Chinese
French
German
Italian
Russian
Spanish  

PROFESSOR

James M. Vest. 1973. A.B., Davidson College; M.A. and Ph.D., Duke University. (French language and literature - nineteenth and twentieth centuries, cinema.) 
 

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS

Kathleen Anne Doyle. 1999. B.A., Saint Xavier College, Chicago; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Chicago. (Modernism in Spain, Contemporary Peninsular Spanish literature, Women’s Studies.)
P. Eric Henager. 1995. B.A., Rhodes College; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Illinois. (Spanish language, Contemporary Spanish-American literatures and cultures, popular culture and literature, Latin American Studies.)
Shira Malkin. 1990. Doctorat de Troisiéme Cycle, Université de Paris VII; Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo. (French language and literature, drama, intercultural education, and translation.)
Michelle Mattson. 2004. Chair. B.A., University of Minnesota; M.A., Ph.D., Stanford University. (Twentieth-century German literature and culture, Women’s Studies)
Valerie Z. Nollan. 1986. L. Palmer Brown Chair of Interdisciplinary Humanities. B.A., University of Delaware; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh. (Russian language and literature-nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Soviet/Russian cinema, literature and music.)
Katheryn L. Wright. 1987. B.A., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; M.A., University of Florida; Ph.D., Indiana University. (French language and literature - twentieth century; African literatures.)

ASSISTANT PROFESSORS

Hanna Albertson. 2007. M.A. and Ph.D., Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznán, Poland (19th- and 20th-century Italian literature.)
Alison Vort Halász. 2007. A.B. and M.A., Ohio University; Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh (French language and literature, 20th century literature and the arts, text-and-image studies.)
Iván Fernández Peláez. 2007.  Licenciado en Filología, Universidad de Deusto; Ph.D. Vanderbilt University (Early Modern Spanish literature and culture.)
Elizabeth Cavitch Lucia. 2007. B.A. Bryn Mawr College; M.A. and Ph.D., New York University (Medieval French literature.)
Karl-Heinz Maurer. 2005. University of Cologne; M.A., University of Missouri; Ph.D. Indiana University (Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century German literature.)
Elizabeth Marcela Pettinaroli. 2007. B.A. Franklin and Marshall College; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Virginia (Early Modern Hispanic literature, Spanish American literature, Space and Place.)

INSTRUCTORS

Nora Jabbour. 2002. B.A. Universidad Rafael Landivar; M.A., Mississippi State University. (Spanish language and culture).
Alexandra Kostina. 1996. M.A. Novgorod State University; Ph.D. candidate, Gornyi Institute. (Russian language, linguistics, and culture.)
Dawn Upchurch Shute. 1999. B.A., Samford University; M.A., University of Memphis. (Spanish language and culture.)

STAFF

Kathy M. Foreman. Departmental Assistant.

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures regularly offers instruction in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Details about the study of each of these languages at Rhodes are found under the subject heading for that specific language. In addition to literature and culture courses in the modern languages, the department also offers some courses in literature in English translation.

Modern Languages and Literatures Degree Requirement. The degree requirement in modern languages may be met by the successful completion of any appropriate three or four-hour course numbered 201 or higher or by demonstrating proficiency through placement into a language course at a level above 201 and approval by the appropriate language faculty. Students who take 201 (or higher) or the equivalent at another institution can earn transfer credit, but must still demonstrate proficiency (see above) in the specific language before the degree requirement is satisfied. Students for whom English is a second language may have this requirement waived.

All students who plan to fulfill Rhodes’ foreign language degree requirement in a language they have previously studied for two years or more in high school must take a placement test in that language. For French, German, Russian, and Spanish, scores on that test will be used to place students in the course most appropriate for them at Rhodes. Students with fewer than two years in a language may enter that language at the 101 level. Any student who scores at the 202 level or higher will need to consult with the department to see if he or she fulfills Rhodes’ foreign language requirement. Students wishing to fulfill the foreign language requirement in a language not previously studied should sign up for a course numbered 101 in that language. However, a student may not take a course numbered 101 in any language for academic credit if two or more years of that language were completed in high school.

In the modern languages, placement tests typically cover reading, writing, listening comprehension, and culture. Literature or culture courses given in translation do not satisfy the foreign language degree requirement.

Departmental Majors. Two types of majors are offered by the department:

1. The major in French, German Studies, and Spanish. This major is designed to provide depth in one language, including its literature and civilization. Requirements are listed under the appropriate language heading.
2. The Russian Studies major, described below under “Russian”.
   

THE LANGUAGE CENTER

The Language Center houses technology for students and faculty members to use in accessing instructional materials in both analog (audio and video tapes and foreign-language television broadcasts) and digital (digital audio and video resources and computer software) formats.

