World Languages

Department of World Languages

The Department of World Languages offers courses in Spanish (major, minor), and Arabic, as well as a program in Latin American and Latinx Studies (minor) taught in English.

Students with interest in international business, international relations, careers in the health professions, nursing, education, global studies, ethnic studies, or criminal justice, among others, are strongly encouraged to advance their language skills by completing a minor or double major, in order to become much needed bilingual professionals.

LASC requirements can also be fulfilled with language courses in the following categories: ”Thought, Language, and Culture” (TLC), “Global Perspectives” (GP), "Creative Arts" (CA), "US & Role in the World" (USW), Individual/Community Well Being (ICW), “Diversity Across the Curriculum” (DAC), and “Writing Across the Curriculum” (WAC).

Students who have earned a Seal of Biliteracy will be granted 12 WSU credits in that language, equivalent to SP-101 / FR-101 / WL-101, SP-102 / FR-102 / WL-102, SP-210 / FR-210 / WL-210, and SP-211 / FR-211 / WL-211. Students with a Seal of Biliteracy are encouraged to continue their language studies by enrolling in a 300-level language course.

Spanish Proficiency Test 

The Spanish proficiency test allows students to earn WSU credit for Spanish language classes FOR FREE. It also determines at what level students should begin taking Spanish classes at WSU.

Students need to select the level that best corresponds with their knowledge and pass the test at that level. If they pass the test, then they earn credit for that level and all previous levels. There are 4 tests available, one for each course of the language sequence: 101, 102, 210 & 211.

Please refer to the FAQ below for more information. If you have any other questions not answered here or need to make an appointment to take the test, please email spanishtest@worcester.edu.

Arabic Faculty

Mohamed Brahimi, Instructor (2009) B.A., M.A., Suffolk University.

French Faculty

Judith Jeon-Chapman, Professor (1993) B.A., College of St. Benedict; M.A., Ph.D., University of Washington

Spanish Faculty

Antonio Guijarro-Donadiós, Department Chair, Associate Professor (2014), B.A., Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; M.A., Salford University, England; M.A., Ph.D., University of Connecticut

Judith Jeon-Chapman, Professor (1993), B.A., College of St. Benedict; M.A., Ph.D., University of Washington

Elizabeth Osborne, Associate Professor (2016), B.A., The George Washington University; M.A., Universidad de Chile; Ph.D., Stony Brook University

Ana Pérez-Manrique, Professor (2006), B.A., Universidad de Malaga, Spain; M.A., University of South Carolina; Ph.D., Florida State University

Naida Saavedra, Associate Professor (2016), B.A., Universidad de Zulia, Venezuela; M.A., Ph.D., Florida State University

World Language Courses

AB-101 Beginning Arabic I

LASC Categories: TLC

Introduction to the Arabic language and cultures of the Arabic-speaking world.

3 Credits

AB-102 Beginning Arabic II

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: AB-101

A continuation of AB 101, designed for students to acquire additional vocabulary, grammar, and reading ability.

3 Credits

AB-210 Intermediate Arabic I

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: AB-102

Instruction in advanced rules of Arabic grammar and verb system, and in advanced writing and reading.

3 Credits

AB-211 Intermediate Arabic II

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: AB-210

Reading and discussion of texts dealing with literature, arts, geography, history, and culture of Arabic-speaking world.

3 Credits

FR-101 Beginning French I

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Fundamentals of pronunciation, patterns of speech, basic structures. Develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

FR-102 Beginning French II

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Continuation of FR101.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

FR-210 Intermediate French I

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Prerequisites: FR-102

Review of fundamentals and presentation of more complex grammatical features; development of conversational skills; selected readings; written and oral composition.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

FR-211 Intermediate French II

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Prerequisites: FR-210

Continuation of FR210.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

FR-321 Advanced French Composition I

LASC Categories: TLC, WAC

Prerequisites: EN-102 or EN-250 or EN-202

Practice in diverse composition styles as well as review of grammar, and introduction to reading French texts. Conducted in French. [Prerequisite: Two 200-level French courses.]

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-323 Advanced French Conversation

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: FR-211 or any 300 level French course.

Development of fluency and accuracy, free discussions, prepared oral presentations, practical exercises in oral expression. Conducted in French.

Spring only and other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-331 General French Civilization

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: 6 credits department FR At level 200;

Significant aspects of French history, geography, cultural achievements to world War I. Conducted in French. [Prerequisite: Two FR 200 level courses or equivalent.]

