer, Ryder, Bierstadt, Cole Church, Bingham, Lane, Hosmer, Inness, Sloan, Sullivan, Wright, Hopper, Sheeler, Davis, Shahn, O Keefe, Dove, Hartley, Marin, Bellows, Riis, Hine, Stieglitz, Strand, Weston, Steichen and Lange.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Painting, sculpture, and architecture of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries in Northern Europe, viewed in their historical context. Issues included the invention of oil painting, the development of woodcut and engraving, the effect of the Reformation on art, and the relationship to the Renaissance in Italy. Artists include van Eyck, Durer and Brueghel.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
This course examines the Spanish contributions to Modern art with a specific concentration on the Spanish masters Goya, Picasso, Dali and Miro. Through these artists, the course will explore one of the most controversial periods of Spanish and European history, from the 19th through the dawn of the 20th century. The course is offered only at Suffolks Madrid campus. Students will take advantage of the rich cultural offerings of the city by making frequent visits to the Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia museums. (Taught in Madrid)
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement,Humanities & History
4.00
A study of European and American art since WWII, including Abstract Expressionism, Colorfield Painting, Pop Art, Minimalism, Neo-Dada, Happenings and Performance Art, Earth Art, Feminism, Neo-Expressionism and Post-Modernism. Artists include Bacon, Giacometti, Hofmann, Pollock, De Kooning, Frankenthaler, Rothko, Newman, Stella, Judd, Andre, Hesse, Calder, David Smith, Serra, Johns, Rauschenberg, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Smithson, Holt, Christo, Nevelson, Kaprow, Kosuth, Kruger, Sherman, Baldessari, Salle, Polke, Basquiat, Kiefer, and Haring.
Occasional
BFA Humanities Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
This course examines the art world of the past 20 or so years with special attention to the roles and exhibition practices of contemporary art museums and galleries. Questions addressed will include: Who are the major artists and what are the major trends in todays artworld? What civic and educational roles have museums played historically, and what are their roles today? How do different approaches to exhibit display and interpretation fulfill those roles? Class visits and assignments at the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) and other local venues will examine these issues in practical application. This course fulfills the ECR requirement.
Offered Fall Term
Expanded Classroom Requirement,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
This course explores the rich cultural heritage of New England from the late seventeenth century to the early decades of the twentieth. Particular attention will be paid to the role that New England and the city of Boston played within a national cultural context and in shaping our ideas of a distinctly New England aesthetic. One of the goals of this course is to explore the idea of the imagined and idealized New England, which has come to serve as a nostalgic symbol of Americas past. Through an examination of paintings, sculpture, photography, architecture, and material culture, the class offers an in-depth look at the ways New England developed its distinctive character and personality, and how its visual culture has shaped the region.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Humanities Literature Requirement,Humanities & History
4.00
This course covers women artists from the sixteenth century to the present as well as the new direction of art-historical scholarship developed by feminist art historians during recent decades.
Offered Spring Term
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Cultural Diversity Opt B,BFA Humanities Requirement,Cultural Diversity BFA,
4.00
An introduction to the study of photographs. The history of the medium in Europe and America from its invention to the present. Lectures address photographic theory and methodology, and photographs are studied both as art objects and as historical artifacts. Topics include portraiture, documentary photography and photojournalism, Pictorialism and art photography, landscape photography, and issues of gender, race,identity, and the body.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement,Humanities & History
Permission of instructor needed
4.00
Topic will vary from year to year.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities Literature Requirement,Humanities & History
An independent study form must be submitted to the CAS Deans Office.