GENERAL COURSES

Modern Languages 150. Selected Foreign Languages.
Credits: Variable.
Certain foreign languages not listed above as regular course offerings are taught on occasion. Information concerning languages not regularly taught may be obtained from the Registrar or the department chair.

Modern Languages 280. Introduction to General Linguistics.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F9.
The Introduction to General Linguistics course presents language as a specific object of knowledge, thought, science, and philosophy. Students will be introduced to the major linguistic theories and examine language as a semiotic system at its various levels. Among the authors to be studied are Ferdinand de Saussure, Nikolai Trubetskoy, Roman Jakobson, George Lakoff, Anna Wierzbicka, Sapir, Whorf, and Bakhtin. (Course is offered alternate years; scheduled for 2008-2009.)

Modern Languages 460. Internship.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1-4.
Internships in the departmental languages are occasionally available for language majors and permit a qualified student to receive academic credit for an internship experience on or off campus, for example by working with a business, a non-profit organization, or within the department itself. The internship, which requires of the student an advanced competence in a foreign language, must entail a significant encounter with a foreign language. Working with a faculty mentor, students must submit a project proposal for the internship prior to the beginning of the internship itself. The completed project will be graded by the faculty mentor. Intradepartmental internships will be reserved for students planning to continue their studies in a foreign language and culture beyond the undergraduate level. Such internal internships will involve working with a faculty mentor on projects of a diverse nature that seek to enhance the program offerings of the language section. Placements must be approved by the faculty mentor who teaches the language in question and the chair of the department. Internship credit will not be awarded retroactively and does not count toward the total number of credits required for the major.

Pass/Fail only.

CHINESE

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN CHINESE STUDIES:

A total of twenty (20) credits in Chinese language (above the level of intermediate Chinese 202), literature and culture. The credits are spread across the following courses:

1. Chinese 301 and 302: Advanced Chinese
2. One of the Chinese Literature courses:
   Chinese 205: Modern Chinese Literature in Translation
   Chinese 210: Chinese Literary Heritage
3. Two of the following courses:
   History 281: The Origins of Chinese Civilization
   History 282: Late Imperial China
   History 382: Modern China
   

COURSE OFFERINGS

101-102. Elementary Chinese.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
This two-semester course introduces Chinese to students with no knowledge of the language. Equal emphasis will be given to acquiring the rudiments of spoken and written Chinese. Students who complete the year-long course will master approximately 700 characters and a vocabulary of a 1,000 words. It also intends to acquaint students with some aspects of Chinese culture and society as a necessary part of their education in this language.

201-202. Intermediate Chinese.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirements: F10 for 201.
In addition to the same objectives for the first year, this course aims at improving students’ aural-oral skills to achieve fluency and comprehension, further developing their proficiency in reading for understanding, and enhancing their ability to write in Chinese and to translate from Chinese into English and vice versa.

205. Modern Chinese Literature in English Translation.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4, F9.
An introductory course of modern Chinese literature (1918-1989) designed to acquaint students with major phases of modern Chinese literature and some masterpieces of representative writers in relation to political and social changes. The course provides opportunities to learn about modern Chinese culture, society, and politics through readings of chosen works and trains students to read thoughtfully and critically. No prior knowledge of Chinese language, literature, and culture is required.

210. Chinese Literary Heritage.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4, F9.
This course introduces one of the world’s richest literary heritages: traditional Chinese literature. It conducts a general survey of Chinese literature from high antiquity up to modern times with the focus on some representative writers and their works. It consists of three major sections: poetry and prose, drama, and fiction. All readings are in English. No prior knowledge of Chinese language and culture is required.

212. Introduction to Comparative Literature: Chinese/English.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4, F9.
This course introduces students to the discipline of comparative literature. It selects some representative works from the Chinese and European literary traditions and groups them into several units centering round a genre and headed by a theme. All readings are in English.
Prerequisites: None.

214. Introduction to Chinese Culture.
Fall or Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course introduces students to Chinese civilization and culture from the multiple perspectives of geography, history, philosophy, language, literature, religion, art, people, society, and general ways of life. Major concerns will include, but are not restricted to, forms of material and spiritual culture that have developed and changed through China’s continuous traditions; individual and collective values that underlie social life, political organization, economics systems, family structure, human relationships, and individual behavior; and the rationales that have made Chines culture what it is.
Prerequisites: None.