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-341 Introduction to French Literature

LASC Categories: TLC, GP, DAC

Prerequisites: 6 credits department FR At level 200;

Major periods and genres of French literature; for majors and minors. Conducted in French. [Prerequisites: Two FR 200 level courses or equivalent.]

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-342 Survey of French Literature I

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: 6 credits department FR At level 200;

Selections from the epic, drama, lyric poetry, and the major prose writers to major authors of the classical period. Conducted in French. [Prerequisite: Two FR 200 level courses or equivalent.]

Every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

FR-344 Survey of French Literature II

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: 6 credits department FR At level 200;

Major authors of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Conducted in French. [Prerequisites: Two FR 200 level courses.]

Every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

FR-346 Twentieth Century French Literature

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Prerequisites: 6 credits department FR At level 200;

Major novelists, dramatists and poets from the turn of the century to the present. Conducted in French. [Two FR 200 level courses or equivalent.]

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-403 Teaching Assistantship French

Teaching Assistants in French will regularly attend the beginning or intermediate-level classes to which they are assigned to assist the professor. Suggested for advanced students of French.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

FR-408 Directed Study: French

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

LA-150 Introduction to Latinx Cultures in the US

LASC Categories: TLC, USW

This is an introductory course that discusses the Latinx experience in the US. Students examine issues of language, identity, culture, and immigration among Latinx communities in the US. Students explore the history of Latin American diaspora communities in the US in order to identify cultural traits and identity marks. By discussing these topics, students analyze the particular significance and contribution of Latinx people and their relationship with their countries of origin. In order to achieve that goal, students examine and compare different types of sources including official documents, media releases, films, and podcasts. The class will be conducted in English.

Other or on demand and every year. 3 Credits

LA-350 Immigration, Dreamers, and Latinx Youth Issues

Students explore issues regarding Latinx immigration, citizenship, and the fate of Latinx youth in the US. Students examine US immigration policies and reforms focusing on Latinx populations and the current immigration debate. Through newspaper articles, scholarly articles, and films, students analyze and discuss relevant topics such as constitutional regulations related to documented and undocumented Latinx immigrants; Visa and Green Card issues, and access to education for young Latinx populations, including DREAMers and DACA students. Class discussions include legal, economic, and political issues related to immigration policies and the impact these have on youth. The class will be conducted in English.

Alternating and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

LA-355 Latin American Fiction

This course is designed to familiarize students with Latin American works of fiction and to provide them with an overview of literature written throughout the region during the twentieth century. The course will focus on narrative and will discuss a variety of literary movements, aesthetics, and techniques such as realism, fantastic literature, magical realism, crime fiction, and postmodernism. Authors include Horacio Quiroga, María Luisa Bombal, Gabriel García Márquez, Adolfo Bioy Casares, Julio Cortázar, Rosario Ferré, Mario Vargas Llosa, among others. The class will be conducted in English.

Alternating and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

LA-360 Survey of Latin American Cinema

Organized both chronologically and nationally, the course focuses on clusters of Latin American films (both feature and documentary) that have intervened in a series of social and cultural debates: colonization, migration, modernity, tradition, inequality, national utopias, etc. Students develop their skills in film analysis as they examine the specific role of film in representing, contesting, or defining questions of national, personal, and cultural identity in the region. Class discussions and assignments familiarize students with the characteristics of the distinct film aesthetics and socio-political and cultural contexts in which these works were produced. The class will be conducted in English.

Other or on demand and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-101 Beginning Spanish I

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Basic oral and written proficiency for daily communication; may be taken as a self-contained unit or as a basis for further development. Audio-visual method. Closed to students who have already taken a 300-level* Closed to Native/Heritage speakers. Native and/or Heritage speakers are encouraged to take SP390 instead. * Unless recommended to a specific student by the Department of World Languages, on a per-case basis.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-102 Beginning Spanish II

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Continuation of SP101. This course is intended for students with at least one year of past Spanish instruction in high school, or one semester in college at the beginning level. Closed to students who have already taken a 300-level Spanish course*. Native and/or Heritage speakers are encouraged to take SP390 instead*. * Unless recommended to a specific student by the Department of World Languages, on a per-case basis.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-191 Special Topics in Spanish

LASC Categories: TLC, DAC, GP

An introductory level course in Spanish on current or specialized topics.

Every year. 3 Credits

SP-193 First Year Seminar Spanish

LASC Categories: FYS

Introductory level course covering topics of special interest to first year students. Offered only as a First Year Seminar.