1.00- 4.00
Students meet with a departmental faculty member to pursue advanced studies in areas of particular interest to them.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Introductory course for nonnative signers. Emphasis on receptive skills, vocabulary, and grammar. Introduction to issues important to the Deaf community. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Fall Term
Cultural Diversity Opt A,BA FOREIGN
ASL 101
4.00
Continuation of ASL 101. Patterns of lexical and grammatical structure reviewed and extended. Additional materials on the Deaf community and its culture. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Spring Term
Cultural Diversity Opt A,BA FOREIGN
4.00
Introduces Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) with an emphasis on developing conversational skills by using fundamental grammatical patterns and vocabulary in functional contexts. Basic reading and writing (in simplified characters) are also taught.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
CHIN 101 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Continuation of Chinese 101 with emphasis on developing basic skills to read and write modern colloquial Chinese. The reading, writing and oral skills will be taught on the basis of fundamental grammatical patterns and vocabulary in context.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
CHIN 102 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Emphasis on improving Chinese skills in the areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Expansion of vocabulary and further study of grammar. Discussion of assigned readings primarily in Chinese.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
CHIN 201 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Continuation of skills developed in CHIN 201.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
CHIN 202 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Students will be encouraged to perfect their speaking and writing skills in modern standard Mandarin. Various resources such as authentic texts, video and audio recordings, as well as discussions on current events will be done in conjunction with assigned essays.
Alternates Fall & Spring
BA FOREIGN
CHIN 305 or Instructors consent.
4.00
Continuation of skills developed from Chin 305.
Alternates Fall & Spring
BA FOREIGN
4.00
This is an introductory and interdisciplinary course on Chinese civilization and traditional Chinese literature. It will provide the student with an introduction to the cultural legacy and literature of China from the archaeological origins of Chinese civilization to the period of the mature imperial state in the 11th century (Song Dynasty). The diverse origins of Chinas civilization are stressed as topics in political, social, and economic history are explored, with a focus on developments in language, literature, and art. This course is a good introduction to further study of Chinese history and culture and, in particular, provides a valuable context for themes treated in Modern China.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Asian Studies
4.00
This course focuses on traditional Chinese society from 1800 to 1949, taking up such areas as family and kinship, social mobility, education, economic and social differentiation, community and social life, and popular belief. Examining the practices and ideologies underlying each area will enhance our understanding of the nature of traditional Chinese society, and help explain how elements of Chinese traditional culture contribute to modern Chinese identity and everyday life.
Occasional
Asian Studies
4.00
Students meet with a department member to pursue advanced studies in areas of particular interest to them.
Occasional
Asian Studies
4.00
Emphasis on developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Audio-visual and textual materials based on French cultural themes. Weekly laboratory sessions required.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills development from 101. Offered every spring semester.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
Instructors consent
4.00
This writing-intensive course examines short readings, films, and print media in the development of language skills. Regular language laboratory sessions required.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
Take FR-201 or Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills development from 201.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
FR 202 or Instructors consent
4.00
This course explores the francophone world through the media of literature and film. Selected works of francophone literature will be linked to writing exercises and conversation activities.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Cultural Diversity Opt B,BA FOREIGN
4.00
A study in English or representative works by major authors from the middle ages to the present. Genres: drama, fiction, and poetry. Regions: Africa, Western Europe, North America and the Caribbean, and Vietnam.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities Literature Requirement
FR 202 or Instructors consent.
4.00
This course encourages the student to perfect conversational and writing skills in French. Authentic language and formal writing skills are detailed in this course. The development of oral proficiency is stressed with a focus on listening comprehension, reading and writing. This class is open to heritage speakers as well as those who have participated or are planning on participating in the CAVILAM, CCFS-Sorbonne, or Suffolk-Dakar Programs.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
FR-202;
4.00
This course enhances students conversational and writing skills in French. Authentic language and formal writing skills are detailed. The development of oral proficiency is stressed with a focus on listening comprehension, reading and writing. Advanced French grammar is stressed with a focus on written grammatical exercises. This class is open to heritage speakers as well as those who have participated or are planning on participating in the CAVILAM, CCFS-Sorbonne Programs.