215. Images of Women in Chinese Literature and Film.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4, F9.
This course offers a critical survey of women’s images in traditional Chinese literature, and in films about Chinese society. It aims at a critical examination of how femininity and gender roles are conceived in traditional Chinese society, how women are victimized by male prescribed moral codes, and how they resist and subvert the patriarchal order.
Prerequisites: None.

220. Contemporary Chinese Cinema.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
An introductory course on contemporary Chinese cinema that combines film viewing with readings of film theory and criticism. The aim is to provide a window for students to glimpse the complexity of contemporary Chinese culture. Students will view selected Chinese films produced in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong from the 1980’s to the present and be required to read essays of critical studies which explore the interrelations of various issues in Chinese society.
Prerequisites: None.

300. Asian Humanities: India, China, Japan.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
An introductory course of the cultural traditions of Asia. While it covers a wide range of Asian cultures (Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, and other South Asian countries and regions), it focuses on three major civilizations: India, China and Japan. It introduces students to the rudimentary aspects of Asian humanities such as geography, history, ethnicity, language, literature, religion, philosophy, and arts. All readings are in English.
Prerequisites: None.

301-302. Advanced Chinese.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
This course lays greater emphasis on further developing students’ proficiency in reading for understanding and enhancing their ability to write in Chinese and to translate from Chinese into English and vice versa. At the end of the year-long course students should be able to read Chinese materials in everyday life, to write compositions in Chinese characters for daily communication, and to translate non-technical materials from Chinese into English and vice versa with the help of dictionaries.

FRENCH

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN FRENCH:

A total of forty (40) credits as follows:

1. French 202, 301, 485, 486.
2. French 321 or 322.
3. French 323 or 324.
4. Twenty (20) additional credits in French (5 four-credit courses) at the 300-400 level, three of which must be in literature.
   Recommended: A second modern language; 2 years of Latin; related courses in English, history, philosophy, and art.
   Majors are strongly encouraged to spend their junior year in a French or Francophone university. Departmentally pre-approved courses taken there will normally be accepted as courses in the major.
   

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN FRENCH

A total of twenty (20) credits as follows:

1. French 202.
2. French 301.
3. French 323 or 324
4. Additional elective four-credit courses at the 300-400 level. French 202, 301, and 323 or 324 must be taken before elective courses above 324 are attempted.

Minors are strongly encouraged to spend at least one term of their junior year in a French or Francophone university. Departmentally pre-approved courses taken there, beyond French 324, will count as elective courses in the minor. French 305 counts as one elective course in the French minor.

HONORS IN FRENCH

A minimum of 44 hours above the 200-level courses in French; a research paper on a specific literary topic; demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written French; and study abroad (at least one semester).

COURSE OFFERINGS

101. Elementary French.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Fundamentals of the language including pronunciation, grammar, reading, writing, and speaking.

102. Elementary French.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Fundamentals of the language including pronunciation, grammar, reading, writing, and speaking. Continuation of 101.

134. Hitchcock and Truffaut.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
A study of films that exemplify the influence of French language and culture on Hitchcock and of Hitchcock on Truffaut. Taught in English.

154. African Literatures of French Expression in Translation.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F4, F9.
An introduction to the reading and analysis of African literatures written in French. The course examines identity/otherness, “race,” cultural hegemony, oral literatures, gender-related issues, and post-colonialism. No prior knowledge of French is necessary: All works are read and discussed in English.

200. Intensive French.
Summer. Credits: 4 or 6.
Degree Requirements: F10, F11.
Immersion-style French language study at the intermediate level, in a Francophone country. May be used to satisfy the college’s proficiency requirement in foreign languages.
Prerequisites: French 102 or equivalent.

201. Intermediate French.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirement: F10.
Continued practice and acquisition of the basic language skills.

202. French Connections.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Enhanced practice and acquisition of linguistic and cultural skills. In French 202, particular attention is placed on the reading and discussion of literary and cultural texts.
Prerequisites: French 201 or equivalent.

301. Composition.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F2.
This course develops the ability to read critically and write substantial analytical essays in French. Introduction to literary criticism and advanced grammar review.
Prerequisites: French 202.

305. Intensive French.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F11
Immersion-style French language study beyond the intermediate level, in a Francophone country. Counts as one elective course beyond the three core courses in the French minor, but does not count toward the major in French.
Prerequisites: French 202, or the equivalent.

306. Conversation Practicum.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1.
Emphasis on oral expression and listening comprehension. Small group format. May be repeated once for credit with a different instructor or topic. Recommended in conjunction with French 301.
Prerequisites: French 301 or permission of instructor.

308. French Cultural Heritage.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Intensive French language study at the advanced level in a Francophone culture, supplemented by an in-depth investigation of a major aspect of that culture’s civilization. Research paper and formal oral presentation. Counts as one course towards the major in French.
Prerequisites: French 301 or permission of the instructor.