Every year. 3 Credits

SP-210 Intermediate Spanish I

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

This course is a review of language constructions and everyday vocabulary at a slighter faster pace than an elementary course. Grammar review starts with the most basic structures, such as present, preterite, and imperfect tenses, ser/estar, por/para, command forms, pronouns, and ends with present subjunctive. Vocabulary fields include feelings and emotions; urban living; family relationships; the media; and the environment. Readings, videos, and short films related to different Spanish speaking countries will add a cultural component to the course. This course is intended for students with 2 years of past Spanish instruction. Closed to students who have already taken a 300-level* Closed to Native/Heritage speakers. Native and/or Heritage speakers are encouraged to take SP390 instead. * Unless recommended to a specific student by the Department of World Languages, on a per-case basis.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-211 Intermediate Spanish II

LASC Categories: TLC, GP

Prerequisites: SP-210 or appropriate placement score.

Continuation of SP210. [Formerly SP213.] Closed to students who have already taken a 300-level* Closed to Native/Heritage speakers. Native and/or Heritage speakers are encouraged to take SP390 instead. * Unless recommended to a specific student by the Department of World Languages, on a per-case basis.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-290 Introduction to Medical Spanish I

LASC Categories: ICW, TLC

Prerequisites: SP-211 or above or have 3 years of language instruction.

Students will learn basic phrases in Spanish as related to their daily activities in various health fields. This course focuses on language used in health professions as well as cultural situations, which doctors, technicians, nurses, and EMTs may experience. By familiarizing students with conversational and medical Spanish, it will enable students to apply their learning to real-world situations, to assist in communications, and ultimately to break down the barrier between doctors and patients. Designed for students to gain beginning-level competence in Medical Spanish topics such as pediatrics, women's health, physical exams, dental care, checkups, and hospital visits.

Fall only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-291 Introduction to Medical Spanish II

LASC Categories: ICW, TLC

Prerequisites: SP-211 or above or have 3 years of language instruction.

Students will learn basic phrases in Spanish as related to their daily activities in various health fields. This course focuses on language used in health professions as well as cultural situations, which doctors, technicians, nurses, and EMTs may experience. By familiarizing students with conversational and medical Spanish, it will enable students to apply their learning to real-world situations, to assist in communications, and ultimately to break down the barrier between doctors and patients. Designed for students to gain beginning-level competence in topics such as nutrition, emergencies, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, STIs, and addiction.

Fall only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-292 Spanish for Women's Health

LASC Categories: GP, ICW, DAC

Prerequisites: SP-211 or above, or 3 years of language instruction.

In this course, students will develop communication skills in Spanish using information and vocabulary related to women's health. The content of this course focuses on language used in health professions as well as cultural situations. By familiarizing students with conversational Spanish and medical Spanish, this course will enable students to apply their learning to real-world situations, to assist in communications, and ultimately to break down the barrier between professionals and Spanish-speakers. Finally, the course's focus on cultural competency interrogates intersections between women's health and topics including but not limited to politics, economics, gender, sexuality, race and age.

Spring only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-293 Health and the Latino Community

LASC Categories: HBS, TLC

Prerequisites: SP-211 or above or have 3 years of language instruction.

Students will explore the ways in which language and culture shape the approach to health and healthcare experiences of Latinos in the US, and the factors that contribute to health disparities among this group (social, cultural, economic, environmental, and biological). Students will examine how health outcomes and risk factors are arrayed across different generations. Language barriers and sociolinguistic issues will also be studied. Students will identify and discuss causes of health inequities, survey major Latino health issues, and analyze the current and future context of Latino health and healthcare in the U.S.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-294 Spanish for the Nutrition and Dietitian Professional

LASC Categories: GP, ICW

Prerequisites: SP-211 or above, or 3 years of language instruction.

Students will develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in Spanish using information and vocabulary related to health, nutrition and dietetics. The content of this course focuses on language used in medical professions as well as cultural situations, which doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, nurses, public health workers, social workers, and other health professionals may experience. By familiarizing students with conversational Spanish and medical Spanish, this course will enable students to apply their learning to real-world situations, to assist in communications, and ultimately to break down the barrier between professionals and Spanish-speakers.

Spring only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-295 The Human Body: Spanish for Anatomy

LASC Categories: ICW, TLC

This course focuses on the study of the Spanish terminology and basic grammatical structures needed to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking patients and/or their families in a medical/health setting. It introduces the student to a wide array of vocabulary particular to the human body, body systems, organs, and their functioning, as well as some common diseases (and their symptoms) that affect each system. Class time will be devoted to practicing new vocabulary, via role-play, conversations with classmates, readings, and written activities. Conducted in Spanish.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-321 Advanced Spanish Composition I

LASC Categories: TLC, WAC

Prerequisites: SP-211 or appropriate placement score.