Alternates Fall & Spring
BA FOREIGN
FR 202 or Instructors permission
4.00
A study of French literature from medieval times to the 18th century.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
FR-202 or instructors permission
4.00
An analysis of the classic texts of French literature from nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries as they relate to important events in the art, culture, and history of France.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
4.00
Marie-Antoinette refused to wear the clothing given to her by Robespierre for her beheading. Instead she donned a muslin chemise and a bonnet that she had kept hidden in her bedding for the occasion. Was she making a final fashion statement, or is this a final act of defiance by refusing to give up control? In this class we address questions like these and examine the discourse of fashion, visual culture and image in pre-revolutionary France. We will also analyze the relationship of dressing to image and the body politic of eighteenth-century France. The class is taught in English, and is cross-listed with the Gender and Womens Studies Program. This class can be counted toward the French or French Studies major or minor.
Occasional
Take FR-205 or Instructors consent
4.00
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the basic trends of French literature in the context of a general thematic. While giving critical attention to the theme of love and its manifestations in representative works, this exploration also provides a base from which the student can access the evolution of French Literature. We will situate each work we study in its proper historical context while paying close attention to the evolution of literary genres and parallel trends in the formal study of literary discourse. In this class we will address various thematics that accompany a traditional survey of literature course such as, critical discourse, aesthetic representation, literary movements, genre, constructions of sexual identities, sexual politics and representations of ethnicity, class and culture.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
Take FR-205 and FR-305 or instructors consent
4.00
The aim of this course is to introduce students to major plays written in French from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries, with a focus on both the works themselves and the socio-historical contexts in which they were written. Students will read, analyze, and produce scenes from the plays as well as produce, direct and perform select scenes at the end of the semester. Authors studied may include Moliere, Marivaux, Beckett, Ionesco, Sartre, Camus, Genet, Anouilh, Sarraute, Reza, and Schwarz-Bart. Normally offered every two years
BA FOREIGN
FR-205 and FR-305 or instructors consent
4.00
This course examines literature written in the French language that focuses on the experience of travel. Primary texts will span from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first century, while secondary sources will explore the theoretical underpinnings of the concept of travel. Students will be encouraged to read the literature in light of theoretical considerations formulated to better understand the experience of travel and its literary and critical uses.
BA FOREIGN
FR-205 and FR-305 or Instructors consent
4.00
This course examines literature written in the French language focusing on memoir, essays and autobiography. Authors such as Montaigne, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Alphonse de Lamartine, Andre Gide, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Marguerite Duras, Simone de Beauvoir, Linda Le, Daniel Maximin, Assia Djebar, Maryse Conde and Annie Ernaux may be included. Our readings will be informed by a range of literary theory which will inform our discussion on the differences between autobiography and autofiction and the question of truth and the fallibility of memory.
BA FOREIGN
4.00
This seminar examines a range of topics in French and Francophone Studies. It provides individualized guidance and promotes advanced-level research in the special topic area.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
FR 201-202 or permission of instructor
4.00- 8.00
This course is an immersion program in Vichy, France through our partnership with CAVILAM. Students are housed with families, participate in excursions, and take classes that are conducted entirely in French. This is an excellent opportunity to improve ones proficiency in French, to learn more about French Studies, and to live in a French-speaking country.
Summer
Expanded Classroom Requirement,BA FOREIGN
FR 201 and FR 202 or Instructors Consent. Can take course for 1 term for 16 credits or 2 terms for 32 credits.
4.00-16.00
This course is an immersion program in Paris, France through our partnership with CCFS-Sorbonne. Students are housed with families, participate in excursions, and take classes that are conducted entirely in French. This is an excellent opportunity to improve ones proficiency in French, to learn more about French Studies, and to live in a French-speaking country.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Expanded Classroom Requirement,BA FOREIGN
Senior Standing and permission of Dept. Chair.
4.00
A major research project completed under the supervision of a regular faculty member offered every fall semester. Prerequisites: Senior standing & permission of the department chair.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
An independent study form must be submitted to the CAS Deans Office.