317. Modern French Civilization.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Life in France and the Francophone world. French readings on contemporary society, lifestyles, values, art and fashion, commerce, and advertising. Readings in current periodicals. Research project.
Prerequisites: French 301 or permission of the instructor.

321. French Society from the Middle Ages to the Revolution.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F2i, F3
Survey of the historical, intellectual, and artistic forces that shaped French society from the Middle Ages to the fall of the Ancien Régime in 1789.
Prerequisites: French 301 or permission of instructor.

322. French Society from Napoleon to the 21st Century.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Survey of the social, political, intellectual, and artistic changes that have created modern French society and its contemporary issues.
Prerequisites: French 301 or permission of instructor.

323. Survey of Pre-Revolutionary Literature.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4.
Major French authors of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, classical period and enlightenment.
Prerequisites: French 301. Students are advised to take French 321 or 322 prior to French 323.

324. Survey of Literature Since the Revolution.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Major French authors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Prerequisites: French 301. Students are advised to take French 321 prior to French 324.

332. French Drama.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
Plays by representative French dramatists from the French classical period to the present.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

333. French Poetry.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Study of French poetics and survey of principal forms with focus on major French poetical movements.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

334. French Cinema.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
A study of prominent directors and movements of French cinema, this course emphasizes techniques and themes of French filmmaking from the silent era through surrealism and the New Wave to the present. Taught in English. Counts toward the Film Studies minor.
Prerequisites: Students wishing this course to count toward the French minor or major should have completed French 301 and 321 or 322 and French 323 or 324 prior to taking 334. Credit toward the French major or minor will not be granted retroactively.

335. Readings in French Fiction.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Selected prose readings from the French classical period to the twentieth century. The major focus of the course will be the study of representative French novelists. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

336. Contemporary French Literature.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
An examination of selected authors and developments in prose, drama, and film since World War II. Focus on the theater of the absurd, nouveau roman, and the literary representation of marginalized populations in France.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

337. French Language Studies.
Credits: 1-4.
Special studies in contemporary French usage. Focus on practical analysis of the French language.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

340. Introduction to Translation.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Emphasis on problems and strategies of translation. Students will be trained in a variety of techniques to translate accurately and idiomatically from French into English and from English into French.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

354. African Literatures in French.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F9.
Examines the origins and development of sub-Saharan African literatures written in French. Emphasis on the origins and dynamics of the Négritude movement, “postcolonial” theories and literatures, and the emergence of women’s voices in literature.
Prerequisites: French 301, and 321 or 322 and 323 or 324.

441-442. Special Topics in French.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Intensive study of some aspect of French literature, culture, or linguistics.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

485. Senior Paper.
Spring. Credits: 2.
An independent research and writing project to result in an oral presentation and a paper of critical literary inquiry on a topic of the student’s choice. Required of all majors.
Prerequisites: Senior standing.

486. Senior Review.
Fall. Credits: 2.
Review of the major movements in French and Francophone literatures from the Middle Ages to the present. Preparation for the Senior Papers. Required of all majors.
Prerequisites: Senior Standing.

495-496. Honors Tutorial.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-8,4-8.

GERMAN

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN GERMAN STUDIES

A total of nine courses (36 credits) above 201 as follows:

1. German 301 and 302. Must be taken before any other 300 level course is attempted but may be taken concurrently with others. German 305 (Maymester) may be substituted for one of these.
2. German 320 and 321 (each must be taken in conjunction with one credit of 311).
3. Two of the following: German 340-348 [Students who wish to count these toward the German major will do portions of the work in German.].
4. German 486.
5. German 202 may be applied to the major unless a student places into a higher level course in the curriculum.
6. One of the following courses may be applied to the major: German 240, German 242, German 244, German 246, German 248.

Majors are strongly encouraged to participate in the exchange program with the University of Tübingen or with a departmentally approved ISEP program during their junior years; equivalent courses from there will be accepted as substitutes.

Recommended: A second foreign language; related courses in English, philosophy, and history.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN GERMAN STUDIES

A total of five courses (20 credits) above 201 as follows:

1. German 301 and 302. Must be taken before any other 300-level course is attempted but may be taken concurrently with others. German 305 (Maymester) may be substituted for one of these.
2. At least one of the following: German 320-321 (each must be taken in conjunction with one credit of 311).
3. At least one of the following: German 240/340-248/348 [Students who wish to count one of these courses toward the minor, will do portions of the work in German.].
4. German 202 may be applied to the minor unless a student places into a higher level course in the curriculum.

