Language & Humanities Program

Advanced Studies Program
Advanced Program for Business & Economics

The following courses are part of the recommended plan of study during the academic year for the ISEPS Language & Humanities Program, in which there are the General Courses from the Cursos para Extranjeros Program offered at the University of Seville. These classes are open to all program participants.

To best serve the critical academic quality of study abroad, the General Courses are for the majority of program participants who have a relative capacity to understand, read, and speak Spanish. These students are placed in the ISEPS Language & Humanities Program. Alternatively, for those students with a genuine advanced level of Spanish which allows them to easily comprehend lectures, do extended readings, and engage in active in-class oral work, there are the Advanced Courses in the ISEPS Advanced Studies Program (see the appropriate section). To protect the academic integrity of these courses, no special considerations are allowed.

Often study abroad is criticized for its academic quality. In this instance, ISEPS and Cursos para Extranjeros carefully work with the Home Campus Advisors to ensure that a realistic and appropriate academic level of instruction is determined for each student, thus avoiding a dangerous mixing of students whose Spanish language levels are not properly synchronized. This directly follows the ISEPS philosophy of creating a specialized and realistic study plan for each program participant.

All instruction with a credit recommendation takes place within the University of Seville. All instructors are accredited to teach university courses at the University of Seville . All course credits will be formally accredited by the University of Seville, as confirmed to the Home Campus at semester’s end in the ISEPS Final Grade Report.

FALL SEMESTER

THE SCHOOL OF PHILOLOGY (LANGUAGES & LITERATURES)

(Note - Courses are open to all participants. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are not recommended for major credit.)

FA-01: Semántica Española - Spanish Semantics
This course covers the study of the formation and meaning of Spanish words, and is an introduction to the field of linguistics known as Semantics. One topic of interest deals with the changes of word meanings between Spain and Latin America.

FA-02: Gramática Contrastiva - Contrastive Grammar
An approach to intermediate-advanced Spanish grammar is which attention is given to features of English that interfere with the student’s learning of Spanish grammar, and syntax and lexicology.

FA-03: Fonética Correctiva, Conversación y Composición - Corrective Phonetics, Conversation & Composition*
A low intermediate level course in which essential writing and corrective Spanish phonetics are orally stressed through what the students create in their compositions. Emphasis is given to the practical problems of pronunciation in Spanish.

FA-04: Redacción y Composición de Textos - Composition & Textural Commentary & Editing
This is an intermediary-advanced course in composition and textural commentary and editing in which participants learn by trial and error, and which focuses on the polishing of grammatical usage and vocabulary. ISEPS recommends this course since writing serves to confirm and deepen a participant’s language control.

FA-05: Introducción a la Literatura Española I: La Edad Media - Introduction to Spanish Literature I: The Middle Ages
The study of the masterpieces of Spanish literature of the Middle Ages up to the Renaissance, tracing the evolution of the language as evidenced in the literature of this historical period.

FA-06: Introducción a la Literatura Española II: Del Humanismo a Cervantes - Introduction to Spanish Literature II: Humanism to Cervantes
This course is a study of Spanish literature of the Renaissance. Particular attention is given to a panoramic view of the authors and works around Cervantes. The course is an excellent preparation for FB-15 given in the Spring Semester (advanced level) .

FA-07: Novela Realista Española - The Novel of Spanish Realism
The masterpieces of Spanish prose during the second half of the XIX Century. The authors include: Pedro A. de Alarcón, José M. Pereda, Juan Valera, B. Pérez Galdós, E. Pardo Bazán.

FA-08: Literatura Hispanoamericana - Hispano-American Literature
This class studies the writings of Spanish American literary figures from the Modernism Period up the present time. The authors include: José Marti, R. Darío, Horacio Quiroga, Gabriel García Marcos, José L. Borges, Julio Cortázar.

FA-09: Cine Español Contemporáneo - Contemporary Spanish Cinema
The course - in which film is seen as an art form - deals with the Spanish film industry and its films since the Constitutional Period from 1975 forward. The School of Philology has an excellent filmoteca from which students will be expected to check out DVD films.

FA-10: El Flamenco: Expresión Sociolingüística de Andalucía - Flamenco: A Sociolinguistic Manifestation of Andalusia
Here one learns about Flamenco as a road to the understanding of the use of language and rhythms in the expression of the sentiments of the people of Andalusia. During the course of the semester, ISEPS will provide gratis opportunities to the student to participate in flamenco events related to the course.