4.00
Students meet with a department member to pursue advanced studies in areas of particular interest to them.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
FR-201 and FR-202 or instructors permission
1.00
INSTRUCTORS CONSENT Tutorial studies of the terminology, organization and practice of business in the French-speaking world.
Offered Both Fall and Spring
4.00
Practice in both oral and written language skills using German culture as background for language study. Emphasis on active use of German to master structure, pronunciation and vocabulary. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
Ger-101 or instructors permission
4.00
Continuation of skills development from 101. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
GER 102 or instructors consent
4.00
Four-skills approach (speaking, listening, reading, writing) utilizing authentic texts, recordings, and visual media. Grammar review, vocabulary expansion, and intensive practice. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
GER 201 or Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills development from 201. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
4.00
Discussion of works by major authors from the 18th century to the present. Drama, fiction, and poetry. The specifically German contributions as related to the European context. Lessing, Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Buchner, Schnitzler, Kafka, T. Mann, Hesse, Brecht, Seghers, Grass, Boll, Wolf and/or others.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A critical reading of Grimms Fairy Tales in the cultural, literary, and political context of the times in which they were collected, edited, and read. Comparisons will be drawn with 20th/21st century cinematic adaptations. The investigation will include uncovering reasons for the graphic violence present in the tales. The contributions of major folklore scholars will also be discussed. The texts will be read in English translation.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement
GER 202 or instructor consent
4.00
A survey of civilization in the German-speaking countries from the Reformation to German unification (1871). Major figures, movements, and periods. Art, literature, music, and philosophy in the context of political and economic developments. Normally offered alternate years.
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
GER 202 or consent of instructor.
4.00
A survey of civilization in the German-speaking countries from the late 19th century to the present. Major figures, movements, and periods. Art, literature, music, philosophy, and popular culture in the context of political and economic developments.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
GER 202, or Instructors consent
4.00
Further development of speaking ability in various contexts (e.g., informal conversation, debate, discussion of current events in the German-speaking countries). Short texts and audio- visual materials as a basis for classroom activities.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
GER 202 or consent of the instructor
4.00
Additional training in writing German. Practice in various modes (e.g., essay, poetry, dramas, short fiction). Some translation into English. Special attention paid to grammatical points where needed.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
4.00
A survey of films produced in the German speaking countries from the 1920s to the present. Includes the Weimar republic, the Nazi period, postwar production from both East and West Germany, and new trends since reunification. Film esthetics and socio-historical context. All films shown in German with English subtitles.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
GER 202 or Instructors Permission
4.00
A reading of major works in the context of cultural trends and historical developments. Includes such texts as Goethes Faust, Grimms fairy tales, a selection of poetry, dramas, and short prose pieces, and at least one novel. GER 301 or GER 302 strongly recommended.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
GER-202
4.00
A comparative reading of articles from the German language press on such topics as contemporary culture, the environment, the European Union, globalization, immigration, minorities and the womens movement.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
4.00
A survey of German culture, politics, and society from the end of World War II to the present day. Discussion of such topics as the post-fascist mentality, economic efficiency, re-education, Americanization, division and its legacy, high culture, entertainment for the masses, environmental movements, pacifism, and multiculturalism.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
When the German Democratic Republic was founded in 1949, observers in the West viewed it as an artificial construct created to serve the needs of the Soviet empire. The self-image of the GDR as created by its leadership revolved around the idea of an anti-fascist German state designed as a bulwark against any revival of National Socialism. Over a generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is possible to undertake a dispassionate analysis of the forty-year history of the other German state as manifested in its cultural identity and political role during the Cold War. Cross- list with GVT 472/872
Occasional
Social Science
4.00
The rise of the Green Party, from its grass-roots beginnings to participation in the federal government. Background on the development of green consciousness in Germany and Europe since the early 20th century. Present governmental policies and programs (e.g. alternative energy sources, organic farming, recycling, dismantling of nuclear power). Cross-list with ENST 420/GVT 420/620.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
Permission of the Dept. Chair.