Minors are also strongly encouraged to spend at least a semester at the University of Tübingen or with a departmentally approved ISEP program; equivalent courses from there will be accepted as substitutes.

HONORS IN GERMAN

A minimum of 40 credits above German 202; a research paper on a specific literary, linguistic, or cultural topic; demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written German.

COURSE OFFERINGS

101-102. Elementary German.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Fundamentals of the German language: pronunciation, grammar, speaking, reading and writing.

201-202. Intermediate German.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirements: F10 for 201.
Review of grammar, selected readings, further practice in oral and written communication. Systematic vocabulary building, simple composition, and introductory study of cultural history
Prerequisites: German 102, 205 or the equivalent.

205. German in Germany.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F10, F11.
An intensive study of intermediate German in Germany. Successful completion of this course fulfills the college language requirement. [As the equivalent of 201, this course does not count toward the major or the minor.]

210. Readings (Intermediate Level).
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1-4.
Readings designed to meet individual interests and needs.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

220/320-221/321. Topics in German Literature, Culture and Society
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4-4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
A two-semester survey of the cultural and intellectual history of the German speaking peoples with particular emphasis on the last two hundred and fifty years.  This historical periods covered will be presented within the framework of specific topics, such as revolution or national identity.  Readings from a variety of areas (literature, philosophy, politics, etc.); films, lectures, reports, and discussions. 220/320 will cover roughly 1750-1870; 221/321 will proceed from 1870-present. German 320-321 is reserved for majors and minors. Students taking these courses toward the major or minor must take one credit of 311 concurrently.
Prerequisites: German 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

240/340. German Cinema.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
This course, examining important German films since the days of the Weimar Republic, places special emphasis on the historical and social background of each film as well as the aesthetic qualities of the works. It thereby seeks to contribute to a better understanding of recent German history and of films as an artistic medium. Filmmakers to be studied include Friedrich Murnau, Fritz Lang, Leni Riefenstahl, Volker Schlöndorff, Helma Sanders-Brahms, Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Wolfgang Becker. All films are subtitled; the course is taught in English. [German 340 is reserved for majors and minors, who will do substantial portions of the work for the course in German.]

242/342. The Holocaust in Text, Image, and Memory.
Fall, Spring. Credits 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F2, F9.
Examination of such topics as the origins and expressions of Anti-Semitism in central Europe, the political events and structures of the Holocaust, the reality of ghettos and concentration camps, the impact of technological modernization on the Final Solution, and resistance to the Nazis. Materials will include non-fictional texts, literature, art, and music. All materials and discussions in English. [German 342 is reserved for majors and minors, who will do substantial portions of the work for the course in German.]

244/344. German Fairy Tales.
Fall, Spring. Credits 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F2, F4.
Emphasis on the Grimms’ tales: theoretical approaches to the tales from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; perversions of these traditional tales by the National Socialists (Nazis), as well as later adaptations. All materials and discussions in English. [German 344 is reserved for majors and minors, who will do substantial portions of the work for the course in German.]

246/346. Marx, Nietzsche, Freud.
Fall, Spring. Credits 4.
This course introduces students to the works of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud. Discussions will center on materialism and its significance for concepts of history and progress, and on the status of the self in society. Discussions of contemporary cultural theory and of popular culture will test the continued relevance of these thinkers. All materials and discussions in English. [German 346 is reserved for majors and minors, who will do substantial portions of the work for the course in German.]

248/348. Special Topics in German Literature.
Fall, Spring. Credits 4.
Degree Requirements:  F4.
Emphasis on a specific author, group of authors, or theme.  Course topics may vary, and students may repeat the course with a different topic. All materials and discussions in English. [German 348 is reserved for majors and minor, who will do substantial portions of the work for the course in German.]

301. Advanced Reading Comprehension.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Emphasis on the development of reading skills through a variety of text types.
Prerequisites: German 202 or permission of instructor.

302. Composition and Conversation.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Advanced training in written and oral German expression.
Prerequisites: German 202 or 301 or permission of instructor.

305. German in Germany.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F11.
An intensive study of advanced German in Germany.

310. Readings (Advanced Level).
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1-4.
Readings designed to meet individual interests and needs. May be taken more than once for credit with new topics.
Prerequisites: German 202 or permission of instructor.

311.  Supplemental Readings.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1.
This readings course is reserved for majors and minors enrolled in German 320 or 321.  It is designed to give them opportunities to read, write, and speak in German in conjunction with the coursework in English.  May be repeated once.

409. Special Topics.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Intensive study of some aspect or theme of German literature, culture or society in German. May be taken more than once for credit with new topics.