THE SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, & ART

(Note - Courses GA-01 to GA-07 are open to all participants. All classes above GA-07 are considered intermediate to advanced, and are open to participants with appropriate Spanish language proficiency - see ISEPS Advanced Studies Program.)

GA-01: Cultura y Sociedad en la España Actual - Present Day Culture & Society in Spain
The analysis and interpretation of Spain as a multicultural society, so as to better understand Spain’s plurality as a nation and culture. ISEPS participants will be able to attend conferences, debates, and other events in Seville dealing with topics covered in this class.

GA-02: Arte Andaluz del Siglo de Oro - Arts in Andalucía in the Spanish Golden Age
Drawing on the arts of the Spanish Golden Age as its base, this class explores Andalusia’s contribution to this great historical period of the arts in western civilization. ISEPS students will have a series of Seville museum visits planned for them in which they will experience first hand appreciation of works studied in the course.

GA-03: Política Regional, Recursos Económicos y Relaciones Comerciales de la Unión Europea - Regional Politics, Economic Resources and Commercial Relations in the European Community
The course examines the reality of the European Community from the points of view of: 1) The geographical and institutional framework of the European Community; 2) European economic resources; 3) Regional politics in the European Community; and 4) Commercial relations in and outside of the European Community. ISEPS participants with an interest in Political Science will have the opportunity to do a credit-earning Internship with a Spanish political party, to be planned and scheduled prior to starting the actual semester.

GA-04: Antropología Cultural de América Latina - Latin American Cultural Anthropology
The central topic here is the inter-ethnic and related socio-cultural reality of the nations of Latin America and how an understanding of this reality allows one to evaluate and appreciate the unique nature of these national cultures. ISEPS will organize visits for the students in this course to various Seville museums that specialize in American and ethnological history.

GA-05: La Construcción Política de la Unión Europea - The Political Structure/Construction of the European Union
The objective of this class is to gain an understanding of the political issues that the European Union countries face in their ongoing search for some type of meaningful unity, against the undeniable backdrop of their rich and diverse individual histories. ISEPS participants will be invited to attend acts and events in which this very relevant topic will be a reality for Spaniards who must make important decisions about their continental future.

GA-06: La Historia de la Colonización Española en América - The History of the Spanish Colonization of the Americas
Beginning in the years prior to Columbus’ voyage and covering the colonial status of the nations of Spanish-speaking America, this course aims at comprehending the colonial/imperial effort of Spain - and of other European countries in the Age of Discovery - and what they produced. ISEPS students will be invited to meetings with Latin American Consuls in Seville, to be exposed to other points of view on the shared history of Spain and Latin America during this period.

GA-07: El Flamenco: Expresión Cultural de Andalucía - Flamenco: A Cultural Expression of Andalucía
This course differs from FA-10 and FA-20 in that attention is given to the anthropological and historical study of flamenco art. ISEPS students will be able to attend acts and events related to this course.

SPRING SEMESTER

THE SCHOOL OF PHILOLOGY (LANGUAGES & LITERATURES)

(Note - Courses are open to all participants. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are not recommended for major credit.)

FB-01: Gramática Española I - Spanish Grammar I*
A survey course which focuses on the weaknesses of the participant’s grammar and syntax, and which tends to review what was already taught at the home campus in the first years of Spanish language instruction.

FB-02: Semántica Española - Spanish Semantics
This course covers the study of the formation and meaning of Spanish words, and is an introduction to the field of linguistics known as Semantics. One topic of interest deals with the changes of word meanings between Spain and Latin America.

FB-03: Fonética Correctiva, Conversación y Composición - Corrective Phonetics, Conversation & Composition*
A low intermediate level course in which essential writing and corrective Spanish phonetics are orally stressed through what the students create in their compositions. Emphasis is given to the practical problems of pronunciation in Spanish.

FB-04: Redacción y Composición de Textos - Composition & Textural Commentary & Editing
This is an intermediary-advanced course in composition and textural commentary and editing in which participants learn by trial and error, and which focuses on the polishing of grammatical usage and vocabulary. We recommend this course since we believe that writing serves to confirm and deepen a participant’s language control.

FB-05: El Lenguaje Literario (Lectura, Análisis y Valoración) - Spanish Literary Language (Reading, Analysis & Appraisal)
A class which examines the use of the Spanish language as an instrument of artistic creation in prose and poetry, by applying the assumption that literature is the artistic use of language, just as in painting it is the use of color and form that give us art.

FB-06: Introducción a la Literatura Española: Del Barroco al Romanticismo - Introduction to Spanish Literature: Baroque up to Romanticism
This is a survey course that deals with Spanish literature of the XVII and XVIII Centuries, up to Romanticism.