4.00
A major research project completed under the supervision of a regular faculty member.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
4.00
An introduction to the basic syntax and vocabulary of Ancient Greek with an emphasis on reading some modified passages from genuine Ancient Greek texts as soon as possible. No background in grammar or Greek is assumed.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
GR-101
4.00
A continuation of GR 101. During the semester we will complete our introduction to Ancient Greek and begin to read continuously a classic work of poetry, history, or philosophy in the original.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
4.00
An interdisciplinary introduction to Asian Studies will touch upon the history, politics, economics, philosophy, geography, and culture of Asia. Sample topics include international relations, political economy, religious and cultural exchanges, Asian experience in America, and the role of Asia in the 21st century. Students will develop conceptual frameworks for exploring the subjects covered by the Asian Studies curriculum. Cross-list with AS100/HST100
Offered Fall Term
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Practice in both oral and written language skills. Audio-visual and textual materials based on Italian cultural themes. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
ITAL-101 or instructors permission
4.00
Continuation of skills development from 101.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
ITAL 102, or Instructors consent
4.00
Review of grammar, practice in spoken Italian, with cultural and literary readings along with composition and translation. Language laboratory sessions as assigned.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
4.00
For students with no previous knowledge. An introduction to features of spoken and written Japanese. Stresses grammar, oral performance and simple characters. One language lab session per week.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
JPN-101 or Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills developed from JPN 101. Emphasis on active command of spoken Japanese. Improvement in pronunciation and conversational skills. Further development in vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing. One language lab session per week.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
JPN-102 or Instructors consent
4.00
Emphasis on improving Japanese skills in the areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Expansion of vocabulary and further study of grammar. Discussion of assigned readings primarily in Japanese. Work in the language lab (one hour per week) and use of sources from the Internet are coordinated with class work.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
JPN-201 or Instructors consent
4.00
Continuation of skills developed from JPN 201. One language laboratory session per week.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
Permission of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Chair
4.00
Candidates must register for a special research project in the fall semester of the senior year and complete a senior thesis under the supervision of a faculty member participating in the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program.
Offered Fall Term
4.00
A chronological survey of Western music from Gregorian chant to the death of Beethoven. Assigned readings, critical listening, class discussion and concert attendance.
Offered Fall Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
A chronological survey of Western music from Schubert to the present. Assigned readings, critical listening, class discussion and concert attendance.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Topics in music history and theory, including terminology, notation, scales, chords, and basic composition, score analysis and aural skills, historical periods and genres. Assignments include reading, writing, listening, and class discussion.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Survey from Colonial times to the present. Various attempts to create an indigenous style. Folk, religious music and symphonies, jazz and American musical theater. Composers include Billings, Beach, Ives, Copland, Bernstein and others.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
This course covers various popular music styles that emerged in the United States of America in the twentieth century, including blues, music theater, jazz, country, rock and hip-hop. In addition to representative musical selections, emphasis will be placed on various social and cultural factors that helped foster these new popular music styles.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
The history of music from the Middle Ages to the present presented in the lives and music of women composers, performers, and writers. Assigned readings, critical listening, class discussion and concert attendance.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Selected topics in the folk and traditional music of Africa, the Near East, the Far East, and the Pacific, examined in the context of their cultures and their roles in the life of the indigenous peoples of those areas. Assigned readings, critical listening, class discussion, and concert attendance.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Evolution of jazz from blues and ragtime through Dixieland and the avant-garde experiments of today. Contributions of major soloists, arrangers and composers. Listening, reading and concert attendance.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Selected topics dealing with the blues from its origins in various Southern regions of the U.S., through its post-war urban relocation, up to modern interpretations in rock, rap, pop, and hip-hop today. Blues music, both technically and culturally, will be considered from the artists perspective as a form of African-American expression and American/African-American oral history, as well as a unique indigenous form of American music. Influences of European, African, Country and Jazz styles will be examined, as well as the themes of race and alienation, and similar socio-cultural influences that have shaped and defined the music over time.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
This class studies the history and development of film music through reading, lecture and class listening. We investigate the process of film scoring, and how music and its relationship to film have changed over the last century. The class includes discussion and evaluation of different compositional styles and practices to listening critically to film scores while viewing movies.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
Instructors Consent.