486. Senior Seminar.
Spring. Credits: 2.
Independent study designed to give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the discipline in a full-length research paper.

495-496. Honors Tutorial.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.

ITALIAN

NO MAJOR OR MINOR OFFERED

COURSE OFFERINGS

101-102. Elementary Italian.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Fundamentals of the language: pronunciation, grammar, oral practice, reading of simple texts.

201-202. Intermediate Italian.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirement: F10 for 201.
Continuation of grammar, conversation, and composition work from 101-102. Selected readings of classical and contemporary Italian writers and of original press articles.

RUSSIAN

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN RUSSIAN STUDIES

A total of forty-one (41) credits above Russian 201 as follows:

1. Russian 202
2. Russian 301-302 (Russian 309 (Maymester) can be substituted for one of these.
3. Russian 306, 410, 486
4. Russian 300 or 400
5. Russian 205, 212
6. Russian 215 or ML 280
7. One course in Russian history approved by program coordinator

Recommended courses (do not count toward the 41 credits needed for the major): Economics 232 (Classical and Marxian Political Economy) and IS 221 (Russian Successor States). Majors are encouraged to spend at least one semester studying in Russia.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN RUSSIAN STUDIES

A total of twenty-one (21) credits as follows:

1. Russian 301, 302, 306, and 410.
2. Two of the following: Russian 205, 212, 215, 300, 400
   Minors are encouraged to spend at least one Maymester in Russia.

PROGRAMS ABROAD

Rhodes College maintains a close relationship with the Gornyi Institute in St. Petersburg, where the Russian Studies Program’s Maymester takes place. Through affiliation with Bard College, Rhodes Students of Russian can study at the Smolny Institute of St. Petersburg for a semester or a year. In addition, students studying Russian can spend a summer, semester, or academic year in Russia through such nationally-recognized programs as the Council for International and Educational Exchange (CIEE) in St. Petersburg or the American Council on the Teaching of Russian (ACTR) in Moscow.

COURSE OFFERINGS

101-102. Elementary Russian.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Elementary grammar, reading, and conversation, supplemented by materials on Russian culture.

201-202. Intermediate Russian.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirement: F10 for 201.
Intermediate grammar and continued training in conversation and composition, supplemented by assignments in the Language Center. Reading of Russian texts of graded difficulty.
Prerequisites: Russian 101-102 or equivalent.

205. Russian Intellectual History of the Twentieth Century.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4.
Study and analysis of intellectual currents in twentieth-century Russia through recent films and literary works. Films include The Cranes are Flying, Dersu Uzala, Autumn Marathon, and Siberiade. Literary works by the following writers: Akhmatova, Astafiev, Voznesensky, Soloukhin, Rasputin, and Petrushevskaya. All films are subtitled; all works are read in translation.

209/309. Russian in Russia.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F10, F11.
A 3-4 week guided encounter with the language and culture aimed at solidifying vocabulary and grammar previously acquired. A significant cultural component is part of the course. Takes place in May-June.

212. Masterpieces of Russian Literature in Translation.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4.
Reading of representative works by major Russian writers of the nineteenth century (including Pushkin, Goncharov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Dostoevsky) and screening of film adaptations of these works. All works are read in translation; all films are in Russian, with English subtitles.

215. Giants of Russia’s Silver Age: Soloviev, Blok, and Rachmaninoff.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Study of the aesthetic, thematic, and personal connections among three of Russia’s towering figures: Vladimir Soloviev, Alexander Blok, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. The course will examine in depth the creative works of the philosopher-poet Soloviev, the poet-dramatist Blok, and the composer-pianist Rachmaninoff (for whom poetry was second only to music). Master themes and global concepts linking the three creative artists include the yearning for harmony; exploration of Russian Orthodox religiosity; elevation of the “eternal feminine” of Sophia (the body of God); and connection between beauty and goodness. Representative philosophical, poetic, and musical works, respectively, of the three artists will be examined.
Prerequisites: At least one course from the following departments or programs: Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, or Russian Studies.

300. Dostoevsky.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4.
This course explores selected works by Dostoevsky in the context of the rise of the Russian novel. Concentration is on the major literary, philosophical, and religious issues Dostoevsky raises in his prose. All works are read in translation.

301-302. Advanced Russian.
Fall ,Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Advanced grammar, with greater emphasis on the refinement of conversation and composition skills. Discussion of topics related to contemporary life in Russia.
Prerequisites: Russian 201-202 or equivalent.