Facility in prose writing; study of style of selected authors; variety of expression through word discrimination, and advanced grammatical structures. [Prerequisites: Two SP 200 level courses.]

Every year. 3 Credits

SP-322 Advanced Spanish Composition II

LASC Categories: TLC, WAC

Prerequisites: SP-321

Continuation of SP321.

Spring only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-323 Advanced Spanish Conversation Through Film

LASC Categories: TLC, USW

Prerequisites: Two 200-level or above Spanish courses.

The main objective of this course is to develop the student's oral proficiency and communication skills, while building on vocabulary, and learning about different aspects of the Hispanic cultural world with a special emphasis on immigration issues. Regarding the class format, it will be mainly based on group/pair discussions and debates, in which the students will ask questions, express their views, elaborate on their ideas, and defend them by providing supporting examples drawn from their own experiences, analysis, or comparisons.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-326 Spanish for the Professions

LASC Categories: GP, TLC

Prerequisites: SP-321.

Intensive practice with language and documents used in private and public sectors including business, medicine, communication, education and social services.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-327 Introduction to Translation

Prerequisites: SP-321.

SP-327 will prepare you for careers in translation and will satisfy professional and academic requirements. It seeks to introduce the student to the techniques required for translation in a competitive environment. Within the context of the development of greater cross-cultural awareness, it will develop the following language skills for business purposes: speaking, listening comprehension, reading, writing, and translation.

Spring only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-331 Spanish Civilization

LASC Categories: CA

Prerequisites: SP-321

An historical survey of Spanish social, cultural, and political life. Conducted in Spanish.

Spring only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-332 Cultures of Latin America

LASC Categories: DAC, GP

Prerequisites: SP-321.

Introduction to the cultures and history of Latin America from pre-Columbian times to the present day. This course will introduce students to colonial, modern and contemporary cultural, historical and political issues that influenced the development of Latin American identities. The course is taught in Spanish.

Fall only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-333 Hispanic Presence in US

LASC Categories: GP, USW, DAC

Prerequisites: SP-321

Socio-cultural study of Hispanics in the United States, with a focus on major contemporary issues. Conducted un Spanish. [Prerequisites: Two SP 200 level courses.]

Fall only and every year. 3 Credits

SP-341 Readings in Spanish Literature

Prerequisites: SP-321, and SP-323 or SP-324

Selected masterpieces from Middle Ages to present; social, cultural, and stylistic features of different periods. Recommended as a first course in Spanish literature.

Every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-346 Latin American Theater

Prerequisites: SP-321 or SP-390.

This course explores the historical and aesthetic development of Latin American Theater, focusing upon the particular factors that distinguish this theater from the Western European tradition. We will analyze dramatic texts (from Argentina, Uruguay, Perú, México, Puerto Rico, Chile, Cuba, and Colombia), performances, and critical and theoretical perspectives to engage in the following questions: How does theater create and represent social and political transformation? How might we reevaluate civic responsibility and accountability through the study of audience? And, finally what are the major innovations in Latin American theater and performance in the 20th & 21st Centuries?

Other or on demand and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-347 Latin American Colonial Literature

Prerequisites: SP-321 or SP-390.

This course will examine the colonial history of the American continent as interpreted through the various historical accounts written by eyewitnesses of the conquest. We will cover two centuries of writings from the late fifteenth to the seventeenth century. We will examine many historical accounts of the conquest, letters, documents, poetry and other historical artifacts to learn of the social, political, religious and economical significance of the colonial era. It combines an overview of the political economy of the region over three centuries with a study of how social groups interacted among themselves and with imperial rule over time.

Other or on demand and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-348 Contemporary Spanish Literature

Prerequisites: SP-321

Literary works from the generation of 1898 to the present.

Every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-349 Spanish-American Literature

Prerequisites: SP-321

Representative works from South and Central American authors from the colonial period to the present.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-350 Advanced Spanish Grammar

LASC Categories: TLC

Prerequisites: SP-321 or SP-390

This applied linguistics advanced class provides a background of Spanish grammar, and delves into topics of the Spanish language that are usually challenging for English-speaking learners of Spanish. The goals are to clarify important aspects of the Spanish language and related cultural features, including uses of technology and assessment.

Spring only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-352 Lexicography and Terminology: Computer -Assisted Translation (cat)

Prerequisites: SP-321.