1.00- 4.00
Students meet with a departmental faculty member to pursue advanced studies in areas of particular interest to them.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
4.00
Practice in both oral and written language skills. Class activities are organized around cultural themes that reflect the diversity of the Hispanic world. Weekly laboratory sessions required.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
SPAN 101 or Instructors consent
4.00
A continuation of skills development from 101. Weekly laboratory sessions required.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
1.00
This course, open only to students from Maryville University of St. Louis, offers a broad survey of Spanish history and culture. It focuses principally on key elements of geography, history, sociology, politics and traditions. The course will place special emphasis on Spanish culture and its problematic modernization, which is an issue with very important consequences for the intellectual productivity of this country.
SPAN 102 or or Instructors consent
4.00
A systematic review of Spanish grammar and study of Spanish through materials of cultural interest. Development of written and oral skills through compositions and audio-visual materials. Weekly laboratory sessions required.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
SPAN 201 or Instructors consent.
4.00
A continuation of skills development from 201. Weekly laboratory sessions required.
Offered Spring Term
BA FOREIGN
Prerequisite: SPAN 102 or or Instructors consent
4.00
A writing and reading intensive course for students who are thinking about minoring and possibly majoring in Spanish. There will be a brief review of grammar, but the primary materials will come from the textbook, LAZOS,with ancillary materials from the print media and audio-visual sources. A weekly tertulia will be required instead of language lab.
Alternates Fall & Spring
BA FOREIGN
4.00
This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Spanish (201) at Suffolk or its equivalent elsewhere. Through a systematic review of grammar, a diversity of readings, and oral as well as written work, students will increase their lexical and grammatical knowledge of Spanish language specific to the workplace in order to communicate more easily and comfortably. Students will also be better prepared to deal with the specific themes related to business introduced in the course. (This course is not for Spanish minors or majors, but may be taken as a free elective.)
Prerequisite: Spanish 202, 203 or 250 or Instructors consent
4.00
Further development of written and oral skills in various contexts. Emphasis on strengthening written skills and learning to speak clearly and persuasively in Spanish. Short texts and audio-visual materials provide the basis for classroom activities which will include regularly assigned essays, group discussions and debates.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructors consent
4.00
This course aims to introduce students to translation techniques through direct practice and to consider what makes a good translation. Material will be selected from a wide variety of sources and will increase in difficulty as the course goes on. The emphasis will be on translation from Spanish into English, but some work will be done on translation into Spanish. Students will be expected to complete regular homework assignments for which grades will be given. (Madrid campus only)
Spanish 202, 203, 250 or Instructors consent.
4.00
An exploration of some key Peninsular and Latin American cultural materials: works in four different literary genres (narrative, drama, essay and poetry), films, and songs. Development of specialized vocabulary and critical skills required in more advanced Spanish courses, through close readings and textual analysis.
Offered Spring Term
Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
Spanish 202, 203 or 250. Spanish 290 or 300 are strongly recommended
4.00
A survey of Hispanic Civilization emphasizing the contributions of Spanish-speaking peoples to the Western tradition in art, thought and letters. Concentration on the Iberian Peninsula, with an emphasis on the contributions of Christian, Jewish and Moslem cultures in Spain.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
Spanish 202, 203 or 250 or Instructors consent. Span 290 or 300 strongly recommended.
4.00
A survey of the civilization of Latin America highlighting its historical development, ethnic plurality, and cultural complexity in areas such as politics, religion, sociology, economics, customs, music and film. The cultural contributions of Spanish-speaking minorities in the United States are also addressed.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN 250, 290, or 300 or Instructors consent.