306. Phonetics.
Fall. Credits: 1.
Practice in Russian sounds, especially those that tend to be problematic for a non-native speaker. Emphasis on specific phonetic phenomena, such as palatalization and assimilation of consonants, and reduction of unstressed vowels. Examination of word stress, sentence-level stress, and intonation patterns.
Corequisite: Course should be taken as early as possible in the study of Russian, but must be taken as a co-requisite with Russian 301.

400. Soviet/Russian Film.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Introduction to the ideological and aesthetic forces that have shaped the development of Soviet/Russian film, with particular attention to various film theories. Films of various directors, such as Eisenstein, Chukhrai, Daneliia, Tarkovsky, and Mikhalkov will be studied. All films are subtitled; course is taught in English.

410. Analytical Reading.
Fall. Credits: 4.
This course aims to teach students the strategies of understanding texts of high literary quality by analyzing elements of given texts in their complexity. While focusing mainly on “psycho-poetic” aspects of reading activity, the course also introduces formal approaches to text analysis, such as identifying the stylistic devices and expressive means employed by the authors.

486. Senior Seminar.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Students will be assigned individual research topics associated with the essential concept of the Russian Idea, give weekly progress reports, which will involve analytical discussion, and present their results orally and in writing at the end of the course. Special attention will be given to assigned readings from the Russian press and from Russian literature.

495-496. Honors Tutorial.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-8, 4-8.

SPANISH

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN SPANISH

A total of thirty-six (36) credits above Spanish 202. At least five courses must be completed at 310 or above. Required courses are the following:

1. Spanish 301 or 302
2. Spanish 303, 306, and 486
3. Five elective courses numbered 310 or above

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN SPANISH

A total of twenty (20) credits above Spanish 202. At least one course must be completed at 310 or above. Required courses are the following:

1. Spanish 301 or 302
2. Spanish 303or 306
3. Three elective courses, one of which must be numbered 310 or above

HONORS IN SPANISH

A minimum of 40 credits above the 200-level courses, reading in a field of specialization and preparation of a paper in that field; examinations covering Spanish literature, Spanish American literature and civilization, Spanish grammar and Spanish civilization, and the field of specialization. Approval by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures is required.

COURSE OFFERINGS

101-102. Elementary Spanish.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Pronunciation, fundamentals of grammar, composition, and reading of texts of graded difficulty.

201-202. Intermediate Spanish.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirement: F10 for 201.
Review and continuation of grammar; composition; training for oral proficiency. Reading of modern literary works of Spain and Spanish America.
Prerequisites: one year of Spanish in college or two years in high school.

205. Spanish in Spain.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirement: F10, F11.
An intensive study of Spanish at Estudio Sampere. This course satisfies the proficiency requirement in foreign languages, as well as the foundation requirement for experiential learning beyond the Rhodes campus.
Prerequisites: One year of college-level Spanish.

209. Spanish in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirement: F10, F11.
An intensive study of Spanish at Estudio Sampere’s Cuenca location. This course satisfies the proficiency requirement in foreign languages, as well as the foundation requirement for experiential learning beyond the Rhodes campus.
Prerequisites: One year of college-level Spanish.

301-302. Advanced Spanish Language and Civilization.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirement: F2 for 302.
A study of the most difficult aspects of the Spanish language with emphasis on the four skills of speaking, understanding, writing, and reading. Special attention is given to the idiomatic character of the language. Text materials deal with civilization and current events. Aural comprehension and oral production are stressed in 301; composition is stressed in 302, a writing intensive course. These courses need not be taken in sequence.
Prerequisites: Spanish 202 or the equivalent.

303. Survey of Peninsular Spanish Literature.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F4.
Reading and analysis of selected works of Peninsular Spanish literature from a range of genres. Beginning with a brief introduction to Spain’s multicultural past, the course will provide students with a panoramic survey of the major periods in Spanish cultural and literary history from the 11th through the 21st centuries. Emphasis given to the fundamentals of literary research and analysis.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor

305. Spanish in Spain.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirement: F11.
An intensive study of advanced-level Spanish at Estudio Sampere.
Prerequisites: Two years of college-level Spanish.

306. Survey of Spanish American Literatures and Cultures.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities. F4.
A panoramic overview of literary and cultural movements from the pre-Columbian era to the present. Emphasis given to the fundamentals of literary research and analysis.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

307. Oral Proficiency Practicum.
Spring. Credits: 1.
Discussion of contemporary issues in Spanish-speaking communities with emphasis on improving oral proficiency.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

309. Spanish in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Summer. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirement: F11.
An intensive study of advanced-level Spanish at Estudio Sampere’s Cuenca location.
Prerequisites: Two years of college-level Spanish.