This groundbreaking course provides both a practical and a theoretical framework to the study of lexicography and collection of terminology, an essential adjunct to the work of the translator. The role of international standards is pointed out, and principles of construction of terminological banks elaborated. Terminographic procedures in the context of computation technology and terminology management systems are discussed such as the use of the most Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools.

Spring only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-355 Effective Teaching of a Foreign Language

Examines and evaluates effective teaching techniques and strategies as well as second-language acquisition theory for middle/secondary foreign language classrooms. The course is conducted in English for anyone interested in foreign language teaching. All students should have an advanced proficiency of a foreign language, meaning they have taken at least one 300-level course or its equivalent.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-390 Spanish for Native Speakers

LASC Categories: TLC, DAC

This course is designed for native or heritage speakers of Spanish, who have oral proficiency but may not have received formal training in the language. These students were raised speaking Spanish at home. Therefore, this course is designed to work with the language base students already possess. All of four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are emphasized, however, the purpose of the course is to develop reading and writing skills through cultural-related activities.

Fall and Spring and every year. 3 Credits

SP-401 Advanced Study: Special Topics

Special topics in language, literature, civilization or field work of mutual interest to student and instructor. For advanced students.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

SP-402 Independent Study: Spanish

Study of a special topic. Both content and eligibility are subject to departmental guidelines and approval.

Other or on demand. 1-6 Credits

SP-403 Teachng Assistantship in Spanish

Teaching Assistants in Spanish will regularly attend the beginning or intermediate-level Language classes to which they are assigned to assist the professor.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

SP-408 Directed Study: Spanish

Directed study offers students, who because of unusual circumstances may be unable to register for a course when offered, the opportunity to complete an existing course with an established syllabus under the direction and with agreement from a faculty member.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

SP-453 Medical Translation

Prerequisites: SP-321 and SP-327.

This course focuses on building ENG/SPAN, SPAN/ENG translation competence in a health care setting, and provides guided practice in the translation of actual documents within the bio-medical and medical-legal fields. The course covers linguistic concepts, translation techniques, cultural & linguistic issues, professional ethics, medical genres & terminology, resources, and translation exercises. Through weekly translations, reading assignments, and text-analysis activities students will familiarize themselves with health text subgenres, such as patient education pamphlets, lab results, health certificates, prescriptions, informed consents, or health proxies. Students will learn to detect frequent translation challenges in health texts, and develop problem-solving strategies for these issues.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-454 Legal Translation: Eng/Span-Span/Eng

Prerequisites: SP-321 and SP-327.

This course is designed to provide a general overview of translation practices, techniques and specialized terminology in the discipline of legal translation. The main objective of this class is to teach students how to switch safely and accurately between the source and the target language (Spanish/English - English/Spanish). This class will include an intensive study of vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and translation difficulties in specialized legal texts. This class will be conducted in Spanish as the base language for lectures. However, given the nature of the course of study, we will fluctuate between Spanish and English, depending on the object.

Fall only and every 2-3 years. 3 Credits

SP-475 Internship: Spanish

LASC Categories: CAP

Prerequisites: SP-321 and SP-322 and SP-326
Prerequisites or Corequisite: SP-327

Provides majors practical experience in areas where their speaking, reading, and writing skills may be applied.

Every year. 3 Credits

WL-101 Beginning World Language

LASC Categories: GP

Beginning level I instruction in world languages that are not otherwise offered by the Department of Languages and Literature.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

WL-102 Beginning World Language II

LASC Categories: GP

Prerequisites: WL-101 or equivalent. Anyone with 2+ years of language exposure should enroll in this course or higher.

Beginning level II instruction in world languages that are not otherwise offered by the Department of Languages and Literature.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

WL-191 Special Topics in World Language

An introductory level course in a world language covering linguistic issues, socio-historical or cultural aspects, or current or specialized topics. Course may be taught in English.

Every year. 3 Credits

WL-193 First Year Seminar

LASC Categories: FYS

Introductory level course covering topics of special interest to first year students. Offered only as a First Year Seminar.

3 Credits

WL-210 Intermediate World Language I

Prerequisites: WL-102

Intermediate level I instruction in world languages that are not otherwise offered by the Department of Languages and Literature.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

WL-211 Intermediate World Language II

Prerequisites: WL-210

Intermediate level II instruction in world languages that are not otherwise offered by the Department of Languages and Literature.

Other or on demand. 3 Credits

WL-408 Directed Study: World Languages

Directed study offers students, who because of unusual circumstances may be unable to register for a course when offered, the opportunity to complete an existing course with an established syllabus under the direction and with agreement from a faculty member.

3 Credits

The Department of World Languages currently offers German as WL courses