4.00
An introduction to some of the basic techniques applied in translating the written and spoken word. Examples will be drawn from literature, the mass media and professional sources. Additional grammar review provided as needed.
Occasional
Take SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructors consent.
4.00
An examination of key issues in Hispanic culture today through the study of literature, film, music and TV. The purpose of the course is twofold: To introduce the students to major themes in recent Hispanic society and culture and, to develop the necessary skills to read and analyze literary texts and other cultural forms. Topics to be discussed include dictatorship and democracy, women and representation, political and domestic violence, national identity, immigration, and mass culture. The selected materials will include texts by authors like Manuel Rivas, Mario Vargas Llosa, Carlos Fuentes, Cristina Peri Rossi, Rosa Montero, Carlos Monsivais, and Roberto Bolano among others. (Madrid campus only)
BA FOREIGN
4.00
This is an interdisciplinary course that will examine the historical and socio-economic causes of contemporary Spanish culture. Material will be drawn from a variety of sources including: history, sociology, gender studies, literature and philosophy. Extensive reference will be made to the non-Western cultures which have made Spain what it is today. (Usually taught in English). (Madrid campus only)
SPAN-290 or SPAN-300 or Instructors consent
4.00
This course is designed to provide students with a basic knowledge of the city of Madrid in terms of its historical, cultural, and social development. Contemporary aspects of the city such as its rise to prominence amongst the capitals of Europe and the phenomenon of recent immigration patterns will also be discussed. All classes will be conducted in Spanish. Specific grammar points will be reviewed as needed. (Madrid campus only)
BA FOREIGN
Take SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructors consent. SPAN 350 is strongly recommended
4.00
An exploration of the diverse facets of Jewish-Muslim-Christian convivencia (dwelling together, coexistence). The course focuses on religious, cultural, economic and psychological aspects of contemporary Spain which owe their very existence to the history of multiculturalism in Spain. Visits to significant cities such as Toledo, will offer the student the possibility of experiencing first-hand the rich and diverse cultural heritage of present-day Spain. The primary goal of this course is to offer examples of peaceful and fruitful cooperation among the three major religions of the world and to prove that such an ideal is not a utopia. (Madrid campus only)
BA FOREIGN
SPAN 300; SPAN 302 is strongly recommended
4.00
Authors from Latin America and the Caribbean will be examined in their historical and cultural contexts. Readings and class discussions will consider the relationship between the writer and society by covering such topics as colonialism, the oral tradition, modernism and the emergence of new narratives in the twentieth century. The Inca Garcilaso, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Jose Marti, Jorge Luis Borges, and Giaconda Belli will be among some of the writers studied.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN 300; SPAN 301 is strongly recommended.
4.00
A survey of Spanish literature from El Poema del Cid to El Quijote with emphasis on cultural currents and their relationship to the history of the period. Readings include poetry, drama and prose.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN 300 or Instructors consent. SPAN 302 is strongly recommended.
4.00
The relationship between social history, cultural identity and artistic expression will be explored through a diversity of texts from Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Social justice, truth, mass culture and gender will be among the issues addressed. Readings will include novel, short story, poetry and drama. Films and documentaries will also be considered to further illustrate the connections between society and text.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
SPAN-300; Spanish 302 or its equivalent is strongly recommended
4.00
Through fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry and film, this course will explore the changing roles of women in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Special focus will be placed on the impact that changes in social ideology and culture have had on their identity and writings. Texts available in English.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
Spanish 300; or Instructors consent; Spanish 302 is strongly recommended
4.00
An exploration of some of the major trends in twentieth century Latin American story telling. Readings reflect the vast array of voices and styles, beginning with the fantastic literature of the 1930s, the birth of magical realism and the more contemporary socio-political narratives. Authors will include Maria Luisa Bombal, Julio Cortazar, Rosario Castellanos, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Juan Rulfo, Luisa Valenzuela, among others.
Occasional
Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement,BA FOREIGN
Take ENG-102 or ENG-103 or Instructors consent. Span 302 is strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American & Caribbean Studies majors and minors.