FB-07: Mitos Literarios Españoles - Spanish Literary Myths
The central focus is on reoccurring archetypes/prototypes and myths in Spanish literature.

FB-08: Introducción a la Literatura Española: Siglos XIX y XX - Introduction to Spanish Literature of the XIX & XX Centuries
The course deals with Spanish literature of the contemporary period.

FB-09: Novela Hispanoamericana Contemporánea - Contemporary Spanish Novel
The Latin American novel of the XX Century is the study objective. Optional novels will be given to the participant who has already studied one or more of the works to be examined in class.

FB-10: Cine Español Contemporáneo - Contemporary Spanish Cinema
The course - in which film is seen as an art form - deals with the Spanish film industry and its films since the Constitutional Period from 1975 forward. The School of Philology has an excellent filmoteca from which students will be expected to check out DVD films.

FB-11: El Arte Flamenco Como Proceso de Comunicación en el Siglo XXI: Análisis Interdisciplinario y Estética Musical - The Art Form of Flamenco as a Communicative Process in the XXI Century: Interdisciplinary Analysis & Musical Aesthetics
This class is a logical continuation of FA-10, in which Flamenco is studied with attention to interdisciplinary issues and to identifying its place in the complex issue of musical aesthetics. During the course of the semester, ISEPS will provide gratis opportunities to the student to participate in flamenco events related to the course.

THE SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, & ART

(Note - Courses are open to all participants with an intermediate to advanced level of Spanish language skills.)

GB-01: Introducción a la Historia de España Contemporánea - Introduction to the History of Contemporary Spain
The course covers a Spanish history from the end of the Napoleonic Wars up to the present time.

GB-02: Claves Territoriales de la España Actual: Sociedad, Economía y Medio Ambiente - The Keys to a Regional Understanding of Spain: Society, Economy & the Environment
The topics of study are: the administrative structure of Spain; the relationship between the physical environment and human activity; demographics and human activity; production and distribution of goods and services; the relationship of human kind with the inhabited territory; and the protection and degradation of the natural habitat.

GB-03: Economía y Sociedad en la España Contemporánea - Economy & Society in the Spain of Today
This class studies the relationship between the economy and the society of contemporary Spain, within the overall economic and social framework of the European Community (EC), examining how economic realities and social expectations condition the development of Spain within the EC.

GB-04: Antropología Cultural de Andalucía - Andalusian Cultural Anthropology
The emphasis of this academic offering is on Andalusia, the myth and the reality, so as to understand the plurality of Andalusian culture and its historical development under the impact of outside forces of tourism, communications, political and social influences such as the evolving view of women in present day society and culture, etc.

GB-05: Introducción a la Música Clásica Occidental y Española - Introduction to Western & Spanish Classical Music
This course looks at Spanish classical music within the greater context of western classical musical development, to better understand how Spanish music thrived within and contributed to said development.

GB-06: Antropología Cultural del Mediterráneo - Mediterranean Basin Cultural Anthropology
An analysis of the plurality of historical cultures of the Mediterranean world, the nature of the north-south relationship within this world, and how the Mediterranean Basin has evolved and continues to evolve are the main points of focus.

GB-07: La Historia del Cine Español - The History of Spanish Cinema
The class examines the historical birth, growth, and evolution of the Spanish film industry and how popular tastes along with political-social factors condition commercial Spanish films. Also covered is the ongoing attempt to escape the vulgar stereotypes and to offer movies that appeal to a mature public for whom the superficial must carry deeper significance. The School of Philology has an excellent filmoteca from which students will be expected to check out DVD films.

GB-08: La Memoria Histórica de América - The Historical Memory of America
This includes an introduction to the field of historiography for the study of Latin American history, and to the use of archives and documents that are essential to realize real research in particular areas of Spanish American history. ISEPS participants will have opportunities to do genuine research in Seville historical institutions such as: El Archivo de las Indias; El Archivo General de Simancas; El Archivo Histórico Nacional; and Los Archivos Municipales.

GB-09: El Flamenco: Expresión Cultural de Andalucía - Flamenco: A Cultural Expression of Andalucía
The course differs from FA-10 and FA-20 in that attention is given to the anthropological and historical study of flamenco art. ISEPS students will be able to attend acts and events related to this course.

GB-10: Introducción a la Historia de España: 1492 hasta Napoleón - Introduction to Spanish History: 1492 to Napoleon
This class surveys the general history of Spain from the birth of the Spanish state in 1492 up to the Napoleonic Period at the beginning of the XIX Century.

 

 

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