310. U.S. Latino Literatures and Cultures.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A course in which students read and analyze texts pertaining to the U.S. Hispanic experience as they work with agencies that provide services in the Hispanic communities of Memphis.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

320. Spanish American Drama.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F5.
A study of the works of Spanish American dramatists from the colonial era to the present.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

330. Spanish American Poetry.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of the major movements and representatives of Spanish American Poetry, from pre-Columbian era to the present.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

340. Latin American Colonial Literature.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A survey course centered on the literary manifestations of Latin America during the Colonial period. Some of the main authors that will be studied are Cristóbal Colón, Hernán Cortés, Bartolomé de las Casas, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302, or permission of the instructor.

350. Fiction by Spanish Women Writers.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course aims to raise and examine issues associated with women’s literary expression through the study of works by some of the most prominent Spanish writers of the last two centuries. Questions of marginality (as related to gender, language and culture), female sexuality and creativity, and the challenge of writing under the watchful eye of state censors will be addressed.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

355. Medieval and Early Modern Women Writers.
Spring. Credits 4.
The primary focus is on women writers from the Middle Ages to the end of the seventeenth century. It explores how women writers in the Hispanic world, such as Florencia Pinar, Teresa de Jesús, Catalina de Erauso, Juana Inés de la Cruz, and María de Zayas, negotiate gender construction and its impositions through literature. For these women, literary production becomes the site of gender-related political resistance, and in some instances, gender redefinition or what could be called a Hispanic proto-feminism. The course deals with a variety of literary genres, such as poetry, short novel, theater, autobiography, and letters, as well as some oral tradition.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission by instructor.

360. Gender In Spanish American Literature.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of gender in works by women and men writers. Topical units composed of texts representing various genres, regions, and periods.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

365. Special Topics in Spanish.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Emphasis on a particular genre or the literature of a specific Hispanic nation.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

370. Contemporary Southern Cone Literature.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of contemporary Southern Cone literature including short stories, novels, theatre, poetry, and essays.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

395. Spanish Medieval Masterpieces.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A survey course of the literary manifestations of Spain during the Middle Ages. Some of the main texts that may be studied are Poema de Mio Cid, Milagros de Nuestra Señora, Libro de buen amor and La Celestina.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

405. The Literature of Mexico after 1911.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of major Mexican writers of the 20th and 21st centuries. May include works by Juan Rulfo, Rosario Castellanos, Elena Garro, Carlos Fuentes, Octavio Paz, and Carlos Monsiváis.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

406. The Contemporary Novel of Spanish America.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of major novelists since 1950. May include works by Carmen Boullosa, Mario Vargas Llosa, Cristina Peri Rossi, and Gabriel García Márquez.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

408. The Spanish American Short Story.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
A study of Spanish American short story writers. May include works by Jorge Luis Borges, Isabel Allende, Luisa Valenzuela, Julio Cortázar, and Horacio Quiroga.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

410. Modern Spain: From Enlightenment to Realism.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course aims to give the student an overview of the literary development of Spain during the 18th and 19th centuries. Emphasis is given to the main cultural and literary movements: Enlightenment, Romanticism and Realism.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

412-413. Twentieth-Century Spain.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Spanish 412 studies the generations of 1898 and 1927. Spanish 413 focuses on the literature of the Spanish Civil War, the Franco Regime, and the transition from dictatorship to democracy. These courses do not need to be taken in sequence.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

421. Poetry and Prose of the Golden Ages.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course focuses on 16th- and 17th-century poetry and prose. May include works by Quevedo, Góngora, Garcilaso de la Vega, Cervantes, Zayas, Teresa de Jesús, and Juan de la Cruz.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission of instructor.

423. Hispanic Golden Age Theater.
Spring. Credits 4.
This course will study major playwrights of the Golden Age such as Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Tirso de Molina, María de Zayas, Juana Inés de la Cruz and Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, among many others. Written and staged between the end of the 16th and the end of the 17th centuries—a period known for its literary and artistic activity both in the New World and Spain—these plays are important because of their themes, audience and treatment of critical issues such as gender definition, national identity, and conflicts of class.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission by instructor.

424. Exploring Don Quijote.
Fall. Credits 4.
This course aims to familiarize students with Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece, considered one of the classics of 17th-century Spanish literature. Although both parts of Don Quijote will be examined, emphasis will be given to the first part written in 1605. Questions of readership, authorship, and narrative, among others, will be examined.
Prerequisites: Spanish 301 or 302 or permission by instructor.

486. Senior Seminar.
Spring. Credits: 4.
An overview of major topics of Hispanic literatures and cultures. Emphasis is given to the process of conceiving and developing a substantial library of research, and to the elaboration of a major research paper.

495-496. Honors Tutorial.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-8,4-8.