4.00
A survey of films from Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. Taking the Cuban Revolution as our point of departure we shall explore the relationship between film and society and think about how our own understanding of a culture and its history is often shaped by the images that we receive on the screen. All films shown in Spanish with English subtitles. Discussions in English.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt B,Humanities & History,Humanities Literature Requirement
ENG-102 or ENG-103 or Instructors consent. Span 302 is strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American & Caribbean Studies majors and minors.
4.00
The myth of a singular Latino experience in the United States will be examined through a variety of genres and authors. Issues of heritage, identity and the joys, struggles and challenges of growing up Latino/a also will be addressed. Among the writers read will be Sandra Cisneros, House on Mango Street, Junot Diaz, Drown, Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican, Tato Laviera, AmeRican.
Occasional
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Humanities Literature Requirement
Take SPAN 290 or SPAN 300 or Instructors consent. SPAN 350 is strongly recommended.
4.00
In this course we will study the transition of Spain from dictatorship to democracy from an interdisciplinary perspective based mostly on the analysis of literary works, film, visual arts and music besides relevant theoretical articles by major Spanish and international intellectuals. Youth culture (sex, drugs and rock and roll), the feminist movement, nationalistic demands, and Spains subsequent incorporation into the European Union will be highlighted. (Madrid campus only)
BA FOREIGN
ENG 102 or ENG 103 or Instructors consent. SPAN 300 and SPAN 302 are strongly recommended for Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean Studies majors and minors.
4.00
This course examines the intersection between literature and film and the relationships between the written word and the cinematic image. The writers and cinematographers we will study represent mainstream as well as marginal voices which address issues of race, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic class in South America, the Caribbean and Mexico. All texts available in both Spanish and English translation.
Occasional
Humanities Literature Requirement,Cultural Diversity Opt B,BA FOREIGN
Take SPAN-290 or SPAN-300;or instructors consent. SPAN-350 is strongly recommended
4.00- 8.00
A selection of representative examples of Spanish narrative from the 19th century to the present will be studied in the context of current feminist and psycho-critical theories. Readings will include domestic writings by the mid-century generation; Romantic, Realist, and Modernist writers, and narratives of both the post-war generation and the new wave of Contemporary women writers. Prerequisite: Spanish 290 or 300 or consent of instructor. Language of instruction: Spanish (Madrid campus only)
BA FOREIGN
Span 290 or Span 300; Instructors consent; Spanish 302 is strongly recommended
4.00
This course will focus on the dynamic relationships that exist between art (both visual and lyrical) and the written word. By reading twentieth century authors from Latin America and the Caribbean and juxtaposing their work with that of other artists who explore similar themes, students will examine the multiple ways in which art and literature contribute to our understanding of life in Latin America and the Caribbean. Music, paintings, photography, poetry, and prose will be among some of the genres studied.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
Span 290 or 300; Span 302 is strongly recommended
4.00
Students will closely examine the contemporary world of Latin American Theatre. A study of basic theatre concepts and methodology will prepare students to perform in Noche de teatro latinoamericano, a public performance of three one-act plays from contemporary Latin American playwrights. Publicity and set design will also be part of the course framework.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
Senior standing & permission of the Dept. Chair
4.00
A major research project completed under the supervision of a regular faculty member.
Offered Fall Term
BA FOREIGN
Instructor consent required.
1.00- 4.00
Students meet with a department member to pursue advanced studies in areas of particular interest to them.
Occasional
BA FOREIGN
Instructors consent.
1.00
Tutorial studies of the terminology, organization and practice of business in the Spanish-speaking world. Offered each semester.
Instructors consent.
1.00
Tutorial studies of the terminology, organization and practice of business in the Spanish-speaking world.
Alternates Fall & Spring
Instructors consent.
1.00- 2.00
Tutorial studies of the terminology, organization and practice of business in the Spanish-speaking world.
Alternates Fall & Spring
